ATI MEDICAL SURGICAL CARDIOVASCULAR PROCTORED EXAM
BANK QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
(2026/2027) / A+ GRADE (3 EXAM SETS)
Ati Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam …………………………….. SET 1
Ati Rn Targeted Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Online Practice …………... SET 2
Ati Cardiovascular Targeted Exam ………………………………………………………….. SET 3
SET 1
A nurse is watching a client's ECG monitor and notes that the client's rhythm has
changed from a normal sinus rhythm to supraventricular tachycardia. The client is
conscious with a HR of 200-210 bpm and has a faint radial pulse. The nurse should
anticipate assisting with which of the following interventions?
A. Initiate chest compressions
b. Vagal stimulation
c. Administration of atropine IV
d. Defibrillation - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- b. Vagal stimulation
A nurse is caring for a client in the first hour following an aortic aneurysm repair.
Which of the following findings can indicate shock and should be reported to the
provider?
A. Serosanguinous drainage on dressing
B. Severe pain with coughing
C. Urine output of 20 ml/hr
D. Increase in temp from 36.C (98.2F)- 37.5C (99.5F) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- C.
Urine output of 20 ml/hr
1|Page
,nurse is caring for a client who has endocarditis. Which of the following findings
should the nurse recognize as a potential complication?
A. Ventricular depolarization
B. Guillain-Barre syndrome
C. Myelodysplastic syndrome
D. Valvular disease - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Valvular disease
A nurse is assessing a client who has left-sided HF. Which of the following
manifestations should the nurse expect to find?
A. Inc abdominal girth
b. Weak peripheral pulses
c. Jugular vein distention
d. Dependent edema - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- b. Weak peripheral pulses
A nurse is caring for a client who had an onset of chest pain 24 hr ago. The nurse
should recognize that an increase in which of the following is diagnostic of a MI?
A. Myoglobin
b. C-reactive protein
c. Creatine kinase- MB
d. Homocysteine - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- c. Creatine kinase- MB
Maximal impulse = below nipple, apex of heart 5th intercostal space in
midclavicular line
2|Page
,A nurse is caring for a client who was admitted for a treatment of left-sided heart
failure with intravenous loop diuretics and digitalis therapy. The client is
experiencing weakness and an irregular heart rate. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
A. Obtain clients current weight
B. Review serum electrolyte values
C. Determine the time of the last digoxin dose
D. Check the clients urine output) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Review serum
electrolyte values
A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a client who has a prescription for the
transdermal nitroglycerin patch. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse include in the teaching?
A. Apply the new patch to the same site as the previous patch.
B. Place the patch on an area of skin away from skin folds and joints.
C. Keep the patch on 24 hr per day. D. Replace the patch at the onset of angina. -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Place the patch on an area of skin away from skin folds
and joints.
A nurse is preparing a client for coronary angiography. The nurse should report
which of the following findings to the provider prior to the procedure?
A. Hemoglobin 14.4 g/dlb. History of peripheral arterial disease.
c. Urine output 200 ml/4 hr.
D. Previous allergic reaction to shellfish - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Previous
allergic reaction to shellfish
Rationale: The contrast medium used for coronary angiography is iodine-based.
Clients who have a history of allergic reaction to shellfish often react to iodine and
might need a steroid or antihistamine prior to the procedure.
3|Page
, A nurse is assessing a client who has pulmonary edema related to heart failure.
Which of the following findings indicates effective treatment of the client's
condition?
A. Absence of adventitious breath sounds
B. Presence of a nonproductive cough
C. Decrease in respiratory rate at rest
D. Sao2 86% on room air - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. Absence of adventitious
breath sounds
A nurse is providing teaching for a client who is 2 days post-op following a heart
transplant. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the
teaching?
A. "you may no longer be able to feel chest pain."
b. "your level of activity tolerance will not change."
c. "after 6 months, you will no longer need to restrict your sodium intake."
d. "you will be able to stop taking immunosuppressants after 12 months." -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. "you may no longer be able to feel chest pain."
A nurse is caring for a client who has dilated cardiomyopathy. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Dyspnea on exertion
B. Tracheal deviation
C. Pericardial rub
D. Weight loss - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. Dyspnea on exertion
4|Page
BANK QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
(2026/2027) / A+ GRADE (3 EXAM SETS)
Ati Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam …………………………….. SET 1
Ati Rn Targeted Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Online Practice …………... SET 2
Ati Cardiovascular Targeted Exam ………………………………………………………….. SET 3
SET 1
A nurse is watching a client's ECG monitor and notes that the client's rhythm has
changed from a normal sinus rhythm to supraventricular tachycardia. The client is
conscious with a HR of 200-210 bpm and has a faint radial pulse. The nurse should
anticipate assisting with which of the following interventions?
A. Initiate chest compressions
b. Vagal stimulation
c. Administration of atropine IV
d. Defibrillation - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- b. Vagal stimulation
A nurse is caring for a client in the first hour following an aortic aneurysm repair.
Which of the following findings can indicate shock and should be reported to the
provider?
A. Serosanguinous drainage on dressing
B. Severe pain with coughing
C. Urine output of 20 ml/hr
D. Increase in temp from 36.C (98.2F)- 37.5C (99.5F) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- C.
Urine output of 20 ml/hr
1|Page
,nurse is caring for a client who has endocarditis. Which of the following findings
should the nurse recognize as a potential complication?
A. Ventricular depolarization
B. Guillain-Barre syndrome
C. Myelodysplastic syndrome
D. Valvular disease - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Valvular disease
A nurse is assessing a client who has left-sided HF. Which of the following
manifestations should the nurse expect to find?
A. Inc abdominal girth
b. Weak peripheral pulses
c. Jugular vein distention
d. Dependent edema - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- b. Weak peripheral pulses
A nurse is caring for a client who had an onset of chest pain 24 hr ago. The nurse
should recognize that an increase in which of the following is diagnostic of a MI?
A. Myoglobin
b. C-reactive protein
c. Creatine kinase- MB
d. Homocysteine - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- c. Creatine kinase- MB
Maximal impulse = below nipple, apex of heart 5th intercostal space in
midclavicular line
2|Page
,A nurse is caring for a client who was admitted for a treatment of left-sided heart
failure with intravenous loop diuretics and digitalis therapy. The client is
experiencing weakness and an irregular heart rate. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
A. Obtain clients current weight
B. Review serum electrolyte values
C. Determine the time of the last digoxin dose
D. Check the clients urine output) - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Review serum
electrolyte values
A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a client who has a prescription for the
transdermal nitroglycerin patch. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse include in the teaching?
A. Apply the new patch to the same site as the previous patch.
B. Place the patch on an area of skin away from skin folds and joints.
C. Keep the patch on 24 hr per day. D. Replace the patch at the onset of angina. -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- B. Place the patch on an area of skin away from skin folds
and joints.
A nurse is preparing a client for coronary angiography. The nurse should report
which of the following findings to the provider prior to the procedure?
A. Hemoglobin 14.4 g/dlb. History of peripheral arterial disease.
c. Urine output 200 ml/4 hr.
D. Previous allergic reaction to shellfish - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- D. Previous
allergic reaction to shellfish
Rationale: The contrast medium used for coronary angiography is iodine-based.
Clients who have a history of allergic reaction to shellfish often react to iodine and
might need a steroid or antihistamine prior to the procedure.
3|Page
, A nurse is assessing a client who has pulmonary edema related to heart failure.
Which of the following findings indicates effective treatment of the client's
condition?
A. Absence of adventitious breath sounds
B. Presence of a nonproductive cough
C. Decrease in respiratory rate at rest
D. Sao2 86% on room air - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. Absence of adventitious
breath sounds
A nurse is providing teaching for a client who is 2 days post-op following a heart
transplant. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the
teaching?
A. "you may no longer be able to feel chest pain."
b. "your level of activity tolerance will not change."
c. "after 6 months, you will no longer need to restrict your sodium intake."
d. "you will be able to stop taking immunosuppressants after 12 months." -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. "you may no longer be able to feel chest pain."
A nurse is caring for a client who has dilated cardiomyopathy. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Dyspnea on exertion
B. Tracheal deviation
C. Pericardial rub
D. Weight loss - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔- A. Dyspnea on exertion
4|Page
