AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
1. certify nurses; protect consumer by establishing high AACN
standards of professional practice
2. certification for nurses who provide care in critically ill CCRN
adult, pediatric, or neonatal populations
3. certification for nurses who provide acute care in pro- PCCN
gressive care, telemetry, and similar units
4. certification for critical care managers and leaders CNML
5. certification for acute and critical care clinical nurse CCNS
specialists
6. meta-analysis or metasynthesis studies; results con- Level A (Scale for Rating
sistently support specific action, intervention, or treat- Research Evidence)
ment
7. randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies; Level B (Scale for Rating
results consistently support specific action, interven- Research Evidence)
tion, or treatment
8. qualitative, descriptive, or correlational studies, re- Level C (Scale for Rating
views, or trials with inconsistent results Research Evidence)
9. Peer-reviewed with clinical studies to support recom- Level D (Scale for Rating
mendations Research Evidence)
10. theory-based evidence from expert opinions Level E (Scale for Rating
Research Evidence)
11. Manufacturer's recommendation only Level M (Scale for Rating
Research Evidence)
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
12. Communication technique that assesses concerns be- Ask-Tell-Ask (Communica-
fore providing info tion)
13. being aware of one's surroundings Situational Awareness
(Communication)
14. Assessment that involves structural, developmental, Calgary Family Assess-
and functional assessments ment
15. Provide structure for planning and carrying out family Family Bundle
care; based on 5 concepts: evaluate, plan; involve;
communicate; support (EPICS)
16. widely applied ethical approach based of 4 fundamen- Principlism
tal moral principles to contemporary ethical dilem-
mas; respect for autonomy; beneficence; nonmalefi-
cence; justice
17. the duty to provide benefits to others when in a posi- Beneficence
tion to do so, to help balance harms and benefits; the
benefits of an action should outweigh the burdens
18. states that care should not be given if it is futile in Futility
terms of improving comfort or the medical outcome
19. states that persons are obligated to tell the truth in Veracity
their communication with others
20. requires that one has a moral duty to be faithful to the Fidelity
commitments made to others
21. competence (capacity); voluntariness; disclosure of in- Elements of Informed
formation Consent
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
22. a witnessed written document or oral statement vol- Living Will
untarily executed by a person that expresses the per-
son's instructions concerning life-prolonging proce-
dure; not legally binding in some states
23. a competent adult, not designated to make health Proxy
care decisions for an incapacitated person, but is au-
thorized by state statute to make healthcare decisions
for the person
24. a competent adult designated by a person to make Surrogate
health care decisions should that person become in-
capacitated
25. requires that all healthcare facilities that receive Patient Self-Determina-
medicare or medicaid funding inform their patients tion act (End-of-life issue)
about their right to initiate an advance directive and
the right to consent to or refuse medical treatment
26. Priority should be anticipating patient symptoms; as- Withholding, Limiting, or
sessment of patient response; titration of therapy Withdrawing Therapy
to relieve emotional and physical distress; common
meds used are analgesics (ie. Morphine) and anxiolyt-
ics (ie. benzodiazepines)
27. Known as "terminal weaning"; consist of titration of Ventilator WIthdrawal
ventilator support to minimal levels, removal of venti-
lator, but not artificial airway, or complete extubation;
titrate pain meds and sedation as needed to relieve
symptoms of respiratory distress
28. Commonly withheld ther-
apy
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
vasopressors; antibiotics; done when goal of treat-
ment shift to palliation instead of cure; address these
before withdrawing or withholding ventilation
29. life-sustaining treatment should not be withdrawn Ethical Principles for with-
while patient is receiving paralytic agents. When par- holding and withdrawing
alytic drugs are discontinued, patient must demon- life-sustaining treatment
strate sufficient motor activity to allow thorough clin-
ical assessment before withdrawal of support
30. Used to titrate therapies to a specific end point; detect Hemodynamic Assess-
inadequate tissue perfusion; quantify severity of dis- ment
ease; and guide therapy
31. 4 to 8 L/minute normal cardiac output
(CO) (hemodynamic val-
ues)
32. 2 to 6 mm Hg normal central venous
pressure (CVP) and Right
atrial pressure (RAP) (he-
modynamic values)
33. 60 to 130 mL/beat Normal stroke volume
(SV) (hemodynamic val-
ues)
34. 60% to 75% normal mixed venous O2
sat (SvO2) (hemodynamic
values)
35. 65% to 85% Normal central venous O2
sat (ScvO2)
8/22/2026
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
1. certify nurses; protect consumer by establishing high AACN
standards of professional practice
2. certification for nurses who provide care in critically ill CCRN
adult, pediatric, or neonatal populations
3. certification for nurses who provide acute care in pro- PCCN
gressive care, telemetry, and similar units
4. certification for critical care managers and leaders CNML
5. certification for acute and critical care clinical nurse CCNS
specialists
6. meta-analysis or metasynthesis studies; results con- Level A (Scale for Rating
sistently support specific action, intervention, or treat- Research Evidence)
ment
7. randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies; Level B (Scale for Rating
results consistently support specific action, interven- Research Evidence)
tion, or treatment
8. qualitative, descriptive, or correlational studies, re- Level C (Scale for Rating
views, or trials with inconsistent results Research Evidence)
9. Peer-reviewed with clinical studies to support recom- Level D (Scale for Rating
mendations Research Evidence)
10. theory-based evidence from expert opinions Level E (Scale for Rating
Research Evidence)
11. Manufacturer's recommendation only Level M (Scale for Rating
Research Evidence)
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
12. Communication technique that assesses concerns be- Ask-Tell-Ask (Communica-
fore providing info tion)
13. being aware of one's surroundings Situational Awareness
(Communication)
14. Assessment that involves structural, developmental, Calgary Family Assess-
and functional assessments ment
15. Provide structure for planning and carrying out family Family Bundle
care; based on 5 concepts: evaluate, plan; involve;
communicate; support (EPICS)
16. widely applied ethical approach based of 4 fundamen- Principlism
tal moral principles to contemporary ethical dilem-
mas; respect for autonomy; beneficence; nonmalefi-
cence; justice
17. the duty to provide benefits to others when in a posi- Beneficence
tion to do so, to help balance harms and benefits; the
benefits of an action should outweigh the burdens
18. states that care should not be given if it is futile in Futility
terms of improving comfort or the medical outcome
19. states that persons are obligated to tell the truth in Veracity
their communication with others
20. requires that one has a moral duty to be faithful to the Fidelity
commitments made to others
21. competence (capacity); voluntariness; disclosure of in- Elements of Informed
formation Consent
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
22. a witnessed written document or oral statement vol- Living Will
untarily executed by a person that expresses the per-
son's instructions concerning life-prolonging proce-
dure; not legally binding in some states
23. a competent adult, not designated to make health Proxy
care decisions for an incapacitated person, but is au-
thorized by state statute to make healthcare decisions
for the person
24. a competent adult designated by a person to make Surrogate
health care decisions should that person become in-
capacitated
25. requires that all healthcare facilities that receive Patient Self-Determina-
medicare or medicaid funding inform their patients tion act (End-of-life issue)
about their right to initiate an advance directive and
the right to consent to or refuse medical treatment
26. Priority should be anticipating patient symptoms; as- Withholding, Limiting, or
sessment of patient response; titration of therapy Withdrawing Therapy
to relieve emotional and physical distress; common
meds used are analgesics (ie. Morphine) and anxiolyt-
ics (ie. benzodiazepines)
27. Known as "terminal weaning"; consist of titration of Ventilator WIthdrawal
ventilator support to minimal levels, removal of venti-
lator, but not artificial airway, or complete extubation;
titrate pain meds and sedation as needed to relieve
symptoms of respiratory distress
28. Commonly withheld ther-
apy
8/22/2026
, AACN Certification CCRN-PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
AACN Certification CCRN/PCCN Critical Care Exam 1
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_hufz04
vasopressors; antibiotics; done when goal of treat-
ment shift to palliation instead of cure; address these
before withdrawing or withholding ventilation
29. life-sustaining treatment should not be withdrawn Ethical Principles for with-
while patient is receiving paralytic agents. When par- holding and withdrawing
alytic drugs are discontinued, patient must demon- life-sustaining treatment
strate sufficient motor activity to allow thorough clin-
ical assessment before withdrawal of support
30. Used to titrate therapies to a specific end point; detect Hemodynamic Assess-
inadequate tissue perfusion; quantify severity of dis- ment
ease; and guide therapy
31. 4 to 8 L/minute normal cardiac output
(CO) (hemodynamic val-
ues)
32. 2 to 6 mm Hg normal central venous
pressure (CVP) and Right
atrial pressure (RAP) (he-
modynamic values)
33. 60 to 130 mL/beat Normal stroke volume
(SV) (hemodynamic val-
ues)
34. 60% to 75% normal mixed venous O2
sat (SvO2) (hemodynamic
values)
35. 65% to 85% Normal central venous O2
sat (ScvO2)
8/22/2026
