FREE Medical Surgical Nurse Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real CMSRN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 FREE Medical Surgical Nurse Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A patient with chronic kidney disease has a potassium level of 6.2 mEq/L. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate first?
Answer: Administer sodium polystyrene sulfonate
Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) binds potassium in the GI tract and is a priority intervention for hyperkalemia.
Which assessment finding in a patient 6 hours post-thyroidectomy requires immediate nursing intervention?
Answer: Tingling around the mouth and fingertips
Perioral and fingertip tingling indicates hypocalcemia from accidental parathyroid removal, which can progress to tetany and requires urgent calcium replacement.
A nurse is caring for a patient receiving a blood transfusion who develops fever, chills, and flank pain 15 minutes into the infusion. What is the priority action?
Answer: Stop the transfusion immediately and keep the IV open with normal saline
Fever, chills, and flank pain suggest an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, requiring immediate cessation of the transfusion while maintaining IV access.
Which finding would the nurse expect in a patient with right-sided heart failure?
Answer: Jugular venous distention and peripheral edema
Right-sided heart failure causes systemic venous congestion, manifesting as jugular venous distention, hepatomegaly, and dependent peripheral edema.
A patient with a chest tube has continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber. What does this indicate?
Answer: There is an air leak in the system
Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber indicates an air leak either at the insertion site, in the tubing connections, or from the lung itself.
A nurse is teaching a patient newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about sick-day management. Which statement by the patient indicates correct understanding?
Answer: I need to check my blood glucose more frequently when I am ill
During illness, blood glucose levels can fluctuate significantly, so more frequent monitoring is essential to guide medication adjustments and prevent complications.