Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Adult Health (Med-Surg Nursing)
Cardiovascular Nursing Test Bank
75 NCLEX-Style Multiple Choice Questions
Topics Covered:
Myocardial Infarction
Heart Failure (Left & Right)
Coronary Artery Disease
Dysrhythmias
Peripheral Vascular Disease
With:
Detailed Rationales
NCLEX & ATI Aligned style
1
,1. A client complains of crushing chest pain that radiates to his left arm. He should be
presented with the following treatment:
1. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroglycerin, and morphine
2. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroglycerin, and codeine
3. Oxygen, nitroglycerin, meperidine, and thrombolytics
4. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroprusside, and morphine
Rationale: Crushing chest pain radiating to the left arm is classic for acute
myocardial infarction (AMI). Initial management follows the MONA protocol
(Morphine, Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin)
2. Which lifestyle changes should a client diagnosed with coronary artery disease
consider?
1. Smoking cessation
2. Establishing a regular exercise routine
3. Weight reduction
4. All of the Above
Rationale: Management of coronary artery disease (CAD) includes lifestyle
modification to slow disease progression and reduce cardiac workload
3. A client's cardiac monitor alarm sounds, indicating ventricular tachycardia. The
nurse should:
1. Perform immediate defibrillation.
2. Assess the client.
3. Call the physician.
4. Administer a precordial thump.
Rationale: When a monitor alarm sounds, the first nursing action is to assess the
patient, not the monitor. The nurse must determine: presence of a pulse, level of
consciousness,and hemodynamic stability. Further interventions (defibrillation or
medications) depend on whether the patient is stable or unstable.
4. A complication of peripheral vascular disease may be:
1. stasis ulcer.
2. Pressure ulcer.
3. Gastric ulcer.
4. Duodenal ulcer.
Rationale: Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) results in impaired blood flow to the
extremities. Chronic venous insufficiency commonly leads to: stasis ulcers, typically
on the lower legs or ankles due to poor venous return
5. A key diagnostic test for heart failure is:
1. Serum potassium.
2. B-type natriuretic peptide.
3. Troponin I
4. Cardiac enzymes.
2
, Rationale: BNP is released by the ventricles in response to increased ventricular
stretching and volume overload, making it a key marker for heart failure. Elevated
BNP levels indicate worsening heart failure
6. While auscultating the heart sounds of a client with mitral insufficiency, the nurse
hears an extra heart sound immediately after the S2. The nurse should document this
extra heart sound as a:
1. S1.
2. S3.
3. S4.
4. Mitral murmur.
Rationale: An S3, is heard following an S2. This indicates that the client is
experiencing heart failure and results from increased filling pressures. An S1 is a
normal heart sound made by the closing of the mitral and tricuspid valves. An S4 is
heard before S1 and is caused by resistance to ventricular filling. A murmur of mitral
insufficiency occurs during systole and is heard when there's turbulent blood flow
across the valve.
7. A nurse administers heparin to a client with deep vein thrombophlebitis. Which
laboratory value should the nurse monitor to determine the effectiveness of heparin?
1. PTT
2. HCT
3. CBC
4. PT
Rationale: The therapeutic effectiveness of heparin is determined by monitoring the
patient's PTT, PT, HCT, and CBC don't monitor the therapeutic effectiveness of
heparin. Monitoring the PT determines warfarin's effectiveness.
8. A client has just returned from cardiac catheterization. Which nursing intervention
would be most appropriate?
1. Help the client ambulate to the bathroom.
2. Restrict fluids.
3. Monitor peripheral pulses.
4. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter.
Rationale: After cardiac catheterization, monitor peripheral pulses to assess
peripheral perfusion. Helping the client ambulate to the bathroom is incorrect because
the client should be on bed rest for 4 to 8 hours after the procedure to reduce the risk
of bleeding at the insertion site. Restricting fluids is incorrect because the client
should be encouraged to drink fluids after the procedure, unless contraindicated.
Adequate hydration reduces the risk of nephrotoxicity that can occur with the use of
contrast dye. Although urine output is monitored following cardiac catheterization,
the insertion of a urinary catherter isn't necessary.
9. A client is in the first postoperative day after left femoropopliteal revascularization.
Which position would be most appropriate for this client?
1. On his left-sided
3
Adult Health (Med-Surg Nursing)
Cardiovascular Nursing Test Bank
75 NCLEX-Style Multiple Choice Questions
Topics Covered:
Myocardial Infarction
Heart Failure (Left & Right)
Coronary Artery Disease
Dysrhythmias
Peripheral Vascular Disease
With:
Detailed Rationales
NCLEX & ATI Aligned style
1
,1. A client complains of crushing chest pain that radiates to his left arm. He should be
presented with the following treatment:
1. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroglycerin, and morphine
2. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroglycerin, and codeine
3. Oxygen, nitroglycerin, meperidine, and thrombolytics
4. Aspirin, oxygen, nitroprusside, and morphine
Rationale: Crushing chest pain radiating to the left arm is classic for acute
myocardial infarction (AMI). Initial management follows the MONA protocol
(Morphine, Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin)
2. Which lifestyle changes should a client diagnosed with coronary artery disease
consider?
1. Smoking cessation
2. Establishing a regular exercise routine
3. Weight reduction
4. All of the Above
Rationale: Management of coronary artery disease (CAD) includes lifestyle
modification to slow disease progression and reduce cardiac workload
3. A client's cardiac monitor alarm sounds, indicating ventricular tachycardia. The
nurse should:
1. Perform immediate defibrillation.
2. Assess the client.
3. Call the physician.
4. Administer a precordial thump.
Rationale: When a monitor alarm sounds, the first nursing action is to assess the
patient, not the monitor. The nurse must determine: presence of a pulse, level of
consciousness,and hemodynamic stability. Further interventions (defibrillation or
medications) depend on whether the patient is stable or unstable.
4. A complication of peripheral vascular disease may be:
1. stasis ulcer.
2. Pressure ulcer.
3. Gastric ulcer.
4. Duodenal ulcer.
Rationale: Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) results in impaired blood flow to the
extremities. Chronic venous insufficiency commonly leads to: stasis ulcers, typically
on the lower legs or ankles due to poor venous return
5. A key diagnostic test for heart failure is:
1. Serum potassium.
2. B-type natriuretic peptide.
3. Troponin I
4. Cardiac enzymes.
2
, Rationale: BNP is released by the ventricles in response to increased ventricular
stretching and volume overload, making it a key marker for heart failure. Elevated
BNP levels indicate worsening heart failure
6. While auscultating the heart sounds of a client with mitral insufficiency, the nurse
hears an extra heart sound immediately after the S2. The nurse should document this
extra heart sound as a:
1. S1.
2. S3.
3. S4.
4. Mitral murmur.
Rationale: An S3, is heard following an S2. This indicates that the client is
experiencing heart failure and results from increased filling pressures. An S1 is a
normal heart sound made by the closing of the mitral and tricuspid valves. An S4 is
heard before S1 and is caused by resistance to ventricular filling. A murmur of mitral
insufficiency occurs during systole and is heard when there's turbulent blood flow
across the valve.
7. A nurse administers heparin to a client with deep vein thrombophlebitis. Which
laboratory value should the nurse monitor to determine the effectiveness of heparin?
1. PTT
2. HCT
3. CBC
4. PT
Rationale: The therapeutic effectiveness of heparin is determined by monitoring the
patient's PTT, PT, HCT, and CBC don't monitor the therapeutic effectiveness of
heparin. Monitoring the PT determines warfarin's effectiveness.
8. A client has just returned from cardiac catheterization. Which nursing intervention
would be most appropriate?
1. Help the client ambulate to the bathroom.
2. Restrict fluids.
3. Monitor peripheral pulses.
4. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter.
Rationale: After cardiac catheterization, monitor peripheral pulses to assess
peripheral perfusion. Helping the client ambulate to the bathroom is incorrect because
the client should be on bed rest for 4 to 8 hours after the procedure to reduce the risk
of bleeding at the insertion site. Restricting fluids is incorrect because the client
should be encouraged to drink fluids after the procedure, unless contraindicated.
Adequate hydration reduces the risk of nephrotoxicity that can occur with the use of
contrast dye. Although urine output is monitored following cardiac catheterization,
the insertion of a urinary catherter isn't necessary.
9. A client is in the first postoperative day after left femoropopliteal revascularization.
Which position would be most appropriate for this client?
1. On his left-sided
3
