NURS 120 | Medical-Surgical Nursing | Cardiovascular Disorders 2026
|WCU
1. A patient with heart failure is prescribed Furosemide. Which laboratory value
should the nurse prioritize for monitoring?
A. Blood Urea Nitrogen
B. Serum Sodium
C. Serum Potassium
D. Serum Calcium
Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes the excretion of potassium.
Hypokalemia can predispose the patient to life-threatening dysrhythmias and digoxin
toxicity.
2. Which clinical manifestation is most characteristic of right-sided heart failure?
A. Pulmonary crackles
B. Peripheral edema
C. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
D. Orthopnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Right-sided heart failure leads to systemic venous congestion, causing
peripheral edema, jugular venous distention, and hepatomegaly. The other options refer to
left-sided heart failure.
,3. A patient presents with crushing chest pain radiating to the left jaw. What is
the priority nursing action?
A. Obtain a 12-lead EKG
B. Administer morphine IV
C. Assess the patient’s blood pressure
D. Draw blood for troponin levels
Answer: A
Rationale: A 12-lead EKG is the priority to determine if the patient is experiencing a
STEMI, which dictates immediate reperfusion therapy.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient post-cardiac catheterization. Which finding
requires immediate notification of the provider?
A. Presence of a faint pedal pulse
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg
C. Patient reporting mild soreness at the site
D. A hematoma forming at the insertion site
Answer: D
Rationale: A hematoma at the puncture site indicates active bleeding or arterial injury,
requiring immediate intervention to prevent hemorrhage or pseudoaneurysm.
5. What is the therapeutic INR range for a patient being treated with Warfarin
for Atrial Fibrillation?
A. 2.0 to 3.0
B. 1.0 to 2.0
C. 3.5 to 4.5
D. 0.5 to 1.5
Answer: A
Rationale: For most patients on Warfarin for AFib, the target INR is 2.0 to 3.0 to balance
stroke prevention and bleeding risk.
, 6. Which EKG change is most indicative of myocardial ischemia?
A. ST-segment elevation
B. ST-segment depression
C. Pathologic Q waves
D. Tall, peaked T waves
Answer: B
Rationale: ST-segment depression or T-wave inversion signifies ischemia. ST elevation
indicates injury (infarction), and Q waves indicate past necrosis.
7. A patient with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) complains of pain while
walking that resolves with rest. How should the nurse document this?
A. Rest pain
B. Venous insufficiency
C. Intermittent claudication
D. Neuropathic pain
Answer: C
Rationale: Intermittent claudication is the classic symptom of PAD, caused by muscle
ischemia during exercise that is relieved by rest.
8. Which medication is considered the ‘gold standard’ for immediate treatment
of acute anginal pain?
A. Nitroglycerin
B. Aspirin
C. Metoprolol
D. Atorvastatin
Answer: A
Rationale: Sublingual nitroglycerin acts rapidly as a vasodilator to improve coronary blood
flow and reduce myocardial oxygen demand.
|WCU
1. A patient with heart failure is prescribed Furosemide. Which laboratory value
should the nurse prioritize for monitoring?
A. Blood Urea Nitrogen
B. Serum Sodium
C. Serum Potassium
D. Serum Calcium
Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes the excretion of potassium.
Hypokalemia can predispose the patient to life-threatening dysrhythmias and digoxin
toxicity.
2. Which clinical manifestation is most characteristic of right-sided heart failure?
A. Pulmonary crackles
B. Peripheral edema
C. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
D. Orthopnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Right-sided heart failure leads to systemic venous congestion, causing
peripheral edema, jugular venous distention, and hepatomegaly. The other options refer to
left-sided heart failure.
,3. A patient presents with crushing chest pain radiating to the left jaw. What is
the priority nursing action?
A. Obtain a 12-lead EKG
B. Administer morphine IV
C. Assess the patient’s blood pressure
D. Draw blood for troponin levels
Answer: A
Rationale: A 12-lead EKG is the priority to determine if the patient is experiencing a
STEMI, which dictates immediate reperfusion therapy.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient post-cardiac catheterization. Which finding
requires immediate notification of the provider?
A. Presence of a faint pedal pulse
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg
C. Patient reporting mild soreness at the site
D. A hematoma forming at the insertion site
Answer: D
Rationale: A hematoma at the puncture site indicates active bleeding or arterial injury,
requiring immediate intervention to prevent hemorrhage or pseudoaneurysm.
5. What is the therapeutic INR range for a patient being treated with Warfarin
for Atrial Fibrillation?
A. 2.0 to 3.0
B. 1.0 to 2.0
C. 3.5 to 4.5
D. 0.5 to 1.5
Answer: A
Rationale: For most patients on Warfarin for AFib, the target INR is 2.0 to 3.0 to balance
stroke prevention and bleeding risk.
, 6. Which EKG change is most indicative of myocardial ischemia?
A. ST-segment elevation
B. ST-segment depression
C. Pathologic Q waves
D. Tall, peaked T waves
Answer: B
Rationale: ST-segment depression or T-wave inversion signifies ischemia. ST elevation
indicates injury (infarction), and Q waves indicate past necrosis.
7. A patient with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) complains of pain while
walking that resolves with rest. How should the nurse document this?
A. Rest pain
B. Venous insufficiency
C. Intermittent claudication
D. Neuropathic pain
Answer: C
Rationale: Intermittent claudication is the classic symptom of PAD, caused by muscle
ischemia during exercise that is relieved by rest.
8. Which medication is considered the ‘gold standard’ for immediate treatment
of acute anginal pain?
A. Nitroglycerin
B. Aspirin
C. Metoprolol
D. Atorvastatin
Answer: A
Rationale: Sublingual nitroglycerin acts rapidly as a vasodilator to improve coronary blood
flow and reduce myocardial oxygen demand.
