Critical Care Final Exam!
A new area of hyperresonance is noted during chest wall percussion of a patient who is
receiving continuous mechanical ventilation. The most likely cause for this finding is: -
ANSPneumothorax
What lab test can be used as a screening tool for CHF? - ANSBrain Natriuretic Peptide
(BNP)
Which of the following represents the characteristics of Sinus Tachycardia:
I. Atrial rate of 250-350/minute
II. no identifiable P waves, erratic, wavy baseline
III.regular ventricular rhythm at a rate of 100-160 beats/min
IV. QRS duration of <.12 seconds - ANSIII & IV
A chest tube to drain a hemothorax should be placed in the: - ANS5th intercostal space,
midaxillary line
which of the following include factors that may cause obstruction of an artificial airway?
I. foreign objects such as dentures
II. mucus plugging
III. rapid mobilization of secretions from the lung
IV. vocal cord paralysis - ANSII & III
Bobby is a 22yo male who was involved in a MVA. He suffered spinal cord damage at C2-3.
What would you expect to find during your assessment of Bobby's breathing? - ANSunable
to breathe on his own, supported by mechanical ventilation
The highest percentage of water in the body is found in which fluid compartment? -
ANSIntracellular
Which of the following indicates adequate tissue perfusion in the critically ill patient?
I. warm extremities
II. capillary refill time of 6 seconds
III. urinary output of 40 mL/hr - ANSI & II
A 40yo male was involved in a serious MVA and taken to the nearest hospital emergency
department. The paramedics report that the man was not wearing his seat belt at the time of
the collision. Upon physical exam, he was noted to have pain and tenderness to the chest.
What would you expect to find in this patient? - ANSparadoxical chest wall movement
What rhythm has the potential of changing into a lethal rhythm? - ANSventricular escape
rhythm
Hypokalemia (low potassium levels) may be caused from which of the following?
, I. diuretic therapy
II. corticosteroids
III. renin-angiotensin
IV. aldosterone - ANSI & II
Which of the following is true regarding physical assessment findings with pneumothorax?
I. common symptoms include dyspnea and chest pain
II. it results in an increased resonance to percussion
III. it will decrease vital capacity
IV. tactile fremitus will be increased - ANSI, II, & III
T/F: A falling arterial blood pressure is an early sign of decreased cardiac output. -
ANSFalse
If drainage from a mediastinal chest tube suddenly decreases, the patient may rapidly
develop: - ANScardiac tamponade
Bradycardia is related to what? - ANSvagal nerve stimulation
Following thoracic surgery, patients experience pain and stress. If pain is not treated, which
of the following will occur?
I. decrease in clotting time
II. increased oxygen consumption
III. decreased oxygen delivery to the tissues
IV. increased vital capacity - ANSII & III
What is associated with increased rate and depth of ventilation? - ANShypoxemia
Why is the electrical impulse temporarity delayed at the atrioventricular (AV) node? To allow:
- ANSbetter filling of the ventricles
What is the ventricular heart rate when the AV node paces the heart? - ANS40-60 beats/min
What is represented by the P wave on the ECG tracing? - ANSdepolarization of the atria
What does the QRS complex represent? - ANSdepolarization of the ventricles
What is the normal range for the PR interval? - ANS0.12-0.2 seconds
The normal QRS complex does not exceed what time on the horizontal axis? - ANS0.12
seconds
What does the T wave on the ECG represent? - ANSventricular repolarization
If the ventricles become the dominant pacemaker of the hear, the ventricular rate would be
____ beats per minute. - ANS20-40
A new area of hyperresonance is noted during chest wall percussion of a patient who is
receiving continuous mechanical ventilation. The most likely cause for this finding is: -
ANSPneumothorax
What lab test can be used as a screening tool for CHF? - ANSBrain Natriuretic Peptide
(BNP)
Which of the following represents the characteristics of Sinus Tachycardia:
I. Atrial rate of 250-350/minute
II. no identifiable P waves, erratic, wavy baseline
III.regular ventricular rhythm at a rate of 100-160 beats/min
IV. QRS duration of <.12 seconds - ANSIII & IV
A chest tube to drain a hemothorax should be placed in the: - ANS5th intercostal space,
midaxillary line
which of the following include factors that may cause obstruction of an artificial airway?
I. foreign objects such as dentures
II. mucus plugging
III. rapid mobilization of secretions from the lung
IV. vocal cord paralysis - ANSII & III
Bobby is a 22yo male who was involved in a MVA. He suffered spinal cord damage at C2-3.
What would you expect to find during your assessment of Bobby's breathing? - ANSunable
to breathe on his own, supported by mechanical ventilation
The highest percentage of water in the body is found in which fluid compartment? -
ANSIntracellular
Which of the following indicates adequate tissue perfusion in the critically ill patient?
I. warm extremities
II. capillary refill time of 6 seconds
III. urinary output of 40 mL/hr - ANSI & II
A 40yo male was involved in a serious MVA and taken to the nearest hospital emergency
department. The paramedics report that the man was not wearing his seat belt at the time of
the collision. Upon physical exam, he was noted to have pain and tenderness to the chest.
What would you expect to find in this patient? - ANSparadoxical chest wall movement
What rhythm has the potential of changing into a lethal rhythm? - ANSventricular escape
rhythm
Hypokalemia (low potassium levels) may be caused from which of the following?
, I. diuretic therapy
II. corticosteroids
III. renin-angiotensin
IV. aldosterone - ANSI & II
Which of the following is true regarding physical assessment findings with pneumothorax?
I. common symptoms include dyspnea and chest pain
II. it results in an increased resonance to percussion
III. it will decrease vital capacity
IV. tactile fremitus will be increased - ANSI, II, & III
T/F: A falling arterial blood pressure is an early sign of decreased cardiac output. -
ANSFalse
If drainage from a mediastinal chest tube suddenly decreases, the patient may rapidly
develop: - ANScardiac tamponade
Bradycardia is related to what? - ANSvagal nerve stimulation
Following thoracic surgery, patients experience pain and stress. If pain is not treated, which
of the following will occur?
I. decrease in clotting time
II. increased oxygen consumption
III. decreased oxygen delivery to the tissues
IV. increased vital capacity - ANSII & III
What is associated with increased rate and depth of ventilation? - ANShypoxemia
Why is the electrical impulse temporarity delayed at the atrioventricular (AV) node? To allow:
- ANSbetter filling of the ventricles
What is the ventricular heart rate when the AV node paces the heart? - ANS40-60 beats/min
What is represented by the P wave on the ECG tracing? - ANSdepolarization of the atria
What does the QRS complex represent? - ANSdepolarization of the ventricles
What is the normal range for the PR interval? - ANS0.12-0.2 seconds
The normal QRS complex does not exceed what time on the horizontal axis? - ANS0.12
seconds
What does the T wave on the ECG represent? - ANSventricular repolarization
If the ventricles become the dominant pacemaker of the hear, the ventricular rate would be
____ beats per minute. - ANS20-40
