HESI Critical Care Exam with Practice Questions and Answers

HESI Critical Care Exam with Practice Questions and Answers A client diagnosed with pancreatitis complains of severe epigastric pain. After administering a narcotic analgesic, the client insists on sitting up and leaning forward. Which action should the nurse implement? a. Provide a bedside table for client to lean across. b. Encourage bed rest until analgesic takes effect. c. Raise the head of the bed to a 90 degree angle. d. Place the bed in the reverse Trendelenburg position. ANSWER a. Provide a bedside table for client to lean across. The Nurse is caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit with shortness of breath and abdominal pain one week after undergoing bariatric surgery. The client's current vital signs are rectal temperature 101.5 F, heart rate 132 bpm, respirations 20 bpm, blood pressure 88/50 mmHg, and oxygen saturation 94%. Which intervention should the nurse implement first? a. Administer a prescribed PRN antipyretic. b. Transport to radiology for an abdominal x-ray. c. Apply oxygen at 2 liters per nasal cannula. d. Infuse a 1,000 mL normal saline bolus. ANSWER Infuse a 1,000 mL normal saline bolus. The nurse is evaluating a client's central venous pressure (CVP) readings that are trending upwards. Which nursing problem is supported by the pathophysiologic mechanism most likely causing the increases? a. Decreased cardiac output. b. Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion.