RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
You want to assess for jugular vein distention (JVD). What position would be BEST? -
Correct Answer ✔Position patient on their back with head of bed at 30 to 45 degrees.
Your patient with triple cardiac bypass surgery is post-op day 3. Chest tubes have been
removed. They suddenly report palpitations. Their blood pressure is 130/76 and heart
rate is 140 bpm. What would you do NEXT? -Correct Answer ✔Perform a bedside EKG
Your patient has a history of renal insufficiency. What class of analgesics would MOST
likely be contraindicated for them? -Correct Answer ✔Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
medications
Your patient is acutely ill. What route of medication administration would likely be
LEAST effective? -Correct Answer ✔Intramuscular
You are working with the code team to resuscitate a patient in ventricular fibrillation.
Chest compressions are ongoing and the patient has been shocked twice. What
emergency medication, if any, would you administer at this juncture? -Correct Answer
✔Epinephrine (Adrenaline) 1 mg IV
Your patient is on anticoagulant medication. You are discharging them and provide
patient education.
Which statement by your patient indicates an understanding of the education? -Correct
Answer ✔I will not take ibuprofen (Motrin®) every day
Your non-verbal patient is alert. What type of pain assessment would be appropriate? -
Correct Answer ✔• Visual pain scale
• Verbal descriptive scale
• Vital signs assessment to approximate pain
• Behavioral pain scale (Wrong)
Your patient has returned from the cath lab post angioplasty. Upon assessment you
note a large hematoma at the sheath site. What would be your immediate action? -
Correct Answer ✔Apply manual pressure to the site and call for help.
Your patient has new onset seizures. They ask you what they should know about taking
levetiracetam (Keppra®). What would be your BEST response? -Correct Answer
✔Common side effects are fatigue and depression
Your patient with cardiac bypass surgery is post-op day 2. The nursing assistant reports
that your patient has a temp of 101.3°F and blood pressure of 82/56. Their urine output
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
, RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
has decreased to less than 30 mL in the past 4 hours. You suspect a post-surgery
complication. After calling the physician you receive orders for STAT CBC, CMP, and
coagulation test. What results would you expect to see after these labs are completed?
-Correct Answer ✔WBC greater than 19,000
What is an adequate amount of urine output? -Correct Answer ✔30 mL/hr
Your patient has left ventricular failure. What clinical manifestations would you expect to
see? -Correct Answer ✔Dyspnea, distant heart sounds, bilateral crackles
You are caring for your patient with an order for furosemide (Lasix®) 80 mg BID. What
would be your MOST appropriate action? -Correct Answer ✔Call provider to clarify the
order.
Your patient is in cardiac arrest. Chest compressions are being performed.
Capnography indicates the end-tidal CO2 is 18 mmg. What do the capnography results
indicate about the chest compressions? -Correct Answer ✔No changes. These are high
quality compressions.
What is required before making a report of elder abuse? -Correct Answer ✔Suspicion of
abuse
You receive your patient with pneumonia from the ED. Antibiotics and steroids have
been initiated by the provider. The patient reports abdominal pain and has a large loose
bowel movement. They inform you this is their third bowel movement in the last two
hours. What would you do FIRST? -Correct Answer ✔Initiate enteric contact isolation
precautions for possible C. diff
Your patient has developed sepsis from an indwelling urinary catheter. What would be
your PRIORITY intervention? -Correct Answer ✔Remove catheter.
Your patient is in third degree heart block. What treatment would you MOST likely
expect to be implemented? -Correct Answer ✔Pacemaker
What are 2 nursing interventions to prevent venous thromboembolism? -Correct Answer
✔• Adequate hydration and early mobilization.
• Hemodynamic monitoring and early mobilization. (Wrong)
• Adequate hydration and encouraging a steady amount of green leafy vegetables in
diet.
• Hemodynamic monitoring and encouraging a steady amount of green leafy vegetables
in diet.
Your patient is post left pneumonectomy. They have a chest tube in place for drainage.
What would be a PRIORITY in your care? -Correct Answer ✔Encourage patient to
cough and deep breathe
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
You want to assess for jugular vein distention (JVD). What position would be BEST? -
Correct Answer ✔Position patient on their back with head of bed at 30 to 45 degrees.
Your patient with triple cardiac bypass surgery is post-op day 3. Chest tubes have been
removed. They suddenly report palpitations. Their blood pressure is 130/76 and heart
rate is 140 bpm. What would you do NEXT? -Correct Answer ✔Perform a bedside EKG
Your patient has a history of renal insufficiency. What class of analgesics would MOST
likely be contraindicated for them? -Correct Answer ✔Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
medications
Your patient is acutely ill. What route of medication administration would likely be
LEAST effective? -Correct Answer ✔Intramuscular
You are working with the code team to resuscitate a patient in ventricular fibrillation.
Chest compressions are ongoing and the patient has been shocked twice. What
emergency medication, if any, would you administer at this juncture? -Correct Answer
✔Epinephrine (Adrenaline) 1 mg IV
Your patient is on anticoagulant medication. You are discharging them and provide
patient education.
Which statement by your patient indicates an understanding of the education? -Correct
Answer ✔I will not take ibuprofen (Motrin®) every day
Your non-verbal patient is alert. What type of pain assessment would be appropriate? -
Correct Answer ✔• Visual pain scale
• Verbal descriptive scale
• Vital signs assessment to approximate pain
• Behavioral pain scale (Wrong)
Your patient has returned from the cath lab post angioplasty. Upon assessment you
note a large hematoma at the sheath site. What would be your immediate action? -
Correct Answer ✔Apply manual pressure to the site and call for help.
Your patient has new onset seizures. They ask you what they should know about taking
levetiracetam (Keppra®). What would be your BEST response? -Correct Answer
✔Common side effects are fatigue and depression
Your patient with cardiac bypass surgery is post-op day 2. The nursing assistant reports
that your patient has a temp of 101.3°F and blood pressure of 82/56. Their urine output
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
, RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
has decreased to less than 30 mL in the past 4 hours. You suspect a post-surgery
complication. After calling the physician you receive orders for STAT CBC, CMP, and
coagulation test. What results would you expect to see after these labs are completed?
-Correct Answer ✔WBC greater than 19,000
What is an adequate amount of urine output? -Correct Answer ✔30 mL/hr
Your patient has left ventricular failure. What clinical manifestations would you expect to
see? -Correct Answer ✔Dyspnea, distant heart sounds, bilateral crackles
You are caring for your patient with an order for furosemide (Lasix®) 80 mg BID. What
would be your MOST appropriate action? -Correct Answer ✔Call provider to clarify the
order.
Your patient is in cardiac arrest. Chest compressions are being performed.
Capnography indicates the end-tidal CO2 is 18 mmg. What do the capnography results
indicate about the chest compressions? -Correct Answer ✔No changes. These are high
quality compressions.
What is required before making a report of elder abuse? -Correct Answer ✔Suspicion of
abuse
You receive your patient with pneumonia from the ED. Antibiotics and steroids have
been initiated by the provider. The patient reports abdominal pain and has a large loose
bowel movement. They inform you this is their third bowel movement in the last two
hours. What would you do FIRST? -Correct Answer ✔Initiate enteric contact isolation
precautions for possible C. diff
Your patient has developed sepsis from an indwelling urinary catheter. What would be
your PRIORITY intervention? -Correct Answer ✔Remove catheter.
Your patient is in third degree heart block. What treatment would you MOST likely
expect to be implemented? -Correct Answer ✔Pacemaker
What are 2 nursing interventions to prevent venous thromboembolism? -Correct Answer
✔• Adequate hydration and early mobilization.
• Hemodynamic monitoring and early mobilization. (Wrong)
• Adequate hydration and encouraging a steady amount of green leafy vegetables in
diet.
• Hemodynamic monitoring and encouraging a steady amount of green leafy vegetables
in diet.
Your patient is post left pneumonectomy. They have a chest tube in place for drainage.
What would be a PRIORITY in your care? -Correct Answer ✔Encourage patient to
cough and deep breathe
RN PROGRESSIVE CARE EXAM
