AACN CRITICAL CARE EXAM 2026
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Professional organizations that support critical care practice - answerAmerican
Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), Society of Critical Care Medicine
What is the mission of AACN? - answerassisting acute and critical care nurses to attain
knowledge and influence to deliver excellent care
What is the vision of AACN? - answersupports creating a healthcare system driven by
the needs of patients and families in which critical care nurses make their optimal
contributions...synergy
What are the values of AACN? - answeraccountability, advocacy, integrity,
collaboration, leadership, stewardship, lifelong learning, quality, innovation, commitment
Explain the synergy model and recognize how it is used in practice - answer- framework
that aligns patient needs w nurse competencies
- needs of patient drive nurse competencies for patient care
What types of certifications are available for ICU nurses? - answerCCRN - critically ill
adult, pediatric or neonatal pts
PCCN - acute care in progressive care, telemetry
AACN - nurse managers and leaders
Why are certifications important? - answervalidates knowledge of critical care nursing,
promotes professional excellence, helps nurses to maintain current knowledge base
What are three specific projects/organizations in place to assist nurses in providing safe
care? - answerQuality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Rapid response teams/joint commission (?)
What types of measures do safe care organizations implement? - answerSafety, reduce
infections, bundles of care
What is a bundle of care? Give an example. - answerSet of 3-5 EBPs that when put
together significantly improve pt outcomes
ex - ventilator bundle -- HOB elevated, DVT prophylaxis, holding a sedative to
determine pt readiness to get off vent
What are some barriers to effective handoff communication? - answerphysical setting,
social setting, language, communication medium
ex - background noise, different languages, email vs text vs paper, status issues
What standardized measures have been implemented to help prevent communication
breakdown at shift change? - answerSBAR, checklists
What are examples of things you may need to communicate during multi-professional
rounds? - answerD/C needs, greatest safety risk, assessment and followup,
implementation of bundles, assess need for all ordered meds, identify whether central
lines & catheters can be removed, code status, family needs, advance directives, when
to call MD, tx goals
What types of things contribute to sensory overload/deprivation in a critical care
environment? - answernoise level, environment different than surroundings causing
hallucinations, lighting
, What types of interventions can nurses implement to combat sensory
overload/deprivation? - answerNoise: place pt in private room, soundproof ceiling tiles,
sedative music, quickly assess alarms
Hallucinations: post family photos, encourage visitation, interact w pt
Use natural lighting
help design optimal and safe environment
What types of stressors do patients identify from their critical care experience? -
answerdifficulty communicating, pain, thirst, difficulty swallowing, anxiety, lack of
control, depression/fear, lack of family/friends, physical restraint, feelings of dread,
inability to get comfortable, difficulty sleeping, loneliness, thoughts of death
What age-related demographic is at high risk for negative outcomes in the ICU? -
answerolder adults >65 yo
What types of situations contribute to family conflict being present? -
answerfeelings/concerns of family; unresolved family issues
How can nurses best support the family members of patients and assist them in coping?
- answerevaluate, plan, involve, communicate, support
family-centered interventions
see if family can help w care so they feel more in control
What is the main cause of emotional outbreak or inappropriate responses from family
members? - answerlack of communication
What does research say about family visitation in the ICU? - answerresults in better
patient outcomes, liberal visitation is encouraged
What are the benefits to allowing family presence during codes? - answerpromotes
increased knowledge of pt condition/removes doubts
witness everything possible was done
decrease anxiety and fear about what is happening to their loved one
sense of closure
autonomy - answerrespect for individual and ability of the individual to make decisions
with regard to their own health and future (informed consent)
Beneficience - answeractions intended to benefit the patient or others
Nonmaleficience - answerdo no harm
Justice - answerbeing fair or just to the wider community in terms of the consequences
of an action; fair allocation or distribution of healthcare resources
What are bioethics committees? - answerphysicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers
and bioethicists work together to provide ethics on a case by case basis
What types of situations may warrant an ethics consult? - answerdisagreement/conflict
exists on whether to pursue aggressive life-sustaining tx in a seriously ill pt (CPR, or
emphasize comfort/palliative care)
family demands to provide life-sustaining tx (ventilation, tube feedings) which nurse/MD
consider futile
seriously ill pt is incapacitated and does not have surrogate decision maker or advance
directive
Identify what must be present for patient to provide consent for themselves -
answercompetence, voluntariness, disclosure of information, free from severe
pain/depression
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Professional organizations that support critical care practice - answerAmerican
Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), Society of Critical Care Medicine
What is the mission of AACN? - answerassisting acute and critical care nurses to attain
knowledge and influence to deliver excellent care
What is the vision of AACN? - answersupports creating a healthcare system driven by
the needs of patients and families in which critical care nurses make their optimal
contributions...synergy
What are the values of AACN? - answeraccountability, advocacy, integrity,
collaboration, leadership, stewardship, lifelong learning, quality, innovation, commitment
Explain the synergy model and recognize how it is used in practice - answer- framework
that aligns patient needs w nurse competencies
- needs of patient drive nurse competencies for patient care
What types of certifications are available for ICU nurses? - answerCCRN - critically ill
adult, pediatric or neonatal pts
PCCN - acute care in progressive care, telemetry
AACN - nurse managers and leaders
Why are certifications important? - answervalidates knowledge of critical care nursing,
promotes professional excellence, helps nurses to maintain current knowledge base
What are three specific projects/organizations in place to assist nurses in providing safe
care? - answerQuality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Rapid response teams/joint commission (?)
What types of measures do safe care organizations implement? - answerSafety, reduce
infections, bundles of care
What is a bundle of care? Give an example. - answerSet of 3-5 EBPs that when put
together significantly improve pt outcomes
ex - ventilator bundle -- HOB elevated, DVT prophylaxis, holding a sedative to
determine pt readiness to get off vent
What are some barriers to effective handoff communication? - answerphysical setting,
social setting, language, communication medium
ex - background noise, different languages, email vs text vs paper, status issues
What standardized measures have been implemented to help prevent communication
breakdown at shift change? - answerSBAR, checklists
What are examples of things you may need to communicate during multi-professional
rounds? - answerD/C needs, greatest safety risk, assessment and followup,
implementation of bundles, assess need for all ordered meds, identify whether central
lines & catheters can be removed, code status, family needs, advance directives, when
to call MD, tx goals
What types of things contribute to sensory overload/deprivation in a critical care
environment? - answernoise level, environment different than surroundings causing
hallucinations, lighting
, What types of interventions can nurses implement to combat sensory
overload/deprivation? - answerNoise: place pt in private room, soundproof ceiling tiles,
sedative music, quickly assess alarms
Hallucinations: post family photos, encourage visitation, interact w pt
Use natural lighting
help design optimal and safe environment
What types of stressors do patients identify from their critical care experience? -
answerdifficulty communicating, pain, thirst, difficulty swallowing, anxiety, lack of
control, depression/fear, lack of family/friends, physical restraint, feelings of dread,
inability to get comfortable, difficulty sleeping, loneliness, thoughts of death
What age-related demographic is at high risk for negative outcomes in the ICU? -
answerolder adults >65 yo
What types of situations contribute to family conflict being present? -
answerfeelings/concerns of family; unresolved family issues
How can nurses best support the family members of patients and assist them in coping?
- answerevaluate, plan, involve, communicate, support
family-centered interventions
see if family can help w care so they feel more in control
What is the main cause of emotional outbreak or inappropriate responses from family
members? - answerlack of communication
What does research say about family visitation in the ICU? - answerresults in better
patient outcomes, liberal visitation is encouraged
What are the benefits to allowing family presence during codes? - answerpromotes
increased knowledge of pt condition/removes doubts
witness everything possible was done
decrease anxiety and fear about what is happening to their loved one
sense of closure
autonomy - answerrespect for individual and ability of the individual to make decisions
with regard to their own health and future (informed consent)
Beneficience - answeractions intended to benefit the patient or others
Nonmaleficience - answerdo no harm
Justice - answerbeing fair or just to the wider community in terms of the consequences
of an action; fair allocation or distribution of healthcare resources
What are bioethics committees? - answerphysicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers
and bioethicists work together to provide ethics on a case by case basis
What types of situations may warrant an ethics consult? - answerdisagreement/conflict
exists on whether to pursue aggressive life-sustaining tx in a seriously ill pt (CPR, or
emphasize comfort/palliative care)
family demands to provide life-sustaining tx (ventilation, tube feedings) which nurse/MD
consider futile
seriously ill pt is incapacitated and does not have surrogate decision maker or advance
directive
Identify what must be present for patient to provide consent for themselves -
answercompetence, voluntariness, disclosure of information, free from severe
pain/depression
