Cardiovascular Exam (Med Surg)
Questions with Accurate Answers
The nurse is reviewing the anatomy and physiology of the cardiac system with a patient
scheduled for
pacemaker insertion. Which chamber of the heart should the nurse instruct has the
greatest workload and usually fails first as a result?
a. Left atrium
b. Right atrium
c. Left ventricle
d. Right ventricle - ANSWERSLeft ventricle
The nurse is helping a patient understand why the heart beat can change in speed.
When doing so, what should the nurse explain as being the pacemaker of the heart?
a. Bundle of His
b. Sinoatrial node (SA node)
c. Purkinjes fibers
d. Atrioventricular node - ANSWERSSinoatrial node (SA node)
The nurse is using a stethoscope to listen to a patients heart sounds. The nurse
recognizes that the 'dupp' of the characteristic 'lubb-dupp' heart sound indicates what
part of the cardiac cycle?
a. The closure of the mitral valve
b. The closure of the tricuspid valve
c. The closure of the atrioventricular valves
d. The closure of the aortic and pulmonary semilunar valves - ANSWERSThe closure of
the aortic and pulmonary semi-lunar valves
The nurse suspects that a patients heart rate is being affected by parasympathetic
influence. What
should the nurse recall as the effect the parasympathetic nervous system has on the
heart?
a. Decreases heart rate
b. Decreases resting phase
c. Increases cardiac output
, d. Increases strength of contraction - ANSWERSDecreases heart rate
The nurse is caring for a patient recovering from a cardiac catheterization with a right
femoral artery
entry site. Which action should the nurse take?
a. Ambulate every 2 hours.
b. Position knees with 40-degree bend.
c. Avoid movement of right leg as ordered.
d. Perform passive range of motion of right leg hourly. - ANSWERSAvoid movement of
the right leg as ordered.
The nurse is providing care for a patient whose right atrial pressure (RAP) is 12 mm Hg.
Which action should the nurse take?
a. Assess skin turgor.
b. Listen to breath sounds.
c. Measure urine specific gravity.
d. Determine level of consciousness. - ANSWERSListen to breath sounds
A patient is diagnosed with epicarditis. What should the nurse recall regarding the
purpose of the
epicardium when caring for this patient?
a. Line the chambers of the heart.
b. Line the coronary blood vessels.
c. Cover the heart muscle and prevent friction.
d. Contract and pump blood from the ventricles. - ANSWERSCover the heart muscle
and prevent friction.
The nurse is explaining the regulation of blood pressure to a patient newly diagnosed
with
hypertension. What tissues within the artery wall that helps maintain diastolic blood
pressure should the nurse identify for the patient?
a. Smooth muscle and elastic connective tissue
b. Smooth muscle and simple squamous epithelium
c. Elastic connective tissue and fibrous connective tissue
d. Fibrous connective tissue and simple squamous epithelium - ANSWERSSmooth
muscle and elastic connective tissue
The nurse instructs a patient on beverages to avoid when taking the prescribed
medication warfarin
(Coumadin). Which beverage should the patient state that indicates teaching has been
effective?
Questions with Accurate Answers
The nurse is reviewing the anatomy and physiology of the cardiac system with a patient
scheduled for
pacemaker insertion. Which chamber of the heart should the nurse instruct has the
greatest workload and usually fails first as a result?
a. Left atrium
b. Right atrium
c. Left ventricle
d. Right ventricle - ANSWERSLeft ventricle
The nurse is helping a patient understand why the heart beat can change in speed.
When doing so, what should the nurse explain as being the pacemaker of the heart?
a. Bundle of His
b. Sinoatrial node (SA node)
c. Purkinjes fibers
d. Atrioventricular node - ANSWERSSinoatrial node (SA node)
The nurse is using a stethoscope to listen to a patients heart sounds. The nurse
recognizes that the 'dupp' of the characteristic 'lubb-dupp' heart sound indicates what
part of the cardiac cycle?
a. The closure of the mitral valve
b. The closure of the tricuspid valve
c. The closure of the atrioventricular valves
d. The closure of the aortic and pulmonary semilunar valves - ANSWERSThe closure of
the aortic and pulmonary semi-lunar valves
The nurse suspects that a patients heart rate is being affected by parasympathetic
influence. What
should the nurse recall as the effect the parasympathetic nervous system has on the
heart?
a. Decreases heart rate
b. Decreases resting phase
c. Increases cardiac output
, d. Increases strength of contraction - ANSWERSDecreases heart rate
The nurse is caring for a patient recovering from a cardiac catheterization with a right
femoral artery
entry site. Which action should the nurse take?
a. Ambulate every 2 hours.
b. Position knees with 40-degree bend.
c. Avoid movement of right leg as ordered.
d. Perform passive range of motion of right leg hourly. - ANSWERSAvoid movement of
the right leg as ordered.
The nurse is providing care for a patient whose right atrial pressure (RAP) is 12 mm Hg.
Which action should the nurse take?
a. Assess skin turgor.
b. Listen to breath sounds.
c. Measure urine specific gravity.
d. Determine level of consciousness. - ANSWERSListen to breath sounds
A patient is diagnosed with epicarditis. What should the nurse recall regarding the
purpose of the
epicardium when caring for this patient?
a. Line the chambers of the heart.
b. Line the coronary blood vessels.
c. Cover the heart muscle and prevent friction.
d. Contract and pump blood from the ventricles. - ANSWERSCover the heart muscle
and prevent friction.
The nurse is explaining the regulation of blood pressure to a patient newly diagnosed
with
hypertension. What tissues within the artery wall that helps maintain diastolic blood
pressure should the nurse identify for the patient?
a. Smooth muscle and elastic connective tissue
b. Smooth muscle and simple squamous epithelium
c. Elastic connective tissue and fibrous connective tissue
d. Fibrous connective tissue and simple squamous epithelium - ANSWERSSmooth
muscle and elastic connective tissue
The nurse instructs a patient on beverages to avoid when taking the prescribed
medication warfarin
(Coumadin). Which beverage should the patient state that indicates teaching has been
effective?
