1|Page
PCCN EXAM TEST BANK 2026 WITH 400 QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS ||VERIFIED
EXAM!!(100% CORRECT ANSWERS) PCCN EXAM
PREP TEST BANK (NEWLY UPDATED 2026!!)
A patient in the ED is now being admitted to telemetry
bwith complaint of chest pain and has been judged to be a
possible candidate for therapy with alteplase (Activase).
Which of the following is not considered a contraindication
for the use of this medication?
A. current antibiotic use
B. recent abdominal surgery
C. recent gastrointestinal bleed
D. recent intracranial bleed - Answers-A. current antibiotic
use
Use of antibiotics is not a contraindication for the use of
alteplase. All the other answers -- recent abdominal
surgery, recent gastrointestinal bleeding and a recent
intracranial bleed -- are contraindications for the use of
any fibrinolytic.
The two major components that determine blood pressure
are:
,2|Page
A. systemic vascular resistance (SVR) (afterload) and
cardiac output
B. contractility and SVR (afterload)
C. preload and SVR (afterload)
D. contractility and SVR (afterload) - Answers-A. SVR
(afterload) and cardiac output
The equation for BP is: BP = SVR x cardiac output.
BP is determined by resistance of the arterial bed and the
cardiac output. If the SVR (afterload) is high and the
cardiac output low, the patient may still have a normal BP.
the pulse pressure will be lower, but this is a
compensatory response by the heart to maintain BP. If the
SVR (afterload) is low (as in early septic shock), the
cardiac output is very high, thereby trying to support BP.
The layer of the arterial vessel wall responsible for
changes in the diameter of the artery is the:
A. media
B. intima
C. externa
D. adventitia - Answers-A. media
The media layer of the arterial wall contains vascular
smooth muscle cells and is responsible for arterial tone.
,3|Page
Vasoactive substances released in response to the
sympathetic nervous system and/or the renin-angiotensin
system determine arterial tone. Intima, externa and
adventitia are incorrect.
A patient presents in acute distress with rales halfway up
bilaterally; cool and clammy extremities; elevated jugular
venous distention (JVD); oxygen saturations at 95%, down
from 99%; and complaints of shortness of breath. Which of
the following findings correspond to the patient's cardiac
status?
A. no pulmonary congestion, normal perfusion
B. no pulmonary congestion, low perfusion
C. pulmonary congestion, normal perfusion
D. pulmonary congestion, low perfusion - Answers-D.
pulmonary congestion, low perfusion
Rales indicate fluid in the alveolar sacs, possibly
secondary to pulmonary edema, causing pulmonary
congestion. Pneumonia can also cause fluid in the
alveolar sacs. The patient is complaining of shortness of
breath, and the oxygen saturations are lowering, also
indicating that the patient has pulmonary congestion. The
patient's skin is cool and clammy, indicating that the skin is
poorly perfused. Skin does not require oxygen and shunts
, 4|Page
blood away in decreased cardiac function; therefore, this
patient has pulmonary congestion and low perfusion state.
The other answers are incorrect.
When listening to heart sounds, S1 signifies which of the
following?
A. the beginning of ventricular systole
B. the beginning of ventricular diastole
C. the propulsion of blood into a non-compliant ventricle
D. the blood going in the wrong direction - Answers-A. the
beginning of ventricular systole
The heart sound of S1 indicates the opening of the aortic
and pulmonic valves and marks the beginning of
ventricular systole or ejection. The beginning of diastole is
after S2, propulsion of blood into a noncompliant chamber
is S4, and blood going in the wrong direction will cause a
murmur.
A patient with pulmonary edema has impaired diffusion
due to:
A. increased thickness of the alveolar capillary membrane
B. retaining CO2
PCCN EXAM TEST BANK 2026 WITH 400 QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS ||VERIFIED
EXAM!!(100% CORRECT ANSWERS) PCCN EXAM
PREP TEST BANK (NEWLY UPDATED 2026!!)
A patient in the ED is now being admitted to telemetry
bwith complaint of chest pain and has been judged to be a
possible candidate for therapy with alteplase (Activase).
Which of the following is not considered a contraindication
for the use of this medication?
A. current antibiotic use
B. recent abdominal surgery
C. recent gastrointestinal bleed
D. recent intracranial bleed - Answers-A. current antibiotic
use
Use of antibiotics is not a contraindication for the use of
alteplase. All the other answers -- recent abdominal
surgery, recent gastrointestinal bleeding and a recent
intracranial bleed -- are contraindications for the use of
any fibrinolytic.
The two major components that determine blood pressure
are:
,2|Page
A. systemic vascular resistance (SVR) (afterload) and
cardiac output
B. contractility and SVR (afterload)
C. preload and SVR (afterload)
D. contractility and SVR (afterload) - Answers-A. SVR
(afterload) and cardiac output
The equation for BP is: BP = SVR x cardiac output.
BP is determined by resistance of the arterial bed and the
cardiac output. If the SVR (afterload) is high and the
cardiac output low, the patient may still have a normal BP.
the pulse pressure will be lower, but this is a
compensatory response by the heart to maintain BP. If the
SVR (afterload) is low (as in early septic shock), the
cardiac output is very high, thereby trying to support BP.
The layer of the arterial vessel wall responsible for
changes in the diameter of the artery is the:
A. media
B. intima
C. externa
D. adventitia - Answers-A. media
The media layer of the arterial wall contains vascular
smooth muscle cells and is responsible for arterial tone.
,3|Page
Vasoactive substances released in response to the
sympathetic nervous system and/or the renin-angiotensin
system determine arterial tone. Intima, externa and
adventitia are incorrect.
A patient presents in acute distress with rales halfway up
bilaterally; cool and clammy extremities; elevated jugular
venous distention (JVD); oxygen saturations at 95%, down
from 99%; and complaints of shortness of breath. Which of
the following findings correspond to the patient's cardiac
status?
A. no pulmonary congestion, normal perfusion
B. no pulmonary congestion, low perfusion
C. pulmonary congestion, normal perfusion
D. pulmonary congestion, low perfusion - Answers-D.
pulmonary congestion, low perfusion
Rales indicate fluid in the alveolar sacs, possibly
secondary to pulmonary edema, causing pulmonary
congestion. Pneumonia can also cause fluid in the
alveolar sacs. The patient is complaining of shortness of
breath, and the oxygen saturations are lowering, also
indicating that the patient has pulmonary congestion. The
patient's skin is cool and clammy, indicating that the skin is
poorly perfused. Skin does not require oxygen and shunts
, 4|Page
blood away in decreased cardiac function; therefore, this
patient has pulmonary congestion and low perfusion state.
The other answers are incorrect.
When listening to heart sounds, S1 signifies which of the
following?
A. the beginning of ventricular systole
B. the beginning of ventricular diastole
C. the propulsion of blood into a non-compliant ventricle
D. the blood going in the wrong direction - Answers-A. the
beginning of ventricular systole
The heart sound of S1 indicates the opening of the aortic
and pulmonic valves and marks the beginning of
ventricular systole or ejection. The beginning of diastole is
after S2, propulsion of blood into a noncompliant chamber
is S4, and blood going in the wrong direction will cause a
murmur.
A patient with pulmonary edema has impaired diffusion
due to:
A. increased thickness of the alveolar capillary membrane
B. retaining CO2
