ENA Critical care Exam 2026 Questions
and Answers
When assessing a patient on mechanical ventilation, you discover absent breath
sounds on one side and tracheal deviation. Which complication of mechanical
ventilation should you suspect?
A. Pneumonia
B. Oxygen toxicity
C. Auto-positive end-expiratory pressure
D. Tension pneumothorax - Correct answer-D
A patient is receiving pressure-controlled, volume variable mechanical ventilation.
What is a disadvantage of this type of mechanical ventilation?
A. The distending pressure of the lungs is limited.
B. Inspiration is terminated when a certain pressure is achieved.
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,C. It is associated with a risk of lung injury.
D. Minute ventilation volume is not guaranteed. - Correct answer-D
Which finding is considered a manifestation of systemic inflammatory response
syndrome?
A. A white blood cell count of 11,500/mm3
B. A heart rate of 85 beats per minute
C. A partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 26 mm Hg
D. A temperature of 96.8° F (36° C) - Correct answer-C
For a mechanically ventilated patient, which nursing intervention decreases the risk
of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia?
A. Regular oral care
B. Use of the same suction catheter periodically
C. Keeping the patient flat in bed
D. Routine saline lavage - Correct answer-A
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, The nurse is caring for a patient after pulmonary artery catheter insertion. Which
complication may occur if the catheter migrates?
A. Vasospasm
B. Cardiac tamponade
C. Pulmonary hypertension
D. Premature ventricular contractions - Correct answer-D
In a patient with abdominal hypertension, what causes inadequate ventilation?
A. Anatomical causes
B. Shunting
C. Muscular abnormalities
D. Partial airway obstruction - Correct answer-A
A patient in the emergency department is started on permissive hypercapnia. The
physician orders arterial blood gas analysis on this patient. Which arterial blood
gas finding should you expect?
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and Answers
When assessing a patient on mechanical ventilation, you discover absent breath
sounds on one side and tracheal deviation. Which complication of mechanical
ventilation should you suspect?
A. Pneumonia
B. Oxygen toxicity
C. Auto-positive end-expiratory pressure
D. Tension pneumothorax - Correct answer-D
A patient is receiving pressure-controlled, volume variable mechanical ventilation.
What is a disadvantage of this type of mechanical ventilation?
A. The distending pressure of the lungs is limited.
B. Inspiration is terminated when a certain pressure is achieved.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,C. It is associated with a risk of lung injury.
D. Minute ventilation volume is not guaranteed. - Correct answer-D
Which finding is considered a manifestation of systemic inflammatory response
syndrome?
A. A white blood cell count of 11,500/mm3
B. A heart rate of 85 beats per minute
C. A partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 26 mm Hg
D. A temperature of 96.8° F (36° C) - Correct answer-C
For a mechanically ventilated patient, which nursing intervention decreases the risk
of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia?
A. Regular oral care
B. Use of the same suction catheter periodically
C. Keeping the patient flat in bed
D. Routine saline lavage - Correct answer-A
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, The nurse is caring for a patient after pulmonary artery catheter insertion. Which
complication may occur if the catheter migrates?
A. Vasospasm
B. Cardiac tamponade
C. Pulmonary hypertension
D. Premature ventricular contractions - Correct answer-D
In a patient with abdominal hypertension, what causes inadequate ventilation?
A. Anatomical causes
B. Shunting
C. Muscular abnormalities
D. Partial airway obstruction - Correct answer-A
A patient in the emergency department is started on permissive hypercapnia. The
physician orders arterial blood gas analysis on this patient. Which arterial blood
gas finding should you expect?
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