ATI Medical-Surgical:
Oncology Exam Questions
with Complete Answers
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a client who has colorectal cancer and is to undergo
placement of a colostomy with a perineal wound. Which of the following statements by the client
indicates an understanding of the teaching?
"It will be a relief to not have any further rectal pain."
"I will need to sit on a rubber donut when I am out of bed in the chair."
"I can have only liquids for 2 days before the surgery."
"The colostomy will start working about 7 days after the surgery." - Correct Answers: "I can have only
liquids for 2 days before the surgery."
The client should consume a full or clear liquid diet for 24 to 48 hr before the surgery to decrease bulk.
The client should consume a low-residue diet for several days prior to surgery to decrease peristalsis.
A nurse is caring for a client who has testicular cancer and is experiencing peripheral neuropathy as an
adverse effect of chemotherapy. Which of the following client manifestations is an expected finding of
peripheral neuropathy?
Thinning of the scalp hair
Tingling of the hands and feet
Reduced ability to concentrate
Sores in the mucous membranes - Correct Answers: Tingling of the hands and feet
Several chemotherapeutic agents might cause peripheral neuropathy. One of the major manifestations
of peripheral neuropathy is numbness and tingling of an extremity.
A nurse is collecting a health history from a client. Which of the following findings is the highest risk
factor for the client developing skin cancer?
, Age over 60
Genetic predisposition
Light-skinned race
Overexposure to sunlight - Correct Answers: Overexposure to sun light
The nurse should apply the safety and risk reduction priority-setting framework when caring for this
client. This framework assigns priority to the factor or situation posing the greatest safety risk to the
client. When there are several risks to client safety, the one posing the greatest threat is the highest
priority. The nurse should use Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the ABC priority-setting framework, or
nursing knowledge to identify which risk poses the greatest threat to the client. Therefore, the nurse
should identify the client's overexposure to sun as being the greatest risk factor for developing skin
cancer.
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who is postoperative following a right mastectomy for
breast cancer. The client will be discharged with two Jackson-Pratt drains. Which of the following
information should the nurse include in the teaching?
Cloudy drainage is normal.
Showering is permitted before the drainage tubes are removed.
Avoid wearing deodorant until the drains are removed and the incision heals.
Do not begin exercising the arm until the provider removes the drainage tubes. - Correct Answers: "The
drainage tubes often are removed at the same time as the stitches."
The nurse should instruct the client to avoid applying deodorants and talcum powder to the affected
underarm until the drainage tubes are removed and the incision is healed.
A nurse in an oncology clinic is assessing a client who has early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect?
Bone and joint pain
Enlarged lymph nodes
Intermittent hematuria
Oncology Exam Questions
with Complete Answers
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a client who has colorectal cancer and is to undergo
placement of a colostomy with a perineal wound. Which of the following statements by the client
indicates an understanding of the teaching?
"It will be a relief to not have any further rectal pain."
"I will need to sit on a rubber donut when I am out of bed in the chair."
"I can have only liquids for 2 days before the surgery."
"The colostomy will start working about 7 days after the surgery." - Correct Answers: "I can have only
liquids for 2 days before the surgery."
The client should consume a full or clear liquid diet for 24 to 48 hr before the surgery to decrease bulk.
The client should consume a low-residue diet for several days prior to surgery to decrease peristalsis.
A nurse is caring for a client who has testicular cancer and is experiencing peripheral neuropathy as an
adverse effect of chemotherapy. Which of the following client manifestations is an expected finding of
peripheral neuropathy?
Thinning of the scalp hair
Tingling of the hands and feet
Reduced ability to concentrate
Sores in the mucous membranes - Correct Answers: Tingling of the hands and feet
Several chemotherapeutic agents might cause peripheral neuropathy. One of the major manifestations
of peripheral neuropathy is numbness and tingling of an extremity.
A nurse is collecting a health history from a client. Which of the following findings is the highest risk
factor for the client developing skin cancer?
, Age over 60
Genetic predisposition
Light-skinned race
Overexposure to sunlight - Correct Answers: Overexposure to sun light
The nurse should apply the safety and risk reduction priority-setting framework when caring for this
client. This framework assigns priority to the factor or situation posing the greatest safety risk to the
client. When there are several risks to client safety, the one posing the greatest threat is the highest
priority. The nurse should use Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the ABC priority-setting framework, or
nursing knowledge to identify which risk poses the greatest threat to the client. Therefore, the nurse
should identify the client's overexposure to sun as being the greatest risk factor for developing skin
cancer.
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who is postoperative following a right mastectomy for
breast cancer. The client will be discharged with two Jackson-Pratt drains. Which of the following
information should the nurse include in the teaching?
Cloudy drainage is normal.
Showering is permitted before the drainage tubes are removed.
Avoid wearing deodorant until the drains are removed and the incision heals.
Do not begin exercising the arm until the provider removes the drainage tubes. - Correct Answers: "The
drainage tubes often are removed at the same time as the stitches."
The nurse should instruct the client to avoid applying deodorants and talcum powder to the affected
underarm until the drainage tubes are removed and the incision is healed.
A nurse in an oncology clinic is assessing a client who has early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect?
Bone and joint pain
Enlarged lymph nodes
Intermittent hematuria
