Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Exam Prep – Evidence-
Based Practice, Pharmacology & Clinical Scenarios
Description:
This exam-focused document contains multiple-choice questions with verified answers for
AGACNP certification. It reviews pharmacology, evidence-based interventions, and acute
care clinical case management. The content supports thorough exam readiness.
Cutaneous Pain - answer✔✔-localized on the skin or body surface -eg bad sunburn or
blister Visceral Pain - answer✔✔-poorly localized such as with internal organs eg.
gallbladder pain, PUD pain Somatic Pain - answer✔✔-non localized -originates in muscle,
bone, nerves, blood vessels eg. soft tissue injury Neuropathic pain - answer✔✔involves
nerve pathway injury or compression WHO Pain Ladder - answer✔✔Step 1: ASA, NSAIDs,
tylenol +/- adjuvant (eg is a TCA like amitryptiline for migraine) Step 2: step 1 + codeine,
hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol +/- adjuvants Step 3: morphine, hydromorphone,
methadone, fentanyl plus non-opiods plus adjuvants Break-through cancer pain -
answer✔✔use of fentanyl patch for sustained release Stage 1 pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔intact skin w erythema that does NOT blanch Stage 2 pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔partial thickness loss of skin w exposed dermis can present as intact or
ruptured serum filled blister stage 3 pressure ulcer - answer✔✔full thickness skin loss,
, visible adipose tissue stage 4 pressure ulcer - answer✔✔full thickness skin & tissue loss w
exposed or palpable fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament or bone unstageable pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔obscured by slough or eschar causes of non-infectious post op fever -
answer✔✔# 1 is post-op atelectasis 2. increase basal metabolic rate 3. dehydration 4.
drug reactions (increase eosonophils, drug fever comes on insidiously and tends to linger;
drugs inlcude ampthericin B, bactrim, procainamide, beta-lactam abx and others
Risperidone toxicity (anti-psychotic) - answer✔✔neuroleptic malignant syndrome tx w
dantrolene most commonly cultured organisms inpatient - answer✔✔staph epi (on your
skin) & staph aureus infectious causes of post-op fever - answer✔✔-usually w increase in
WBC and left shift (neutrophils go up in bacterial infxn up to like 85% normal range is 57-
67% on differential) -if WBC >30k usually not infxn -surgical incision site- red, pus from
suture line -point of entry from catheter -urinary tract -lungs -sinusitis from NGT Initial Tx of
post-op fever - answer✔✔no indicators for infection, hydrate and measures to promote
lunge expansion tension headache - answer✔✔-single most common type -vise like pain -
neck/back common area -no focal neuro deficits -tx ots OTCs and relaxation Classic migraine
- answer✔✔migraine with aura Common migraine - answer✔✔migraine without aura
Migraine Patho - answer✔✔related to dilation and excessive pulsation of branches of the
external carotid artery -follows the TRIGEMINAL NERVE pathway Migraine symptoms -
answer✔✔-unilateral, lateralized throbbing headache -builds up gradually and lasts for
hours -focal neuro disturbances may precede or accompany a migraine -neuro findings can
resemble a TIA but it will likely be a young pt with a headache which is unusual for TIA
Migraine workup - answer✔✔-if its a new migraine need baseline studies to rule out
organic causes BMP, CBC, VDRL (r/o syphillis), ESR, CT head to r/o tumor Migraine Mgmt -
Based Practice, Pharmacology & Clinical Scenarios
Description:
This exam-focused document contains multiple-choice questions with verified answers for
AGACNP certification. It reviews pharmacology, evidence-based interventions, and acute
care clinical case management. The content supports thorough exam readiness.
Cutaneous Pain - answer✔✔-localized on the skin or body surface -eg bad sunburn or
blister Visceral Pain - answer✔✔-poorly localized such as with internal organs eg.
gallbladder pain, PUD pain Somatic Pain - answer✔✔-non localized -originates in muscle,
bone, nerves, blood vessels eg. soft tissue injury Neuropathic pain - answer✔✔involves
nerve pathway injury or compression WHO Pain Ladder - answer✔✔Step 1: ASA, NSAIDs,
tylenol +/- adjuvant (eg is a TCA like amitryptiline for migraine) Step 2: step 1 + codeine,
hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol +/- adjuvants Step 3: morphine, hydromorphone,
methadone, fentanyl plus non-opiods plus adjuvants Break-through cancer pain -
answer✔✔use of fentanyl patch for sustained release Stage 1 pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔intact skin w erythema that does NOT blanch Stage 2 pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔partial thickness loss of skin w exposed dermis can present as intact or
ruptured serum filled blister stage 3 pressure ulcer - answer✔✔full thickness skin loss,
, visible adipose tissue stage 4 pressure ulcer - answer✔✔full thickness skin & tissue loss w
exposed or palpable fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament or bone unstageable pressure ulcer -
answer✔✔obscured by slough or eschar causes of non-infectious post op fever -
answer✔✔# 1 is post-op atelectasis 2. increase basal metabolic rate 3. dehydration 4.
drug reactions (increase eosonophils, drug fever comes on insidiously and tends to linger;
drugs inlcude ampthericin B, bactrim, procainamide, beta-lactam abx and others
Risperidone toxicity (anti-psychotic) - answer✔✔neuroleptic malignant syndrome tx w
dantrolene most commonly cultured organisms inpatient - answer✔✔staph epi (on your
skin) & staph aureus infectious causes of post-op fever - answer✔✔-usually w increase in
WBC and left shift (neutrophils go up in bacterial infxn up to like 85% normal range is 57-
67% on differential) -if WBC >30k usually not infxn -surgical incision site- red, pus from
suture line -point of entry from catheter -urinary tract -lungs -sinusitis from NGT Initial Tx of
post-op fever - answer✔✔no indicators for infection, hydrate and measures to promote
lunge expansion tension headache - answer✔✔-single most common type -vise like pain -
neck/back common area -no focal neuro deficits -tx ots OTCs and relaxation Classic migraine
- answer✔✔migraine with aura Common migraine - answer✔✔migraine without aura
Migraine Patho - answer✔✔related to dilation and excessive pulsation of branches of the
external carotid artery -follows the TRIGEMINAL NERVE pathway Migraine symptoms -
answer✔✔-unilateral, lateralized throbbing headache -builds up gradually and lasts for
hours -focal neuro disturbances may precede or accompany a migraine -neuro findings can
resemble a TIA but it will likely be a young pt with a headache which is unusual for TIA
Migraine workup - answer✔✔-if its a new migraine need baseline studies to rule out
organic causes BMP, CBC, VDRL (r/o syphillis), ESR, CT head to r/o tumor Migraine Mgmt -
