FCCN Level 1 [2026/2027] | UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Question and Answer | Complete Review
• SaO2 definition and value -✓✓ Oxygen saturation, the amount of oxygen carried by
the red blood cells, normal value is 92% to 100%
• pH definition and value -✓✓ Overall reflection of acid-base balance in the body, normal
value is 7.35 to 7.45.
• PaCO2 definition and value -✓✓ Acid by-product of cell metabolism that drives and
reflects ventilation, normal value is 35 to 45.
• HCO3 definition and value -✓✓ Base that assists in removing excess acids, normal
value is 22 to 26.
• What are the indications to draw an ABG? -✓✓ - somnolence or change in level of
consciousness
- respiratory decompensation
- metabolic imbalances
- evaluation of changes to respiratory status or monitoring ventilator settings
• What are the lab values indicating acidosis? -✓✓ - pH less than 7.35
- PaCO2 greater than 45
- HCO3 less than 22
• What are the lab values indicating alkalosis? -✓✓ - pH greater than 7.45
- PaCO2 less than 35
- HCO3 greater than 26
• What values indicate hypoxemia? -✓✓ - PaO2 of less than 70
- SaO2 of less than 92%
• What value indicates excessive oxygen therapy? -✓✓ PaO2 greater than 100
• What is compensation? -✓✓ The body tries to return pH to normal when CO2 or HCO3
levels cause an imbalance
• What lab value shows full compensation? -✓✓ A normal pH
• What indicates partial compensation? -✓✓ When the pH is not fully normalized
• How do we decide what type of imbalance it is if the body is fully compensated? -✓✓
Decide if the pH value is closer to the acidotic or alkalotic value
,• Causes, assessment, and treatment of respiratory acidosis -✓✓ - caused by retaining
CO2 from hypoventilation
- presents as a headache, tachycardia, confusion, or restlessness
- treated by improving ventilation
• How does the body compensate for respiratory acidosis? -✓✓ The kidneys work slowly
to retain HCO3
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of respiratory alkalosis -✓✓ - caused by blowing
off too much CO2 during hyperventilation
- presents as headache, tachycardia, confusion, or restlessness
- treated by decreasing tidal volume, relieving anxiety, controlling pain, and correcting
hypoxia
• How does the body compensate for respiratory alkalosis? -✓✓ The kidneys work
slowly to excrete HCO3
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of metabolic acidosis -✓✓ - caused by abnormal
metabolism, increased acid retention, and decreased HCO3
- presents as Kussmaul respirations, tachycardia, headache, weakness,
nausea/vomiting, or abdominal pain
- treated by correcting renal failure, HCO3 replacement, control diarrhea, and improving
perfusion
• How does the body compensate for metabolic acidosis? -✓✓ The lungs work quickly to
blow of excess CO2 with hyperventilation
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of metabolic alkalosis -✓✓ - caused by losing acid
by vomiting or NG suction, K+ or Cl- loss resulting in retaining bases, and increased
HCO3
- presents as confusion, muscle cramps, or shallow respirations
- treated by restoring fluids and electrolytes and limiting alkaline intake
• How does the body compensate for metabolic alkalosis? -✓✓ The lungs work to hold
onto CO2 by causing hypoventilation
• What are the consequences of a low pH? -✓✓ Cardiac contractions decrease and so
does the vascular response to catecholamines and drugs in the body
• What are the consequences of a high pH? -✓✓ Impairs the oxygenation of tissues and
neuromuscular function
• What conditions cause respiratory alkalosis? -✓✓ - anxiety attacks
- use of stimulants
, - high levels of pain
- iatrogenic causes
- hypoxemia
- fever
- sepsis
- salicylate poisoning
- pregnancy
- pulmonary edema
- pulmonary vascular disease
• What conditions cause metabolic acidosis? -✓✓ - DKA
- starvation
- shock
- lactic acidosis
- renal failure
- salicylate toxicity
- diarrhea
- pancreatic or intestinal fistula
- Cl- retention from TPN
• What conditions cause respiratory acidosis? -✓✓ - CNS depression
- analgesics and sedatives
- pneumonia
- COPD
- neuromuscular disease
- pneumothorax
- pulmonary embolism
- obesity
- kyphoscoliosis
• What are the steps to interpreting ABGs? -✓✓ 1. look at the pH value
2. check the PaCO2
3. check the HCO3
4. match the primary imbalance
• How do you match the primary imbalances with ABGs? -✓✓ - match the pH to the
value of PaCO2 (respiratory) and HCO3 (metabolic)
• What are the ways to improve ventilation? -✓✓ - cough and deep breathe
- tripod position
- bag mask
- BiPAP
- increase tidal volume
• In what lead should bundle branch blocks be monitored? -✓✓ Lead V1
Exam Question and Answer | Complete Review
• SaO2 definition and value -✓✓ Oxygen saturation, the amount of oxygen carried by
the red blood cells, normal value is 92% to 100%
• pH definition and value -✓✓ Overall reflection of acid-base balance in the body, normal
value is 7.35 to 7.45.
• PaCO2 definition and value -✓✓ Acid by-product of cell metabolism that drives and
reflects ventilation, normal value is 35 to 45.
• HCO3 definition and value -✓✓ Base that assists in removing excess acids, normal
value is 22 to 26.
• What are the indications to draw an ABG? -✓✓ - somnolence or change in level of
consciousness
- respiratory decompensation
- metabolic imbalances
- evaluation of changes to respiratory status or monitoring ventilator settings
• What are the lab values indicating acidosis? -✓✓ - pH less than 7.35
- PaCO2 greater than 45
- HCO3 less than 22
• What are the lab values indicating alkalosis? -✓✓ - pH greater than 7.45
- PaCO2 less than 35
- HCO3 greater than 26
• What values indicate hypoxemia? -✓✓ - PaO2 of less than 70
- SaO2 of less than 92%
• What value indicates excessive oxygen therapy? -✓✓ PaO2 greater than 100
• What is compensation? -✓✓ The body tries to return pH to normal when CO2 or HCO3
levels cause an imbalance
• What lab value shows full compensation? -✓✓ A normal pH
• What indicates partial compensation? -✓✓ When the pH is not fully normalized
• How do we decide what type of imbalance it is if the body is fully compensated? -✓✓
Decide if the pH value is closer to the acidotic or alkalotic value
,• Causes, assessment, and treatment of respiratory acidosis -✓✓ - caused by retaining
CO2 from hypoventilation
- presents as a headache, tachycardia, confusion, or restlessness
- treated by improving ventilation
• How does the body compensate for respiratory acidosis? -✓✓ The kidneys work slowly
to retain HCO3
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of respiratory alkalosis -✓✓ - caused by blowing
off too much CO2 during hyperventilation
- presents as headache, tachycardia, confusion, or restlessness
- treated by decreasing tidal volume, relieving anxiety, controlling pain, and correcting
hypoxia
• How does the body compensate for respiratory alkalosis? -✓✓ The kidneys work
slowly to excrete HCO3
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of metabolic acidosis -✓✓ - caused by abnormal
metabolism, increased acid retention, and decreased HCO3
- presents as Kussmaul respirations, tachycardia, headache, weakness,
nausea/vomiting, or abdominal pain
- treated by correcting renal failure, HCO3 replacement, control diarrhea, and improving
perfusion
• How does the body compensate for metabolic acidosis? -✓✓ The lungs work quickly to
blow of excess CO2 with hyperventilation
• Causes, assessment, and treatment of metabolic alkalosis -✓✓ - caused by losing acid
by vomiting or NG suction, K+ or Cl- loss resulting in retaining bases, and increased
HCO3
- presents as confusion, muscle cramps, or shallow respirations
- treated by restoring fluids and electrolytes and limiting alkaline intake
• How does the body compensate for metabolic alkalosis? -✓✓ The lungs work to hold
onto CO2 by causing hypoventilation
• What are the consequences of a low pH? -✓✓ Cardiac contractions decrease and so
does the vascular response to catecholamines and drugs in the body
• What are the consequences of a high pH? -✓✓ Impairs the oxygenation of tissues and
neuromuscular function
• What conditions cause respiratory alkalosis? -✓✓ - anxiety attacks
- use of stimulants
, - high levels of pain
- iatrogenic causes
- hypoxemia
- fever
- sepsis
- salicylate poisoning
- pregnancy
- pulmonary edema
- pulmonary vascular disease
• What conditions cause metabolic acidosis? -✓✓ - DKA
- starvation
- shock
- lactic acidosis
- renal failure
- salicylate toxicity
- diarrhea
- pancreatic or intestinal fistula
- Cl- retention from TPN
• What conditions cause respiratory acidosis? -✓✓ - CNS depression
- analgesics and sedatives
- pneumonia
- COPD
- neuromuscular disease
- pneumothorax
- pulmonary embolism
- obesity
- kyphoscoliosis
• What are the steps to interpreting ABGs? -✓✓ 1. look at the pH value
2. check the PaCO2
3. check the HCO3
4. match the primary imbalance
• How do you match the primary imbalances with ABGs? -✓✓ - match the pH to the
value of PaCO2 (respiratory) and HCO3 (metabolic)
• What are the ways to improve ventilation? -✓✓ - cough and deep breathe
- tripod position
- bag mask
- BiPAP
- increase tidal volume
• In what lead should bundle branch blocks be monitored? -✓✓ Lead V1
