NUR 211 – CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
The nurse in a medical unit is caring for a client with heart failure. The client suddenly develops
extreme dyspnea, tachycardia, and lung crackles. The nurse immediately asks another nurse to
contact the primary health care provider and prepares to implement which priority interventions?
Select all that apply:
1. Administer oxygen
2. Insert Foley catheter
3. Administer furosemide
4. Administer morphine sulfate IV
5. Transporting the client to coronary care unit
6. Placing the client in a low-Fowler's side-lying ANSW✅✅1,2,3,4
Extreme dyspnea, tachycardia, and lung crackles in a client with HF indicate pulmonary edema, a life
threatening event. The left ventricle fails to eject sufficient blood, and pressure increases in the
lungs because of accumulation of blood.
Oxygen is supplied and patient should be in high-Fowler's to alleviate pressure. Pushing furosemide
pulls off that extra fluid. A foley is inserted to measure output accurately. IV morphine reduces
venous return, decreases anxiety, and helps with breathing. (Morphine + Furosemide = positive
inotrope)
A client with myocardial infarction suddenly becomes tachycardic, shows signs of air hunger, and
begins coughing frothy, pink-tinged sputum. Which funding would the nurse anticipate when
auscultating the clients breath sounds?
1. Stridor
2. Crackles
3. Scattered rhonchi
4. Diminished breath sounds ANSW✅✅2 - pulmonary edema is characterized by extreme
breathlessness, dyspnea, air hunger, and production of frothy, pink-tinged sputum. Auscultation of
the lungs reveals crackles.
A client with myocardial infarction is developing cardiogenic shock. What condition should the nurse
carefully asses the client for?
1. Pulsus paradoxus
2. Ventricular dysrhythmias
, 3. Rising diastolic blood pressure
4. Falling central venous pressure ANSW✅✅2 - Dysrhythmias commonly occur as a result of
decreased oxygenation and severa damage to greater than 40% of the myocardium.
Classic signs of cardiogenic shock as they relate to myocardial ischemia include low blood pressure
and tachycardia.
A client who had cardiac surgery 24 hours ago has had a urine output averaging 20mL/hr for 2 hours.
The client received a single bolus of 500mL of IV fluid. Urine output for the subsequent hour was
25mL. Daily laboratory results indicate that the blood urea nitrogen level is 45 mg/dL (16mmol/L)
and the serum creatinine level is 2.2 mg/dL (194mcmol/L). On the basis of these findings, the nurse
would anticipate that the client is at risk for which problem?
1. Hypovolemia
2. Acute kidney injury
3. Glomerulonephritis
4. UTI ANSW✅✅2 - AKI - The client who undergoes cardiac surgery is at risk for renal injury from
poor perfusion, hemolysis, low cardiac output, or vasopressor medication therapy.
Signs of renal injury:
Decreased urine output
Increased BUN (>20) and creatinine (>1.2)
A client with a history of type 2 diabetes is admitted to the hospital with chest pain. The client is
scheduled for a cardiac catheterization. Which medication would need to be withheld for 24 hours
before the procedure and for 48 hours after the procedure?
1. Glipizide
2. Metformin
3. Repaglinide
4. Regular insulin ANSW✅✅Metformin - because of the injection of contrast medium during
procseure. Puts patient at risk for kidney damage/ lactic acidosis.
A client in sinus bradycardia, with a heart rate of 45 beats/minute, complains of dizziness and has a
blood pressure of 82/60 mm Hg. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed?
1.Administer digoxin.
2.Defibrillate the client.
3.Continue to monitor the client.
4.Prepare for transcutaneous pacing. ANSW✅✅4 - prepare for transcutaneous pacing. Sinus
Brady is HR <60 bpm. This rhythm becomes a concern when the patient becomes symptomatic.
CORRECT ANSWERS
The nurse in a medical unit is caring for a client with heart failure. The client suddenly develops
extreme dyspnea, tachycardia, and lung crackles. The nurse immediately asks another nurse to
contact the primary health care provider and prepares to implement which priority interventions?
Select all that apply:
1. Administer oxygen
2. Insert Foley catheter
3. Administer furosemide
4. Administer morphine sulfate IV
5. Transporting the client to coronary care unit
6. Placing the client in a low-Fowler's side-lying ANSW✅✅1,2,3,4
Extreme dyspnea, tachycardia, and lung crackles in a client with HF indicate pulmonary edema, a life
threatening event. The left ventricle fails to eject sufficient blood, and pressure increases in the
lungs because of accumulation of blood.
Oxygen is supplied and patient should be in high-Fowler's to alleviate pressure. Pushing furosemide
pulls off that extra fluid. A foley is inserted to measure output accurately. IV morphine reduces
venous return, decreases anxiety, and helps with breathing. (Morphine + Furosemide = positive
inotrope)
A client with myocardial infarction suddenly becomes tachycardic, shows signs of air hunger, and
begins coughing frothy, pink-tinged sputum. Which funding would the nurse anticipate when
auscultating the clients breath sounds?
1. Stridor
2. Crackles
3. Scattered rhonchi
4. Diminished breath sounds ANSW✅✅2 - pulmonary edema is characterized by extreme
breathlessness, dyspnea, air hunger, and production of frothy, pink-tinged sputum. Auscultation of
the lungs reveals crackles.
A client with myocardial infarction is developing cardiogenic shock. What condition should the nurse
carefully asses the client for?
1. Pulsus paradoxus
2. Ventricular dysrhythmias
, 3. Rising diastolic blood pressure
4. Falling central venous pressure ANSW✅✅2 - Dysrhythmias commonly occur as a result of
decreased oxygenation and severa damage to greater than 40% of the myocardium.
Classic signs of cardiogenic shock as they relate to myocardial ischemia include low blood pressure
and tachycardia.
A client who had cardiac surgery 24 hours ago has had a urine output averaging 20mL/hr for 2 hours.
The client received a single bolus of 500mL of IV fluid. Urine output for the subsequent hour was
25mL. Daily laboratory results indicate that the blood urea nitrogen level is 45 mg/dL (16mmol/L)
and the serum creatinine level is 2.2 mg/dL (194mcmol/L). On the basis of these findings, the nurse
would anticipate that the client is at risk for which problem?
1. Hypovolemia
2. Acute kidney injury
3. Glomerulonephritis
4. UTI ANSW✅✅2 - AKI - The client who undergoes cardiac surgery is at risk for renal injury from
poor perfusion, hemolysis, low cardiac output, or vasopressor medication therapy.
Signs of renal injury:
Decreased urine output
Increased BUN (>20) and creatinine (>1.2)
A client with a history of type 2 diabetes is admitted to the hospital with chest pain. The client is
scheduled for a cardiac catheterization. Which medication would need to be withheld for 24 hours
before the procedure and for 48 hours after the procedure?
1. Glipizide
2. Metformin
3. Repaglinide
4. Regular insulin ANSW✅✅Metformin - because of the injection of contrast medium during
procseure. Puts patient at risk for kidney damage/ lactic acidosis.
A client in sinus bradycardia, with a heart rate of 45 beats/minute, complains of dizziness and has a
blood pressure of 82/60 mm Hg. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed?
1.Administer digoxin.
2.Defibrillate the client.
3.Continue to monitor the client.
4.Prepare for transcutaneous pacing. ANSW✅✅4 - prepare for transcutaneous pacing. Sinus
Brady is HR <60 bpm. This rhythm becomes a concern when the patient becomes symptomatic.
