Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
Where is the best place to begin to select a vein for an
initial intravenous (IV) site in a left-handed patient?
Right forearm
Antecubital vein of the left arm
Left forearm
Antecubital vein of the right arm - correct
answers✅Right Forearm
RATIONALE: Unless other reasons are identified, IV sites
should be started in the most distal portion of the
nondominant arm or hand.
A nurse assesses an area where an intravenous (IV) line
had been recently removed. The area has redness,
swelling, and warmth. What should the nurse suspect as
the cause?
Blood loss and hemorrhage
Embolus from the former catheter
Inflammation and possible phlebitis
Infiltration and air embolus - correct
answers✅Inflammation and possible phlebitis
,Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
RATIONALE: IV sites may show signs of inflammation or
infection or both after an IV line has been removed.
The K+ laboratory report shows a level of 5.2 mEq/L.
What is the most important assessment for the nurse to
make?
Excessive thirst
Frightening hallucinations
Irregular heartbeat
Swelling of ankles - correct answers✅Irregular
heartbeat
RATIONALE: Arrhythmias can be triggered by
hyperkalemia.
A small child is hospitalized with severe metabolic
acidosis after ingesting a whole bottle of baby aspirin
approximately 8 hours earlier. In addition to providing
reassurance to the patient, which nursing action is the
most appropriate?
Inducing vomiting
Frequently assessing the mental and neurologic status
,Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
Taking daily weights and vital signs - correct
answers✅Frequently assessing the mental and
neurologic status
RATIONALE: The baby aspirin was ingested too long ago
to have vomiting or stomach aspiration be of any use.
The child requires frequent assessment of neurologic
function because the child may need mechanical
ventilation.
When the water absorption in the renal tubules becomes
greater than normal, what assessment finding should a
nurse anticipate?
Less concentrated urine
More concentrated urine
Less alkaline urine
More alkaline urine - correct answers✅More
concentrated urine
RATIONALE: When more water is kept back in the body,
the water left to form urine is less; therefore, the urine is
more concentrated.
, Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
A patient has renal damage because of diabetes. What is
the highest risk for this patient?
Hypokalemia
Hypercalcemia
Hyperkalemia
Hypocalcemia - correct answers✅Hyperkalemia
RATIONALE: When the renal system cannot rid the body
of enough K+, this electrolyte builds up and a condition
called hyperkalemia develops.
A nurse understands that fluid balance is mainly
monitored in the body by which two systems?
Respiratory and circulatory
Renal and gastrointestinal
Circulatory and renal
Hepatic and lymphatic - correct answers✅Circulatory
and renal
RATIONALE: The monitoring of basic fluid balance in the
body is performed by the renal and circulatory systems.
Where is the best place to begin to select a vein for an
initial intravenous (IV) site in a left-handed patient?
Right forearm
Antecubital vein of the left arm
Left forearm
Antecubital vein of the right arm - correct
answers✅Right Forearm
RATIONALE: Unless other reasons are identified, IV sites
should be started in the most distal portion of the
nondominant arm or hand.
A nurse assesses an area where an intravenous (IV) line
had been recently removed. The area has redness,
swelling, and warmth. What should the nurse suspect as
the cause?
Blood loss and hemorrhage
Embolus from the former catheter
Inflammation and possible phlebitis
Infiltration and air embolus - correct
answers✅Inflammation and possible phlebitis
,Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
RATIONALE: IV sites may show signs of inflammation or
infection or both after an IV line has been removed.
The K+ laboratory report shows a level of 5.2 mEq/L.
What is the most important assessment for the nurse to
make?
Excessive thirst
Frightening hallucinations
Irregular heartbeat
Swelling of ankles - correct answers✅Irregular
heartbeat
RATIONALE: Arrhythmias can be triggered by
hyperkalemia.
A small child is hospitalized with severe metabolic
acidosis after ingesting a whole bottle of baby aspirin
approximately 8 hours earlier. In addition to providing
reassurance to the patient, which nursing action is the
most appropriate?
Inducing vomiting
Frequently assessing the mental and neurologic status
,Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
Taking daily weights and vital signs - correct
answers✅Frequently assessing the mental and
neurologic status
RATIONALE: The baby aspirin was ingested too long ago
to have vomiting or stomach aspiration be of any use.
The child requires frequent assessment of neurologic
function because the child may need mechanical
ventilation.
When the water absorption in the renal tubules becomes
greater than normal, what assessment finding should a
nurse anticipate?
Less concentrated urine
More concentrated urine
Less alkaline urine
More alkaline urine - correct answers✅More
concentrated urine
RATIONALE: When more water is kept back in the body,
the water left to form urine is less; therefore, the urine is
more concentrated.
, Med-Surg 1 Final Exam 2024
A patient has renal damage because of diabetes. What is
the highest risk for this patient?
Hypokalemia
Hypercalcemia
Hyperkalemia
Hypocalcemia - correct answers✅Hyperkalemia
RATIONALE: When the renal system cannot rid the body
of enough K+, this electrolyte builds up and a condition
called hyperkalemia develops.
A nurse understands that fluid balance is mainly
monitored in the body by which two systems?
Respiratory and circulatory
Renal and gastrointestinal
Circulatory and renal
Hepatic and lymphatic - correct answers✅Circulatory
and renal
RATIONALE: The monitoring of basic fluid balance in the
body is performed by the renal and circulatory systems.
