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ATI CRITICAL CARE PROCTORED EXAM
V1-V3 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS 2026/2027
Question 1
A nurse in the intensive care unit is caring for a client on mechanical
ventilation when the high-pressure alarm sounds. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Silence the alarm and check the machine settings.
B. Drain the water from the ventilator tubing.
C. Suction the client's endotracheal tube for secretions.
D. Assess the client's breath sounds and respiratory status.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The first action the nurse should take is to assess the client
to determine the cause of the alarm. High-pressure alarms are often
triggered by secretions, kinks in the tubing, or the client biting the tube.
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By assessing the client first, the nurse can prioritize interventions based
on clinical findings .
Question 2
A nurse is monitoring a client who has a pulmonary artery catheter. The
nurse notes that the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) is 18
mmHg. The nurse should identify that this finding is indicative of which
of the following?
A. Hypovolemic shock
B. Right-sided heart failure
C. Left-sided heart failure
D. Pulmonary embolism
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A normal PAWP ranges from 4 to 12 mmHg, and an elevation
indicates increased pressure in the left atrium and left ventricle.
Findings above 12 mmHg often suggest fluid volume excess or left-
sided heart failure .
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Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who is in the early stages of septic shock.
Which of the following clinical manifestations should the nurse expect?
A. Cool, clammy skin
B. Bradycardia
C. Increased urine output
D. Warm, flushed skin
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the early (hyperdynamic) stage of septic shock, the client
typically exhibits warm, flushed skin due to systemic vasodilation. This
stage is also characterized by a high cardiac output and tachycardia .
Question 4
A nurse is caring for a client who has a chest tube connected to a
water-seal drainage system. The nurse observes continuous bubbling in
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the water-seal chamber. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take?
A. Check the system for an air leak.
B. Document this as a normal finding.
C. Increase the suction pressure.
D. Clamp the chest tube for 24 hours.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates an
air leak in the system or from the client's pleural space. The nurse
should check all connections and the insertion site to locate and resolve
the leak .
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a client who has a traumatic brain injury and notes
a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6. Which of the following
interventions is the priority?
ATI CRITICAL CARE PROCTORED EXAM
V1-V3 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS 2026/2027
Question 1
A nurse in the intensive care unit is caring for a client on mechanical
ventilation when the high-pressure alarm sounds. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Silence the alarm and check the machine settings.
B. Drain the water from the ventilator tubing.
C. Suction the client's endotracheal tube for secretions.
D. Assess the client's breath sounds and respiratory status.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The first action the nurse should take is to assess the client
to determine the cause of the alarm. High-pressure alarms are often
triggered by secretions, kinks in the tubing, or the client biting the tube.
,2|Page
By assessing the client first, the nurse can prioritize interventions based
on clinical findings .
Question 2
A nurse is monitoring a client who has a pulmonary artery catheter. The
nurse notes that the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) is 18
mmHg. The nurse should identify that this finding is indicative of which
of the following?
A. Hypovolemic shock
B. Right-sided heart failure
C. Left-sided heart failure
D. Pulmonary embolism
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A normal PAWP ranges from 4 to 12 mmHg, and an elevation
indicates increased pressure in the left atrium and left ventricle.
Findings above 12 mmHg often suggest fluid volume excess or left-
sided heart failure .
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Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who is in the early stages of septic shock.
Which of the following clinical manifestations should the nurse expect?
A. Cool, clammy skin
B. Bradycardia
C. Increased urine output
D. Warm, flushed skin
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the early (hyperdynamic) stage of septic shock, the client
typically exhibits warm, flushed skin due to systemic vasodilation. This
stage is also characterized by a high cardiac output and tachycardia .
Question 4
A nurse is caring for a client who has a chest tube connected to a
water-seal drainage system. The nurse observes continuous bubbling in
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the water-seal chamber. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take?
A. Check the system for an air leak.
B. Document this as a normal finding.
C. Increase the suction pressure.
D. Clamp the chest tube for 24 hours.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates an
air leak in the system or from the client's pleural space. The nurse
should check all connections and the insertion site to locate and resolve
the leak .
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a client who has a traumatic brain injury and notes
a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6. Which of the following
interventions is the priority?
