NUR 327 Final Exam NEWEST 2026/2027 EXAM REVIEW | NUR 327 FINAL EXAM PREP WITH 150 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE

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NUR 327 Final Exam NEWEST 2026/2027 EXAM REVIEW | NUR
327 FINAL EXAM PREP WITH 150 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE


[M1] What is the normal pH range for arterial blood?
......ANSWER......7.35-7.45


[M1] What is the normal PaCO2 range? ......ANSWER......35-45 mmHg


[M1] What is the normal HCO3- range? ......ANSWER......22-26 mEq/L


[M1] What is the normal PaO2 range? ......ANSWER......80-100 mmHg


[M1] What PaO2 is considered critical? ......ANSWER......Below 60 mmHg


[M1] What is the normal SaO2 range? ......ANSWER......95-100%


[M1] In ROME, what does "Respiratory" mean for pH and PaCO2?
......ANSWER......They move in opposite directions


[M1] In ROME, what does "Metabolic" mean for pH and HCO3-?
......ANSWER......They move in the same direction

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[M1] What defines an uncompensated acid-base imbalance?
......ANSWER......Abnormal pH with only one of PaCO2/HCO3- abnormal


[M1] What defines a partially compensated imbalance?
......ANSWER......Abnormal pH with BOTH PaCO2 and HCO3- abnormal


[M1] What defines a fully compensated imbalance?
......ANSWER......Normal pH with both PaCO2 and HCO3- abnormal


[M1] How fast does respiratory compensation occur?
......ANSWER......Minutes to hours


[M1] How long does renal compensation take to fully compensate?
......ANSWER......24-72 hours (up to 3-5 days)


[M1] What are the main causes of respiratory acidosis?
......ANSWER......COPD, opioid overdose, neuromuscular disease,
hypoventilation


[M1] What are the main causes of respiratory alkalosis?
......ANSWER......Anxiety, pain, fever, early sepsis, PE, hyperventilation


[M1] What are the main causes of metabolic acidosis?
......ANSWER......DKA, lactic acidosis, renal failure, severe diarrhea

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[M1] What are the main causes of metabolic alkalosis?
......ANSWER......Vomiting, NG suction, loop/thiazide diuretics, antacids


[M1] What breathing pattern is the hallmark of metabolic acidosis
compensation? ......ANSWER......Kussmaul respirations


[M1] Why should Kussmaul respirations never be suppressed?
......ANSWER......They are protective compensation for metabolic
acidosis


[M1] What electrolyte shift occurs with acidosis?
......ANSWER......Hyperkalemia (H+ moves into cells, pushing K+ out)


[M1] What electrolyte shift occurs with alkalosis?
......ANSWER......Hypokalemia (H+ moves out of cells, pulling K+ in)


[M1] Why is high-flow O2 dangerous in a chronic CO2 retainer?
......ANSWER......It can knock out the hypoxic drive and stop breathing


[M1] What is the "potassium paradox" in DKA treatment?
......ANSWER......Insulin shifts K+ into cells, causing sudden hypokalemia


[M1] What is the priority nursing sequence for respiratory acidosis from
pneumonia? ......ANSWER......Elevate HOB, open airway, apply O2, give
bronchodilators, treat cause

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[M1] What acid-base picture does early salicylate toxicity cause?
......ANSWER......Respiratory alkalosis (hyperventilation)


[M1] What acid-base picture does late salicylate toxicity cause?
......ANSWER......Metabolic acidosis


[M2] What type of shunt do VSD and PDA cause? ......ANSWER......Left-
to-right, acyanotic


[M2] What murmur is classic for VSD? ......ANSWER......Loud holosystolic
murmur


[M2] What murmur is classic for PDA? ......ANSWER......Continuous
"machinery-like" murmur


[M2] What medication class helps close a PDA?
......ANSWER......Prostaglandin inhibitors (indomethacin/ibuprofen)


[M2] What is Coarctation of the Aorta? ......ANSWER......Narrowing of
the aorta near the ductus arteriosus


[M2] What is the key pulse/BP finding in Coarctation of the Aorta?
......ANSWER......High BP/bounding pulses in arms, weak/absent femoral
pulses