ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
ATI - MED SURG EXAM PREPARATION FOR 2025/2026
COMPLETE 100 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES|ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW!!
1. A nurse is assisting with the development of a plan of care to manage pain for a
client who has herpes zoster with lesions on the lower extremities. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
a) Keep bed linens off of the affected areas.
b) Position a heat lamp over the lower extremities.
c) Apply warm, moist compresses to the affected areas.
d) Initiate droplet isolation precautions.
a) Keep bed linens off of the affected areas. (The nurse should keep bed linens off
of the affected areas using a bed cradle, which will relieve pain caused by the
linens rubbing against the lesions.)
2. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about increasing dietary fiber. The
nurse should recommend which of the following foods as the best source of fiber?
a) ½ cup cooked kidney beans
b) ½ cup raw cauliflower
c) 1 cup cucumber with peel
d) 1 cup parboiled brown rice
a) ½ cup cooked kidney beans (The nurse should recommend kidney beans as the
best source of fiber because ½ cup contains 6.5 g of fiber per serving.)
3. A nurse is assisting in the care of a client who has AIDS-related pneumonia. The
client is receiving antibiotic therapy and albuterol nebulizer treatments daily.
Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the client's
therapeutic regimen is effective?
a) Adventitious lung sounds
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, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
b) Decrease in exertional dyspnea
c) Respiratory rate of 26/min while sitting in a chair
d) Elevation of the head of the bed is required to sleep
b) Decrease in exertional dyspnea (A decrease in exertional dyspnea indicates the
antibiotics are resolving the infection and the albuterol treatments are facilitating
effective ventilation. Therefore, the nurse should evaluate the therapeutic
regimen as effective for the client.)
4. A nurse is monitoring a client who has a wrist cast and reports intense itching
underneath the cast. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a) Blow cool air into the cast using a blow dryer on a cool setting.
b) Obtain a prescription for pregabalin.
c) Ask the provider to bivalve the cast.
d) Provide the client with a tongue blade to rub the skin under the cast.
a) Blow cool air into the cast using a blow dryer on a cool setting. (Using a blow
dryer on a cool setting to blow cold air into the cast is an effective way to relieve
the client's itching without damaging the skin.)
6. A nurse is caring for a client who has just returned to the unit following a
bronchoscopy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the
provider?
a) Absent gag reflex
b) Blood-tinged mucus
c) Diminished breath sounds
d) Oxygen saturation 95%
c) Diminished breath sounds (Diminished breath sounds might indicate a
pneumothorax or laryngeal edema. The nurse should report this finding to the
provider for further evaluation of the client.)
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, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
7. A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking enalapril. The nurse should
monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
a) Bradycardia
b) Tremors
c) Cough
d) Hyperglycemia
c) Cough (Enalapril is an ACE inhibitor, which can cause a dry, nonproductive
cough. Therefore, the nurse should monitor the client for this adverse effect.)
8. A nurse is preparing a client for a cardiac catheterization. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
a) Verify the client has given informed consent.
b) Administer preoperative medication.
c) Mark the location of the pedal pulses.
d) Have the client void.
a) Verify the client has given informed consent. (The greatest risk to the client in
this situation is performing an unauthorized invasive procedure. Therefore, the
first action the nurse should take is to verify that the client has given informed
consent. If documentation of informed consent is not on the client's medical
record, the nurse should withhold medications, which can alter the client's
consciousness until consent is obtained.)
9. A nurse is caring for an adult client who has age-related macular degeneration.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
a) Seeing halos around artificial lights
b) Distorted central vision of the eyes
c) Colored spots before the visual fields
d) Spontaneous tearing of the eyes
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, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
b) Distorted central vision of the eyes (Macular degeneration results in a
distortion and blurring of central vision. The client might completely lose central
vision and view a dark spot in the center.)
10. A nurse is planning care for a group of clients after receiving change-of-shift
report. Which of the following clients should the nurse plan to see first?
a) A client who had a colectomy 2 days ago and has a nasogastric tube, Jackson-
Pratt drain, and indwelling urinary catheter
b) A client who is dehydrated, has mental confusion, and was found getting out of
bed several times during the night
c) A client who had a right lower lobe lobectomy 4 days ago and has a chest tube
set to continuous suction
d) A client who has pneumonia and an oral temperature of 38.7º C (101.7º F)
b) A client who is dehydrated, has mental confusion, and was found getting out of
bed several times during the night (When using the urgent vs. nonurgent
approach to client care, the nurse determines to first see the client who has
mental confusion and is getting out of bed without assistance. The client is
experiencing manifestations of dehydration that can cause injury due to falls.
Therefore, the nurse should see this client first.)
11. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with an older adult client who has osteoporosis.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse in the teaching?
a) "Place throw rugs on wooden floors at home. "
b) "Supplement your diet with vitamin E."
c) "Swim laps for 20 minutes twice per week."
d) "Take calcium supplements with meals."
d) "Take calcium supplements with meals." (The nurse should instruct the client to
take calcium carbonate supplements with or following meals to increase
absorption and effectiveness.)
4|Page
ATI - MED SURG EXAM PREPARATION FOR 2025/2026
COMPLETE 100 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES|ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW!!
1. A nurse is assisting with the development of a plan of care to manage pain for a
client who has herpes zoster with lesions on the lower extremities. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
a) Keep bed linens off of the affected areas.
b) Position a heat lamp over the lower extremities.
c) Apply warm, moist compresses to the affected areas.
d) Initiate droplet isolation precautions.
a) Keep bed linens off of the affected areas. (The nurse should keep bed linens off
of the affected areas using a bed cradle, which will relieve pain caused by the
linens rubbing against the lesions.)
2. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about increasing dietary fiber. The
nurse should recommend which of the following foods as the best source of fiber?
a) ½ cup cooked kidney beans
b) ½ cup raw cauliflower
c) 1 cup cucumber with peel
d) 1 cup parboiled brown rice
a) ½ cup cooked kidney beans (The nurse should recommend kidney beans as the
best source of fiber because ½ cup contains 6.5 g of fiber per serving.)
3. A nurse is assisting in the care of a client who has AIDS-related pneumonia. The
client is receiving antibiotic therapy and albuterol nebulizer treatments daily.
Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the client's
therapeutic regimen is effective?
a) Adventitious lung sounds
1|Page
, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
b) Decrease in exertional dyspnea
c) Respiratory rate of 26/min while sitting in a chair
d) Elevation of the head of the bed is required to sleep
b) Decrease in exertional dyspnea (A decrease in exertional dyspnea indicates the
antibiotics are resolving the infection and the albuterol treatments are facilitating
effective ventilation. Therefore, the nurse should evaluate the therapeutic
regimen as effective for the client.)
4. A nurse is monitoring a client who has a wrist cast and reports intense itching
underneath the cast. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a) Blow cool air into the cast using a blow dryer on a cool setting.
b) Obtain a prescription for pregabalin.
c) Ask the provider to bivalve the cast.
d) Provide the client with a tongue blade to rub the skin under the cast.
a) Blow cool air into the cast using a blow dryer on a cool setting. (Using a blow
dryer on a cool setting to blow cold air into the cast is an effective way to relieve
the client's itching without damaging the skin.)
6. A nurse is caring for a client who has just returned to the unit following a
bronchoscopy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the
provider?
a) Absent gag reflex
b) Blood-tinged mucus
c) Diminished breath sounds
d) Oxygen saturation 95%
c) Diminished breath sounds (Diminished breath sounds might indicate a
pneumothorax or laryngeal edema. The nurse should report this finding to the
provider for further evaluation of the client.)
2|Page
, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
7. A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking enalapril. The nurse should
monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
a) Bradycardia
b) Tremors
c) Cough
d) Hyperglycemia
c) Cough (Enalapril is an ACE inhibitor, which can cause a dry, nonproductive
cough. Therefore, the nurse should monitor the client for this adverse effect.)
8. A nurse is preparing a client for a cardiac catheterization. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
a) Verify the client has given informed consent.
b) Administer preoperative medication.
c) Mark the location of the pedal pulses.
d) Have the client void.
a) Verify the client has given informed consent. (The greatest risk to the client in
this situation is performing an unauthorized invasive procedure. Therefore, the
first action the nurse should take is to verify that the client has given informed
consent. If documentation of informed consent is not on the client's medical
record, the nurse should withhold medications, which can alter the client's
consciousness until consent is obtained.)
9. A nurse is caring for an adult client who has age-related macular degeneration.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
a) Seeing halos around artificial lights
b) Distorted central vision of the eyes
c) Colored spots before the visual fields
d) Spontaneous tearing of the eyes
3|Page
, ATI - Med Surg Exam Preparation
b) Distorted central vision of the eyes (Macular degeneration results in a
distortion and blurring of central vision. The client might completely lose central
vision and view a dark spot in the center.)
10. A nurse is planning care for a group of clients after receiving change-of-shift
report. Which of the following clients should the nurse plan to see first?
a) A client who had a colectomy 2 days ago and has a nasogastric tube, Jackson-
Pratt drain, and indwelling urinary catheter
b) A client who is dehydrated, has mental confusion, and was found getting out of
bed several times during the night
c) A client who had a right lower lobe lobectomy 4 days ago and has a chest tube
set to continuous suction
d) A client who has pneumonia and an oral temperature of 38.7º C (101.7º F)
b) A client who is dehydrated, has mental confusion, and was found getting out of
bed several times during the night (When using the urgent vs. nonurgent
approach to client care, the nurse determines to first see the client who has
mental confusion and is getting out of bed without assistance. The client is
experiencing manifestations of dehydration that can cause injury due to falls.
Therefore, the nurse should see this client first.)
11. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with an older adult client who has osteoporosis.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse in the teaching?
a) "Place throw rugs on wooden floors at home. "
b) "Supplement your diet with vitamin E."
c) "Swim laps for 20 minutes twice per week."
d) "Take calcium supplements with meals."
d) "Take calcium supplements with meals." (The nurse should instruct the client to
take calcium carbonate supplements with or following meals to increase
absorption and effectiveness.)
4|Page
