QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
decreased pulmonary vascular resistance - CORRECT ANSWER- A large VSD may not be
immediately evident at birth due to what?
Degree of right ventricular outflow obstruction - CORRECT ANSWER- In an infant with tetralogy
of fallot, the severity of symptoms will be most affected by what?
urinary output - CORRECT ANSWER- a 500 gram infant with a PDA is being treated with
Indomethacin. When formulating a plan of care, the nurse should monitor what parameters?
Volume of mixing between pulmonary and systemic circulation - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant
presents with cyanosis at birth and is later diagnosed with transposition of the great vessels per
echo. The nurse recognizes that the degree of cyanosis depends on what?
Increase pulmonary and systemic mixing at the atrial level - CORRECT ANSWER- A balloon
septostomy is done for an infant with transposition of the great vessels to achieve what?
Consider this a negative screen
positive would be if sats are less than 90% or 3% or more preductal and postductal - CORRECT
ANSWER- While performing a pulse oximetry screening on an infant nearing discharge a nurse
notes a differential of 2% between preductal and post ductal readings. The nurse should do
what?
25% greater than than the width of the extremity - CORRECT ANSWER- The nurse should
utilize what parameters to select the appropriate sized blood pressure cuff?
Development of congested heart failure - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant with a ventricular
septal defect presents with a loud, pansystolic murmur at birth but is otherwise asymptomatic.
The nurse would anticipate the subsequent development of symptoms at 1-2 months of age due
to what?
Respiratory distress syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER- A hyperoxia test is ordered for an infant
presenting with tachypnea and mild cyanosis. An arterial blood gas is drawn from the right radial
artery with a Pa02 of 200mmHg. The nurse should anticipate that this result is indicative of
what?
A fetal echo detects approximately 30-50% of severe CHD - CORRECT ANSWER- The parents
of an infant with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) ask the nurse why the heart defect
was not found on fetal echo. The nurse should explain what?
Wolff parkinson white syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant has a history of episodic
supraventricular tachycardia that resolves spontaneously. An echo is performed and there is
slurred upstroke of the QRS and the presence of a delta wave. The nurse should expect what?
4+ - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant has a bounding pulse in the brachial and femoral arteries
per nursing assessment. The nurse should document these pulse palpations as?
, Hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant is receiving furosemide
(Lasix) for management of congestive heart failure. The nurse should anticipate what result from
the arterial blood gas and electrolyte panel?
Increased pulmonary vasculature with cardiomegaly - CORRECT ANSWER- A Chest
radiograph is ordered for an infant with a suspected PDA. The nurse should anticipate what
finding?
It will often close spontaneously - CORRECT ANSWER- A nurse is caring for an infant
diagnosed with a small VSD. What is an accurate statement regarding the defect?
Supraventricular tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWER- Adenosine is the drug of choice for what
cardiac arrhythmia?
The ventricles function in parallel in utero - CORRECT ANSWER- The nurse should recognize
that________ is a characteristic of fetal circulation?
cardiomyopathy - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant of a diabetic mother presents with pallor, poor
feeding, tachypnea, a large heart on chest radiographs, and systolic ejection murmur. These
factors are most likely related to what?
monitor for any increase in quality or intensity - CORRECT ANSWER- A term infant has Apgar
scores of 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. At 12 hours of life, a nurse auscultates a
physiologic murmur. The nurse should do what?
Precipitate digoxin toxicity at lower serum levels because potassium depletion sensitizes the
myocardium in digoxin. - CORRECT ANSWER- An Infant is receiving digoxin. The nurse should
be aware that the presence of concurrent hypokalemia may result in what?
cardiac arrhythmias
:Right bundle branch block, third degree heart block,aortic insufficiency and tricuspid
insufficiency - CORRECT ANSWER- A nurse is caring for an infant who has undergone surgical
repair of a VSD. The nursing plan of care should include recognition of what?
propanolol - CORRECT ANSWER- A nurse is caring for an infant with Wolff-Parkinson-White
syndrome. The plan of care should include what for the prevention of supraventricular
tachycardia associated with WPW?
pericardial tamponade
:pericardial tap - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant is 24 hours postprocedure for the placment of
a tunneled catheter and suddenly exhibits a period of tachycardia followed by profound
bradycardia. The nurse verifies endotracheal tub placement and determines heart sounds
inaudible with no palpable pulses. There is display of an electrical rhythm on electrocardiogram.
The nurse should anticipate what?
hypotensive - CORRECT ANSWER- A 26 week gestation infant has a blood pressure of
33mmHg systolic, 18mmHg diastolic, and a mean arterial pressure of 23 mmHg. The nurse
should interpret this as what?
Pulmonary - CORRECT ANSWER- An infant has an arterial blood gas drawn while receiving
80% Fi02. The pH is 7.2, PaCo2 is 69mmHg, and the Pa02 is 175mmHg. The nurse should
interpret these results as originating from what body system or process?