HEALTHSTREAM ICU KNOWLEDGE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 COMPLETE
STUDY GUIDE
◉ The nurse is caring for a patient with severe sepsis and third-
degree heart block. The patient is hypotensive. The treatment for
this life-threatening rhythm change includes: Answer:
transcutaneous pacing.
◉ A patient is admitted to the ICU with suspected cervical spinal
cord injury following a motor vehicle accident. The most important
nursing intervention for this patient is to: Answer: immobilize his
head.
◉ The nurse assesses a patient's chest tube drainage 2 hours
following thoracic surgery. The total drainage in the system is 200
mL. The nurse knows that: Answer: this is an excessive amount of
drainage
◉ The patient being admitted requires CRRT therapy. The nurse
assigned to admit the patient has not been educated on this therapy.
The charge nurse adjusts the assignment so that a nurse with 3
years experience in CRRT therapy is assigned to the patient. This
type of
,decision making is an example of: Answer: the synergy model for
patient care.
◉ The patient diagnosed with acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and
experiencing severe dehydration, sepsis, and pneumonia is now in
the polyureic stage of ATN. The most important nursing action is to:
Answer: monitor electrolyte levels and signs of fluid depletion.
◉ A patient has an elevated central venous pressure (CVP)
measurement. The most likely reason is: Answer: right heart failure.
◉ Diabetes insipidus is usually treated with Answer: vasopressin.
◉ Which physiologic effect is produced by alpha-1 receptors?
Answer: Vasoconstriction
◉ The patient experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
arrived on the unit an hour ago with TPA infusing. Initially, the
patient's neurologic exam was normal. The nurse assesses the
patient and finds him now disoriented. The next nursing action
should be to: Answer: discontinue the TPA.
◉ A patient has cardiomyopathy and is unstable. The nurse
understands that the treatment goal is to improve contractility,
reduce preload and reduce afterload. The nurse anticipates that
, medication management will include: Answer: dobutamine and
nitroprusside infusions
◉ A continuous drip of a medication is ordered at a rate of 2
mg/min. The standard mixture of this medication to yield a final
concentration of 2 mg/mL is 1 g of the medication in 500 mL of IV
fluid. At what rate in milliliters per hour should the IV pump be set?
Answer: 60 mL/hr
◉ A practitioner has ordered 700 mg of an antibiotic. The
medication label states, "Add 5 mL sterile water to 1 g of this
medication; 0.5 g = 2 mL." How many milliliters should be given?
Answer: 2.8 mL
◉ A practitioner order is written for a continuous infusion of insulin
at 3 units/hr; the premixed solution is composed of 100 units of
regular U-100 insulin in 100 mL normal saline. At which rate should
the infusion run? Answer: 3 ml/hr
◉ A dose of 35 mg of a corticosteroid is ordered to be given IM to
treat inflammation. The medication is available as 250 mg/10 mL.
How many milliliters should be administered? Answer: 1.4 ml
◉ A practitioner's order prescribes levothyroxine 0.075 mg PO daily.
The available medication is levothyroxine 25-mcg tablets. What will
the nurse administer? Answer: 3 tabs
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 COMPLETE
STUDY GUIDE
◉ The nurse is caring for a patient with severe sepsis and third-
degree heart block. The patient is hypotensive. The treatment for
this life-threatening rhythm change includes: Answer:
transcutaneous pacing.
◉ A patient is admitted to the ICU with suspected cervical spinal
cord injury following a motor vehicle accident. The most important
nursing intervention for this patient is to: Answer: immobilize his
head.
◉ The nurse assesses a patient's chest tube drainage 2 hours
following thoracic surgery. The total drainage in the system is 200
mL. The nurse knows that: Answer: this is an excessive amount of
drainage
◉ The patient being admitted requires CRRT therapy. The nurse
assigned to admit the patient has not been educated on this therapy.
The charge nurse adjusts the assignment so that a nurse with 3
years experience in CRRT therapy is assigned to the patient. This
type of
,decision making is an example of: Answer: the synergy model for
patient care.
◉ The patient diagnosed with acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and
experiencing severe dehydration, sepsis, and pneumonia is now in
the polyureic stage of ATN. The most important nursing action is to:
Answer: monitor electrolyte levels and signs of fluid depletion.
◉ A patient has an elevated central venous pressure (CVP)
measurement. The most likely reason is: Answer: right heart failure.
◉ Diabetes insipidus is usually treated with Answer: vasopressin.
◉ Which physiologic effect is produced by alpha-1 receptors?
Answer: Vasoconstriction
◉ The patient experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
arrived on the unit an hour ago with TPA infusing. Initially, the
patient's neurologic exam was normal. The nurse assesses the
patient and finds him now disoriented. The next nursing action
should be to: Answer: discontinue the TPA.
◉ A patient has cardiomyopathy and is unstable. The nurse
understands that the treatment goal is to improve contractility,
reduce preload and reduce afterload. The nurse anticipates that
, medication management will include: Answer: dobutamine and
nitroprusside infusions
◉ A continuous drip of a medication is ordered at a rate of 2
mg/min. The standard mixture of this medication to yield a final
concentration of 2 mg/mL is 1 g of the medication in 500 mL of IV
fluid. At what rate in milliliters per hour should the IV pump be set?
Answer: 60 mL/hr
◉ A practitioner has ordered 700 mg of an antibiotic. The
medication label states, "Add 5 mL sterile water to 1 g of this
medication; 0.5 g = 2 mL." How many milliliters should be given?
Answer: 2.8 mL
◉ A practitioner order is written for a continuous infusion of insulin
at 3 units/hr; the premixed solution is composed of 100 units of
regular U-100 insulin in 100 mL normal saline. At which rate should
the infusion run? Answer: 3 ml/hr
◉ A dose of 35 mg of a corticosteroid is ordered to be given IM to
treat inflammation. The medication is available as 250 mg/10 mL.
How many milliliters should be administered? Answer: 1.4 ml
◉ A practitioner's order prescribes levothyroxine 0.075 mg PO daily.
The available medication is levothyroxine 25-mcg tablets. What will
the nurse administer? Answer: 3 tabs
