NURS 340 (Med – SURG) ACTUAL AND
FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR FINAL EXAM 2025-2026
UPDATED LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY
,Med Surg Final Exam Practice Questions:
6. A male patient in the clinic provides a urine sample that is red-orange in color. Which action should the
nurse take first?
a. Notify the patient's health care provider.
b. Teach correct midstream urine collection.
c. Ask the patient about current medications.
d. Question the patient about urinary tract infection (UTI) risk factors.
ANS: C
A red-orange color in the urine is normal with some over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as
phenazopyridine (Pyridium). The color would not be expected with urinary tract infection, is not a sign
that poor technique was used in obtaining the specimen, and does not need to be communicated to the
health care provider until further assessment is done.
7. a nurse is providing an educational class to a group of older adults at a community senior center. In an
effort to prevent osteoporosis, the nurse should encourage participants to ensure that they consume the
recommended adequate intake of which nutrients? SATA
a. calcium
b. potassium
c. calcitonin
d. vitamin D
e. vitamin B12
Feedback:
A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D protects against skeletal demineralization. Intake of vitamin B12and
potassium does not directly influence the risk for osteoporosis. Calcitonin is not considered to be a dietary
nutrient.
8. a nurse is educating a patient in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-sealed chest
drainage system. What should the nurse tell the patient and the family that this drainage system is used
for?
a. removing excess air and fluid
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. maintaining positive chest wall pressure
d. providing positive intrathoracic pressure
Feedback:
Chest tubes and closed drainage systems are used to re-expand the lung involved and to remove excess
air, fluid, and blood.
, 9. a patients has a new diagnosis of crohn’s disease after having frequent diarrhea and a weight loss of 10
lb (4.5 kg) over 2 months. The nurse will plan to teach about which of the following?
a. medication use
b. fluid restriction
c. enteral nutrition
d. activity restrictions
feedback: Medications are used to induce and maintain remission in patients with inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). Decreased activity level is indicated only if the patient has severe fatigue and weakness.
Fluids are needed to prevent dehydration. There is no advantage to enteral feedings.
10. the nurse is planning care of a patient who is scheduled for a laryngectomy. The nurse should assign
the highest priority to which postoperative nursing diagnosis?
A) Anxiety related to diagnosis of cancer
B) Altered nutrition related to swallowing difficulties
C) Ineffective airway clearance related to airway alterations
D) Impaired verbal communication related to removal of the larynx
(Feedback:
Each of the listed diagnoses is valid, but ineffective airway clearance is the priority nursing diagnosis for
all conditions.)
11. A nurse is providing a class on osteoporosis at the local seniors' center. Which of the following
statements related to osteoporosis is most accurate?
a. Osteoporosis is categorized as a disease of the elderly.
b. secondary osteoporosis occurs in women after menopause.
c. A nonmodifiable risk factor for osteoporosis is a person's level of activity.
d. Slow discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy can halt the progression of the osteoporosis.
Ans: Slow discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy can halt the progression of the osteoporosis.
Feedback:
When corticosteroid therapy is discontinued, the progression of osteoporosis is halted, but restoration of
lost bone mass does not occur. Osteoporosis is not a disease of the elderly because its onset occurs earlier
in life, when bone mass peaks and then begins to decline. A person's level of physical activity is a
modifiable factor that influences peak bone mass. Lack of activity increases the risk for the development
of osteoporosis. Primary osteoporosis occurs in women after menopause.
12. Which question from the nurse would help determine if a patient's abdominal pain might indicate
irritable bowel syndrome?
a. "Have you been passing a lot of gas?"
b. "What foods affect your bowel patterns?"
FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR FINAL EXAM 2025-2026
UPDATED LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY
,Med Surg Final Exam Practice Questions:
6. A male patient in the clinic provides a urine sample that is red-orange in color. Which action should the
nurse take first?
a. Notify the patient's health care provider.
b. Teach correct midstream urine collection.
c. Ask the patient about current medications.
d. Question the patient about urinary tract infection (UTI) risk factors.
ANS: C
A red-orange color in the urine is normal with some over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as
phenazopyridine (Pyridium). The color would not be expected with urinary tract infection, is not a sign
that poor technique was used in obtaining the specimen, and does not need to be communicated to the
health care provider until further assessment is done.
7. a nurse is providing an educational class to a group of older adults at a community senior center. In an
effort to prevent osteoporosis, the nurse should encourage participants to ensure that they consume the
recommended adequate intake of which nutrients? SATA
a. calcium
b. potassium
c. calcitonin
d. vitamin D
e. vitamin B12
Feedback:
A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D protects against skeletal demineralization. Intake of vitamin B12and
potassium does not directly influence the risk for osteoporosis. Calcitonin is not considered to be a dietary
nutrient.
8. a nurse is educating a patient in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-sealed chest
drainage system. What should the nurse tell the patient and the family that this drainage system is used
for?
a. removing excess air and fluid
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. maintaining positive chest wall pressure
d. providing positive intrathoracic pressure
Feedback:
Chest tubes and closed drainage systems are used to re-expand the lung involved and to remove excess
air, fluid, and blood.
, 9. a patients has a new diagnosis of crohn’s disease after having frequent diarrhea and a weight loss of 10
lb (4.5 kg) over 2 months. The nurse will plan to teach about which of the following?
a. medication use
b. fluid restriction
c. enteral nutrition
d. activity restrictions
feedback: Medications are used to induce and maintain remission in patients with inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). Decreased activity level is indicated only if the patient has severe fatigue and weakness.
Fluids are needed to prevent dehydration. There is no advantage to enteral feedings.
10. the nurse is planning care of a patient who is scheduled for a laryngectomy. The nurse should assign
the highest priority to which postoperative nursing diagnosis?
A) Anxiety related to diagnosis of cancer
B) Altered nutrition related to swallowing difficulties
C) Ineffective airway clearance related to airway alterations
D) Impaired verbal communication related to removal of the larynx
(Feedback:
Each of the listed diagnoses is valid, but ineffective airway clearance is the priority nursing diagnosis for
all conditions.)
11. A nurse is providing a class on osteoporosis at the local seniors' center. Which of the following
statements related to osteoporosis is most accurate?
a. Osteoporosis is categorized as a disease of the elderly.
b. secondary osteoporosis occurs in women after menopause.
c. A nonmodifiable risk factor for osteoporosis is a person's level of activity.
d. Slow discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy can halt the progression of the osteoporosis.
Ans: Slow discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy can halt the progression of the osteoporosis.
Feedback:
When corticosteroid therapy is discontinued, the progression of osteoporosis is halted, but restoration of
lost bone mass does not occur. Osteoporosis is not a disease of the elderly because its onset occurs earlier
in life, when bone mass peaks and then begins to decline. A person's level of physical activity is a
modifiable factor that influences peak bone mass. Lack of activity increases the risk for the development
of osteoporosis. Primary osteoporosis occurs in women after menopause.
12. Which question from the nurse would help determine if a patient's abdominal pain might indicate
irritable bowel syndrome?
a. "Have you been passing a lot of gas?"
b. "What foods affect your bowel patterns?"
