Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN®) Test Review
2026/2027 | Practice Questions &
Comprehensive Nephrology Nursing Study
Guide
The nurse caring for a dialysis patient with known aluminum overload
should be prepared to administer which medication during the latter part
of the dialysis treatment to help correct this abnormality? - Precise
Answer ✔✔Deferoxamine (Desferal)
What are the likely reasons that a patient would be prescribed
hemoperfusion? - Precise Answer ✔✔Overdose of diuretics, Toxic
exposure to pesticides.
Hemoperfusion is more effective than hemodialysis for removal of -
Precise Answer ✔✔most sedatives, theophylline, digoxin, and some
pesticides and herbicides.
Charcoal may be used in association with deferoxamine chelation to
remove excess aluminum or iron from body tissues.
When caring for a patient who is experiencing a severe transplant
rejection, what complications should the nurse anticipate? - Precise
Answer ✔✔- tissues are often edematous and extremely friable.
- Patients with infections and rejection are almost always catabolic,
edematous, and hypoproteinemic.
-Cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems often labile, and
hypotension or cardiac dysrhythmias and pulmonary congestion should
be anticipated.
When educating a peritoneal dialysis patient about the prescribed
icodextrin solution, which teaching points should the nurse include? -
,Precise Answer ✔✔The most common adverse effect is skin rash.
This solution should be used for no more than one exchange in a 24-hour
period.
Which teaching points must be mastered by patients before they can
perform their automated peritoneal dialysis at home? - Precise Answer
✔✔- measure the volume of dialysate to be infused,
- warm the dialysate to body temperature before infusion,
- time the frequency of exchanges,
- count the number of exchanges
- measure UF.
During the period called catheter break-in, when the peritoneal dialysis
catheter is placed and healing has begun, the nurse should anticipate
which prescribed dialysis orders? - Precise Answer ✔✔- Infusion of a
small amount of heparinized saline solution every 4-8 hours for the first
1-3 days postoperatively.
- Low volume in and out exchanges with heparinized saline or dialysate
until the effluent is no longer bloody. then daily for 1 to 2 weeks, and
weekly thereafter until the patient is undergoing PD. - A small volume
of heparinized solution should remain in the peritoneum to inhibit the
formation of fibrin
-immediate dialysis need: Frequent, low-volume exchanges (500-1000
mL) are performed using a cycler with the patient in the supine position.
A high PET score means - Precise Answer ✔✔rapid waste clearance,
poor UF of fluid, high glucose absorption, and high protein loss.
A low PET score means - Precise Answer ✔✔slow waste clearance,
excellent UF of fluid, and decreased likelihood of protein loss.
When a patient is deciding between peritoneal dialysis and
hemodialysis, what are some of the benefits the staff can share regarding
quality-of-life benefits related to PD? - Precise Answer ✔✔Immediate
, Medicare coverage.
Greater blood pressure control.
Preservation of residual kidney function.
Greater independence for travel and employment.
Which manifestations might lead the clinician to believe that a patient on
PD requires an increased dose of dialysis? - Precise Answer ✔✔The
patient is malnourished.
Extreme pruritus to the point of scratching and bleeding.
Pericardial rub noted due to pericarditis from uremia.
Moist rales heard in the mid-scapular region bilaterally.
Absolute Contraindications to Transplantation - Precise Answer ✔✔•
Active chronic infection or sepsis
• Active malignancy
• Active substance abuse
• Severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease
• Inability to comply with the medication regimen
The dialysis nurse should suspect the toddler weighing less than 20 kg.
is experiencing hypotension if these clinical manifestations are present: -
Precise Answer ✔✔Irritability.
Yawning frequently.
Fidgety movements noted.
In which areas of care has the nonprofit foundation Kidney Disease
Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) provided written evidence-based
guidelines related to the prevention or management of kidney disease? -
Precise Answer ✔✔Anemia in CKD.
Blood pressure in CKD.
Diabetes and CKD.
Which organization was recently approved by CMS to conduct surveys
for Medicare certification fostering faster approval of dialysis clinics? -
2026/2027 | Practice Questions &
Comprehensive Nephrology Nursing Study
Guide
The nurse caring for a dialysis patient with known aluminum overload
should be prepared to administer which medication during the latter part
of the dialysis treatment to help correct this abnormality? - Precise
Answer ✔✔Deferoxamine (Desferal)
What are the likely reasons that a patient would be prescribed
hemoperfusion? - Precise Answer ✔✔Overdose of diuretics, Toxic
exposure to pesticides.
Hemoperfusion is more effective than hemodialysis for removal of -
Precise Answer ✔✔most sedatives, theophylline, digoxin, and some
pesticides and herbicides.
Charcoal may be used in association with deferoxamine chelation to
remove excess aluminum or iron from body tissues.
When caring for a patient who is experiencing a severe transplant
rejection, what complications should the nurse anticipate? - Precise
Answer ✔✔- tissues are often edematous and extremely friable.
- Patients with infections and rejection are almost always catabolic,
edematous, and hypoproteinemic.
-Cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems often labile, and
hypotension or cardiac dysrhythmias and pulmonary congestion should
be anticipated.
When educating a peritoneal dialysis patient about the prescribed
icodextrin solution, which teaching points should the nurse include? -
,Precise Answer ✔✔The most common adverse effect is skin rash.
This solution should be used for no more than one exchange in a 24-hour
period.
Which teaching points must be mastered by patients before they can
perform their automated peritoneal dialysis at home? - Precise Answer
✔✔- measure the volume of dialysate to be infused,
- warm the dialysate to body temperature before infusion,
- time the frequency of exchanges,
- count the number of exchanges
- measure UF.
During the period called catheter break-in, when the peritoneal dialysis
catheter is placed and healing has begun, the nurse should anticipate
which prescribed dialysis orders? - Precise Answer ✔✔- Infusion of a
small amount of heparinized saline solution every 4-8 hours for the first
1-3 days postoperatively.
- Low volume in and out exchanges with heparinized saline or dialysate
until the effluent is no longer bloody. then daily for 1 to 2 weeks, and
weekly thereafter until the patient is undergoing PD. - A small volume
of heparinized solution should remain in the peritoneum to inhibit the
formation of fibrin
-immediate dialysis need: Frequent, low-volume exchanges (500-1000
mL) are performed using a cycler with the patient in the supine position.
A high PET score means - Precise Answer ✔✔rapid waste clearance,
poor UF of fluid, high glucose absorption, and high protein loss.
A low PET score means - Precise Answer ✔✔slow waste clearance,
excellent UF of fluid, and decreased likelihood of protein loss.
When a patient is deciding between peritoneal dialysis and
hemodialysis, what are some of the benefits the staff can share regarding
quality-of-life benefits related to PD? - Precise Answer ✔✔Immediate
, Medicare coverage.
Greater blood pressure control.
Preservation of residual kidney function.
Greater independence for travel and employment.
Which manifestations might lead the clinician to believe that a patient on
PD requires an increased dose of dialysis? - Precise Answer ✔✔The
patient is malnourished.
Extreme pruritus to the point of scratching and bleeding.
Pericardial rub noted due to pericarditis from uremia.
Moist rales heard in the mid-scapular region bilaterally.
Absolute Contraindications to Transplantation - Precise Answer ✔✔•
Active chronic infection or sepsis
• Active malignancy
• Active substance abuse
• Severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease
• Inability to comply with the medication regimen
The dialysis nurse should suspect the toddler weighing less than 20 kg.
is experiencing hypotension if these clinical manifestations are present: -
Precise Answer ✔✔Irritability.
Yawning frequently.
Fidgety movements noted.
In which areas of care has the nonprofit foundation Kidney Disease
Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) provided written evidence-based
guidelines related to the prevention or management of kidney disease? -
Precise Answer ✔✔Anemia in CKD.
Blood pressure in CKD.
Diabetes and CKD.
Which organization was recently approved by CMS to conduct surveys
for Medicare certification fostering faster approval of dialysis clinics? -
