1|Page
PCCN CARDIAC EXAM UPDATED 2025 2026
WITH ALL NEW QUESTIONS AND EXACTLY
RIGHT ANSWERS | A+ QUALITY GUARANTEE
If blood pressure is lower by at least 10-11 mm Hg on inspiration than on
expiration, this is known as .
-Pulsus alternans
-Pulse pressure
-Pulsus paradoxus
-Pulsus parvus - ANSWER: Pulsus paradoxus
Pulsus paradoxus may be present in conjunction with asthma, emphysema, cardiac
tamponade, restrictive pericarditis, or hemorrhagic shock.
Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures.
Pulsus parvus means a small or weak pulse
Pulsus alternans means the upstroke is more powerful than the downstroke
ANSWER: that is, the stokes alternate in strength.
Robert suffered an MI but is now in stable condition in the PCU. Seven family
members arrive at the unit demanding to see the pt. Your best response would be:
-Notify social services
-Identify the responsible family spokesperson and contact him or her
-Refuse to admit more than one person]
-Call security to remove the visitors. - ANSWER: >
Identify the responsible family spokesperson and contact him or her.
,2|Page
Visitation policies cary by institution. However, it is best to identify one person as
the point of contact. HIPAA regulations require limitations on the release of any
medical information be set by the patient if the patient is able to communicate his
or her wishes. If the patient is unable to make this decision, the next of kin can act
as a contact person.
Robert suffered an MI but is now in stable contition in the PCU. After you have
identified his significant other, his estranged wife arrives.
Robert tells you that he does not want contact with her. He even writes a note to
the effect to be placed on his chart. He also states he wants no information given to
his estranged wife. She becomes belligerent when told of Robert's wishes and
threatens the staff with a lawsuit. The most appropriate nursing action would be :
-Request an ethics/ multidisciplinary care conference to discuss communication
and dissemination of the patient's medical status and to review the visitation policy
-Immediately call the hospial's attorney to speak to the estranged wife
-Give the wife any information she wants, but do not inform Robert that you have
done so
-Request that the patient's physician write a non-visitation order for the wife. -
ANSWER: Request an ethics/ multidisciplinary care conference to discuss
communication and dissemination of the patient's medical status and to review the
visitation policy
The best response would be to collaborate and interact with other professionals.
Rebecca, who is a Jehovah's Witness, has just undergone a cardiac surgical
procedure. Her Hgb and Hct levels have been falling and are now 6.5 and 24. Her
chest tubes have drained 1750 ml in the last 4 hours. The anticipated treatment
would be to administer:
,3|Page
-One unit type specific whole blood
-500 ml albumin
-250 ml FFP
-Continuous-circuit auto-transfusion - ANSWER: >
Continuous-Circuit Auto-transfusion
The religious preference of the patient must be respected. The only acceptable
form of transfusion is this case is via auto-transfusion.
The major advantage of using an internal mammary artery for cardiac bypass
would be:
-Greater ease of harvesting
-Better postsurgical patency
-A lowered infection rate
-A lowered rate of reperfusion rhythms - ANSWER: >
Better postsurgical patency
Utilizing the internal mammary artery means grafts do not have to come from the
saphenous veins in the legs, minimizing the risk for infection from another site.
In the graft procedure, the internal mammary artery is seperated at only one end
and reanastomosed to the affected coronary artery distal to the affected area. The
patency of the resulting graft is generally quite good. After 10 years,
approximately 90% of the grafts are still patent.
Your patient just underwent a percutaneous intervention for stent placement, after
which he was returned to your tele unit. You note a rash over the patient's trunk
and arms. This is probably due to .
, 4|Page
-An allergic reaction to contrast dye
-Petechiae from a fat emolism
-A reaction to the indwelling stent
-A rash secondary to a Candida infection - ANSWER: An allergic reaction to
contrast dye.
Iodine dye is used and will cause a rash, itching, swelling and can also lead to
laryngospasm and anaphylaxis in some patients. It is imperative to determine
whether the patient is allergic to iodine, shellfish, or horses prior to initiating the
procedure.
A sign of necrosis on an EKG would include:
-Acute ST elevation
-A Right BBB
-A Left BBB
-A Q wave in lead III - ANSWER: Acute ST elevation.
Along with acute ST elevation, another indicator of necrosis would be an abnormal
Q wave. If the Q wave appears within about 6 hours of a transmural MI, it is an
ominous sign. If the Q wave is more than 0.04 seconds long, it is a sign of necrosis.
In an inferior MI, the Q wave should not exceed 0.03 seconds or it is indicative of
necrosis.
Holly recieved 4 mg Morphine IV. She is now unresponsive and her RR and depth
are diminished. The antidote for morphine is:
-Regitine
PCCN CARDIAC EXAM UPDATED 2025 2026
WITH ALL NEW QUESTIONS AND EXACTLY
RIGHT ANSWERS | A+ QUALITY GUARANTEE
If blood pressure is lower by at least 10-11 mm Hg on inspiration than on
expiration, this is known as .
-Pulsus alternans
-Pulse pressure
-Pulsus paradoxus
-Pulsus parvus - ANSWER: Pulsus paradoxus
Pulsus paradoxus may be present in conjunction with asthma, emphysema, cardiac
tamponade, restrictive pericarditis, or hemorrhagic shock.
Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures.
Pulsus parvus means a small or weak pulse
Pulsus alternans means the upstroke is more powerful than the downstroke
ANSWER: that is, the stokes alternate in strength.
Robert suffered an MI but is now in stable condition in the PCU. Seven family
members arrive at the unit demanding to see the pt. Your best response would be:
-Notify social services
-Identify the responsible family spokesperson and contact him or her
-Refuse to admit more than one person]
-Call security to remove the visitors. - ANSWER: >
Identify the responsible family spokesperson and contact him or her.
,2|Page
Visitation policies cary by institution. However, it is best to identify one person as
the point of contact. HIPAA regulations require limitations on the release of any
medical information be set by the patient if the patient is able to communicate his
or her wishes. If the patient is unable to make this decision, the next of kin can act
as a contact person.
Robert suffered an MI but is now in stable contition in the PCU. After you have
identified his significant other, his estranged wife arrives.
Robert tells you that he does not want contact with her. He even writes a note to
the effect to be placed on his chart. He also states he wants no information given to
his estranged wife. She becomes belligerent when told of Robert's wishes and
threatens the staff with a lawsuit. The most appropriate nursing action would be :
-Request an ethics/ multidisciplinary care conference to discuss communication
and dissemination of the patient's medical status and to review the visitation policy
-Immediately call the hospial's attorney to speak to the estranged wife
-Give the wife any information she wants, but do not inform Robert that you have
done so
-Request that the patient's physician write a non-visitation order for the wife. -
ANSWER: Request an ethics/ multidisciplinary care conference to discuss
communication and dissemination of the patient's medical status and to review the
visitation policy
The best response would be to collaborate and interact with other professionals.
Rebecca, who is a Jehovah's Witness, has just undergone a cardiac surgical
procedure. Her Hgb and Hct levels have been falling and are now 6.5 and 24. Her
chest tubes have drained 1750 ml in the last 4 hours. The anticipated treatment
would be to administer:
,3|Page
-One unit type specific whole blood
-500 ml albumin
-250 ml FFP
-Continuous-circuit auto-transfusion - ANSWER: >
Continuous-Circuit Auto-transfusion
The religious preference of the patient must be respected. The only acceptable
form of transfusion is this case is via auto-transfusion.
The major advantage of using an internal mammary artery for cardiac bypass
would be:
-Greater ease of harvesting
-Better postsurgical patency
-A lowered infection rate
-A lowered rate of reperfusion rhythms - ANSWER: >
Better postsurgical patency
Utilizing the internal mammary artery means grafts do not have to come from the
saphenous veins in the legs, minimizing the risk for infection from another site.
In the graft procedure, the internal mammary artery is seperated at only one end
and reanastomosed to the affected coronary artery distal to the affected area. The
patency of the resulting graft is generally quite good. After 10 years,
approximately 90% of the grafts are still patent.
Your patient just underwent a percutaneous intervention for stent placement, after
which he was returned to your tele unit. You note a rash over the patient's trunk
and arms. This is probably due to .
, 4|Page
-An allergic reaction to contrast dye
-Petechiae from a fat emolism
-A reaction to the indwelling stent
-A rash secondary to a Candida infection - ANSWER: An allergic reaction to
contrast dye.
Iodine dye is used and will cause a rash, itching, swelling and can also lead to
laryngospasm and anaphylaxis in some patients. It is imperative to determine
whether the patient is allergic to iodine, shellfish, or horses prior to initiating the
procedure.
A sign of necrosis on an EKG would include:
-Acute ST elevation
-A Right BBB
-A Left BBB
-A Q wave in lead III - ANSWER: Acute ST elevation.
Along with acute ST elevation, another indicator of necrosis would be an abnormal
Q wave. If the Q wave appears within about 6 hours of a transmural MI, it is an
ominous sign. If the Q wave is more than 0.04 seconds long, it is a sign of necrosis.
In an inferior MI, the Q wave should not exceed 0.03 seconds or it is indicative of
necrosis.
Holly recieved 4 mg Morphine IV. She is now unresponsive and her RR and depth
are diminished. The antidote for morphine is:
-Regitine
