Care Nursing 9th Edition by Makic and
Morata
1. A patient in the ICU suddenly becomes confused and agitated. The nurse suspects deli
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rium. Which of the following is the most important initial nursing action?
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A. Apply soft wrist restraints to prevent injury.
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B. Administer a dose of haloperidol as per PRN orders.
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C. Assess for physiological causes such as hypoxia or infection.
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D. Dim the lights and reduce stimulation to calm the patient.
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Correct Answer: C hg hg
Rationale: The first step in managing delirium is to assess and treat underlying physiological c
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auses (e.g., hypoxia, hypoglycemia, infection, electrolyte imbalances). Restraints and medication
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s are considered after environmental and non-
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pharmacological interventions and should not be used as a first- hg hg hg hg hg hg hg hg hg
line treatment without a thorough assessment.
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2. The family of a patient in the ICU is anxious and expresses a desire to be more involve
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d in the patient's care. What is the best response by the nurse?
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A. "I understand, but it's best if you let us handle all the care."
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B. "You can stay at the bedside, but please do not touch any of the equipment."
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C. "We encourage family participation. Let's discuss what you feel comfortable helping with, su
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ch as bathing or mouth care."
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D. "The most helpful thing you can do is talk quietly to the patient, even if they appear unresp
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onsive."
Correct Answer: C hg hg
Rationale: Patient- and family- hg hg hg
centered care is a core principle in critical care. Encouraging family participation and involving t
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hem in care decisions promotes their well-
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being and reduces anxiety. Option C is the most proactive and inclusive approach.
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3. A nurse is caring for a patient with a pulmonary artery catheter. The waveform indicat
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es the catheter is in the "wedge" position. Which of the following assessments is most cr
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itical for the nurse to perform?
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A. Monitor the central venous pressure (CVP).
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B. Zero the transducer at the mid-axillary line.
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,C. Inflate the balloon slowly and monitor the tracing for a return to a pulmonary artery wavefor
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m.
D. Assess the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) and then deflate the balloon immediat
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ely.
Correct Answer: D hg hg
Rationale: The PAWP reflects left ventricular end-
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diastolic pressure (preload). The balloon must be deflated immediately after the PAWP measure
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ment is obtained to prevent pulmonary infarction. This is a critical safety step.
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Chapter 2: The Patient and Family in the ICU
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4. A patient in the ICU is being mechanically ventilated and is unable to speak. The patie
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nt's family is frustrated and wants to know why they can't "just talk" to their loved one.
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What is the best nursing intervention?
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A. Explain that the ventilator tube prevents speech and provide the family with alternative com
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munication aids like a communication board. hg hg hg hg hg
B. Suggest that they write a letter to the patient to be read aloud at the bedside.
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C. Tell them to wait until the patient is extubated.
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D. Explain that the patient is sedated and cannot communicate anyway.
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Correct Answer: A hg hg
Rationale: The nurse's role includes facilitating communication. Alternative methods, such as c
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ommunication boards, picture cards, or a whiteboard, should be provided to the patient and fa
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mily. This empowers the patient and reduces family frustration.
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5. A patient's family is grieving and asks the nurse, "Why did this happen to them?" Wh
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at is the nurse's most appropriate response?
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A. "I know this is hard. Let's focus on what we can do now to help your loved one."
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B. "That is a question that is often asked. I don't have the answer, but I am here to listen."
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C. "The doctor will be by later to explain everything."
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D. "Try not to dwell on the 'why.' It will only make you more upset."
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Correct Answer: B hg hg
Rationale: This therapeutic communication technique acknowledges the family's feelings and p
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ain without providing false reassurance or blocking their expression of emotions. Active listenin
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g is a key component of supporting grieving families.
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Chapter 3: Ethical and Legal Issues in Critical Care Nursing
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,6. A patient has a valid living will that states "no life-
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sustaining treatment." The patient is now in the ICU with a severe stroke and respiratory
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failure. The physician orders intubation and mechanical ventilation. What is the most ap
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propriate initial action by the nurse? hg hg hg hg hg
A. Prepare the patient for intubation as ordered.
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B. Call the hospital's ethics committee to review the case.
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C. Discuss the living will with the physician and advocate for the patient's wishes.
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D. Contact the patient's family to get their consent for intubation.
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Correct Answer: C hg hg
Rationale: The nurse acts as a patient advocate. The nurse must first clarify the patient's wishe
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s as documented in the living will with the physician, who holds the legal authority to withhold
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or withdraw treatment. The nurse's role is to ensure the healthcare team is aware of and respec
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ts the patient's advanced directive.
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7. A terminally ill patient in the ICU is experiencing severe pain that is unresponsive to st
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andard doses of opioids. The physician is considering increasing the dose to a level that
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could potentially hasten death. This is an example of which ethical principle?
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A. Beneficence
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B. The Doctrine of Double Effect
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C. Autonomy
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D. Justicehg
Correct Answer: B hg hg
Rationale: The Doctrine of Double Effect allows for an action that has a good effect (pain relief
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) but may also have a foreseeable bad effect (respiratory depression leading to death) as long
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as the bad effect is not the intended outcome. The primary intention is to relieve suffering.
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Chapter 4: Monitoring and Technology in Critical Care
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8. A nurse is interpreting a patient's cardiac rhythm. The monitor shows a regular rhyth
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m with a rate of 110 bpm, narrow QRS complexes, and no visible P waves. The nurse cor
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rectly identifies this rhythm as:
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A. Sinus Tachycardia
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B. Atrial Fibrillation
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C. Ventricular Tachycardia
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D. Junctional Tachycardia
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Correct Answer: B hg hg
Rationale: Atrial Fibrillation is characterized by an irregularly irregular rhythm, no discernible P
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, waves, and a narrow QRS complex (if ventricular conduction is normal). While the rate is fast, it
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is still Atrial Fibrillation.
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9. When caring for a patient with an arterial line, the nurse obtains a blood pressure rea
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ding that is significantly different from the non-
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invasive cuff reading. What is the priority action?
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A. Document the difference and inform the physician.
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B. Re-zero the transducer and level the system at the phlebostatic axis.
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C. Increase the infusion rate of the flush solution.
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D. Check the patient for signs of hypovolemia.
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Correct Answer: B hg hg
Rationale: The most common cause for inaccurate readings from an arterial line is improper ze
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roing and leveling of the transducer. The transducer must be zeroed to atmospheric pressure a
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nd leveled at the phlebostatic axis (the fourth intercostal space, mid-
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axillary line) to ensure accuracy. This is the first and most critical troubleshooting step.
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Chapter 5: Cardiovascular System hg hg hg
10. A patient is experiencing acute myocardial infarction (MI). The nurse expects which o
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f the following laboratory findings to be most specific and earliest to rise?
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A. Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB)
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B. Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)
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C. Myoglobin
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D. Troponin T or I
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Correct Answer: D hg hg
Rationale: Cardiac troponins (T and I) are the most specific and sensitive biomarkers for myoca
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rdial injury. They begin to rise within 3-4 hours of symptom onset and remain elevated for 7-
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10 days, making them ideal for early and late diagnosis.
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11. A patient is diagnosed with heart failure and has an ejection fraction of 25%. Which
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of the following medications is a first-
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line therapy that has been shown to reduce mortality in this condition?
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A. Dopamine
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B. Digoxin
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C. Metoprolol
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D. Nifedipine
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