COMPLEX 1 FINAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS
A nurse is the only one in the ICU who has not achieved certification in critical care nursing. She
often will ask her fellow nurses what to do in caring for a patient because she doubts the
accuracy of her knowledge and her intuition. She loves her work but wishes she could do it with
a greater level of competence. What is the most important effect that obtaining certification
would likely have on the nurses practice? Increased confidence in making decisions
A hospital interviews two different candidates for a position in the ICU. Both candidates have
around 10 years of experience working in the ICU. Both have excellent interpersonal skills and
highly positive references. One, however, has certification in critical care nursing. Which of the
following is the most compelling and accurate reason for the hospital to hire the candidate with
certification? The certified nurse will have more knowledge and expertise.
A nurse is caring for an elderly man recently admitted to the ICU following a stroke. She
assesses his cognitive function using a new cognitive assessment test she learned about in a
recent article in a nursing journal. She then brings a cup of water and a straw to the patient
because she observes that his lips are dry. Later, she has the patient sit in a wheelchair and takes
him to have some blood tests performed. He objects at first, saying that he can walk on his own,
but the nurse explains that it is hospital policy to use the wheelchair. That evening, she
recognizes signs of an imminent stroke in the patient and immediately pages the physician.
Which action taken by the nurse is the best example of evidence-based practice? Using the
cognitive assessment test
A nurse is on a committee that is trying to reduce the occurrence of hospital-acquired infections
in the ICU. Her role is to conduct research to find which interventions have been shown to be
most effective in reducing these infections. She consults many different sources and finds
conflicting information. Which of the following sources should she consider the most
authoritative? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in the American Journal of
Nursing
A nurse who has been recently hired to manage the nursing staff of the ICU is concerned at the
lack of evidence-based practice she sees among the staff. Which of the following would be the
best step for her to take to promote incorporating evidence into clinical practice? Introduce the
staff to the PubMed search engine and assign them topics to research on it.
A physician visits a patient in the ICU while the nurse is out. The patient complains that the pain
medication is not effective and that he would like to receive an increased dose. The physician has
the nurse paged and consults with him in the hallway regarding the patients request for stronger
pain medication. The nurse explains that patient was started on a morphine drip only 20 minutes
ago and that the drug has not had time to take effect yet. The physician agrees and tells the
patient to give it just a bit more time. Which component of a healthy work environment is most
evident in this scenario? True collaboration
,A nurse in the ICU is responding to a patient who has just gone into cardiac arrest. A moment
later, the nurse is notified that another patient has just gone into anaphylactic shock due to a drug
allergy. She is conflicted as to what to do, as she is the only nurse available at the moment to
tend to both patients. Which component of a healthy work environment is lacking in this
scenario? Appropriate staffing
An ICU nurse has provided excellent care for a 6-year-old girl who had been admitted to the ICU
for a head injury. The nurse was attentive not only to the needs of the patient but also went out of
her way to care for the needs of the girls family. According to research, which of the following
forms of recognition would the nurse value the most? A card from the girls family
A patient in the ICU has recently been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Before being
discharged, this patient will require detailed instructions on how to manage her diet, how to self-
inject insulin, and how to handle future diabetic emergencies. Which nurse competency is most
needed in this situation? Facilitation of learning
An elderly patient is admitted to the ICU with stage IV lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, and
congestive heart failure. The health care team assembled to care for her is large and diverse,
including an oncologist, a pulmonologist, an endocrinologist, a cardiologist, and others. The
patient is not expected to survive more than a few weeks, and her husband is overwhelmed with
stress and grief. Which nurse competency or competencies are most needed in this situation?
Select all that apply. Caring practices
Collaboration
An Ethiopian man with AIDS has recently been admitted to the ICU with a case of pneumonia.
The man is new to the U.S. and has no health insurance. He would likely be eligible for the states
Medicaid coverage, but does not understand how to access this coverage. Which competency or
competencies are most needed in this situation? Select all that apply. Advocacy and moral
agency
Systems thinking
Response to diversity
A nurse decides to seek certification in critical care nursing. What is the most important benefit
for the individual nurse in becoming certified in a specialty? It demonstrates the nurses
personal expertise
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) sponsors certification in critical care
nursing for several critical care subspecialties. What is the most important benefit of such
certification for the profession of nursing? Validates nurses expert knowledge and practice
A nurse has achieved certification in critical care nursing. What is the most important effect that
this certification will have on the nurses practice? Increased confidence in critical thinking
The nurse cites evidence-based practice as a rationale for a patient care decision. What is the best
description of evidence-based practice? Use of best available research data
The nurse caring for a critically ill patient implements several components of care. What
component is an example of the use of evidence-based practice? Application of an insulin
sliding scale method from research
, The nurse wishes to increase the use of evidence-based practice in the critical care unit where he
works. What is a significant barrier to the implementation of evidence-based practice? Lack
of knowledge about literature searches
The nurse has identified an increase in medication errors in the critical care unit over the past
several months. What aspect of medication procedures should be evaluated first? Clarity of
interdisciplinary communication
A critical care unit has decided to implement several measures designed to improve
intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition to an expected improvement in
patient outcomes, what is the most important effect that should result from these measures?
Increased staff retention
A nurse wishes to practice using the Synergy Model developed by the American Association of
Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). What nursing behavior best supports use of this model? Self-
directed study of best practice for the patients she cares for
As part of the Synergy Model, the nurse has identified a patient characteristic of resiliency. What
patient behavior demonstrates resiliency? Developing a list of questions for the physician
A patient is admitted to the critical care unit after receiving a mechanical heart implantation. In
making a nursing assignment, the charge nurse best demonstrates application of the Synergy
Model by assigning which nurse to care for this patient? The nurse with most experience with
this device, for expertise
A Muslim patient has been admitted to the critical care unit with complications after childbirth.
Based on the Synergy Model, which nurse would be the most inappropriate to assign to care for
this patient? New graduate male nurse
Todays critical care nursing environment is constantly changing. What nursing behavior best
illustrates awareness of current events affecting critical care nursing? Volunteering to serve
on a disaster response planning committee
The critical care unit environment is very stressful for patients, families, and staff. What nursing
action is directed at reducing environmental stress? Maintaining quiet during hours of sleep
A patient is transferred to the ICU from the Birth Center of the hospital in the middle of the night
after experiencing complications during delivery of her baby. The patients husband is anxious
and explains to the ICU nurse that he doesnt understand why his wife has been moved to the
ICU. She is going to die, isnt she? he asks the nurse. What is the nurses best response?
Explain that every measure will be taken to provide his wife with the best care possible.
A patient is admitted to the ICU with injuries sustained from a fall from a third-story window.
The patient is conscious, his breathing is labored, and he is bleeding heavily from the abdomen.
He groans constantly and complains of severe pain, but his movements are minimal. His heart
rate is elevated. Which of these is a sign that he is in the second phase of the stress response?
Select all that apply. Severe pain
Minimal movement
A patient in the ICU is recovering from open-heart surgery. The nurse enters his room and
observes that his daughter is performing effleurage on his arms and talking in a low voice about
an upcoming family vacation that is planned. The room is dimly lit, and she hears the constant
beeping of his heart monitor. From the hall she hears the cries of a patient in pain. Which of the
following are likely stressors for the patient? Select all that apply. The beeping of the heart
monitor
A nurse is the only one in the ICU who has not achieved certification in critical care nursing. She
often will ask her fellow nurses what to do in caring for a patient because she doubts the
accuracy of her knowledge and her intuition. She loves her work but wishes she could do it with
a greater level of competence. What is the most important effect that obtaining certification
would likely have on the nurses practice? Increased confidence in making decisions
A hospital interviews two different candidates for a position in the ICU. Both candidates have
around 10 years of experience working in the ICU. Both have excellent interpersonal skills and
highly positive references. One, however, has certification in critical care nursing. Which of the
following is the most compelling and accurate reason for the hospital to hire the candidate with
certification? The certified nurse will have more knowledge and expertise.
A nurse is caring for an elderly man recently admitted to the ICU following a stroke. She
assesses his cognitive function using a new cognitive assessment test she learned about in a
recent article in a nursing journal. She then brings a cup of water and a straw to the patient
because she observes that his lips are dry. Later, she has the patient sit in a wheelchair and takes
him to have some blood tests performed. He objects at first, saying that he can walk on his own,
but the nurse explains that it is hospital policy to use the wheelchair. That evening, she
recognizes signs of an imminent stroke in the patient and immediately pages the physician.
Which action taken by the nurse is the best example of evidence-based practice? Using the
cognitive assessment test
A nurse is on a committee that is trying to reduce the occurrence of hospital-acquired infections
in the ICU. Her role is to conduct research to find which interventions have been shown to be
most effective in reducing these infections. She consults many different sources and finds
conflicting information. Which of the following sources should she consider the most
authoritative? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in the American Journal of
Nursing
A nurse who has been recently hired to manage the nursing staff of the ICU is concerned at the
lack of evidence-based practice she sees among the staff. Which of the following would be the
best step for her to take to promote incorporating evidence into clinical practice? Introduce the
staff to the PubMed search engine and assign them topics to research on it.
A physician visits a patient in the ICU while the nurse is out. The patient complains that the pain
medication is not effective and that he would like to receive an increased dose. The physician has
the nurse paged and consults with him in the hallway regarding the patients request for stronger
pain medication. The nurse explains that patient was started on a morphine drip only 20 minutes
ago and that the drug has not had time to take effect yet. The physician agrees and tells the
patient to give it just a bit more time. Which component of a healthy work environment is most
evident in this scenario? True collaboration
,A nurse in the ICU is responding to a patient who has just gone into cardiac arrest. A moment
later, the nurse is notified that another patient has just gone into anaphylactic shock due to a drug
allergy. She is conflicted as to what to do, as she is the only nurse available at the moment to
tend to both patients. Which component of a healthy work environment is lacking in this
scenario? Appropriate staffing
An ICU nurse has provided excellent care for a 6-year-old girl who had been admitted to the ICU
for a head injury. The nurse was attentive not only to the needs of the patient but also went out of
her way to care for the needs of the girls family. According to research, which of the following
forms of recognition would the nurse value the most? A card from the girls family
A patient in the ICU has recently been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Before being
discharged, this patient will require detailed instructions on how to manage her diet, how to self-
inject insulin, and how to handle future diabetic emergencies. Which nurse competency is most
needed in this situation? Facilitation of learning
An elderly patient is admitted to the ICU with stage IV lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, and
congestive heart failure. The health care team assembled to care for her is large and diverse,
including an oncologist, a pulmonologist, an endocrinologist, a cardiologist, and others. The
patient is not expected to survive more than a few weeks, and her husband is overwhelmed with
stress and grief. Which nurse competency or competencies are most needed in this situation?
Select all that apply. Caring practices
Collaboration
An Ethiopian man with AIDS has recently been admitted to the ICU with a case of pneumonia.
The man is new to the U.S. and has no health insurance. He would likely be eligible for the states
Medicaid coverage, but does not understand how to access this coverage. Which competency or
competencies are most needed in this situation? Select all that apply. Advocacy and moral
agency
Systems thinking
Response to diversity
A nurse decides to seek certification in critical care nursing. What is the most important benefit
for the individual nurse in becoming certified in a specialty? It demonstrates the nurses
personal expertise
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) sponsors certification in critical care
nursing for several critical care subspecialties. What is the most important benefit of such
certification for the profession of nursing? Validates nurses expert knowledge and practice
A nurse has achieved certification in critical care nursing. What is the most important effect that
this certification will have on the nurses practice? Increased confidence in critical thinking
The nurse cites evidence-based practice as a rationale for a patient care decision. What is the best
description of evidence-based practice? Use of best available research data
The nurse caring for a critically ill patient implements several components of care. What
component is an example of the use of evidence-based practice? Application of an insulin
sliding scale method from research
, The nurse wishes to increase the use of evidence-based practice in the critical care unit where he
works. What is a significant barrier to the implementation of evidence-based practice? Lack
of knowledge about literature searches
The nurse has identified an increase in medication errors in the critical care unit over the past
several months. What aspect of medication procedures should be evaluated first? Clarity of
interdisciplinary communication
A critical care unit has decided to implement several measures designed to improve
intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition to an expected improvement in
patient outcomes, what is the most important effect that should result from these measures?
Increased staff retention
A nurse wishes to practice using the Synergy Model developed by the American Association of
Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). What nursing behavior best supports use of this model? Self-
directed study of best practice for the patients she cares for
As part of the Synergy Model, the nurse has identified a patient characteristic of resiliency. What
patient behavior demonstrates resiliency? Developing a list of questions for the physician
A patient is admitted to the critical care unit after receiving a mechanical heart implantation. In
making a nursing assignment, the charge nurse best demonstrates application of the Synergy
Model by assigning which nurse to care for this patient? The nurse with most experience with
this device, for expertise
A Muslim patient has been admitted to the critical care unit with complications after childbirth.
Based on the Synergy Model, which nurse would be the most inappropriate to assign to care for
this patient? New graduate male nurse
Todays critical care nursing environment is constantly changing. What nursing behavior best
illustrates awareness of current events affecting critical care nursing? Volunteering to serve
on a disaster response planning committee
The critical care unit environment is very stressful for patients, families, and staff. What nursing
action is directed at reducing environmental stress? Maintaining quiet during hours of sleep
A patient is transferred to the ICU from the Birth Center of the hospital in the middle of the night
after experiencing complications during delivery of her baby. The patients husband is anxious
and explains to the ICU nurse that he doesnt understand why his wife has been moved to the
ICU. She is going to die, isnt she? he asks the nurse. What is the nurses best response?
Explain that every measure will be taken to provide his wife with the best care possible.
A patient is admitted to the ICU with injuries sustained from a fall from a third-story window.
The patient is conscious, his breathing is labored, and he is bleeding heavily from the abdomen.
He groans constantly and complains of severe pain, but his movements are minimal. His heart
rate is elevated. Which of these is a sign that he is in the second phase of the stress response?
Select all that apply. Severe pain
Minimal movement
A patient in the ICU is recovering from open-heart surgery. The nurse enters his room and
observes that his daughter is performing effleurage on his arms and talking in a low voice about
an upcoming family vacation that is planned. The room is dimly lit, and she hears the constant
beeping of his heart monitor. From the hall she hears the cries of a patient in pain. Which of the
following are likely stressors for the patient? Select all that apply. The beeping of the heart
monitor
