ATI Med-Surg Proctored Exam Test Bank 2025/2026, Answered

ATIMed-SurgProctoredExamQuestionBank
i i i i i


Pain
Test Bank
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MULTIPLE CHOICE ss




1. Which question asked by the nurse will give the most information about the patient’s
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ss metastatic bone cancer pain? ss ss ss


a. “How long have you had this pain?”
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b. “How would you describe your pain?”
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c. “How much medication do you take for
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the pain?” ss


d. “How many times a day do you take
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medication for the pain?” ss ss ss




ANS: B

2. A patient who uses a fentanyl (Duragesic) patch for chronic cancer pain suddenly complains
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ssof rapid onset pain at a level 9 (0 to 10 scale) and requests “something for pain that will work
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ssnow.” How will the nurse document the type of pain reported by this patient?
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a. Somatic pain ss


b. Referred pain ss


c. Neuropathic pain ss


d. Breakthrough pain ss




ANS: D

3. The nurse teaches a student nurse about the action of ibuprofen. Which statement, if made by
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ssthe student, indicates that teaching was effective?
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a. “The drug decreases pain impulses in the ss ss ss ss ss ss


spinal cord.” ss


b. “The drug decreases sensitivity of the s ss ss s ss


brain to painful stimuli.” ss ss ss ss


c. “The drug decreases production of pain- s ss ss ss ss


sensitizing chemicals.” ss


d. “The drug decreases the modulating effect ss ss ss ss ss


of descending nerves.” ss ss




ANS: C

4. A nurse assesses a patient with chronic cancer pain who is receiving imipramine (Tofranil)
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ssin addition to long-acting morphine. Which statement, if made by the patient, indicates to the
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ssnurse that the patient is receiving adequate pain control?
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a. “I’m not anxious at all.” ss ss ss ss


b. “I sleep 8 hours every night.” ss ss ss ss ss


c. “I feel much less depressed since I’ve ss ss ss ss ss ss

, been taking the Tofranil.”
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d. “The pain is manageable and Ican
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accomplish my desired activities. ss ss ss




ANS: D

5. A patient with chronic back pain has learned to control the pain with the use of imagery and
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hypnosis. The patient’s spouse asks the nurse how these techniques work. Which response by
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the nurse is best?
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a. “The strategies work by affecting the ss ss ss ss ss


perception of pain.” ss ss


b. “Thesetechniques block the pain s ss ss s


pathways of the nerves.” ss ss ss ss


c. “Both strategies prevent transmission of ss ss ss ss


painful stimuli to the brain.” ss ss ss ss ss


d. “The therapies slow the release of ss ss ss ss ss


chemicals in the spinal cord that cause ss ss ss ss ss ss


pain.” ss




ANS: A

6. A patient who is receiving sustained-release morphine sulfate (MS Contin) every 12 hours
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for chronic pain experiences level 9 (0 to 10 scale) breakthrough pain and anxiety. Which
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action by the nurse is best?
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a. Provide amitriptyline (Elavil) 10 mg ss ss ss ss


orally.
b. Administerlorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg ss ss ss


orally.
c. Offer ibuprofen (Motrin) 400 to 800 mg ss ss ss ss ss ss


orally.
d. Give immediate-release morphine 30 mg ss ss ss ss


orally.
ANS: D

7. A patient with chronic neck pain is seen in the pain clinic for follow-up. In order to
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evaluate whether the pain management is effective, which question is best for the
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nurse to ask?
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a. “Can you describe the quality of your ss ss ss ss ss ss


pain?”
b. “Has there been a change in the pain ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


location?”
c. “How would you rate your pain on a 0 to ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


10 scale?” ss


d. “Does the pain keep you from doing ss ss ss ss ss ss


things you enjoy?” ss ss




ANS: D

, 8. A patient with second-degree burns has been receiving hydromorphone through
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patient- controlled analgesia (PCA) for a week. The patient wakes up frequently
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during the night complaining of pain. What action by the nurse is most appropriate?
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a. Administer a dose of morphine every 1 to ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


2 hours from the PCA machine s s s s s s s s s s


while the patient is sleeping. s s ss ss ss ss


b. Consult with the health care provider ss ss ss ss ss


about using a different treatment protocol ss ss ss ss ss ss


to control the patient’s pain. ss ss ss ss ss


c. Request that the health care provider order ss ss ss ss s ss


a bolus dose of morphine to be given ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


when the patient awakens with pain. ss ss ss ss ss ss


d. Teach the patient to push the button every ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


10 minutes for an hour before going ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


to ss


sleep, even if the pain is minimal. ss ss ss ss ss ss




ANS: B

9. The nurse assesses that a patient receiving epidural morphine has not voided for over 10
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hours. What action should the nurse take initially?
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a. Monitor for withdrawal symptoms. ss ss ss


b. Place an indwelling urinary catheter. ss ss ss ss


c. Ask if the patient feels the need to void. ss ss ss ss ss ss ss ss


d. Document this allergic reaction in the ss ss ss ss ss


patient’s chart. ss




ANS: C

10. When visiting a hospice patient, the nurse assesses that the patient has a respiratory rate of
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11 breaths/minute and complains of severe pain. Which action is best for the nurse to
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take?
ss


a. Inform the patient that increasing the ss ss ss ss ss


morphine will cause the respiratory drive ss ss ss ss ss


to fail. ss ss


b. Tell the patient that additional ss ss ss ss


morphine can be administered when the ss ss ss ss ss ss


respirations ss


are 12. ss


c. Titratetheprescribed morphinedose s s s


upward until the patient indicates ss ss ss ss ss


adequate pain relief. ss ss ss


d. Administer a nonopioid analgesic, such as ss ss ss ss ss


a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug ss ss ss ss


(NSAID), to improve patient pain control. ss ss ss ss ss




ANS: C

11. The nurse is completing the medication reconciliation form for a patient admitted with chronic
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, cancer pain. Which medication is of most concern to the nurse?
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a. Amitriptyline (Elavil) 50 mg at bedtime ss ss ss ss ss


b. Ibuprofen (Advil) 800 mg 3 times daily ss ss ss ss ss ss


c. Oxycodone (OxyContin) 80 mg twice s ss ss ss


daily ss


d. Meperidine (Demerol) 25 mg every 4 ss ss ss ss ss


hours
ANS: D

12. The nurse reviews the medication administration record in order to choose the most
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ssappropriate pain medication for a patient with cancer who describes the pain as “deep, aching
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ssand at a level 8 on a 0 to 10 scale”. Which medication should the nurse administer?
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a. Fentanyl (Duragesic) patch ss ss


b. Ketorolac (Toradol) tablets ss ss


c. Hydromorphone(Dilaudid) IV ss


d. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) suppository ss ss




ANS: C

13. The nurse is caring for a patient who has diabetes and complains of chronic burning leg
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sspain even when taking oxycodone (OxyContin) twice daily. When reviewing the orders,
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sswhich prescribed medication is the best choice for the nurse to administer as an adjuvant to
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ssdecrease the patient’s pain? ss ss ss


a. Aspirin (Ecotrin) ss


b. Celecoxib (Celebrex) ss


c. Amitriptyline(Elavil)
d. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) ss




ANS: C

14. A patient who uses a fentanyl (Duragesic) patch for chronic abdominal pain caused by
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ssovarian cancer asks the nurse to administer the prescribed hydrocodone (Vicodin) tablets, but
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ssthe patient is asleep when the nurse returns with the medication. Which action is best for
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ssthe nurse to take?
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a. Wake the patient and administer the ss ss ss ss ss


hydrocodone. ss


b. Wait until the patient wakes up and ss ss ss ss ss ss


reassess the pain. ss ss ss


c. Suggest the use of nondrug therapies for ss ss ss ss ss ss


pain relief instead of additional opioids. ss ss ss ss ss


d. Consult with the health care provider ss ss ss ss ss


about changing the fentanyl (Duragesic) ss ss ss ss ss


dose. ss




ANS: A

15. The following medications are prescribed by the health care provider for a middle-aged patient
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