NCLEX Diseases and Disorders Flashcards
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How to run these cards
Work in one direction first: read the front, say the answer out loud, then open the card. Saying it out loud is not a gimmick — recognising an answer and producing one are different skills, and the exam only rewards the second. Anything you get wrong goes into a pile you repeat at the end of the session, then again the next day.
Do not run a deck front-to-back every time. Order is itself a memory cue, so a deck you always run in sequence will feel mastered and then fall apart inside a mixed practice test.
Diseases & Disorders
Pathophysiology in one line, then the finding that gives it away.
20 cards — 3 easy, 9 medium, 8 hard.
Left-sided heart failure backs up where?
Into the lungs: crackles, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, pink frothy sputum.
Right-sided failure backs up into the body: oedema, jugular distension, ascites.
What is a silent chest in asthma?
Loss of wheeze with worsening distress, meaning airflow is too low to make sound. It is an emergency.
Quiet is not better. Look at work of breathing and ability to speak.
Findings of tension pneumothorax?
Absent breath sounds on the affected side, tracheal deviation away from it, hypotension.
Requires immediate decompression. Never clamp a chest tube for distress.
Earliest sign of increased intracranial pressure?
Change in level of consciousness
The Cushing triad of hypertension, bradycardia and irregular respirations is late.
Autonomic dysreflexia occurs at what injury level, and what is done first?
T6 or above. Sit the client up first, then find the trigger.
The most common trigger is a full bladder or blocked catheter.
Addison versus Cushing in one line?
Addison is under-production: hypotension, hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia, hyperpigmentation. Cushing is over-production: hypertension, hyperglycaemia, moon face.
Addisonian crisis is treated with fluids, hydrocortisone and glucose.
Hallmarks of diabetic ketoacidosis?
High glucose, low pH, ketones, Kussmaul respirations, fruity breath, dehydration.
Fluids first, then insulin, and watch potassium throughout.
Which shock type presents with bradycardia?
Neurogenic shock
Loss of sympathetic tone after high spinal injury. Skin stays warm and dry.
Oliguric phase of acute kidney injury: main danger?
Hyperkalaemia with fluid overload
Hold nephrotoxic and potassium-containing drugs, and monitor the ECG.
Classic pancreatitis presentation?
Severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, relieved by leaning forward, with raised amylase and lipase.
Keep nil by mouth initially and manage pain.
Placenta previa versus abruption?
Previa is painless bright red bleeding. Abruption is painful dark bleeding with a rigid uterus.
Never perform a vaginal examination with suspected previa.
Severe features of preeclampsia?
Blood pressure 160/110, platelets under 100,000, raised liver enzymes, headache, visual change, epigastric pain.
Magnesium sulfate is for seizure prophylaxis, not blood pressure control.
Compartment syndrome hallmark?
Pain out of proportion, unrelieved by opioids, worse on passive stretch.
Do not elevate above heart level. Relieve the constriction and notify at once.
Fat embolism timing and triad?
24 to 72 hours after a long bone fracture: dyspnoea, confusion, petechial rash over chest and axillae.
Distinguishes it from pulmonary embolism, which has no rash.
Cardiac tamponade triad?
Muffled heart sounds, jugular venous distension, hypotension.
Also look for pulsus paradoxus and narrowed pulse pressure.
Myasthenia gravis versus Guillain-Barre in one line?
Myasthenia worsens with activity and improves with rest. Guillain-Barre ascends from the legs upward.
Both threaten respiratory muscles; monitor vital capacity.
What causes a stoma to look dusky or purple?
Compromised blood supply, possible necrosis. Report immediately.
A healthy stoma is pink or red and moist, and bleeds slightly with cleaning.
Delirium versus dementia?
Delirium is acute, fluctuating and usually reversible. Dementia is gradual and progressive.
New confusion in an older adult is delirium until proved otherwise.
Which conditions require airborne precautions?
Measles, chickenpox, disseminated herpes zoster, tuberculosis.
My Chicken Has TB. Chickenpox and disseminated zoster also need contact precautions.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome features?
High fever, lead-pipe rigidity, altered mental status, autonomic instability.
Stop the antipsychotic immediately. It is life-threatening.
What these cards cover
These 20 cards sit across 12 topics in the test plan. If a whole topic keeps coming back wrong, the problem is the underlying content rather than the recall — go and read that topic before you run the deck again.
| Topic | Focus | Cards | Client need category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac Disorders | Coronary syndrome, heart failure and dysrhythmias | 2 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Respiratory Disorders | Asthma, COPD, pneumonia and pneumothorax | 2 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Neurological Disorders | Stroke, seizures, spinal cord and raised pressure | 3 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Endocrine Disorders | Diabetes, thyroid and adrenal conditions | 2 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Medical Emergencies | Shock, anaphylaxis, burns and trauma | 1 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Renal and Gastrointestinal Disorders | Kidney injury, dialysis, liver and bowel disease | 2 | Physiological Adaptation |
| Antepartum Care | Prenatal assessment, danger signs and teaching | 2 | Health Promotion and Maintenance |
| Recognising Complications | The findings that mean act now | 2 | Reduction of Risk Potential |
| Elimination | Bowel and bladder care, ostomies and catheters | 1 | Basic Care and Comfort |
| The Aging Adult | Normal aging versus pathology | 1 | Health Promotion and Maintenance |
| Transmission-Based Precautions | Airborne, droplet, contact and protective | 1 | Safety and Infection Control |
| Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders | Hallucinations, delusions and antipsychotic effects | 1 | Psychosocial Integrity |
Printable answer key
The same 20 cards laid flat, for revision on paper or a last pass the night before. Cover the right-hand columns with a sheet and work down.
| Prompt | Answer | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Left-sided heart failure backs up where? | Into the lungs: crackles, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, pink frothy sputum. | Right-sided failure backs up into the body: oedema, jugular distension, ascites. |
| What is a silent chest in asthma? | Loss of wheeze with worsening distress, meaning airflow is too low to make sound. It is an emergency. | Quiet is not better. Look at work of breathing and ability to speak. |
| Findings of tension pneumothorax? | Absent breath sounds on the affected side, tracheal deviation away from it, hypotension. | Requires immediate decompression. Never clamp a chest tube for distress. |
| Earliest sign of increased intracranial pressure? | Change in level of consciousness | The Cushing triad of hypertension, bradycardia and irregular respirations is late. |
| Autonomic dysreflexia occurs at what injury level, and what is done first? | T6 or above. Sit the client up first, then find the trigger. | The most common trigger is a full bladder or blocked catheter. |
| Addison versus Cushing in one line? | Addison is under-production: hypotension, hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia, hyperpigmentation. Cushing is over-production: hypertension, hyperglycaemia, moon face. | Addisonian crisis is treated with fluids, hydrocortisone and glucose. |
| Hallmarks of diabetic ketoacidosis? | High glucose, low pH, ketones, Kussmaul respirations, fruity breath, dehydration. | Fluids first, then insulin, and watch potassium throughout. |
| Which shock type presents with bradycardia? | Neurogenic shock | Loss of sympathetic tone after high spinal injury. Skin stays warm and dry. |
| Oliguric phase of acute kidney injury: main danger? | Hyperkalaemia with fluid overload | Hold nephrotoxic and potassium-containing drugs, and monitor the ECG. |
| Classic pancreatitis presentation? | Severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, relieved by leaning forward, with raised amylase and lipase. | Keep nil by mouth initially and manage pain. |
| Placenta previa versus abruption? | Previa is painless bright red bleeding. Abruption is painful dark bleeding with a rigid uterus. | Never perform a vaginal examination with suspected previa. |
| Severe features of preeclampsia? | Blood pressure 160/110, platelets under 100,000, raised liver enzymes, headache, visual change, epigastric pain. | Magnesium sulfate is for seizure prophylaxis, not blood pressure control. |
| Compartment syndrome hallmark? | Pain out of proportion, unrelieved by opioids, worse on passive stretch. | Do not elevate above heart level. Relieve the constriction and notify at once. |
| Fat embolism timing and triad? | 24 to 72 hours after a long bone fracture: dyspnoea, confusion, petechial rash over chest and axillae. | Distinguishes it from pulmonary embolism, which has no rash. |
| Cardiac tamponade triad? | Muffled heart sounds, jugular venous distension, hypotension. | Also look for pulsus paradoxus and narrowed pulse pressure. |
| Myasthenia gravis versus Guillain-Barre in one line? | Myasthenia worsens with activity and improves with rest. Guillain-Barre ascends from the legs upward. | Both threaten respiratory muscles; monitor vital capacity. |
| What causes a stoma to look dusky or purple? | Compromised blood supply, possible necrosis. Report immediately. | A healthy stoma is pink or red and moist, and bleeds slightly with cleaning. |
| Delirium versus dementia? | Delirium is acute, fluctuating and usually reversible. Dementia is gradual and progressive. | New confusion in an older adult is delirium until proved otherwise. |
| Which conditions require airborne precautions? | Measles, chickenpox, disseminated herpes zoster, tuberculosis. | My Chicken Has TB. Chickenpox and disseminated zoster also need contact precautions. |
| Neuroleptic malignant syndrome features? | High fever, lead-pipe rigidity, altered mental status, autonomic instability. | Stop the antipsychotic immediately. It is life-threatening. |
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