UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENTIALS OF
CRITICAL CARE NURSING FULL REVISION
NOTES WITH HEMODYNAMIC MONITORING
AND PATIENT STABILIZATION CONCEPTS
◉ Which parameters indicate that a patient in the intensive care unit
being mechanically ventilated is ready for an interruption in
sedation? The patient:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. Had a MAP of 75 and heart rate of 76
2. Was sleeping but awakened with verbal stimuli
3. Frowned when turned but otherwise showed no muscular tension
4. Activated the ventilator alarms but the alarms stopped
spontaneously
5. Is receiving neuromuscular blocking agents to ensure adequate
ventilation.
Answer: 1,2,3,4
◉ A patient scores positive on the Confusion Assessment Method of
the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Which nursing diagnosis would
have the highest priority based on this positive score?
,1. Injury, Risk for
2. Family Processes, Altered
3. Social Interaction, Impaired
4. Memory Impaired.
Answer: 1
◉ Which nursing actions would be appropriate when a nurse is
initiating an infusion of morphine sulfate for a post-operative
patient who is experiencing pain?
1. Anticipate that the patient will begin to experience the effect of
the morphine 15 minutes after the start of the infusion.
2. Provide additional intermittent boluses of morphine sulfate if the
patient experiences breakthrough pain.
3. Complete the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool scale 5 minutes
after increasing the infusion rate each time.
4. Begin the infusion at the lowest ordered dose and increase the
rate every 30 minutes if the patient continues to have pain..
Answer: 2
◉ Which strategies should the nurse include in the plan of care
when trying to minimize sleep disruptions for a patient in an ICU?
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
, 1. Instituting a short course of therapy for sleeping agents
2. Accurate scoring and vigilance in sedation and sedation scoring
3. Managing the environment to reduce lighting, sounds, and so on
4. Minimizing staff interruptions during sleep periods
5. Scheduling treatments only during the day or at least 4 hours
apart at night.
Answer: 1,2,3,4
◉ A nurse is confirming the medication orders and schedule for
sedative administration to a patient with delirium. Which schedule
would maximize the effectiveness of the drugs? Administration of
medication:
1. Only in the early morning
2. Only at bedtime (HS)
3. Around the clock with higher dosages in the evening
4. Only on an as-needed (PRN) basis.
Answer: 3
◉ Which patients would be at risk for nutritional imbalances? The
patient:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
CRITICAL CARE NURSING FULL REVISION
NOTES WITH HEMODYNAMIC MONITORING
AND PATIENT STABILIZATION CONCEPTS
◉ Which parameters indicate that a patient in the intensive care unit
being mechanically ventilated is ready for an interruption in
sedation? The patient:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. Had a MAP of 75 and heart rate of 76
2. Was sleeping but awakened with verbal stimuli
3. Frowned when turned but otherwise showed no muscular tension
4. Activated the ventilator alarms but the alarms stopped
spontaneously
5. Is receiving neuromuscular blocking agents to ensure adequate
ventilation.
Answer: 1,2,3,4
◉ A patient scores positive on the Confusion Assessment Method of
the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Which nursing diagnosis would
have the highest priority based on this positive score?
,1. Injury, Risk for
2. Family Processes, Altered
3. Social Interaction, Impaired
4. Memory Impaired.
Answer: 1
◉ Which nursing actions would be appropriate when a nurse is
initiating an infusion of morphine sulfate for a post-operative
patient who is experiencing pain?
1. Anticipate that the patient will begin to experience the effect of
the morphine 15 minutes after the start of the infusion.
2. Provide additional intermittent boluses of morphine sulfate if the
patient experiences breakthrough pain.
3. Complete the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool scale 5 minutes
after increasing the infusion rate each time.
4. Begin the infusion at the lowest ordered dose and increase the
rate every 30 minutes if the patient continues to have pain..
Answer: 2
◉ Which strategies should the nurse include in the plan of care
when trying to minimize sleep disruptions for a patient in an ICU?
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
, 1. Instituting a short course of therapy for sleeping agents
2. Accurate scoring and vigilance in sedation and sedation scoring
3. Managing the environment to reduce lighting, sounds, and so on
4. Minimizing staff interruptions during sleep periods
5. Scheduling treatments only during the day or at least 4 hours
apart at night.
Answer: 1,2,3,4
◉ A nurse is confirming the medication orders and schedule for
sedative administration to a patient with delirium. Which schedule
would maximize the effectiveness of the drugs? Administration of
medication:
1. Only in the early morning
2. Only at bedtime (HS)
3. Around the clock with higher dosages in the evening
4. Only on an as-needed (PRN) basis.
Answer: 3
◉ Which patients would be at risk for nutritional imbalances? The
patient:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect
choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
