Cardiac Test Bank Exam Questions
with Complete Answers
During a patient's care conference, the team is discussing whether the patient is a
candidate for cardiac conduction surgery. What would be the most important criterion
for a patient to have this surgery?
A) Angina pectoris not responsive to other treatments
B) Decreased activity tolerance related to decreased cardiac output
C) Atrial and ventricular tachycardias not responsive to other treatments
D) Ventricular fibrillation not responsive to other treatments - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
Cardiac conduction surgery is considered in patients who do not respond to
medications and antitachycardia pacing. Angina, reduced activity tolerance, and
ventricular fibrillation are not criteria.
A nurse is caring for a patient who is exhibiting ventricular tachycardia (VT). Because
the patient is pulseless, the nurse should prepare for what intervention?
A) Defibrillation
B) ECG monitoring
C) Implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator
D) Angioplasty - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Any type of VT in a patient who is unconscious and without a pulse is treated in the
same manner as ventricular fibrillation: Immediate defibrillation is the action of
choice. ECG monitoring is appropriate, but this is an assessment, not an
intervention, and will not resolve the problem. An ICD and angioplasty do not
address the dysrhythmia.
A patient converts from normal sinus rhythm at 80 bpm to atrial fibrillation with a
ventricular response at 166 bpm. Blood pressure is 162/74 mm Hg. Respiratory rate
is 20 breaths per minute with normal chest expansion and clear lungs bilaterally. IV
heparin and Cardizem are given. The nurse caring for the patient understands that
the main goal of treatment is what?
A) Decrease SA node conduction
,B) Control ventricular heart rate
C) Improve oxygenation
D) Maintain anticoagulation - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
Treatment for atrial fibrillation is to terminate the rhythm or to control ventricular rate.
This is a priority because it directly affects cardiac output. A rapid ventricular
response reduces the time for ventricular filling, resulting in a smaller stroke volume.
Control of rhythm is the initial treatment of choice, followed by anticoagulation with
heparin and then Coumadin.
The nurse and the other members of the team are caring for a patient who converted
to ventricular fibrillation (VF). The patient was defibrillated unsuccessfully and the
patient remains in VF. According to national standards, the nurse should anticipate
the administration of what medication?
A) Epinephrine 1 mg IV push
B) Lidocaine 100 mg IV push
C) Amiodarone 300 mg IV push
D) Sodium bicarbonate 1 amp IV push - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Epinephrine should be administered as soon as possible after the first unsuccessful
defibrillation and then every 3 to 5 minutes. Antiarrhythmic medications such as
amiodarone and licocaine are given if ventricular dysrhythmia persists.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has just undergone catheter ablation therapy.
The nurse in the step-down unit should prioritize what assessment?
A) Cardiac monitoring
B) Monitoring the implanted device signal
C) Pain assessment
D) Monitoring the patient's level of consciousness (LOC) - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Following catheter ablation therapy, the patient is closely monitored to ensure the
dysrhythmia does not reemerge. This is a priority over monitoring of LOC and pain,
although these are valid and important assessments. Ablation does not involve the
implantation of a device.
, The ED nurse is caring for a patient who has gone into cardiac arrest. During
external defibrillation, what action should the nurse perform?
A) Place gel pads over the apex and posterior chest for better conduction.
B) Ensure no one is touching the patient at the time shock is delivered.
C) Continue to ventilate the patient via endotracheal tube during the procedure.
D) Allow at least 3 minutes between shocks. - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
In external defibrillation, both paddles may be placed on the front of the chest, which
is the standard paddle placement. Whether using pads, or paddles, the nurse must
observe two safety measures. First, maintain good contact between the pads or
paddles and the patient's skin to prevent leaking. Second, ensure that no one is in
contact with the patient or with anything that is touching the patient when the
defibrillator is discharged, to minimize the chance that electrical current will be
conducted to anyone other than the patient. Ventilation should be stopped during
defibrillation.
A group of nurses are participating in orientation to a telemetry unit. What should the
staff educator tell this class about ST segments?
A) They are the part of an ECG that reflects systole.
B) They are the part of an ECG used to calculate ventricular rate and rhythm.
C) They are the part of an ECG that reflects the time from ventricular depolarization
through repolarization.
D) They are the part of an ECG that represents early ventricular repolarization. -
Answer-Ans: D
Feedback:
ST segment is the part of an ECG that reflects the end of the QRS complex to the
beginning of the T wave. The part of an ECG that reflects repolarization of the
ventricles is the T wave. The part of an ECG used to calculate ventricular rate and
rhythm is the RR interval. The part of an ECG that reflects the time from ventricular
depolarization through repolarization is the QT interval.
The nurse is providing care to a patient who has just undergone an
electrophysiologic (EP) study. The patient states that she is nervous about "things
going wrong" during the procedure. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "This is basically a risk-free procedure."
with Complete Answers
During a patient's care conference, the team is discussing whether the patient is a
candidate for cardiac conduction surgery. What would be the most important criterion
for a patient to have this surgery?
A) Angina pectoris not responsive to other treatments
B) Decreased activity tolerance related to decreased cardiac output
C) Atrial and ventricular tachycardias not responsive to other treatments
D) Ventricular fibrillation not responsive to other treatments - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
Cardiac conduction surgery is considered in patients who do not respond to
medications and antitachycardia pacing. Angina, reduced activity tolerance, and
ventricular fibrillation are not criteria.
A nurse is caring for a patient who is exhibiting ventricular tachycardia (VT). Because
the patient is pulseless, the nurse should prepare for what intervention?
A) Defibrillation
B) ECG monitoring
C) Implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator
D) Angioplasty - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Any type of VT in a patient who is unconscious and without a pulse is treated in the
same manner as ventricular fibrillation: Immediate defibrillation is the action of
choice. ECG monitoring is appropriate, but this is an assessment, not an
intervention, and will not resolve the problem. An ICD and angioplasty do not
address the dysrhythmia.
A patient converts from normal sinus rhythm at 80 bpm to atrial fibrillation with a
ventricular response at 166 bpm. Blood pressure is 162/74 mm Hg. Respiratory rate
is 20 breaths per minute with normal chest expansion and clear lungs bilaterally. IV
heparin and Cardizem are given. The nurse caring for the patient understands that
the main goal of treatment is what?
A) Decrease SA node conduction
,B) Control ventricular heart rate
C) Improve oxygenation
D) Maintain anticoagulation - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
Treatment for atrial fibrillation is to terminate the rhythm or to control ventricular rate.
This is a priority because it directly affects cardiac output. A rapid ventricular
response reduces the time for ventricular filling, resulting in a smaller stroke volume.
Control of rhythm is the initial treatment of choice, followed by anticoagulation with
heparin and then Coumadin.
The nurse and the other members of the team are caring for a patient who converted
to ventricular fibrillation (VF). The patient was defibrillated unsuccessfully and the
patient remains in VF. According to national standards, the nurse should anticipate
the administration of what medication?
A) Epinephrine 1 mg IV push
B) Lidocaine 100 mg IV push
C) Amiodarone 300 mg IV push
D) Sodium bicarbonate 1 amp IV push - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Epinephrine should be administered as soon as possible after the first unsuccessful
defibrillation and then every 3 to 5 minutes. Antiarrhythmic medications such as
amiodarone and licocaine are given if ventricular dysrhythmia persists.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has just undergone catheter ablation therapy.
The nurse in the step-down unit should prioritize what assessment?
A) Cardiac monitoring
B) Monitoring the implanted device signal
C) Pain assessment
D) Monitoring the patient's level of consciousness (LOC) - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
Following catheter ablation therapy, the patient is closely monitored to ensure the
dysrhythmia does not reemerge. This is a priority over monitoring of LOC and pain,
although these are valid and important assessments. Ablation does not involve the
implantation of a device.
, The ED nurse is caring for a patient who has gone into cardiac arrest. During
external defibrillation, what action should the nurse perform?
A) Place gel pads over the apex and posterior chest for better conduction.
B) Ensure no one is touching the patient at the time shock is delivered.
C) Continue to ventilate the patient via endotracheal tube during the procedure.
D) Allow at least 3 minutes between shocks. - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
In external defibrillation, both paddles may be placed on the front of the chest, which
is the standard paddle placement. Whether using pads, or paddles, the nurse must
observe two safety measures. First, maintain good contact between the pads or
paddles and the patient's skin to prevent leaking. Second, ensure that no one is in
contact with the patient or with anything that is touching the patient when the
defibrillator is discharged, to minimize the chance that electrical current will be
conducted to anyone other than the patient. Ventilation should be stopped during
defibrillation.
A group of nurses are participating in orientation to a telemetry unit. What should the
staff educator tell this class about ST segments?
A) They are the part of an ECG that reflects systole.
B) They are the part of an ECG used to calculate ventricular rate and rhythm.
C) They are the part of an ECG that reflects the time from ventricular depolarization
through repolarization.
D) They are the part of an ECG that represents early ventricular repolarization. -
Answer-Ans: D
Feedback:
ST segment is the part of an ECG that reflects the end of the QRS complex to the
beginning of the T wave. The part of an ECG that reflects repolarization of the
ventricles is the T wave. The part of an ECG used to calculate ventricular rate and
rhythm is the RR interval. The part of an ECG that reflects the time from ventricular
depolarization through repolarization is the QT interval.
The nurse is providing care to a patient who has just undergone an
electrophysiologic (EP) study. The patient states that she is nervous about "things
going wrong" during the procedure. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "This is basically a risk-free procedure."
