AACN Exam 2025 Questions and
Answers
Charcot's Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RUQ pain, fever, jaundice (indicates cholangitis)
Reynold's pentad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RUQ pain, fever, jaundice, AMS, hypotension (indicates
worsening cholangitis)
Murphy's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-pain with palpation of the RUQ during inspiration,
indicative of cholecystitis
Psoas sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RLQ pain with extension of right thigh/hip indicative of
appendicitis
Kehr's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Left shoulder pain caused by irritation of the undersurface of
the diaphragm by blood leaking from a ruptured spleen. While Kehr's sign (left shoulder pain) is
commonly a symptom of splenic rupture, right shoulder pain typically signals liver or gallbladder
irritation
Cullen's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Ecchymosis in periumbilical area, seen with pancreatitis
Grey Turner's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Atraumatic ecchymosis in the flank, typically indicating
hemorrhagic pancreatitis
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Beck's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-JVD, muffled heart sounds, decreased BP (indicate cardiac
tamponade)
Cushing's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-bradycardia, bradypnea, hypertension (indicate increased
ICP; normal ICP=5-15 mm Hg)
Charcot's neurologic triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Nystagmus, staccato speech, intentional tremor
(indicate MS)
Virchow's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Venous stasis, hypercoagulability, endothelial damage (high
risk of thrombosis)
Shock Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea
Opioid Poisoning Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-CNS depression (AMS, coma), respiratory
depression, miosis (pinpoint pupils)
Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome: 3 signs - Correct Answer✔️✔️-short PR interval, delta waves,
and wide QRS complex
Behcet's disease - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye inflammation
3 D's of pellagra (niacin, vit B3, deficiency) - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis
Serotonin Syndrome - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin medications,
and has HYPERreflexive muscle activity
Symptoms= mental status changes and hyperthermia. Treatment=cyproheptadine
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Adverse reaction to antipsychotics with
severe "lead pipe" rigidty, FEVER (102-104), tachycardia, tachypnea, mental status changes
lethal triad of trauma - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy
Neurogenic shock: 3 symptoms - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia
Whipple's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-1. Fasting hypoglycemia <50
2. Symptoms during hypoglycemia
3. Immediate relief of symptoms after the administration of IV glucose
(suggest insulinoma)
Reactive arthritis rhyme - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Can't see (conjunctivitis), can't pee (urethritis or
cervicitis), can't climb a tree (arthritis)
Murphy's Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RLQ pain, nausea/vomiting, fever (indicates appendicitis)
Acidosis vs Alkalosis - Correct Answer✔️✔️-ROME:
Respiratory - Opposite
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is up
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is down
Metabolic - Equal
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is down
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is up
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, ACE Inhibitors - Correct Answer✔️✔️-"PRIL" Captopril, Enalapril, Afosiopril
Antihypertensive. Blocks ACE in lungs from converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II (powerful
vasoconstrictor). Decreases BP, Decreased Aldosterone secretions, Sodium and fluid loss.
Check BP before giving (hypotension)
*Orthostatic Hypotension
ARBs - Correct Answer✔️✔️-"SARTAN"
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
They decrease blood pressure, increase CO
-Examples: Valsartan (Diovan), Losartan (Cozaar), and Irbesartan (Avapro)
-Uses: hypertension and heart failure
-Nursing Considerations: watch for hyperkalemia, hypotension, and renal dysfunction
Cholesterol Medications end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--statin
Beta blockers end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--olol
Calcium Channel Blockers end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--dipine (and verapamil and diltiazem)
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Answers
Charcot's Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RUQ pain, fever, jaundice (indicates cholangitis)
Reynold's pentad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RUQ pain, fever, jaundice, AMS, hypotension (indicates
worsening cholangitis)
Murphy's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-pain with palpation of the RUQ during inspiration,
indicative of cholecystitis
Psoas sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RLQ pain with extension of right thigh/hip indicative of
appendicitis
Kehr's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Left shoulder pain caused by irritation of the undersurface of
the diaphragm by blood leaking from a ruptured spleen. While Kehr's sign (left shoulder pain) is
commonly a symptom of splenic rupture, right shoulder pain typically signals liver or gallbladder
irritation
Cullen's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Ecchymosis in periumbilical area, seen with pancreatitis
Grey Turner's sign - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Atraumatic ecchymosis in the flank, typically indicating
hemorrhagic pancreatitis
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Beck's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-JVD, muffled heart sounds, decreased BP (indicate cardiac
tamponade)
Cushing's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-bradycardia, bradypnea, hypertension (indicate increased
ICP; normal ICP=5-15 mm Hg)
Charcot's neurologic triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Nystagmus, staccato speech, intentional tremor
(indicate MS)
Virchow's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Venous stasis, hypercoagulability, endothelial damage (high
risk of thrombosis)
Shock Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea
Opioid Poisoning Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-CNS depression (AMS, coma), respiratory
depression, miosis (pinpoint pupils)
Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome: 3 signs - Correct Answer✔️✔️-short PR interval, delta waves,
and wide QRS complex
Behcet's disease - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye inflammation
3 D's of pellagra (niacin, vit B3, deficiency) - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis
Serotonin Syndrome - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin medications,
and has HYPERreflexive muscle activity
Symptoms= mental status changes and hyperthermia. Treatment=cyproheptadine
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Adverse reaction to antipsychotics with
severe "lead pipe" rigidty, FEVER (102-104), tachycardia, tachypnea, mental status changes
lethal triad of trauma - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy
Neurogenic shock: 3 symptoms - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia
Whipple's triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-1. Fasting hypoglycemia <50
2. Symptoms during hypoglycemia
3. Immediate relief of symptoms after the administration of IV glucose
(suggest insulinoma)
Reactive arthritis rhyme - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Can't see (conjunctivitis), can't pee (urethritis or
cervicitis), can't climb a tree (arthritis)
Murphy's Triad - Correct Answer✔️✔️-RLQ pain, nausea/vomiting, fever (indicates appendicitis)
Acidosis vs Alkalosis - Correct Answer✔️✔️-ROME:
Respiratory - Opposite
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is up
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is down
Metabolic - Equal
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is down
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is up
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, ACE Inhibitors - Correct Answer✔️✔️-"PRIL" Captopril, Enalapril, Afosiopril
Antihypertensive. Blocks ACE in lungs from converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II (powerful
vasoconstrictor). Decreases BP, Decreased Aldosterone secretions, Sodium and fluid loss.
Check BP before giving (hypotension)
*Orthostatic Hypotension
ARBs - Correct Answer✔️✔️-"SARTAN"
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
They decrease blood pressure, increase CO
-Examples: Valsartan (Diovan), Losartan (Cozaar), and Irbesartan (Avapro)
-Uses: hypertension and heart failure
-Nursing Considerations: watch for hyperkalemia, hypotension, and renal dysfunction
Cholesterol Medications end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--statin
Beta blockers end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--olol
Calcium Channel Blockers end in - Correct Answer✔️✔️--dipine (and verapamil and diltiazem)
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
