CMC AACN EXAM LATEST 2026/ 2027 ACTUAL EXAM
TEST BANK| COMPLETE 450 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) GRADED A+| AACN CMC EXAM PREP
(BRAND NEW!!)
Question 1
A patient in the ICU has a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in
place. The nurse notes a pulmonary artery wedge pressure
(PAWP) of 18 mm Hg. What is the most appropriate
interpretation?
A. Normal left ventricular filling pressure
B. Elevated left ventricular filling pressure
C. Decreased right ventricular preload
D. Elevated right ventricular afterload
Answer: B. Elevated left ventricular filling pressure
1
,Rationale: PAWP reflects left ventricular end-diastolic pressure
(LVEDP). Normal PAWP is 4–12 mm Hg. A PAWP of 18 mm Hg
indicates elevated left ventricular filling pressure, which may be
due to left-sided heart failure or fluid overload .
Question 2
Which of the following hemodynamic parameters are correctly
matched with their normal values? (Select All That Apply)
A. Cardiac Index (CI): 2.5–4.0 L/min/m²
B. Stroke Volume (SV): 60–100 mL/beat
C. Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR): 800–1200
dynes/sec/cm⁵
D. Central Venous Pressure (CVP): 2–6 mm Hg
E. Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR): 100–250
dynes/sec/cm⁵
Answer: A, B, C, D, E
2
,Rationale: All are correct normal ranges. CI reflects cardiac
output indexed to body surface area; SV is the amount of blood
pumped per beat; SVR represents left ventricular afterload; CVP
reflects right ventricular preload; PVR represents right ventricular
afterload .
Question 3
A patient with septic shock has a cardiac output (CO) of 8 L/min
and a systemic vascular resistance (SVR) of 400 dynes/sec/cm⁵.
Which of the following hemodynamic profiles best describes this
patient?
A. High CO, high SVR (hypertensive shock)
B. High CO, low SVR (distributive shock)
C. Low CO, high SVR (cardiogenic shock)
D. Low CO, low SVR (obstructive shock)
Answer: B. High CO, low SVR (distributive shock)
3
, Rationale: Septic shock is a classic example of distributive shock,
characterized by high cardiac output (CO) due to vasodilation
and low systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Normal CO is 4–8
L/min. Normal SVR is 800–1200 dynes/sec/cm⁵. This profile is
often referred to as "warm shock" .
Question 4
A patient is in cardiogenic shock. The nurse expects to find which
of the following hemodynamic profiles?
A. Low cardiac output, high SVR
B. Low cardiac output, low SVR
C. High cardiac output, high SVR
D. High cardiac output, low SVR
Answer: A. Low cardiac output, high SVR
4
TEST BANK| COMPLETE 450 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) GRADED A+| AACN CMC EXAM PREP
(BRAND NEW!!)
Question 1
A patient in the ICU has a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in
place. The nurse notes a pulmonary artery wedge pressure
(PAWP) of 18 mm Hg. What is the most appropriate
interpretation?
A. Normal left ventricular filling pressure
B. Elevated left ventricular filling pressure
C. Decreased right ventricular preload
D. Elevated right ventricular afterload
Answer: B. Elevated left ventricular filling pressure
1
,Rationale: PAWP reflects left ventricular end-diastolic pressure
(LVEDP). Normal PAWP is 4–12 mm Hg. A PAWP of 18 mm Hg
indicates elevated left ventricular filling pressure, which may be
due to left-sided heart failure or fluid overload .
Question 2
Which of the following hemodynamic parameters are correctly
matched with their normal values? (Select All That Apply)
A. Cardiac Index (CI): 2.5–4.0 L/min/m²
B. Stroke Volume (SV): 60–100 mL/beat
C. Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR): 800–1200
dynes/sec/cm⁵
D. Central Venous Pressure (CVP): 2–6 mm Hg
E. Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR): 100–250
dynes/sec/cm⁵
Answer: A, B, C, D, E
2
,Rationale: All are correct normal ranges. CI reflects cardiac
output indexed to body surface area; SV is the amount of blood
pumped per beat; SVR represents left ventricular afterload; CVP
reflects right ventricular preload; PVR represents right ventricular
afterload .
Question 3
A patient with septic shock has a cardiac output (CO) of 8 L/min
and a systemic vascular resistance (SVR) of 400 dynes/sec/cm⁵.
Which of the following hemodynamic profiles best describes this
patient?
A. High CO, high SVR (hypertensive shock)
B. High CO, low SVR (distributive shock)
C. Low CO, high SVR (cardiogenic shock)
D. Low CO, low SVR (obstructive shock)
Answer: B. High CO, low SVR (distributive shock)
3
, Rationale: Septic shock is a classic example of distributive shock,
characterized by high cardiac output (CO) due to vasodilation
and low systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Normal CO is 4–8
L/min. Normal SVR is 800–1200 dynes/sec/cm⁵. This profile is
often referred to as "warm shock" .
Question 4
A patient is in cardiogenic shock. The nurse expects to find which
of the following hemodynamic profiles?
A. Low cardiac output, high SVR
B. Low cardiac output, low SVR
C. High cardiac output, high SVR
D. High cardiac output, low SVR
Answer: A. Low cardiac output, high SVR
4
