CCRN Practice Questions – Renal
Exam 2025 Answers
A 48-year-old man is admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. Assessment
reveals the following:
Vital Signs
Blood pressure - 70/40 mm Hg
Heart rate - 122 beats/min and irregular
Respiratory rate - 26 breaths/min
Urine output - 20 mL over the past 2 hours
Hemodynamics
Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) - 34/24 mm Hg
Pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) - 25 mm Hg
Right atrial pressure (RAP) - 10 mm Hg
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,Cardiac index (CI) - 1.8 L/min/m2
Which of the following would be of primary concern in evaluating the patient's
renal status?
a. PAP
b. PAOP
c. RAP
d. CI - ANSWER-Correct answer: d
Rationale: Of primary concern is the CI, which evaluates the cardiac output in
regard to the body surface area. The kidneys receive 20% to 25% of the cardiac
output, which is approximately 1200 mL/min. Without sufficient cardiac output,
the kidneys cannot be perfused properly, and filtration cannot be effective.
Test-Taking Strategy: If you immediately thought of mean arterial pressure but
could not find it, remember that MAP = CO × SVR, where CO is cardiac output
and SVR is systemic vascular resistance. Cardiac output is the pump behind
glomerular filtration rate. Choose option d.
A 48-year-old man is admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. Assessment
reveals the following:
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,Vital Signs
Blood pressure - 70/40 mm Hg
Heart rate - 122 beats/min and irregular
Respiratory rate - 26 breaths/min
Urine output - 20 mL over the past 2 hours
Hemodynamics
Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) - 34/24 mm Hg
Pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) - 25 mm Hg
Right atrial pressure (RAP) - 10 mm Hg
Cardiac index (CI) - 1.8 L/min/m2
What would be the best laboratory test to evaluate this patient's glomerular
filtration rate (GFR)?
a. Blood urea nitrogen
b. Serum creatinine
c. Urine creatinine clearance
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, d. Serum amylase - ANSWER-Correct answer: c
Rationale: Normal GFR is 125 mL/min or about 180 L/day. The creatinine
clearance rate reflects the GFR. It evaluates the ability of the kidneys to filter a
waste product (creatinine) that is neither reabsorbed nor secreted.
Test-Taking Strategy: Notice that options a, b, and d are serum values, but option c
is a comparison between the creatinine in the blood and the creatinine excreted in
the urine. It is logical to believe that the comparison value would be better.
A 29-year-old woman has been a patient in the critical care unit for 2 weeks with
acute tubular necrosis (ATN) as a result of crush injuries experienced in a motor
vehicle collision.
She was normotensive on admission.
What would be the most common explanation for her ATN?
a. Rhabdomyolysis
b. Hemorrhage
c. Creatinine release
d. Cardiac dysrhythmias - ANSWER-Correct answer: a
Rationale: The most common cause for ATN in a normotensive patient who has
experienced crush injuries is rhabdomyolysis with resultant myoglobinuria.
Rhabdomyolysis is acute muscle destruction and is associated with myoglobinuria.
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
Exam 2025 Answers
A 48-year-old man is admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. Assessment
reveals the following:
Vital Signs
Blood pressure - 70/40 mm Hg
Heart rate - 122 beats/min and irregular
Respiratory rate - 26 breaths/min
Urine output - 20 mL over the past 2 hours
Hemodynamics
Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) - 34/24 mm Hg
Pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) - 25 mm Hg
Right atrial pressure (RAP) - 10 mm Hg
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 1
,Cardiac index (CI) - 1.8 L/min/m2
Which of the following would be of primary concern in evaluating the patient's
renal status?
a. PAP
b. PAOP
c. RAP
d. CI - ANSWER-Correct answer: d
Rationale: Of primary concern is the CI, which evaluates the cardiac output in
regard to the body surface area. The kidneys receive 20% to 25% of the cardiac
output, which is approximately 1200 mL/min. Without sufficient cardiac output,
the kidneys cannot be perfused properly, and filtration cannot be effective.
Test-Taking Strategy: If you immediately thought of mean arterial pressure but
could not find it, remember that MAP = CO × SVR, where CO is cardiac output
and SVR is systemic vascular resistance. Cardiac output is the pump behind
glomerular filtration rate. Choose option d.
A 48-year-old man is admitted with an acute myocardial infarction. Assessment
reveals the following:
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 2
,Vital Signs
Blood pressure - 70/40 mm Hg
Heart rate - 122 beats/min and irregular
Respiratory rate - 26 breaths/min
Urine output - 20 mL over the past 2 hours
Hemodynamics
Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) - 34/24 mm Hg
Pulmonary artery occlusive pressure (PAOP) - 25 mm Hg
Right atrial pressure (RAP) - 10 mm Hg
Cardiac index (CI) - 1.8 L/min/m2
What would be the best laboratory test to evaluate this patient's glomerular
filtration rate (GFR)?
a. Blood urea nitrogen
b. Serum creatinine
c. Urine creatinine clearance
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 3
, d. Serum amylase - ANSWER-Correct answer: c
Rationale: Normal GFR is 125 mL/min or about 180 L/day. The creatinine
clearance rate reflects the GFR. It evaluates the ability of the kidneys to filter a
waste product (creatinine) that is neither reabsorbed nor secreted.
Test-Taking Strategy: Notice that options a, b, and d are serum values, but option c
is a comparison between the creatinine in the blood and the creatinine excreted in
the urine. It is logical to believe that the comparison value would be better.
A 29-year-old woman has been a patient in the critical care unit for 2 weeks with
acute tubular necrosis (ATN) as a result of crush injuries experienced in a motor
vehicle collision.
She was normotensive on admission.
What would be the most common explanation for her ATN?
a. Rhabdomyolysis
b. Hemorrhage
c. Creatinine release
d. Cardiac dysrhythmias - ANSWER-Correct answer: a
Rationale: The most common cause for ATN in a normotensive patient who has
experienced crush injuries is rhabdomyolysis with resultant myoglobinuria.
Rhabdomyolysis is acute muscle destruction and is associated with myoglobinuria.
....COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED...TRUSTED & VERIFIED 4
