HESI Critical Care Exam RN – Comprehensive Test Bank 2026/2027 Edition

HESI CRITICAL CARE EXAM RN
COMPREHENSIVE TEST BANK (2026/2027 EDITION)




200 Multiple-Choice Questions - Complete Critical Care Test Bank




Independent-Study Disclaimer
This test bank is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Elsevier/HESI,
the AACN, or any other organization. It is provided for educational and self-assessment purposes only and is not
a substitute for official nursing curricula, the NCLEX-RN test plan, or professional guidance. Standards are
subject to change; always consult current HESI, AACN/CCRN, and clinical references.

, Section 1: Hemodynamic Monitoring & Cardiovascular Critical Care – CO,
CVP, PAWP, Shock, ACS (35 questions)
Q1: What is cardiac output (CO)?
A. The blood pressure
B. The heart rate
C. The stroke volume alone
D. The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Cardiac output is the volume pumped per minute (CO = SV × HR). The others are incorrect.

Q2: Cardiac output is calculated as:
A. Blood pressure × heart rate
B. Stroke volume × blood pressure
C. Stroke volume × heart rate [CORRECT]
D. Heart rate / stroke volume
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: CO = SV × HR. The others are incorrect.

Q3: What is a normal cardiac index (CI)?
A. 2.5-4.0 L/min/m2 [CORRECT]
B. 0.5-1.0 L/min/m2
C. 8-10 L/min/m2
D. 1.0-2.0 L/min/m2
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Normal cardiac index is 2.5-4.0 L/min/m2. The others are abnormal.

Q4: Which of the following is a normal central venous pressure (CVP)?
A. 20-30 mmHg
B. 2-8 mmHg [CORRECT]
C. 0-1 mmHg
D. 30-40 mmHg
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Normal CVP is 2-8 mmHg. The others are abnormal.

Q5: Which of the following is a normal pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP)?
A. 20-30 mmHg
B. 6-12 mmHg [CORRECT]
C. 0-2 mmHg
D. 40-50 mmHg
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Normal PAWP is 6-12 mmHg. The others are abnormal.




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, Q6: Which of the following is a normal systemic vascular resistance (SVR)?
A. 100-200 dynes
B. 800-1200 dynes/sec/cm-5 [CORRECT]
C. 3000-4000 dynes
D. 5000-6000 dynes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Normal SVR is about 800-1200 dynes/sec/cm-5. The others are abnormal.

Q7: Which of the following is the formula for mean arterial pressure (MAP)?
A. MAP = SBP + DBP
B. MAP = (SBP + 2×DBP) / 3 [CORRECT]
C. MAP = SBP × DBP
D. MAP = SBP - DBP
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: MAP = (SBP + 2×DBP)/3. The others are incorrect.

Q8: Which of the following reflects preload?
A. SVR
B. Cardiac output
C. Heart rate
D. CVP and PAWP [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: CVP and PAWP reflect preload (volume). SVR reflects afterload. The others are different.

Q9: Which of the following reflects afterload?
A. CVP
B. PAWP
C. Stroke volume
D. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: SVR reflects afterload. CVP/PAWP reflect preload. The others are different.

Q10: Which of the following is a finding of cardiogenic shock?
A. Warm skin and high cardiac output
B. Hypotension, cool extremities, and low cardiac output [CORRECT]
C. Bounding pulses
D. Normal urine output
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cardiogenic shock causes hypotension, cool extremities, and low cardiac output. The others are
not.




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, Q11: Which of the following is a finding of hypovolemic shock?
A. Hypotension, tachycardia, and low CVP/PAWP from fluid loss [CORRECT]
B. High CVP
C. Warm skin
D. High PAWP
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hypovolemic shock causes hypotension, tachycardia, and low preload (CVP/PAWP). The others
are incorrect.

Q12: Which of the following is a finding of distributive (septic) shock?
A. Warm skin, low SVR, and high cardiac output (early) [CORRECT]
B. Cool skin and high SVR
C. Low cardiac output
D. Normal SVR
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Early septic/distributive shock causes warm skin, low SVR, and high cardiac output. The others
are incorrect.

Q13: Which of the following is a finding of obstructive shock?
A. High cardiac output
B. Low SVR
C. Low cardiac output from a physical obstruction (e.g., tamponade, PE) [CORRECT]
D. Warm skin
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Obstructive shock (tamponade, PE) causes low cardiac output from obstruction. The others are
incorrect.

Q14: Which of the following is TRUE about an arterial line?
A. It is for oxygen
B. It is a medication
C. It provides continuous blood pressure monitoring and requires proper zeroing/assessment [CORRECT]
D. It is not monitored
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An arterial line provides continuous BP monitoring and requires zeroing/assessment. The others
are incorrect.

Q15: Which of the following is a complication of an arterial line?
A. Bleeding, infection, and distal ischemia [CORRECT]
B. No complications
C. Hyperglycemia
D. Weight gain
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Arterial lines risk bleeding, infection, and ischemia. The others are incorrect.




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