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NIGHTINGALE COLLEGE
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM
NEWEST QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) | 2024- 2025
A patient in the emergency room reports coughing up blood, night sweats, and recently "feeling tired all of the time." The patient is feverish. Which medical condition does the nurse suspect the patient is experiencing? Correct Answer Tuberculosis A patient with HIV has painful burning dysesthesias and paresthesias, especially in the extremities. What condition will the nurse see documented in the chart? Correct Answer HIV neuropathy A patient has a recent spinal cord injury. Which term should the nurse use to describe the loss of reflex function below the level of injury/lesion? Correct Answer Spinal shock A patient with a spinal cord injury (T6 level) reports a headache. The patient's blood pressure is 296 systolic, and the patient is sweating. Which intervention is most appropriate? Correct Answer Check the patient's bladder.
Which of the following may cause an attack or an exacerbation of symptoms for a patient with multiple sclerosis? Correct Answer Increased calcium levels While reviewing a patient's health history, which finding will most alert the nurse to the possible development of a chronic subdural hematoma? Correct Answer Prior brain atrophy A patient with type 1 diabetes asks the nurse what causes polyuria. What is the nurse's best response? The symptom of polyuria in diabetes mellitus (DM) is caused by Correct Answer Increase glucose in Urine If a patient with diabetes has advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), what does the nurse suspect is happening in the patient's body? Correct Answer Tissue/ cellular injury Which information should the nurse include in a lecture on syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)? SIADH results in excessive Correct Answer renal retention of water without sodium retention. A patient with Graves disease has subcutaneous swelling of the anterior leg. Which term should the nurse document on the chart? Correct Answer Pretibial myxedema A student nurse asks the nurse what causes acromegaly. The nurse should explain that acromegaly is caused by abnormal increases of: Correct Answer Growth hormone
A nurse suspects that the patient is experiencing disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Which laboratory test should the nurse ask the primary care provider to order? Correct Answer D-dimer A patient has heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Which condition is a priority to assess? Correct Answer Pulmonary embolism A patient has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). When the nurse is reviewing the history, which finding is a risk factor for NHL Correct Answer Organ transplant 2 years ago Which concept should the nurse include when describing the pathophysiology of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura? Correct Answer Schizocytes/Schistocytes A patient has multiple myeloma. Which area in the body does the nurse closely monitor for the tumor masses? Correct Answer Bones A patient has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Which laboratory report should the nurse monitor closely in this patient? Correct Answer Lymphocyte counts A patient has a "shift to the left" or "left shift." Which other term can the nurse use to describe this finding? Correct Answer Leukemoid reaction
If a patient has secondary hypertension, the nurse realizes that the patient has an abnormal blood pressure caused by: Correct Answer an underlying disease. A patient has atherosclerosis. Which factor associated with endothelial injury will the nurse observe written in the history? Correct Answer Autoimmunity A nurse is asked what causes Prinzmetal angina. How should the nurse respond? Prinzmetalanginaiscausedby Correct Answer vasospasm. Mitogens, such as angiotensin II, and growth factors stimulate: Correct Answer smooth muscle proliferation. The nurse recalls risk factors that are associated with atherosclerosis. These include primary hypertension and Correct Answer advanced age. When conducting a physical assessment of a patient during an acute asthma episode, the nurse would expect to observe: Correct Answer pulsus paradoxus. A patient asks the nurse what is most closely associated with the development of lung cancer? How should the nurse respond? Correct Answer Cigarette smoking A patient has pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and hemoptysis. The primary care provider suspects a pulmonary embolus. Which laboratory test should the
The nurse is caring for a variety of patients. Which patient is most at risk for a paralytic ileus? Correct Answer A patient with postoperative abdominal surgery Which of the following complications will cause the most concern for a nurse who is caring for a patient with a paraesophageal hiatal hernia? Correct Answer Strangulation A patient has gallbladder pain that is felt in the right shoulder. The nurse explains to the patient that the issue is the gallbladder, and that the pain in the shoulder is the result of which type of pain? Correct Answer Referred A characteristic of ulcerative colitis is: Correct Answer the disease begins in the rectum and may advance back through the colon in a continuous manner. A patient has a fracture that broke into several fragments. Which type of fracture did the patient sustain? Correct Answer Comminuted A patient fractures a bone in a place where there was a pre-existing disease. Which type of fracture is being described? Correct Answer Pathological fracture A middle-aged patient has a tumor that infiltrates trabeculae in spongy bone. Which diagnosis will the nurse observe documented on the chart? Correct Answer Chondrosarcoma
Which of the following assessment symptoms are typical in a patient who has just sustained a femoral fracture? Correct Answer Pain and swelling in the thigh Which of the following is a characteristic assessment finding in a patient with fibromyalgia? Correct Answer Trigger/tender point pain Leukemia is classified as: Correct Answer acute or chronic A patient has a thrombosis. While reviewing the history, the nurse found the patient has atherosclerosis. To which component of the Virchow triad does the atherosclerosis correlate? Correct Answer Endothelial injury. Endothelial injury to blood vessels can result from atherosclerosis (plaque deposits on arterial walls). Hypersplenism occurs when: Correct Answer the spleen is overactive The best treatment for multiple myeloma: Correct Answer chemotherapy What type of cell is most affected by acute leukemia? Correct Answer blast cell You observe a platelet count of 9,000/mm3, which condition must you monitor for in this patient? Correct Answer spontaneous bleeding
Mitogens, such as angiotensin IL, and growth factors stimulate: Correct Answer Smooth muscle proliferation If a patient's history indicates that the cardiac valve disease is autosomal dominant, which diagnosis will the nurse observe written in the chart? Correct Answer Mitral valve prolapse Mitral valve prolapse, has been found to have an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Prinzmetal angina is caused by: Correct Answer Vasospasm Prinzmetal angina is a special type of chest pain that occurs transiently at rest because of vasospasm. A patient is diagnosed with chronic pulmonary disease and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. Which of the following heart failures does the nurse assess for in this patient? Correct Answer Right-sided heart failure Elevated right ventricular afterload related to pulmonary artery vasoconstriction from chronic pulmonary disease can result in right-sided heart failure, also known as cor pulmonale. A patient's coronary blood flow is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the myocytes. Which term will the nurse use to describe this process? Correct Answer Myocardial ischemia
Myocardial ischemia develops if the flow or oxygen content of coronary blood is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of myocardial cells. A nurse is asked why myocardial ischemia is usually reversible within 20 minutes. What is the nurse's best response? Correct Answer Anaerobic metabolism maintains cellular integrity for approximately 20 minutes. The main white blood cell that plays a role in the development of the fatty streak in atherosclerosis is the: Correct Answer macrophage Secondary hypertension is caused by: Correct Answer an underlying disease process or medication that raises peripheral vascular resistance or cardiac output High ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) ratio can be caused by: Correct Answer obstruction to pulmonary blood flow. Obstruction to pulmonary blood flow results in decreased perfusion and a high V/Q ratio. Dyspnea that occurs when an individual lies flat and is common in individuals with heart failure: Correct Answer orthopnea
Obstruction to pulmonary blood flow results in: Correct Answer decreased perfusion and a high V/Q ratio A patient has a dilated ureter from an obstructed upper urinary tract. Which term will the nurse use to describe this condition? Correct Answer Hydroureter
- Dilation of the ureter is referred to as hydroureter (accumulation of urine in the ureter) A patient experiences relief of bilateral kidney obstruction which results in postobstructive diuresis. What risks are associated with this situation? Correct Answer fluid and electrolyte imbalance Which of the following symptom is associated with overactive bladder syndrome? Correct Answer Nocturia A nurse is describing bladder dysfunction caused by neurologic disorders like stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia and brain tumors. Which of the following terms refers to this type of bladder dysfunction? Correct Answer neurogenic bladder The nurse is assessing a patient with bladder cancer. Which of the following is a typical finding for patients with bladder cancer? Correct Answer hematuria A patient with cystitis reports painful urination. The nurse will document this symptom as which of the following? Correct Answer Dysuria
A patient presents with a UTI. The nurse knows that the most common causative pathogen is which of the following? Correct Answer Escherichia coli A patient has chronic pyelonephritis. What would the nurse expect to see in this patient? Correct Answer Kidney scarring The nurse is describing the pathophysiology of glomerulonephritis. Which of the following mechanisms represent a major component of both primary and secondary glomerular injury? Correct Answer antigen- antibody complexes that deposit within the glomerulus Which of the following occurs when normally soluble material such as calcium and oxalate supersaturates the urine and begins the process of crystal formation? Correct Answer Kidney stones A 14-year-old girl has failed to menstruate and develop secondary sex characteristics. What term is used to describe this condition? Correct Answer primary amenorrhea What term is used when describing the occurrence of sexual maturation in girls before the age of 6 and in boys before the age of 9? Correct Answer precocious puberty
What intervention is recommended for patients with benign breast disease? Correct Answer Monitoring the intake of caffeine and chocolate Tissue damage in acute pancreatitis is caused by: Correct Answer leakage of pancreatic enzymes into pancreatic tissue. The most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is: Correct Answer long term alcohol abuse A patient has a small bowel obstruction. What are the classic symptoms? Correct Answer vomiting, colicky abdominal pain, and abdominal distention What will be inclued in the initial assessment finding for a stress ulcer in a patient who sustained severe trauma? Correct Answer Gastrointestinal bleeding Gastrectomy surgery commonly leads to a vitamin B deficiency anemia because: Correct Answer decreased intrinsic factor production results in decreased vitamin B Reflux esophagitis is defined as: Correct Answer an inflammatory response to gastroesophageal reflux. The most common cause of portal hypertension is: Correct Answer liver cirrhosis Malabsorption of what vitamin due to injury to the mucosa of the ileum is a common characteristic of
Crohn's disease? Correct Answer Vitamin B Disorders is most commonly associated with bright red blood in the stools? Correct Answer colorectal cancer What interventions will the nurse include in a plan of care for a patient with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)? Correct Answer weight reduction, smoking cessation, and elevating the head of the bed 6 inches help to alleviate symptoms Which laboratory result will be elevated in a patient with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)? Correct Answer Fibrin degradation products A nurse suspects that the patient is experiencing disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Which laboratory test should the nurse ask the primary care provider to order? Correct Answer D-dimer Neutrophilia and a left shift are most commonly associated with: Correct Answer bacterial infection Inflammatory cytokines released by Hodgkin's lymphoma tumors often cause: Correct Answer Night sweats, low- grade fevers, and weight loss The most common cause of hypoparathyroidism is: Correct Answer Parathyroid gland injury or removal The pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus
Severe trauma can result in the release of myoglobin from skeletal muscle cells, causing a life-threatening condition called: Correct Answer Rhabdomyolysis Aortic stenosis results in the incomplete emptying of the: Correct Answer Left ventricle Blood from the left ventricle is pumped through the aortic valve into the aorta. Aortic stenosis results in the incomplete emptying of the left ventricle. Prinzmetal angina is caused by: Correct Answer Vasospasm Prinzmetal angina is a special type of chest pain that occurs transiently at rest because of vasospasm. What develops if the flow or oxygen content of coronary blood is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of myocardial cells? Correct Answer myocardial ischemia All disorders associated with ARDS cause massive pulmonary: Correct Answer inflammation A productive cough for at least 3 months is the classic sign of: Correct Answer chronic bronchitis The sensation of feeling short of breath Correct Answer feeling short of breath An area where alveoli are ventilated but not perfused is termed: Correct Answer alveolar dead space
An acquired chronic autoimmune disease mediated by antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) at the neuromuscular junction: Correct Answer myasthenia gravis Rheumatoid arthritis results from joint inflammation caused by: Correct Answer Autoimmune injury Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by autoimmune injury to synovial joints. A set of pins connected to stabilizing bars on the outside of the patient is a type of treatment for fractures called: Correct Answer external fixation A patient has a small bowel obstruction. Which classic symptoms should the nurse assess for in this patient? Correct Answer Vomiting, colicky abdominal pain, and abdominal distension Answer Feedback: Crampy/colicky pains followed by vomiting and distention are the cardinal symptoms of small bowel obstruction. A patient with a combined immune deficiency lacks: Correct Answer T and B lymphocytes Among the many innate defenses the body has to pathogens, the first line of defense is the: Correct Answer skin and mucous membranes
