CRITICAL CARE FINAL EXAM AND QUIZ QUESTIONS | COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE, NCLEX-
STYLE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
Immediately following placement of an endotracheal tube, correct position of the tube can be
confirmed by:
A. arterial blood gases
B. a cuff pressure manometer
C. an end-tidal CO2 detector
D. observation of suctioned secretions - correct answer ✔✔C. an end-tidal CO2 detector
The following intervention(s) can decrease the incidence of pneumonia in patients with
endotracheal tubes in place:
A. brush teeth with a soft brush
B. brush tongue and gums with a foam swab
C. suction oropharynx above the tube cuff
D. all of the above - correct answer ✔✔D. all of the above
Complications of endotracheal intubation include all the following except:
A. pulmonary edema
B. vomiting and aspiration
C. trauma to the oropharynx
D. hypoxemia - correct answer ✔✔A. pulmonary edema
One common indication that an intubated patient needs suctioning is:
A. decreased level of consciousness
B. gastric distention
C. coughing
,D. high pO2 levels - correct answer ✔✔C. coughing
When suctioning an endotracheal tube, measures are taken to prevent the following
complication:
A. hypercapnea
B. hypoxemia
C. pneumothorax
D. hemothorax - correct answer ✔✔B. hypoxemia
The ventilator mode that delivers a preset pressure to augment the patient's own respiratory
efforts is:
A. pressure-support ventilation (PSV)
B. continuous mandatory ventilation (CMV)
C. intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)
D. high frequency ventilation (HFV) - correct answer ✔✔A. pressure-support ventilation (PSV)
One of the evidence-based interventions used to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia is:
A. injecting saline into the tube when suctioning
B. changing the ventilator tubing every day
C. hyper-inflating the lungs once an hour
D. elevating the head of the bed 30 degrees or more - correct answer ✔✔D. elevating the head
of the bed 30 degrees or more
All ofthe following parameters indicate a patient is ready to be weaned from the ventilator
except:
A. adequate tidal volume measurements
B. stable hemodynamics
, C. spontaneous breathing effort
D. decreased level of consciousness - correct answer ✔✔D. decreased level of consciousness
During weaning from the ventilator, important nursing interventions include all the following
except:
A. assess patient for hypoxia
B. administer ample pharmacologic sedation
C. communicate progress to the patient
D. monitor patient for respiratory muscle fatigue (e.g. increased respiratory rate or decreased
tidal volume) - correct answer ✔✔B. administer ample pharmacologic sedation
Key outcomes of the ABCDE Bundle include all of the following except:
A. decreased incidence of delirium
B. decreased muscle weakness
C. decreased malnutrition
D. decreased time on the ventilator - correct answer ✔✔C. decreased malnutrition
A young man has been hit in the head with a baseball. The mechanism of injury here is best
described as:
A. accidental trauma
B. penetrating trauma
C. blunt trauma
D. preventable trauma - correct answer ✔✔C. blunt trauma
The primary survey of a trauma patient begins with assessment of the following:
A. level of consciousness
B. sites of obvious bleeding
STYLE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
Immediately following placement of an endotracheal tube, correct position of the tube can be
confirmed by:
A. arterial blood gases
B. a cuff pressure manometer
C. an end-tidal CO2 detector
D. observation of suctioned secretions - correct answer ✔✔C. an end-tidal CO2 detector
The following intervention(s) can decrease the incidence of pneumonia in patients with
endotracheal tubes in place:
A. brush teeth with a soft brush
B. brush tongue and gums with a foam swab
C. suction oropharynx above the tube cuff
D. all of the above - correct answer ✔✔D. all of the above
Complications of endotracheal intubation include all the following except:
A. pulmonary edema
B. vomiting and aspiration
C. trauma to the oropharynx
D. hypoxemia - correct answer ✔✔A. pulmonary edema
One common indication that an intubated patient needs suctioning is:
A. decreased level of consciousness
B. gastric distention
C. coughing
,D. high pO2 levels - correct answer ✔✔C. coughing
When suctioning an endotracheal tube, measures are taken to prevent the following
complication:
A. hypercapnea
B. hypoxemia
C. pneumothorax
D. hemothorax - correct answer ✔✔B. hypoxemia
The ventilator mode that delivers a preset pressure to augment the patient's own respiratory
efforts is:
A. pressure-support ventilation (PSV)
B. continuous mandatory ventilation (CMV)
C. intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)
D. high frequency ventilation (HFV) - correct answer ✔✔A. pressure-support ventilation (PSV)
One of the evidence-based interventions used to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia is:
A. injecting saline into the tube when suctioning
B. changing the ventilator tubing every day
C. hyper-inflating the lungs once an hour
D. elevating the head of the bed 30 degrees or more - correct answer ✔✔D. elevating the head
of the bed 30 degrees or more
All ofthe following parameters indicate a patient is ready to be weaned from the ventilator
except:
A. adequate tidal volume measurements
B. stable hemodynamics
, C. spontaneous breathing effort
D. decreased level of consciousness - correct answer ✔✔D. decreased level of consciousness
During weaning from the ventilator, important nursing interventions include all the following
except:
A. assess patient for hypoxia
B. administer ample pharmacologic sedation
C. communicate progress to the patient
D. monitor patient for respiratory muscle fatigue (e.g. increased respiratory rate or decreased
tidal volume) - correct answer ✔✔B. administer ample pharmacologic sedation
Key outcomes of the ABCDE Bundle include all of the following except:
A. decreased incidence of delirium
B. decreased muscle weakness
C. decreased malnutrition
D. decreased time on the ventilator - correct answer ✔✔C. decreased malnutrition
A young man has been hit in the head with a baseball. The mechanism of injury here is best
described as:
A. accidental trauma
B. penetrating trauma
C. blunt trauma
D. preventable trauma - correct answer ✔✔C. blunt trauma
The primary survey of a trauma patient begins with assessment of the following:
A. level of consciousness
B. sites of obvious bleeding
