COMPLEX ADULT HEALTH GUIDE 1 2026
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MASTER FILE
◉ Which of the following statements regarding pain and anxiety are
true? (Select all that apply.)
a. Anxiety is a state marked by apprehension, agitation, autonomic
arousal, and/or fearful withdrawal.
b. Critically ill patients often experience anxiety, but they rarely
experience pain.
c. Pain and anxiety are often interrelated and may be difficult to
differentiate because their physiological and behavioral
manifestations are similar.
d. Pain is defined by each patient; it is whatever the person
experiencing the pain says it is. Answer: a,c,d
◉ Choose the items that are common to both pain and anxiety.
(Select all that apply.)
a. Cyclical exacerbation of one another
b. Require good nursing assessment for proper treatment
c. Response only to real phenomena
d. Subjective in nature. Answer: a,b,d
,◉ Anxiety differs from pain in that: (Select all that apply.)
a. it is confined to neurological processes in the brain.
b. it is linked to reward and punishment centers in the limbic
system.
c. it is subjective.
d. there is no actual tissue injury.. Answer: a,b,d
◉ In the healthy individual, pain and anxiety: (Select all that apply.)
a. activate the sympathetic nervous system.
b. decrease stress levels.
c. help remove one from harm.
d. increase performance levels.. Answer: a,c,d
◉ The nurse is caring for a 48-year-old patient who is intubated and
on a ventilator following extensive abdominal surgery. Although the
patient is responsive, the nurse is not able to read the patient's lips
as the patient attempts to mouth the words. Which of the following
assessment tools would be the most appropriate for the nurse to use
when assessing the patient's pain level? (Select all that apply.)
a. The FACES scale
b. Pain IntensityScale
c. The PQRST method
d. The Visual Analogue Scale. Answer: a,d
,◉ In the critically ill patient, an incomplete assessment and/or
management of pain or anxiety may be hampered by which of the
following? (Select all that apply.)
a. Administration of neuromuscular blocking agents
b. Delirium
c. Effective nurse communication and assessment skills
d. Nonverbal patients. Answer: a,b,d
◉ The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient in the critical care
unit. The physician has ordered patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
for the patient. The nurse understands that the PCA: (Select all that
apply.)
a. is a safe and effective method for administering analgesia.
b. has potentially fewer side effects than other routes of analgesic
administration.
c. is an ideal method to provide critically ill patients some control
over their treatment.
d. provides good quality analgesia.. Answer: a,b,d
◉ A patient requires neuromuscular blockade (NMB) as part of
treatment of refractive increased intracranial pressure. The nursing
care for this patient includes: (Select all that apply.)
, a. administration of sedatives concurrently with neuromuscular
blockade.
b. dangling the patient's feet over the edge of the bed and assisting
the patient to sit up in a chair at least twice each day.
c. ensuring that deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis is initiated.
d. providing interventions for eye care, oral care, and skin care..
Answer: a,c,d
◉ The nurse is assessing the critically ill patient for delirium. The
nurse recognizes which characteristics that indicate hyperactive
delirium? (Select all that apply.)
a. Agitation
b. Apathy
c. Biting
d. Hitting
e. Restlessness. Answer: a,c,d,e
◉ Family assessment is essential in order to meet family needs.
Which of the following must be assessed first to assist the nurse in
providing family-centered care?
a. Assessment of patient and family's developmental stages and
needs
b. Description of the patient's home environment
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MASTER FILE
◉ Which of the following statements regarding pain and anxiety are
true? (Select all that apply.)
a. Anxiety is a state marked by apprehension, agitation, autonomic
arousal, and/or fearful withdrawal.
b. Critically ill patients often experience anxiety, but they rarely
experience pain.
c. Pain and anxiety are often interrelated and may be difficult to
differentiate because their physiological and behavioral
manifestations are similar.
d. Pain is defined by each patient; it is whatever the person
experiencing the pain says it is. Answer: a,c,d
◉ Choose the items that are common to both pain and anxiety.
(Select all that apply.)
a. Cyclical exacerbation of one another
b. Require good nursing assessment for proper treatment
c. Response only to real phenomena
d. Subjective in nature. Answer: a,b,d
,◉ Anxiety differs from pain in that: (Select all that apply.)
a. it is confined to neurological processes in the brain.
b. it is linked to reward and punishment centers in the limbic
system.
c. it is subjective.
d. there is no actual tissue injury.. Answer: a,b,d
◉ In the healthy individual, pain and anxiety: (Select all that apply.)
a. activate the sympathetic nervous system.
b. decrease stress levels.
c. help remove one from harm.
d. increase performance levels.. Answer: a,c,d
◉ The nurse is caring for a 48-year-old patient who is intubated and
on a ventilator following extensive abdominal surgery. Although the
patient is responsive, the nurse is not able to read the patient's lips
as the patient attempts to mouth the words. Which of the following
assessment tools would be the most appropriate for the nurse to use
when assessing the patient's pain level? (Select all that apply.)
a. The FACES scale
b. Pain IntensityScale
c. The PQRST method
d. The Visual Analogue Scale. Answer: a,d
,◉ In the critically ill patient, an incomplete assessment and/or
management of pain or anxiety may be hampered by which of the
following? (Select all that apply.)
a. Administration of neuromuscular blocking agents
b. Delirium
c. Effective nurse communication and assessment skills
d. Nonverbal patients. Answer: a,b,d
◉ The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient in the critical care
unit. The physician has ordered patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
for the patient. The nurse understands that the PCA: (Select all that
apply.)
a. is a safe and effective method for administering analgesia.
b. has potentially fewer side effects than other routes of analgesic
administration.
c. is an ideal method to provide critically ill patients some control
over their treatment.
d. provides good quality analgesia.. Answer: a,b,d
◉ A patient requires neuromuscular blockade (NMB) as part of
treatment of refractive increased intracranial pressure. The nursing
care for this patient includes: (Select all that apply.)
, a. administration of sedatives concurrently with neuromuscular
blockade.
b. dangling the patient's feet over the edge of the bed and assisting
the patient to sit up in a chair at least twice each day.
c. ensuring that deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis is initiated.
d. providing interventions for eye care, oral care, and skin care..
Answer: a,c,d
◉ The nurse is assessing the critically ill patient for delirium. The
nurse recognizes which characteristics that indicate hyperactive
delirium? (Select all that apply.)
a. Agitation
b. Apathy
c. Biting
d. Hitting
e. Restlessness. Answer: a,c,d,e
◉ Family assessment is essential in order to meet family needs.
Which of the following must be assessed first to assist the nurse in
providing family-centered care?
a. Assessment of patient and family's developmental stages and
needs
b. Description of the patient's home environment
