FRESENIUS 90-DAY RD COMPETENCY
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
SECTION 1: KIDNEY PHYSIOLOGY (Q1–Q10)
Q1. What are the physiological roles of the kidney?
A: Excretion of waste, reabsorption of nutrients, acid-base
homeostasis, electrolyte-water balance, and hormone secretion.
Rationale: The kidneys perform multiple vital functions: filtering
metabolic waste, reclaiming essential nutrients, maintaining pH
balance, regulating fluid/electrolytes, and producing key
hormones.
Q2. What waste is excreted by the kidneys?
A: Urea and uric acid.
Rationale: Urea is the primary nitrogenous waste from protein
metabolism, and uric acid is from purine breakdown. Both are
eliminated through glomerular filtration.
Q3. What nutrients do the kidneys reabsorb?
A: Glucose, amino acids, water, sodium, chloride, potassium,
magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate, and phosphate.
Rationale: The renal tubules reclaim these essential substances
from the filtrate to maintain homeostasis and prevent nutrient
loss.
Q4. What is another term for electrolyte-water balance?
A: Plasma osmolarity.
Rationale: Plasma osmolarity reflects the concentration of
,dissolved particles in the blood, primarily regulated by sodium,
water balance, and ADH secretion.
Q5. What hormones do the kidneys secrete?
A: Erythropoietin, renin, and calcitriol.
Rationale: The kidneys are endocrine organs that produce
erythropoietin (RBC production), renin (blood pressure
regulation), and calcitriol (active vitamin D for calcium absorption).
Q6. What is the function of Erythropoietin?
A: Regulates production of red blood cells in bone marrow.
Rationale: Erythropoietin stimulates bone marrow erythropoiesis.
CKD patients often develop anemia due to decreased EPO
production.
Q7. What is the function of Renin?
A: Controls blood pressure.
Rationale: Renin activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
system, regulating blood pressure through vasoconstriction and
sodium/water retention.
Q8. What is the function of Calcitriol?
A: Active form of Vitamin D.
Rationale: Calcitriol promotes calcium absorption from the gut
and maintains bone health. CKD patients cannot convert inactive
vitamin D to calcitriol.
Q9. What is IDWG?
A: Interdialytic weight gain.
Rationale: IDWG is the amount of fluid weight a patient gains
between dialysis sessions. It is a key indicator of fluid
management adherence.
, Q10. What is EDW?
A: Estimated Dry Weight.
Rationale: EDW is the patient's weight after all excess fluid has
been removed by dialysis. It serves as the target for fluid removal
and calculating nutrient needs.
SECTION 2: CLINICAL & LABORATORY GOALS (Q11–Q25)
Q11. What is the albumin goal?
A: 4.0 or above.
Rationale: Albumin reflects protein stores and nutritional health.
Low levels are associated with poor outcomes and increased
morbidity.
Q12. What is the enPCR goal?
A: 1.1 or above.
Rationale: enPCR (equilibrated normalized Protein Catabolic
Rate) reflects dietary protein intake and adequacy of nutrition in
dialysis patients.
Q13. What is the kt/V goal?
A: 1.2 or above.
Rationale: kt/V measures dialysis adequacy (clearance of urea).
Values below 1.2 indicate inadequate dialysis, increasing
morbidity and mortality risk.
Q14. What is the potassium goal?
A: 3.5–5.5.
Rationale: Maintaining potassium within normal range is critical
to prevent cardiac arrhythmias. Values outside this range require
dietary and medical intervention.
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
SECTION 1: KIDNEY PHYSIOLOGY (Q1–Q10)
Q1. What are the physiological roles of the kidney?
A: Excretion of waste, reabsorption of nutrients, acid-base
homeostasis, electrolyte-water balance, and hormone secretion.
Rationale: The kidneys perform multiple vital functions: filtering
metabolic waste, reclaiming essential nutrients, maintaining pH
balance, regulating fluid/electrolytes, and producing key
hormones.
Q2. What waste is excreted by the kidneys?
A: Urea and uric acid.
Rationale: Urea is the primary nitrogenous waste from protein
metabolism, and uric acid is from purine breakdown. Both are
eliminated through glomerular filtration.
Q3. What nutrients do the kidneys reabsorb?
A: Glucose, amino acids, water, sodium, chloride, potassium,
magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate, and phosphate.
Rationale: The renal tubules reclaim these essential substances
from the filtrate to maintain homeostasis and prevent nutrient
loss.
Q4. What is another term for electrolyte-water balance?
A: Plasma osmolarity.
Rationale: Plasma osmolarity reflects the concentration of
,dissolved particles in the blood, primarily regulated by sodium,
water balance, and ADH secretion.
Q5. What hormones do the kidneys secrete?
A: Erythropoietin, renin, and calcitriol.
Rationale: The kidneys are endocrine organs that produce
erythropoietin (RBC production), renin (blood pressure
regulation), and calcitriol (active vitamin D for calcium absorption).
Q6. What is the function of Erythropoietin?
A: Regulates production of red blood cells in bone marrow.
Rationale: Erythropoietin stimulates bone marrow erythropoiesis.
CKD patients often develop anemia due to decreased EPO
production.
Q7. What is the function of Renin?
A: Controls blood pressure.
Rationale: Renin activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
system, regulating blood pressure through vasoconstriction and
sodium/water retention.
Q8. What is the function of Calcitriol?
A: Active form of Vitamin D.
Rationale: Calcitriol promotes calcium absorption from the gut
and maintains bone health. CKD patients cannot convert inactive
vitamin D to calcitriol.
Q9. What is IDWG?
A: Interdialytic weight gain.
Rationale: IDWG is the amount of fluid weight a patient gains
between dialysis sessions. It is a key indicator of fluid
management adherence.
, Q10. What is EDW?
A: Estimated Dry Weight.
Rationale: EDW is the patient's weight after all excess fluid has
been removed by dialysis. It serves as the target for fluid removal
and calculating nutrient needs.
SECTION 2: CLINICAL & LABORATORY GOALS (Q11–Q25)
Q11. What is the albumin goal?
A: 4.0 or above.
Rationale: Albumin reflects protein stores and nutritional health.
Low levels are associated with poor outcomes and increased
morbidity.
Q12. What is the enPCR goal?
A: 1.1 or above.
Rationale: enPCR (equilibrated normalized Protein Catabolic
Rate) reflects dietary protein intake and adequacy of nutrition in
dialysis patients.
Q13. What is the kt/V goal?
A: 1.2 or above.
Rationale: kt/V measures dialysis adequacy (clearance of urea).
Values below 1.2 indicate inadequate dialysis, increasing
morbidity and mortality risk.
Q14. What is the potassium goal?
A: 3.5–5.5.
Rationale: Maintaining potassium within normal range is critical
to prevent cardiac arrhythmias. Values outside this range require
dietary and medical intervention.
