ATI RN
ATI RN Custom Med Surg Surgical patient Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A nurse enters a client's room to answer the call light and finds the client on the bathroom floor. What should be the nurse's initial action?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Obtaining vital signs first assesses the client's condition to identify immediate medical needs. Moving the client risks harm without assessment. Notifying the provider or family is secondary to ensuring client safety through assessment.
Question 2 of 5
In a post-surgical unit, the nurse cares for many patients experiencing pain. Which situation is likely to lower a patient's pain threshold?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, amplifying pain signals and lowering the pain threshold. Awaiting biopsy results may cause stress but not directly affect pain physiology. Sleep difficulty impacts pain tolerance but less directly. Pain thresholds vary individually.
Question 3 of 5
What triggers the afferent pathways, resulting in the sensation of pain?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nociceptors detect harmful stimuli, initiating pain signals along afferent pathways. The spinal cord relays signals, endorphins modulate pain, and the cortex processes pain perception.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is analyzing the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of a patient. The patient's ABGs are: pH:7.6, PaCO2:40 mm Hg, HCO3:32 mEq/L. Which of the following acid-base conditions should the nurse identify the patient is experiencing?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: High pH (7.6) and elevated HCO3 (32 mEq/L) with normal PaCO2 indicate metabolic alkalosis. Respiratory acidosis has low pH, respiratory alkalosis low PaCO2, and metabolic acidosis low HCO3.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse on the unit suspects that a colleague is extracting a small quantity of morphine from the syringe prior to administering it to the patient. What should the nurse do in this situation?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Informing the charge nurse follows the chain of command, ensuring a discreet investigation. Security involvement is premature, AP monitoring is inappropriate, and confrontation risks escalation.