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ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025 –
Updated Nursing Study Guide, Real Practice Questions, and
Comprehensive Cardiac Review
Ace your ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025 with this complete nursing study
guide. Includes ATI-style cardiovascular system practice questions, heart and circulation concept
reviews, and expert test-taking strategies to help you pass confidently and improve your Med-Surg
exam score.
• ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular study guide
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular test bank with answers
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular practice questions
•
A nurse is planning care for a client following placement of a chest tube 1 hr ago. Which of the
following actions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
a. clamp the chest tube if there is continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber
b. keep the chest tube drainage system at the level of the right atrium
c. tape all connections between the chest tube and drainage system
d. empty the collection chamber and record the amount of drainage every 8 hr - ANSWER-c. tape all
connections between the chest tube and drainage system
the nurse should tape all connections to ensure that the system is airtight and prevent the chest
tubing from accidentally disconnecting
A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving peritoneal dialysis. Which of the following findings should
the nurse report to the provider immediately?
,2|Page
a. difficulty draining the effluent
b. redness at the access site
c. fluid flowing from the catheter site
d. cloudy effluent - ANSWER-d. cloudy effluent
a cloudy or opaque effluent indicates the client is at high risk for peritonitis, a bacterial infection of the
peritoneum. therefore, this is priority finding for the nurse to report to the provider
A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about collecting a 24-hr urine specimen for creatinine
clearance. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
a. include the first voided specimen at the start of the collection period
b. discard the last voided specimen at the end of the collection period
c. place signs in the bathroom as a reminder about the test in progress
d. instruct the client to increase exercise during the 24-hr period - ANSWER-c. place signs in the
bathroom as a reminder about the test in progress
the nurse should place signs in the bathroom and alert family members of the test in progress so that
everyone save the specimens appropriately throughout the test
A nurse is caring for client who has continuous bladder irrigation following a transurethral resection of
the prostate. Which of the following findings should the nurse report the to provider?
a. output equal to the instilled irrigant
b. client report of bladder spasms
c. viscous urinary output with clots
d. client report of a strong urge to urinate - ANSWER-c. viscous urinary output with clots
the nurse should report urine output that is bright red with clots or urine that resembles ketchup to the
provider because this is an indication of arterial bleeding
A nurse is examining the ECG of a client who is having an acute myocardial infarction. The nurse should
identify that the elevated ST segments of the ECG indicate which of the following alterations?
,3|Page
a. necrosis
b. hypokalemia
c. hypomagnesemia
d. insufficiency - ANSWER-a. necrosis
ST-segment elevation during an acute myocardial infarction indicates necrosis. this ECG change reflects a
clot at the site of injury. therefore, the client requires immediate revascularization of the artery
A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has diabetes mellitus. Which of the following
results indicates that the client's diabetes is controlled?
a. HbA1c 8.5%
b. postprandial blood glucose 190 mg/dL
c. causal blood glucose 205 mg/dL
d. fasting blood glucose 95 mg/dL - ANSWER-d. fasting blood glucose 95 mg/dL
A fasting blood glucose of 95 mg/dL is within the expected reference range of 70 to 110 mg/dL, which
indicates that this client's diabetes is under control
A nurse in the PACU is assessing a newly admitted client and observes intercoastal retractions and a high-
pitched inspiratory sound. The nurse should identify these findings as manifestations of which of the
following complications?
a. pulmonary edema
b. tensions pneumothorax
c. flail chest
d. respiratory obstruction - ANSWER-d. respiratory obstruction
intercostal retractions and a high-pitched inspiratory noise are manifestations of an airway obstruction
caused by laryngospasm and edema. The nurse should notify the rapid response team and plan to
administer racemic epinenphrine
, 4|Page
A nurse is teaching a client about the manifestations of an allergic reaction. The release of histamine
causes which of the following reactons?
a. increased mucus secretion
b. bronchial dilation
c. bradycardia
d. vertigo - ANSWER-a. increased mucus secretion
the nurse should instruct the client that increased mucus secretion is a manifestation of histamine
release. histamine is the neurotransmitter the body produces during an allergic reaction
A nurse is preparing to transfuse 250 mL of packed red blood cells to a client over 4 hr. A blood
administration set is available that delivers 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should set the manual blood transfusion
to deliver how many gtt/min? - ANSWER-X gtt/min = 10 gtt/1 mL x 1 hr/60 min x 250 mL/240 min
X = 10.4 gtt/min
A nurse is planning care for a client during a sickle cell crisis. Which of the following interventions should
the nurse include in the client's plan of care?
a. maintain the client's knees and hips in a flexed position
b. apply cold compresses to painful joints
c. withhold opioids until the crisis is resolved
d. encourage increased fluid intake - ANSWER-d. encourage increased fluid intake
the nurse should encourage increased fluid intake to promote hydration because dehydration increased
the viscosity of the blood, which can aggravate sickling and client discomfort
A nurse is providing dietary teaching to a client who has diverticulitis about preventing acute attacks.
Which of the following foods should the nurse recommend?
a. foods high in vitamin C
b. foods low in fat
c. foods high in fiber
ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025 –
Updated Nursing Study Guide, Real Practice Questions, and
Comprehensive Cardiac Review
Ace your ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025 with this complete nursing study
guide. Includes ATI-style cardiovascular system practice questions, heart and circulation concept
reviews, and expert test-taking strategies to help you pass confidently and improve your Med-Surg
exam score.
• ATI Medical Surgical Cardiovascular Proctored Exam 2025
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular study guide
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular test bank with answers
• ATI Med Surg Cardiovascular practice questions
•
A nurse is planning care for a client following placement of a chest tube 1 hr ago. Which of the
following actions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
a. clamp the chest tube if there is continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber
b. keep the chest tube drainage system at the level of the right atrium
c. tape all connections between the chest tube and drainage system
d. empty the collection chamber and record the amount of drainage every 8 hr - ANSWER-c. tape all
connections between the chest tube and drainage system
the nurse should tape all connections to ensure that the system is airtight and prevent the chest
tubing from accidentally disconnecting
A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving peritoneal dialysis. Which of the following findings should
the nurse report to the provider immediately?
,2|Page
a. difficulty draining the effluent
b. redness at the access site
c. fluid flowing from the catheter site
d. cloudy effluent - ANSWER-d. cloudy effluent
a cloudy or opaque effluent indicates the client is at high risk for peritonitis, a bacterial infection of the
peritoneum. therefore, this is priority finding for the nurse to report to the provider
A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about collecting a 24-hr urine specimen for creatinine
clearance. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
a. include the first voided specimen at the start of the collection period
b. discard the last voided specimen at the end of the collection period
c. place signs in the bathroom as a reminder about the test in progress
d. instruct the client to increase exercise during the 24-hr period - ANSWER-c. place signs in the
bathroom as a reminder about the test in progress
the nurse should place signs in the bathroom and alert family members of the test in progress so that
everyone save the specimens appropriately throughout the test
A nurse is caring for client who has continuous bladder irrigation following a transurethral resection of
the prostate. Which of the following findings should the nurse report the to provider?
a. output equal to the instilled irrigant
b. client report of bladder spasms
c. viscous urinary output with clots
d. client report of a strong urge to urinate - ANSWER-c. viscous urinary output with clots
the nurse should report urine output that is bright red with clots or urine that resembles ketchup to the
provider because this is an indication of arterial bleeding
A nurse is examining the ECG of a client who is having an acute myocardial infarction. The nurse should
identify that the elevated ST segments of the ECG indicate which of the following alterations?
,3|Page
a. necrosis
b. hypokalemia
c. hypomagnesemia
d. insufficiency - ANSWER-a. necrosis
ST-segment elevation during an acute myocardial infarction indicates necrosis. this ECG change reflects a
clot at the site of injury. therefore, the client requires immediate revascularization of the artery
A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has diabetes mellitus. Which of the following
results indicates that the client's diabetes is controlled?
a. HbA1c 8.5%
b. postprandial blood glucose 190 mg/dL
c. causal blood glucose 205 mg/dL
d. fasting blood glucose 95 mg/dL - ANSWER-d. fasting blood glucose 95 mg/dL
A fasting blood glucose of 95 mg/dL is within the expected reference range of 70 to 110 mg/dL, which
indicates that this client's diabetes is under control
A nurse in the PACU is assessing a newly admitted client and observes intercoastal retractions and a high-
pitched inspiratory sound. The nurse should identify these findings as manifestations of which of the
following complications?
a. pulmonary edema
b. tensions pneumothorax
c. flail chest
d. respiratory obstruction - ANSWER-d. respiratory obstruction
intercostal retractions and a high-pitched inspiratory noise are manifestations of an airway obstruction
caused by laryngospasm and edema. The nurse should notify the rapid response team and plan to
administer racemic epinenphrine
, 4|Page
A nurse is teaching a client about the manifestations of an allergic reaction. The release of histamine
causes which of the following reactons?
a. increased mucus secretion
b. bronchial dilation
c. bradycardia
d. vertigo - ANSWER-a. increased mucus secretion
the nurse should instruct the client that increased mucus secretion is a manifestation of histamine
release. histamine is the neurotransmitter the body produces during an allergic reaction
A nurse is preparing to transfuse 250 mL of packed red blood cells to a client over 4 hr. A blood
administration set is available that delivers 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should set the manual blood transfusion
to deliver how many gtt/min? - ANSWER-X gtt/min = 10 gtt/1 mL x 1 hr/60 min x 250 mL/240 min
X = 10.4 gtt/min
A nurse is planning care for a client during a sickle cell crisis. Which of the following interventions should
the nurse include in the client's plan of care?
a. maintain the client's knees and hips in a flexed position
b. apply cold compresses to painful joints
c. withhold opioids until the crisis is resolved
d. encourage increased fluid intake - ANSWER-d. encourage increased fluid intake
the nurse should encourage increased fluid intake to promote hydration because dehydration increased
the viscosity of the blood, which can aggravate sickling and client discomfort
A nurse is providing dietary teaching to a client who has diverticulitis about preventing acute attacks.
Which of the following foods should the nurse recommend?
a. foods high in vitamin C
b. foods low in fat
c. foods high in fiber
