Priorities in Critical Care Nursing

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The nurse is caring for a patient with acute liver failure. What laboratory value would the nurse expect to decrease in this situation? a. Albumin b. Total bilirubin c. Alkaline phosphatase d. Aspartate aminotransferase ANS: A In a patient with hepatocellular injury (which occurs with acute liver failure), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase valu...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A patient is admitted with sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI). The patient is started on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The nurse knows that fluid is removed each hour is charted as what on the CRRT flow sheet? a. Convection b. Diffusion c. Replacement fluid d. Ultrafiltrate ANS: D The fluid that is removed each hour is not called urine; it is known as ultrafiltrate. Typically, some of t...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A patient was admitted with acute kidney injury. Which urinalysis value reflects a decreased ability of the kidneys to concentrate urine? a. pH of 5.0 b. Specific gravity of 1.000 c. No casts d. Urine sodium of 140 mEq/24 hr ANS: B Specific gravity measures the density or weight of urine compared with that of distilled water. The normal urinary specific gravity is 1.005 to 1.025. For comparison, the speci...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Adenosine is an antidysrhythmic agent that is given primarily what reason? a. To convert supraventricular tachycardias b. To suppress premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) c. To treat second- and third-degree AV blocks d. To coarsen ventricular fibrillation so that defibrillation is effective ANS: A Adenosine occurs endogenously in the body as a building block of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Given in ...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A patient is admitted with an acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI). A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is done to validate the area of infarction. Which finding on the ECG is most conclusive for infarction? a. Inverted T waves b. Tall, peaked T waves c. ST segment depression d. Pathologic Q waves ANS: D The changes in repolarization are seen by the presence of new Q waves. These new, pathologic Q wave...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A nurse is teaching a nursing student about the modes of volume ventilation. Which statement regarding the assist-control (AC) mode indicates the student understood the information? a. “It delivers gas at preset volume, at a set rate, and in response to the patient’s inspiratory efforts.” b. “It delivers gas at a preset volume, allowing the patient to breathe spontaneously at his or her own volume.” c. ...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A patient has been admitted with severe shortness of breath and pleuritic chest pain. The practitioner suspects the patient may have a pulmonary embolism (PE). Which finding would confirm this diagnosis? a. Low-probability V/Q scan b. Negative pulmonary angiogram c. High-probability V/Q scan d. Absence of vascular markings on the chest radiograph ANS: C A definitive diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism requir...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. A patient is admitted with acute respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia. Upon auscultation, the nurse hears creaking, leathery, coarse breath sounds in the lower anterolateral chest area during inspiration and expiration. This finding is indicative of what condition? a. Emphysema b. Atelectasis c. Pulmonary fibrosis d. Pleural effusion ANS: D A pleural friction rub is the result of irritated pleural su...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Why use a specific pain intensity scale in the critical care unit? a. It eliminates the subjective component from the assessment. b. It focuses on the objective component of the assessment. c. It provides consistency of assessment and management. d. It provides a way to interpret physiologic indicators. ANS: C Many critical care units use a specific pain intensity scale because a single tool provides consi...

Urden: Priorities in Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which sign or symptom can be a normal assessment finding for an older patient? a. Asymptomatic dysrhythmias b. Decreased urine output c. Increased respiratory effort d. Difficulty problem-solving ANS: A The incidence of asymptomatic cardiac dysrhythmias increases in older patients. The most common dysrhythmia is the premature ventricular contraction. Other common types are atrial fibrillation, atrial flutt...