Pathophysiology Final Exam Practice
Questions and answers (WGU D236)
A34client34receives34a34phone34call34from34her34gynecologist's34office34nurse34and34is34inf
ormed34that34her34Pap34test34results34identified34mild34dysplasia.34The34best34explanatio
n34for34the34nurse34to34provide34would34be:
a. "Minor34degrees34of34dysplasia34are34associated34with34chronic34irritation34or34infl
ammation.34However,34we34will34need34to34do34additional34diagnostic34studies34to34
confirm34the34diagnosis."
b. "You34definitely34have34cancer."
c. "Do34not34be34concerned;34this34is34not34abnormal."
d. "You34need34emergency34treatment;34please34come34in34to34the34office34today."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-a
The34nurse34is34educating34about34the34importance34of34improving34the34metabolic34pro
cess34in34a34client34who34has34morbid34obesity34and34is34beginning34a34weight34loss34pr
ogram34with34exercise.34What34should34the34nurse34inform34the34client34about34the34imp
ortance34of34improving34the34metabolic34rate?
a. Increasing34metabolism34improves34the34process34by34which34cells34engulf34mate
rials34from34their34surroundings34to34improve34electrolyte34function.
b. Increasing34metabolism34will34allow34the34client34to34be34able34to34eat34whatever34foo
ds34he34wants34as34long34as34he34is34exercising.
c. Increasing34metabolism34improves34the34secretion34of34intracellular34substances3
4into34the34extracellular34spaces.
d. Increasing34metabolism34will34improve34the34breakdown34of34carbohydrates,34f
ats,34and34proteins34to34provide34energy34for34cell34function.34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
A34client34has34been34exercising34his34arms34repeatedly.34Which34statement34by34the34
nurse34explains34the34increase34in34the34size34of34the34arms?
a. "Your34cells34have34atrophied34in34response34to34increased34oxygen."
b. "Your34cells34have34hypertrophied34in34response34to34increased34workload."
c. "You34have34increased34your34number34of34cells34due34to34increased34oxygenation."
d. "You34have34caused34the34cells34to34clump34together34in34response34to34exercise."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-b
What34can34the34nurse34tell34family34members34to34best34explain34muscle34atrophy34of34a
34family34member34who34has34been34in34a34persistent34coma?
a. "Cell34size34has34increased34in34response34to34immobility."
b. "Cells34hypertrophy34in34response34to34disuse."
,c. "Cell34size34decreases34as34workload34declines."
, d. "Cells34need34more34oxygen34the34longer34they34are34immobile."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-c
Which34statement34would34a34nurse34tell34a34client34to34best34describe34apoptosis?
a. "Apoptosis34describes34increase34in34number34of34cells."
b. "Apoptosis34occurs34in34irreversibly34damaged34cells."
c. "Apoptosis34is34an34increase34in34the34size34of34cells."
d. "Apoptosis34is34the34natural34removal34of34injured34or34worn34out34cells."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
The34student34nurse34is34removing34sutures34on34client34after34abdominal34surgery,34and
34the34wound34begins34to34pull34apart.34The34student34asks34the34instructor,34"Did34I34do
34something34wrong?"34The34instructor34reviews34wound34healing34and34replies:
a. "Maybe34the34wound34edges34were34not34close34enough34together34to34allow34epitheli
alization34of34the34wound34to34occur."
b. "Maybe34the34client34was34'picking'34at34the34wound34and34caused34the34edges34to
34not34be34well-34approximated."
c. "Maybe34you34were34a34little34rough34when34you34pulled34out34the34sutures."
d. "Maybe34the34sutures34were34left34in34too34long34and34impeded34healing."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-a
Following34hip34replacement34surgery,34the34client34has34had34many34weeks34of34physic
al34therapy.34Upon34assessing34the34wound,34it34is34still34red34and34draining34thick,34gre
en,34odoriferous34secretions.34The34client34has34limited34range-of-
motion34and34is34constantly34reporting34pain.34The34physician34explains34that34the34hip34
device34needs34to34be34removed.34Why34is34removal34required?
a. A34fragment34of34bone34may34be34rubbing34at34the34insertion34site34of34the34joint34
and34keeping34it34inflamed.
b. The34body34considers34the34hip34replacement34device34a34foreign34body34and34an34i
nfection34has34developed34around34the34joint.
c. The34device34is34impeding34the34supply34of34nutrients34and34oxygen34to34reach34the34infla
med34area.
d. No34amount34of34antibiotic34therapy34will34be34able34to34reach34the34area34around3
4the34new34joint34and34kill34the34infection.34-34CORRECT34ANSWER-b
A34nurse34is34assessing34a34client34for34the34classic34signs34of34acute34inflammation.34T
he34nurse34would34assess34the34client34for:
a. Cyanosis,34heat,34and34swelling
b. Paresthesias,34redness,34and34coolness
c. Pain,34pulselessness,34and34edema
d. Rubor,34swelling,34and34pain34-34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
During34a34review34session34discussing34cells,34a34student34asks,34"What34do34you34call
34it34when34a34cell34becomes34more34specialized34in34terms34of34structure?"34Which34re
sponse34answers34the34question34correctly?
Questions and answers (WGU D236)
A34client34receives34a34phone34call34from34her34gynecologist's34office34nurse34and34is34inf
ormed34that34her34Pap34test34results34identified34mild34dysplasia.34The34best34explanatio
n34for34the34nurse34to34provide34would34be:
a. "Minor34degrees34of34dysplasia34are34associated34with34chronic34irritation34or34infl
ammation.34However,34we34will34need34to34do34additional34diagnostic34studies34to34
confirm34the34diagnosis."
b. "You34definitely34have34cancer."
c. "Do34not34be34concerned;34this34is34not34abnormal."
d. "You34need34emergency34treatment;34please34come34in34to34the34office34today."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-a
The34nurse34is34educating34about34the34importance34of34improving34the34metabolic34pro
cess34in34a34client34who34has34morbid34obesity34and34is34beginning34a34weight34loss34pr
ogram34with34exercise.34What34should34the34nurse34inform34the34client34about34the34imp
ortance34of34improving34the34metabolic34rate?
a. Increasing34metabolism34improves34the34process34by34which34cells34engulf34mate
rials34from34their34surroundings34to34improve34electrolyte34function.
b. Increasing34metabolism34will34allow34the34client34to34be34able34to34eat34whatever34foo
ds34he34wants34as34long34as34he34is34exercising.
c. Increasing34metabolism34improves34the34secretion34of34intracellular34substances3
4into34the34extracellular34spaces.
d. Increasing34metabolism34will34improve34the34breakdown34of34carbohydrates,34f
ats,34and34proteins34to34provide34energy34for34cell34function.34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
A34client34has34been34exercising34his34arms34repeatedly.34Which34statement34by34the34
nurse34explains34the34increase34in34the34size34of34the34arms?
a. "Your34cells34have34atrophied34in34response34to34increased34oxygen."
b. "Your34cells34have34hypertrophied34in34response34to34increased34workload."
c. "You34have34increased34your34number34of34cells34due34to34increased34oxygenation."
d. "You34have34caused34the34cells34to34clump34together34in34response34to34exercise."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-b
What34can34the34nurse34tell34family34members34to34best34explain34muscle34atrophy34of34a
34family34member34who34has34been34in34a34persistent34coma?
a. "Cell34size34has34increased34in34response34to34immobility."
b. "Cells34hypertrophy34in34response34to34disuse."
,c. "Cell34size34decreases34as34workload34declines."
, d. "Cells34need34more34oxygen34the34longer34they34are34immobile."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-c
Which34statement34would34a34nurse34tell34a34client34to34best34describe34apoptosis?
a. "Apoptosis34describes34increase34in34number34of34cells."
b. "Apoptosis34occurs34in34irreversibly34damaged34cells."
c. "Apoptosis34is34an34increase34in34the34size34of34cells."
d. "Apoptosis34is34the34natural34removal34of34injured34or34worn34out34cells."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
The34student34nurse34is34removing34sutures34on34client34after34abdominal34surgery,34and
34the34wound34begins34to34pull34apart.34The34student34asks34the34instructor,34"Did34I34do
34something34wrong?"34The34instructor34reviews34wound34healing34and34replies:
a. "Maybe34the34wound34edges34were34not34close34enough34together34to34allow34epitheli
alization34of34the34wound34to34occur."
b. "Maybe34the34client34was34'picking'34at34the34wound34and34caused34the34edges34to
34not34be34well-34approximated."
c. "Maybe34you34were34a34little34rough34when34you34pulled34out34the34sutures."
d. "Maybe34the34sutures34were34left34in34too34long34and34impeded34healing."34-
34CORRECT34ANSWER-a
Following34hip34replacement34surgery,34the34client34has34had34many34weeks34of34physic
al34therapy.34Upon34assessing34the34wound,34it34is34still34red34and34draining34thick,34gre
en,34odoriferous34secretions.34The34client34has34limited34range-of-
motion34and34is34constantly34reporting34pain.34The34physician34explains34that34the34hip34
device34needs34to34be34removed.34Why34is34removal34required?
a. A34fragment34of34bone34may34be34rubbing34at34the34insertion34site34of34the34joint34
and34keeping34it34inflamed.
b. The34body34considers34the34hip34replacement34device34a34foreign34body34and34an34i
nfection34has34developed34around34the34joint.
c. The34device34is34impeding34the34supply34of34nutrients34and34oxygen34to34reach34the34infla
med34area.
d. No34amount34of34antibiotic34therapy34will34be34able34to34reach34the34area34around3
4the34new34joint34and34kill34the34infection.34-34CORRECT34ANSWER-b
A34nurse34is34assessing34a34client34for34the34classic34signs34of34acute34inflammation.34T
he34nurse34would34assess34the34client34for:
a. Cyanosis,34heat,34and34swelling
b. Paresthesias,34redness,34and34coolness
c. Pain,34pulselessness,34and34edema
d. Rubor,34swelling,34and34pain34-34CORRECT34ANSWER-d
During34a34review34session34discussing34cells,34a34student34asks,34"What34do34you34call
34it34when34a34cell34becomes34more34specialized34in34terms34of34structure?"34Which34re
sponse34answers34the34question34correctly?
