Test Bank For Lewis’s Medical- Surgical Nursing, 12th Edition by Mariann M. Harding, Jeffrey Kwong, Debra Hagler

Medical-surgical nursing is the biggest course in most nursing programs. In one semester you move from heart failure to kidney disease to stroke to surgery, and the exams expect you to keep all of it straight. Questions rarely ask for a definition. They describe a patient and ask what you notice first, what you do next, and what you tell the provider. This test bank was built to give you practice with those decisions. It follows the chapter order of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems, 12th Edition, by Mariann M. Harding, Jeffrey Kwong, Debra Hagler, and Courtney Reinisch, so each study session matches what your class is covering.

If you are in a med-surg course, getting ready for hospital clinicals, or starting NCLEX-RN review, this resource helps you practice safe, prioritized nursing judgment.

Topics Covered

The question sets follow the textbook and include:

• Clinical judgment, patient safety, and the nursing process
• Fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance
• Pain, inflammation, infection, and wound healing
• Care before, during, and after surgery
• Cancer care and end-of-life care
• Breathing problems, including COPD, asthma, pneumonia, and respiratory failure
• Heart and blood vessel conditions, including heart failure, heart attack, and high blood pressure
• Blood disorders and clotting problems
• Stomach, bowel, liver, and pancreas disorders
• Kidney and urinary conditions
• Diabetes and other hormone disorders
• Stroke and other brain and nerve conditions
• Bone, joint, and muscle problems
• Immune disorders, skin conditions, and emergency care

You will find multiple-choice, select-all-that-apply, and prioritization questions, the same formats used in med-surg courses and on the NCLEX-RN.

Why Practice Questions Help in Med-Surg

Med-surg exams often hide the answer in the details of a patient story. A small change in a lab value or one new symptom can change which action comes first. Practicing with scenarios helps you:

• Spot early signs that a patient is getting worse
• Put airway, breathing, and circulation first when setting priorities
• Connect a disease process to the nursing actions it calls for
• Decide what to report, what to do right away, and what can wait
• Get used to the way NCLEX-style questions are written

Many students say the hardest part of this course is the amount of material. Short, regular practice by chapter helps you hold more of it than a single long review before the exam.

What Makes This Test Bank Different

Every question includes a full rationale. You will see why the best answer is correct and why each other option is unsafe, incomplete, or not the priority. On med-surg exams, wrong answers are usually actions that would be fine in a different situation, so learning why they do not fit this one is a big part of the lesson.

Questions are grouped by chapter and body system. Review one system, such as the heart, before a quiz, or work through several chapters before a final. It fits beside your reading, before a clinical day, or as a structured review before the NCLEX-RN.

Sample Questions

Question 1
A patient with heart failure who takes furosemide has gained 2 kg (4.4 lb) in two days. The patient now has swollen ankles and needs extra pillows to sleep. What should the nurse do first?

A. Encourage the patient to drink more fluids
B. Report the findings to the provider and review the current diuretic plan
C. Tell the patient these changes are normal
D. Ask the patient to walk more to reduce swelling

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rapid weight gain, swelling, and trouble breathing when lying flat suggest fluid is building up because the heart is not pumping well. The provider needs to know so the diuretic dose or other treatment can be changed. Drinking more fluid would add to the overload. These findings are warning signs, not normal changes. Walking more will not clear fluid from a failing heart and may tire the patient.

Question 2
A patient on the first day after abdominal surgery reports pain in the left calf. The calf is swollen, warm, and red. What is the nurse’s best action?

A. Massage the calf to improve circulation
B. Keep the patient on bed rest, avoid massaging the leg, and notify the provider
C. Walk the patient in the hall right away
D. Apply a heating pad and reassess in the morning

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: These findings suggest a deep vein thrombosis, which is a risk after surgery because of reduced movement. Massaging or walking the leg could break the clot loose and send it to the lungs. The nurse should keep the patient resting, protect the leg, and notify the provider so testing and treatment can start. A heating pad may increase swelling and does not address the clot, and waiting until morning delays treatment.

Question 3
A patient with type 1 diabetes arrives in the emergency department with deep, fast breathing, fruity-smelling breath, and a blood glucose of 520 mg/dL. Which order should the nurse expect first?

A. IV 0.9 percent normal saline
B. A large dose of a sulfonylurea by mouth
C. A high-carbohydrate drink
D. Withholding all fluids until the glucose falls

Correct Answer: A
Rationale: This picture suggests diabetic ketoacidosis. These patients are very dehydrated, so the first treatment is IV fluids, usually 0.9 percent normal saline, to restore volume. Insulin is given by IV after the first fluids and after checking potassium. A sulfonylurea is not used in this emergency and does not work in type 1 diabetes. A carbohydrate drink would raise the glucose further. Withholding fluids would worsen the dehydration.

Question 4
A patient with a chest tube accidentally disconnects the tubing from the drainage system. What should the nurse do first?

A. Clamp the chest tube for several hours
B. Place the end of the tube in a container of sterile water or saline and assess the patient
C. Remove the chest tube
D. Wait for the provider before doing anything

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The tube should be placed in sterile water or saline to act as a temporary water seal. This lets air leave the chest while keeping outside air from entering. The nurse then checks the patient’s breathing and calls for help. Clamping for a long time can trap air and cause a tension pneumothorax. The nurse does not remove the tube, and waiting leaves the patient at risk.

Question 5
A patient arrives at the emergency department with sudden right-sided weakness and trouble speaking. Which question is most important for the nurse to ask the family?

A. “What does the patient usually eat for breakfast?”
B. “What time was the patient last seen normal?”
C. “Does the patient have any hobbies?”
D. “When did the patient last visit the dentist?”

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In an ischemic stroke, the time the patient was last known to be well decides whether clot-dissolving drugs or other treatments are possible, because they work only within a limited time window. Knowing this time is the most urgent piece of information. Diet, hobbies, and dental visits do not guide the immediate treatment decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as the publisher’s official test bank?
No. This is an independently written study resource meant to help you review the topics in the 12th edition of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing. It is a self-study companion and is not distributed by the publisher.

Will it help me prepare for the NCLEX-RN?
Yes. The scenario style is similar to the NCLEX, with a focus on priorities, safety, and recognizing when a patient is getting worse.

Does it cover every chapter?
The questions are organized by chapter and body system, following the order of the 12th edition from basic concepts through each major system.

What kinds of questions are included?
Mostly multiple-choice, plus select-all-that-apply and prioritization questions.

Are there explanations?
Yes. Every question has a full rationale that explains why the best answer is correct and why the others are not.

Who is it for?
Nursing students taking medical-surgical nursing, and anyone reviewing adult health content before an exam or the NCLEX-RN.

How should I use it?
Read the chapter first, then answer the questions before checking the answers. Study the rationales for anything you missed, since knowing why an answer is best helps more than memorizing the letter.

Can it replace the textbook?
No. It works best alongside the textbook. The book teaches the conditions and care, and the test bank lets you practice applying them.

Is it matched to the 12th edition?
Yes. It follows the topics and chapter structure of the 12th edition.

Is it useful the night before an exam?
Yes. Because it is organized by chapter and body system, you can quickly review one area, such as heart or kidney problems, without rereading the whole book.