NURS 5315 FINAL EXAM
1.A patient in respiratory distress and is breathing 33 breaths per minute.
Which ABG value is consistent with the clinical scenario?
PCO2 15
pH 7.30
pH 7.45
O2 sat 100%
ANS A patient who is breathing 33 breaths per minute is hyperventilating
and blowing off CO2; therefore the PCO2 level will be low. The patient will
most likely experience a respiratory alkalosis and the two pH values
provided are not consistent with this diagnosis.
2.A patient has a sodium level of 115 mEq/L and is disoriented and
lethargic. Which pathological process best explains this patient's
symptoms?
a. The action potential has become hyperpolarized.
b. Water has shifted into the neurons and caused them to swell.
c. Water has shifted into the vascular space and dehydrated the neurons.
,d. The action potential has become hypopolarized.
ANS b. The cause of neurologic symptoms associated with a sodium
imbalance is directly related to fluid shifting into or out of the neurons
of the brain. With a serum sodium of 115 mEq/L, water shifts into the
neurons and causes them to swell. Hypernatremia causes water to shift
out of the cell into the intravascular space and causes the neurons to
become dehydrated. An alteration in the action potential is not seen
with sodium imbalances.
3.A patient experiencing dehydration should be monitored for which
elec- trolyte imbalance?
a. Hyperkalemia
b. Hypocalcemia
c. Hypercalcemia
d. Hyponatermia
ANS a. Serum osmolality is increased during times of dehydration. An
elevated serum osmolality will pull potassium into the intravascular
space from the intracellular space and cause a rise in serum potassium.
4.A married couple presents to your office for genetic counseling. The hus-
band has an autosomal recessive disease and his wife has a heterozygous
,genotype for the disease. They ask you, What is the chance that our baby
will have the disease? Which of the following answers is correct?
25%
50%
75%
100%
ANS A chromosome is a package of material located inside the cell
nucleus which is made of proteins and a single molecule of DNA. There
are 23 pairs of chromosomes in each human cell for a total of 46
chromosomes. Chromosomes are separated into two identical sets
during mitosis or meiosis. This provides a set
, of chromosomes to each daughter cell which results from cell division.
This process is responsible for the transfer of genetic information to the
daughter cells. The first 22 pairs of chromosomes are known as
autosomes. The 23rd pair of chromosomes is the pair which contains the
genetic information for gender. This pair contains
the genetic information which delineates between the male and female
genders. Females have two X chromosomes (XX) and males have an XY
chromosome pair. Autosomal chromosomes are said to be autologous.
This means they do not carry genetic information pertaining to gender.
Autosomal genetic diseases are carried on the first 22 pairs of
chromosomes. Sex-linked diseases are only carried on
the 23rd pair of chromosomes. The autosomal chromosomes are nearly
identical to one another and are considered homologous to one another.
Each autosomal chromosome in a pair carries identical genes. These two
genes are known as alleles. The alleles occupy the same site on each
partner of the chromosome pair and code for the same genetic trait or
physiologic function. Alleles can be dominant or recessive. One allele
may be dominant and the other recessive, or they both may be
1.A patient in respiratory distress and is breathing 33 breaths per minute.
Which ABG value is consistent with the clinical scenario?
PCO2 15
pH 7.30
pH 7.45
O2 sat 100%
ANS A patient who is breathing 33 breaths per minute is hyperventilating
and blowing off CO2; therefore the PCO2 level will be low. The patient will
most likely experience a respiratory alkalosis and the two pH values
provided are not consistent with this diagnosis.
2.A patient has a sodium level of 115 mEq/L and is disoriented and
lethargic. Which pathological process best explains this patient's
symptoms?
a. The action potential has become hyperpolarized.
b. Water has shifted into the neurons and caused them to swell.
c. Water has shifted into the vascular space and dehydrated the neurons.
,d. The action potential has become hypopolarized.
ANS b. The cause of neurologic symptoms associated with a sodium
imbalance is directly related to fluid shifting into or out of the neurons
of the brain. With a serum sodium of 115 mEq/L, water shifts into the
neurons and causes them to swell. Hypernatremia causes water to shift
out of the cell into the intravascular space and causes the neurons to
become dehydrated. An alteration in the action potential is not seen
with sodium imbalances.
3.A patient experiencing dehydration should be monitored for which
elec- trolyte imbalance?
a. Hyperkalemia
b. Hypocalcemia
c. Hypercalcemia
d. Hyponatermia
ANS a. Serum osmolality is increased during times of dehydration. An
elevated serum osmolality will pull potassium into the intravascular
space from the intracellular space and cause a rise in serum potassium.
4.A married couple presents to your office for genetic counseling. The hus-
band has an autosomal recessive disease and his wife has a heterozygous
,genotype for the disease. They ask you, What is the chance that our baby
will have the disease? Which of the following answers is correct?
25%
50%
75%
100%
ANS A chromosome is a package of material located inside the cell
nucleus which is made of proteins and a single molecule of DNA. There
are 23 pairs of chromosomes in each human cell for a total of 46
chromosomes. Chromosomes are separated into two identical sets
during mitosis or meiosis. This provides a set
, of chromosomes to each daughter cell which results from cell division.
This process is responsible for the transfer of genetic information to the
daughter cells. The first 22 pairs of chromosomes are known as
autosomes. The 23rd pair of chromosomes is the pair which contains the
genetic information for gender. This pair contains
the genetic information which delineates between the male and female
genders. Females have two X chromosomes (XX) and males have an XY
chromosome pair. Autosomal chromosomes are said to be autologous.
This means they do not carry genetic information pertaining to gender.
Autosomal genetic diseases are carried on the first 22 pairs of
chromosomes. Sex-linked diseases are only carried on
the 23rd pair of chromosomes. The autosomal chromosomes are nearly
identical to one another and are considered homologous to one another.
Each autosomal chromosome in a pair carries identical genes. These two
genes are known as alleles. The alleles occupy the same site on each
partner of the chromosome pair and code for the same genetic trait or
physiologic function. Alleles can be dominant or recessive. One allele
may be dominant and the other recessive, or they both may be
