Med-surg: GI, perioperative & oncology worksheet with answers

What is cancer cachexia?

1. ASevere loss of weight and muscle that diet alone does not reverse
2. BWeight gain caused by steroid treatment
3. CA fever that occurs after every chemotherapy cycle and lasts several days
4. DA skin rash from radiotherapy

Which finding describes a category 1 pressure ulcer?

1. AIntact skin with redness that does not blanch
2. BAn open wound with visible bone at the base
3. CA shallow open wound with a red-pink base and no slough
4. DA wound covered with thick black eschar

Which feature is typical of an arterial leg ulcer?

1. AA blister on the heel with plenty of hair growth
2. BA painful, punched-out wound on a cold, pale foot
3. CA painless wound on the shin with normal pulses
4. DA shallow, wet wound around the ankle with warm, swollen skin

Why is a pregnancy test often done before surgery in women who could be pregnant?

1. APregnant women cannot sign consent forms
2. BAnaesthesia, drugs and some tests may harm a fetus
3. CPregnancy always makes surgery impossible
4. DIt is needed to calculate the anaesthetic drug dose

Why is pethidine (meperidine) generally avoided for regular pain relief?

1. AA metabolite can build up and cause seizures
2. BIt always causes severe diarrhoea
3. CIt has no pain-relieving effect at all in adults
4. DIt can only be given by mouth

Which task for a stable patient with an established ileostomy can usually be delegated to a trained healthcare assistant (nursing assistant)?

1. ATeaching the patient about high-output risks
2. BEmptying the pouch and measuring the output
3. CDeciding whether IV fluids are needed
4. DAssessing the stoma for signs of necrosis

A patient with long-standing chronic pancreatitis now has weight loss, thirst and passing large volumes of urine. What should the nurse check first?

1. ASerum amylase level
2. BPeak expiratory flow
3. CCapillary blood glucose
4. DAbdominal girth

A 74-year-old with chronic kidney disease has severe pain after surgery. Which opioid issue is most important?

1. AKidney function has no effect on how opioids are handled
2. BMorphine is the safest opioid in renal failure, so doses can be increased freely
3. CMorphine metabolites accumulate, so a lower dose or another opioid may be needed
4. DOpioids must never be used in older adults, whatever the pain