ATI RN ADULT MEDICAL SURGICAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A nurse is providing postoperative teaching for a client who had a total knee arthroplasty.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include? - -Flex the foot every hour
when awake.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to flex the foot every hour to reduce the risk
for thromboembolism and promote venous return.
-A nurse is caring for a client who has a pneumothorax and a closed-chest drainage system.
Which of the following findings is an indication of lung re-expansion? - -Bubbling in the
water seal chamber has ceased.
Rationale: Bubbling in the water seal chamber ceases when the lung re-expands.
-A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who is taking warfarin for chronic
atrial fibrillation. Which of the following values should the nurse identify as a desired
outcome for this therapy? - -INR 2.5
Rationale: Clients receive warfarin therapy to decrease the risk of stroke, myocardial
infarction (MI), or pulmonary emboli (PE) from blood clots. Since warfarin is an
anticoagulant, the medication must be monitored to ensure the anticoagulation is within
the therapeutic range and prevent hemorrhage (high levels of anticoagulation) or stroke,
MI, or PE (low levels of anticoagulation). An INR of 2.5 is within the targeted therapeutic
range of 2 to 3 for a client who has atrial fibrillation.
-A home health nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a stage 1 pressure injury on
the greater trochanter of his left hip. Which of the following instructions should the nurse
include in the teaching? - -Change position every hour
Rationale: Changing position every 1 to 2 hr decreases pressure on bony prominences. The
nurse should also instruct the client to limit the angle of the hips when in a lateral position
to no more than 30°. This positioning prevents direct pressure on the trochanter.
-A nurse is assessing a client following the completion of hemodialysis. Which of the
following findings is the nurse's priority to report to the provider? - -Restlessness
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the priority finding to report to the provider is restlessness, which can be
an indication the client is experiencing disequilibrium syndrome. Disequilibrium syndrome
is caused by the rapid removal of electrolytes from the client's blood and can lead to
dysrhythmias or seizures. Other manifestations include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and
headache.
-A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hr postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty.
The client is unable to void on the bedpan. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take first? - -Scan the bladder with a portable ultrasound.
, Rationale: The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the
client. Scanning the bladder with a portable ultrasound device will determine the amount
of urine in the bladder
-A nurse is planning a health promotional presentation for a group of African American
clients at a community center. Which of the following disorders presents the greatest risk
to this group of clients? - -Hypertension
Rationale: When using the safety/risk reduction approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the disorder with the greatest risk for this group of clients is hypertension.
The prevalence of hypertension is highest among African American clients, followed by
Caucasian clients, and then Hispanic clients.
-A nurse is caring for a client who has DKA. Which of the following findings should indicate
to the nurse that the client's condition is improving? - -Glucose 272 mg/dL
Rationale: A glucose reading less than 300 mg/dL indicates improvement in the client's
status.
-A nurse is caring for a client following extubation of an endotracheal tube 10 min. ago.
Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately? - -
Stridor
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the priority finding is stridor. Stridor can indicate a narrowing airway or
possible obstruction caused by edema or laryngeal spasms. The nurse should report the
finding immediately and implement an intervention.
-A nurse is caring for a client who had a nephrostomy tube inserted 112 hr ago. Which of
the following findings should the nurse report to the provider? - -The client reports back
pain
Rationale: The nurse should notify the provider if the client reports back pain, which can
indicate that the nephrostomy tube is dislodged or clogged.
-A nurse is admitting a client who has active TB. Which of the following types of
transmission precautions should the nurse initiate? - -Airborne
Rationale: Airborne precautions are required for clients who have infections due to micro-
organisms that can remain suspended in air for lengthy periods of time, such as
tuberculosis, measles, varicella, and disseminated varicella zoster.
-A nurse is planning care for a client who has a sealed radiation implant for cervical cancer.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care? - -Keep a
lead-lined container in the client's room
Rationale: The nurse should keep a lead-lined container and forceps in the client's room in
case of accidental dislodgement of the implant.
-A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy. Which of the
following findings is the nurse's priority? - -Temperature 38.9° C (102° F)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A nurse is providing postoperative teaching for a client who had a total knee arthroplasty.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include? - -Flex the foot every hour
when awake.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to flex the foot every hour to reduce the risk
for thromboembolism and promote venous return.
-A nurse is caring for a client who has a pneumothorax and a closed-chest drainage system.
Which of the following findings is an indication of lung re-expansion? - -Bubbling in the
water seal chamber has ceased.
Rationale: Bubbling in the water seal chamber ceases when the lung re-expands.
-A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who is taking warfarin for chronic
atrial fibrillation. Which of the following values should the nurse identify as a desired
outcome for this therapy? - -INR 2.5
Rationale: Clients receive warfarin therapy to decrease the risk of stroke, myocardial
infarction (MI), or pulmonary emboli (PE) from blood clots. Since warfarin is an
anticoagulant, the medication must be monitored to ensure the anticoagulation is within
the therapeutic range and prevent hemorrhage (high levels of anticoagulation) or stroke,
MI, or PE (low levels of anticoagulation). An INR of 2.5 is within the targeted therapeutic
range of 2 to 3 for a client who has atrial fibrillation.
-A home health nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a stage 1 pressure injury on
the greater trochanter of his left hip. Which of the following instructions should the nurse
include in the teaching? - -Change position every hour
Rationale: Changing position every 1 to 2 hr decreases pressure on bony prominences. The
nurse should also instruct the client to limit the angle of the hips when in a lateral position
to no more than 30°. This positioning prevents direct pressure on the trochanter.
-A nurse is assessing a client following the completion of hemodialysis. Which of the
following findings is the nurse's priority to report to the provider? - -Restlessness
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the priority finding to report to the provider is restlessness, which can be
an indication the client is experiencing disequilibrium syndrome. Disequilibrium syndrome
is caused by the rapid removal of electrolytes from the client's blood and can lead to
dysrhythmias or seizures. Other manifestations include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and
headache.
-A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hr postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty.
The client is unable to void on the bedpan. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take first? - -Scan the bladder with a portable ultrasound.
, Rationale: The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the
client. Scanning the bladder with a portable ultrasound device will determine the amount
of urine in the bladder
-A nurse is planning a health promotional presentation for a group of African American
clients at a community center. Which of the following disorders presents the greatest risk
to this group of clients? - -Hypertension
Rationale: When using the safety/risk reduction approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the disorder with the greatest risk for this group of clients is hypertension.
The prevalence of hypertension is highest among African American clients, followed by
Caucasian clients, and then Hispanic clients.
-A nurse is caring for a client who has DKA. Which of the following findings should indicate
to the nurse that the client's condition is improving? - -Glucose 272 mg/dL
Rationale: A glucose reading less than 300 mg/dL indicates improvement in the client's
status.
-A nurse is caring for a client following extubation of an endotracheal tube 10 min. ago.
Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately? - -
Stridor
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should
determine that the priority finding is stridor. Stridor can indicate a narrowing airway or
possible obstruction caused by edema or laryngeal spasms. The nurse should report the
finding immediately and implement an intervention.
-A nurse is caring for a client who had a nephrostomy tube inserted 112 hr ago. Which of
the following findings should the nurse report to the provider? - -The client reports back
pain
Rationale: The nurse should notify the provider if the client reports back pain, which can
indicate that the nephrostomy tube is dislodged or clogged.
-A nurse is admitting a client who has active TB. Which of the following types of
transmission precautions should the nurse initiate? - -Airborne
Rationale: Airborne precautions are required for clients who have infections due to micro-
organisms that can remain suspended in air for lengthy periods of time, such as
tuberculosis, measles, varicella, and disseminated varicella zoster.
-A nurse is planning care for a client who has a sealed radiation implant for cervical cancer.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care? - -Keep a
lead-lined container in the client's room
Rationale: The nurse should keep a lead-lined container and forceps in the client's room in
case of accidental dislodgement of the implant.
-A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy. Which of the
following findings is the nurse's priority? - -Temperature 38.9° C (102° F)
