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 is admitted with acute pancreatitis. Which laboratory value is most consistent with this diagnosis?
Answer: Elevated serum lipase
Serum lipase is the most sensitive and specific marker for acute pancreatitis and remains elevated longer than amylase.
The nurse is caring for a patient in skeletal traction. Which assessment finding warrants immediate notification of the healthcare provider?
Answer: The patient reports numbness and tingling distal to the fracture site
Numbness and tingling distal to the fracture suggest neurovascular compromise, which can lead to permanent damage if not addressed promptly.
A patient with cirrhosis develops asterixis. The nurse recognizes this as a sign of which complication?
Answer: Hepatic encephalopathy
Asterixis, a flapping tremor of the hands, is a classic neurological sign of hepatic encephalopathy caused by the accumulation of ammonia in the brain.
Which nursing intervention is most important for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in an intubated patient?
Answer: Maintaining the head of the bed at 30 to 45 degrees
Elevating the head of the bed to 30-45 degrees reduces the risk of aspiration of gastric contents, which is a primary cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
A patient with a new colostomy asks why the stoma appears dark red and moist. What is the best nursing response?
Answer: This is normal because the stoma is made of intestinal mucosa which is naturally red and moist
A healthy stoma is red and moist because it is composed of intestinal mucosa with a rich blood supply, similar to the inside of the cheek.
A nurse is assessing a patient admitted with Addisonian crisis. Which set of vital signs is most consistent with this condition?
Answer: Hypotension, tachycardia, and hypothermia
Addisonian crisis causes severe cortisol and aldosterone deficiency, leading to hypotension from fluid loss, compensatory tachycardia, and hypothermia from impaired thermoregulation.