• CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
CCRN test bank Latest Update Actual Exam
125 Questions and 100% Verified Correct
Answers Questions & Answers, 100% Verified
Graded A+
A 42-year-old man is admitted to the critical care unit with smoke inhalation and acute respiratory distress
syndrome (ARDS). He is intubated, and the following mechanical ventilation is initiated: fraction of inspired
oxygen, 0.6; intermittent mandatory ventilation, 10 breaths/min; tidal volume, 450 ml; positive end-expiratory
pressure (PEEP), 15 cm H2O. Arterial blood gases are pH, 7.39; PaCO2, 42 mm Hg; HCO3, 24 mEq/L; and PaO2, 70
mm Hg. The purpose of using PEEP in the treatment of this patient is which of the following?
A.
Increase pulmonary compliance.
B.
Decrease the chance of barotrauma.
C.
P 1
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
Increase alveolar surface tension.
D.
Decrease intrapulmonary shunt. - Correct Answer :D. Decrease intrapulmonary shunt.
PEEP has three primary purposes: to increase the driving pressure of oxygen, to decrease surface tension and
the work of breathing, and to decrease shunt by reopening collapsed alveoli. In ARDS, the purpose of PEEP is to
open alveoli that have collapsed (called alveolar recruitment) and to keep alveoli open that are still open. The
effect of this action is to decrease intrapulmonary shunt.
Which ventilator mode requires close monitoring for auto-PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure)?
A.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation
D.
Pressure-regulated, volume-controlled ventilation –
Correct Answer :C. Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation
Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation, which flips the normal 2:1 inspiration/expiration ratio to make
inspiration longer than expiration, allows trapping of air in the lungs. This inadvertent PEEP is called auto-PEEP.
Which of the following best differentiates hypovolemic from cardiogenic shock?
A.
Increased systemic vascular resistance
P 2
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
B.
Decreased cardiac index
C.
Decreased urine output
D.
Decreased pulmonary artery occlusive pressure –
Correct Answer :D. Decreased pulmonary artery occlusive pressure
The cardiac index is decreased, the systemic vascular resistance is increased, and the urine output is decreased in
hypovolemic and cardiogenic shock. The pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) is decreased in
hypovolemic shock but increased in cardiogenic shock.
A patient develops carpopedal spasm and neuromuscular irritability manifested by Chvostek and Trousseau
signs. Which electrolyte imbalance should you suspect?
A.
Hyperkalemia
B.
Hypercalcemia
C.
Hypermagnesemia
D.
Hyperphosphatemia –
Correct Answer :D. Hyperphosphatemia
P 3
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
The patient's signs/symptoms are associated with hypocalcemia and its reciprocal condition,
hyperphosphatemia. The same signs/symptoms also are seen in hypomagnesemia.
You probably immediately looked for hypocalcemia but could not find it among the options. To answer this
question correctly, you need to remember the reciprocal relationship between calcium and phosphorus.
Which mode of mechanical ventilation requires the nurse to monitor closely for auto-PEEP (positive end-
expiratory pressure)?
A.
Inverse ratio ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
D.
High-frequency jet ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
D.
High-frequency jet ventilation - Correct Answer :A. Inverse ratio ventilation
Inverse ratio ventilation allows more time for inspiration than for expiration. A potential danger of this mode is
that expiration will be incomplete when the next inspiration begins. This means that there was unintentional
positive end-expiratory pressure, also referred to as auto-PEEP.
If a patient has a palpable radial pulse, the systolic blood pressure (BP) is at least:
A.
P 4
CCRN test bank Latest Update Actual Exam
125 Questions and 100% Verified Correct
Answers Questions & Answers, 100% Verified
Graded A+
A 42-year-old man is admitted to the critical care unit with smoke inhalation and acute respiratory distress
syndrome (ARDS). He is intubated, and the following mechanical ventilation is initiated: fraction of inspired
oxygen, 0.6; intermittent mandatory ventilation, 10 breaths/min; tidal volume, 450 ml; positive end-expiratory
pressure (PEEP), 15 cm H2O. Arterial blood gases are pH, 7.39; PaCO2, 42 mm Hg; HCO3, 24 mEq/L; and PaO2, 70
mm Hg. The purpose of using PEEP in the treatment of this patient is which of the following?
A.
Increase pulmonary compliance.
B.
Decrease the chance of barotrauma.
C.
P 1
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
Increase alveolar surface tension.
D.
Decrease intrapulmonary shunt. - Correct Answer :D. Decrease intrapulmonary shunt.
PEEP has three primary purposes: to increase the driving pressure of oxygen, to decrease surface tension and
the work of breathing, and to decrease shunt by reopening collapsed alveoli. In ARDS, the purpose of PEEP is to
open alveoli that have collapsed (called alveolar recruitment) and to keep alveoli open that are still open. The
effect of this action is to decrease intrapulmonary shunt.
Which ventilator mode requires close monitoring for auto-PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure)?
A.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation
D.
Pressure-regulated, volume-controlled ventilation –
Correct Answer :C. Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation
Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation, which flips the normal 2:1 inspiration/expiration ratio to make
inspiration longer than expiration, allows trapping of air in the lungs. This inadvertent PEEP is called auto-PEEP.
Which of the following best differentiates hypovolemic from cardiogenic shock?
A.
Increased systemic vascular resistance
P 2
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
B.
Decreased cardiac index
C.
Decreased urine output
D.
Decreased pulmonary artery occlusive pressure –
Correct Answer :D. Decreased pulmonary artery occlusive pressure
The cardiac index is decreased, the systemic vascular resistance is increased, and the urine output is decreased in
hypovolemic and cardiogenic shock. The pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) is decreased in
hypovolemic shock but increased in cardiogenic shock.
A patient develops carpopedal spasm and neuromuscular irritability manifested by Chvostek and Trousseau
signs. Which electrolyte imbalance should you suspect?
A.
Hyperkalemia
B.
Hypercalcemia
C.
Hypermagnesemia
D.
Hyperphosphatemia –
Correct Answer :D. Hyperphosphatemia
P 3
, • CCRN test bank 09/06/2026
The patient's signs/symptoms are associated with hypocalcemia and its reciprocal condition,
hyperphosphatemia. The same signs/symptoms also are seen in hypomagnesemia.
You probably immediately looked for hypocalcemia but could not find it among the options. To answer this
question correctly, you need to remember the reciprocal relationship between calcium and phosphorus.
Which mode of mechanical ventilation requires the nurse to monitor closely for auto-PEEP (positive end-
expiratory pressure)?
A.
Inverse ratio ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
D.
High-frequency jet ventilation
B.
Pressure support ventilation
C.
Intermittent mandatory ventilation
D.
High-frequency jet ventilation - Correct Answer :A. Inverse ratio ventilation
Inverse ratio ventilation allows more time for inspiration than for expiration. A potential danger of this mode is
that expiration will be incomplete when the next inspiration begins. This means that there was unintentional
positive end-expiratory pressure, also referred to as auto-PEEP.
If a patient has a palpable radial pulse, the systolic blood pressure (BP) is at least:
A.
P 4
