HESI CRITICAL CARE EXAM 2026 HIGH-YIELD
ICU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT REVISION PACKAGE
◉ Bedridden patient for 2 weeks.
Answer: Patient bedridden for 2 weeks with pH 7.37, PO2 90, PCO2
40, HCO3 25; Priority action is turning patient side to side q2h
◉ Assess 40-year-old with sickle cell crisis.
Answer: Priority assessment for a 40-year-old with sickle cell crisis
◉ Major disaster triage.
Answer: Priority order: Cut over eye, Move patient to medical
surgical unit, Patient with abnormal liver levels
◉ Carotid picture.
Answer: Pointing to the neck to indicate carotid artery
◉ Wound vac effectiveness.
Answer: Checking seal to ensure no leaks in wound vac
◉ Magnesium antidote.
, Answer: Calcium gluconate is the antidote for magnesium toxicity
◉ Trouble swallowing.
Answer: Assess gag reflex or consider thickening of fluids
◉ Disconnected chest tube.
Answer: Get new saline bottle to stick end into until reconnecting
tube
◉ Ventricular fibrillation.
Answer: Defibrillate with a shock once; Consider calcium levels
◉ Chest tube volume.
Answer: Mark container between 100 and 150
◉ Heart sounds audio.
Answer: S1S2 heart sounds audio
◉ Patient on benzos.
Answer: Narcan is not the answer for a patient on benzodiazepines
◉ Abdominal rigidity.
ICU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT REVISION PACKAGE
◉ Bedridden patient for 2 weeks.
Answer: Patient bedridden for 2 weeks with pH 7.37, PO2 90, PCO2
40, HCO3 25; Priority action is turning patient side to side q2h
◉ Assess 40-year-old with sickle cell crisis.
Answer: Priority assessment for a 40-year-old with sickle cell crisis
◉ Major disaster triage.
Answer: Priority order: Cut over eye, Move patient to medical
surgical unit, Patient with abnormal liver levels
◉ Carotid picture.
Answer: Pointing to the neck to indicate carotid artery
◉ Wound vac effectiveness.
Answer: Checking seal to ensure no leaks in wound vac
◉ Magnesium antidote.
, Answer: Calcium gluconate is the antidote for magnesium toxicity
◉ Trouble swallowing.
Answer: Assess gag reflex or consider thickening of fluids
◉ Disconnected chest tube.
Answer: Get new saline bottle to stick end into until reconnecting
tube
◉ Ventricular fibrillation.
Answer: Defibrillate with a shock once; Consider calcium levels
◉ Chest tube volume.
Answer: Mark container between 100 and 150
◉ Heart sounds audio.
Answer: S1S2 heart sounds audio
◉ Patient on benzos.
Answer: Narcan is not the answer for a patient on benzodiazepines
◉ Abdominal rigidity.
