FREE Medical-Surgical Nursing 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 Nursing 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 implement first?
Answer: Place the patient on continuous cardiac monitoring
Hyperkalemia at this level poses an immediate risk for fatal cardiac dysrhythmias, making cardiac monitoring the priority intervention.
A nurse is caring for a patient 12 hours after a total hip arthroplasty. Which finding requires immediate intervention?
Answer: The affected leg appears shorter and externally rotated
A shortened and externally rotated leg after total hip arthroplasty indicates posterior hip dislocation, which requires emergent medical intervention.
Which assessment finding in a patient receiving heparin therapy should prompt the nurse to notify the provider immediately?
Answer: A platelet count that dropped from 240,000 to 95,000 over 5 days
A greater than 50% drop in platelets during heparin therapy is a hallmark sign of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), a potentially fatal complication.
A patient with cirrhosis develops increasing abdominal girth and a fluid wave on examination. Which laboratory value should the nurse monitor most closely?
Answer: Serum albumin
Low serum albumin reduces oncotic pressure, directly contributing to ascites formation in cirrhotic patients.
A nurse is teaching a patient newly diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Which statement by the patient indicates correct understanding of the disease?
Answer: I need to plan activities early in the day when I have the most strength
Myasthenia gravis causes progressive muscle fatigue throughout the day, so patients typically have more strength in the morning and should schedule demanding activities accordingly.
A patient with type 2 diabetes is admitted with a blood glucose of 748 mg/dL, serum osmolality of 340 mOsm/kg, and minimal ketones. What is the priority nursing intervention?
Answer: Initiate aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation
Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state causes severe dehydration, and aggressive IV fluid replacement is the initial priority to restore circulating volume before insulin therapy.