CPNRE Practice Questions 2024/2025 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS PROFESSOR VERIFIED
1. The nurse is administering heparin via the subcutaneous route. Which
intervention should the nurse implement?
a. Prepare the medication using a 25-gauge, ½ inch needle
b. After injecting the needle, aspirate and observe for blood
c. After removing the needle, massage the area gently
d. Administer the medication in the client's "love handles": Prepare the
medication using a 25-gauge, ½ inch needle
Knowledge: The nurse should NOT aspirate for blood when administering heparin
because this can damage surrounding tissue and cause bruising. The nurse should
not massage after injecting heparin because this may cause bruising or bleeding.
Heparin is administered in the abdomen at least 2 inches from umbilicus-best
practice.
2. The nurse is administering morning medications on a medical floor. Which
medication should the nurse administer first?
a. Regular insulin sliding scale to an elderly client diagnosed with Type 1
diabetes mellitus
b. Methylprednisolone, a glucocorticoid, to a client diagnosed with lupus
erythematosus
c. Morphine, a narcotic analgesic, to a client diagnosed with AIDS
d. Lasix, a diuretic, to a client with hypertension: a. Regular insulin sliding scale
to an elderly client diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus
,b. Methylprednisolone, a glucocorticoid, to a client diagnosed with lupus
erythemato-sus (can be administered within the 30-minute acceptable time
frame)
c. Morphine, a narcotic analgesic, to a client diagnosed with AIDS -pain medication
is a priority, but it can be administered after the sliding scale
d. Lasix, a diuretic, to a client with hypertension- can be administered within the
30-minute acceptable time frame
Regular insulin is administered prior to meals; therefore, this medication should be
administered. Critical Thinking
3. Which data would indicate that the antibiotic therapy has been successful
for a client diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia?
a. The client's hematocrit is within normal range
b. The client is expectorating thick green sputum
c. The client's lung sounds are clear to ausculatation
d. The client has complaints of pleuritic chest pain.: a. The client's hematocrit
is within normal range- does not indicate client response
b. The client is expectorating thick green sputum- symptom of pneumonia
c. The client's lung sounds are clear to ausculatation
d. The client has complaints of pleuritic chest pain.— symptom of pneumoniaThe
symptoms of pneumonia includes crackles and wheezes, rhonchi in the lung
fields. Clear lungs indicate an improvement in the pneumonia and that the
medication is effective. Application
4. The nurse is administering Humalog at 0730 to a client diagnosed with Type
1 diabetes. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
a. Ensure the client eats at least 90% of the lunch tray
b. Do not administer unless the breakfast tray is in the client's room
c. Check the client's blood glucose level 1 hour after receiving the insulin
d. Have 50% dextrose in water at the bedside for emergency use.: a. Ensure
the client eats at least 90% of the lunch tray—insulin will not be working 4-5 hours
after being administered
b. Do not administer unless the breakfast tray is in the client's room
c. Check the client's blood glucose level 1 hour after receiving the insulin—glucose
level should be checked prior to administering
d. Have 50% dextrose in water at the bedside for emergency use.—this is adminis-
tered when a client is unconscious secondary to hypoglycemia, and should not
, be kept at the bedside. Orange juice or some form of simple glucose can be kept
at the bedside.
Application: The insulin peaks in 15-20 minutes after being administered; therefore,
the meal should be at the bedside prior to administering this medication
5. The client has a severe anaphylactic reaction to insect bites. What priority
discharge intervention should the nurse discuss with the client?
a. Wear an insect repellent on exposed skin
b. Keep prescribed antihistamines on their person
c. Keep an EpiPen in the refrigerator at all times
d. Wear a MedicAlert identification bracelet: a. Wear an insect repellent on
exposed skin —appropriate intervention, but if the client has an insect bite, the
repellent will not prevent anaphylaxis, therefore, not priority intervention
b. Keep prescribed antihistamines on their person —used with anaphylaxis,
but it takes at least 30 minutes to work, therefore not a priority medication
c. Keep an EpiPen in the refrigerator at all times —keeping medication in the
refrigerator does not allow it to be available to the client at all times. d. Wear a
MedicAlert identification bracelet
Application: Bracelet indicates the client is at risk for an anaphylactic reaction;
therefore, this is the priority intervention.
6. The client's mother contacts the clinic regarding medication administration
stating, "My daughter cannot swallow this capsule. It's too large."
Investigation reveals that the medication is a capsule marked SR. The nurse
should instruct the mother to:
a. Open the capsule and mix the medication with apple sauce
b. Crush the medication and administer it with a glass of liquid
c. Call the pharmacist and request a change to a different medication
d. Stop the medication and inform the physician: d. Stop the medication and
inform the physician
Application: SR means sustained released. These medications cannot be altered.
In answers A and B, crushing or opening the capsule is not allowed. The best
response would be to inform the prescriber (the doctor) immediately
7. The client calls the nursing station and requests pain medication. When the
nurse enters the room with the narcotic medication, the nurse finds the client
, laughing and talking with visitors. Which action should the nurse administer
first?
a. Administer the client's prescribed pain medication
b. Assess the client's perception of pain on a 1-10 scale
c. Wait until the visitors leave to administer any medication
d. Check the MAR to see if there is a nonnarcotic medication ordered: a.
Administer the client's prescribed pain medication —should not administer pain
medication until after assessing the client's pain
b. Assess the client's perception of pain on a 1-10 scale
c. Wait until the visitors leave to administer any medication —should assess client
whether the client has visitors or not
d. Check the MAR to see if there is a nonnarcotic medication ordered —nurse
should assess the client's pain first
Application: first action is to always assess the client in pain to determine if client is
having a complication that requires medical intervention rather than PRN
medication.
8. The client in hypovolemic shock is receiving normal saline by rapid
intravenous infusion. Which assessment data would warrant immediate
intervention by the nurse?
a. The client's blood pressure is 89/48
b. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 95%
c. The client's lung sounds are clear bilaterally
d. The client's urine output is 120 mL in 3 hours: a. The client's blood pressure
is 89/48
b. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 95% --normal finding
c. The client's lung sounds are clear bilaterally—normal finding
d. The client's urine output is 120 mL in 3 hours—normal finding
Application: low blood pressure reading for a client in hypovolemic shock. A B/P
less than 90/60 warrants intervention by the nurse and indicates that fluid
resuscitation is not effective.
9. Which intervention should the nurse implement when administering a
medication via the intradermal route?
ANSWERS PROFESSOR VERIFIED
1. The nurse is administering heparin via the subcutaneous route. Which
intervention should the nurse implement?
a. Prepare the medication using a 25-gauge, ½ inch needle
b. After injecting the needle, aspirate and observe for blood
c. After removing the needle, massage the area gently
d. Administer the medication in the client's "love handles": Prepare the
medication using a 25-gauge, ½ inch needle
Knowledge: The nurse should NOT aspirate for blood when administering heparin
because this can damage surrounding tissue and cause bruising. The nurse should
not massage after injecting heparin because this may cause bruising or bleeding.
Heparin is administered in the abdomen at least 2 inches from umbilicus-best
practice.
2. The nurse is administering morning medications on a medical floor. Which
medication should the nurse administer first?
a. Regular insulin sliding scale to an elderly client diagnosed with Type 1
diabetes mellitus
b. Methylprednisolone, a glucocorticoid, to a client diagnosed with lupus
erythematosus
c. Morphine, a narcotic analgesic, to a client diagnosed with AIDS
d. Lasix, a diuretic, to a client with hypertension: a. Regular insulin sliding scale
to an elderly client diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus
,b. Methylprednisolone, a glucocorticoid, to a client diagnosed with lupus
erythemato-sus (can be administered within the 30-minute acceptable time
frame)
c. Morphine, a narcotic analgesic, to a client diagnosed with AIDS -pain medication
is a priority, but it can be administered after the sliding scale
d. Lasix, a diuretic, to a client with hypertension- can be administered within the
30-minute acceptable time frame
Regular insulin is administered prior to meals; therefore, this medication should be
administered. Critical Thinking
3. Which data would indicate that the antibiotic therapy has been successful
for a client diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia?
a. The client's hematocrit is within normal range
b. The client is expectorating thick green sputum
c. The client's lung sounds are clear to ausculatation
d. The client has complaints of pleuritic chest pain.: a. The client's hematocrit
is within normal range- does not indicate client response
b. The client is expectorating thick green sputum- symptom of pneumonia
c. The client's lung sounds are clear to ausculatation
d. The client has complaints of pleuritic chest pain.— symptom of pneumoniaThe
symptoms of pneumonia includes crackles and wheezes, rhonchi in the lung
fields. Clear lungs indicate an improvement in the pneumonia and that the
medication is effective. Application
4. The nurse is administering Humalog at 0730 to a client diagnosed with Type
1 diabetes. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
a. Ensure the client eats at least 90% of the lunch tray
b. Do not administer unless the breakfast tray is in the client's room
c. Check the client's blood glucose level 1 hour after receiving the insulin
d. Have 50% dextrose in water at the bedside for emergency use.: a. Ensure
the client eats at least 90% of the lunch tray—insulin will not be working 4-5 hours
after being administered
b. Do not administer unless the breakfast tray is in the client's room
c. Check the client's blood glucose level 1 hour after receiving the insulin—glucose
level should be checked prior to administering
d. Have 50% dextrose in water at the bedside for emergency use.—this is adminis-
tered when a client is unconscious secondary to hypoglycemia, and should not
, be kept at the bedside. Orange juice or some form of simple glucose can be kept
at the bedside.
Application: The insulin peaks in 15-20 minutes after being administered; therefore,
the meal should be at the bedside prior to administering this medication
5. The client has a severe anaphylactic reaction to insect bites. What priority
discharge intervention should the nurse discuss with the client?
a. Wear an insect repellent on exposed skin
b. Keep prescribed antihistamines on their person
c. Keep an EpiPen in the refrigerator at all times
d. Wear a MedicAlert identification bracelet: a. Wear an insect repellent on
exposed skin —appropriate intervention, but if the client has an insect bite, the
repellent will not prevent anaphylaxis, therefore, not priority intervention
b. Keep prescribed antihistamines on their person —used with anaphylaxis,
but it takes at least 30 minutes to work, therefore not a priority medication
c. Keep an EpiPen in the refrigerator at all times —keeping medication in the
refrigerator does not allow it to be available to the client at all times. d. Wear a
MedicAlert identification bracelet
Application: Bracelet indicates the client is at risk for an anaphylactic reaction;
therefore, this is the priority intervention.
6. The client's mother contacts the clinic regarding medication administration
stating, "My daughter cannot swallow this capsule. It's too large."
Investigation reveals that the medication is a capsule marked SR. The nurse
should instruct the mother to:
a. Open the capsule and mix the medication with apple sauce
b. Crush the medication and administer it with a glass of liquid
c. Call the pharmacist and request a change to a different medication
d. Stop the medication and inform the physician: d. Stop the medication and
inform the physician
Application: SR means sustained released. These medications cannot be altered.
In answers A and B, crushing or opening the capsule is not allowed. The best
response would be to inform the prescriber (the doctor) immediately
7. The client calls the nursing station and requests pain medication. When the
nurse enters the room with the narcotic medication, the nurse finds the client
, laughing and talking with visitors. Which action should the nurse administer
first?
a. Administer the client's prescribed pain medication
b. Assess the client's perception of pain on a 1-10 scale
c. Wait until the visitors leave to administer any medication
d. Check the MAR to see if there is a nonnarcotic medication ordered: a.
Administer the client's prescribed pain medication —should not administer pain
medication until after assessing the client's pain
b. Assess the client's perception of pain on a 1-10 scale
c. Wait until the visitors leave to administer any medication —should assess client
whether the client has visitors or not
d. Check the MAR to see if there is a nonnarcotic medication ordered —nurse
should assess the client's pain first
Application: first action is to always assess the client in pain to determine if client is
having a complication that requires medical intervention rather than PRN
medication.
8. The client in hypovolemic shock is receiving normal saline by rapid
intravenous infusion. Which assessment data would warrant immediate
intervention by the nurse?
a. The client's blood pressure is 89/48
b. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 95%
c. The client's lung sounds are clear bilaterally
d. The client's urine output is 120 mL in 3 hours: a. The client's blood pressure
is 89/48
b. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 95% --normal finding
c. The client's lung sounds are clear bilaterally—normal finding
d. The client's urine output is 120 mL in 3 hours—normal finding
Application: low blood pressure reading for a client in hypovolemic shock. A B/P
less than 90/60 warrants intervention by the nurse and indicates that fluid
resuscitation is not effective.
9. Which intervention should the nurse implement when administering a
medication via the intradermal route?
