NUR 265 Exam 3 Study Questions
► What is the normal arterial blood gas (ABG) range for the partial
pressure of oxygen (PO2)?
o 80-100 mmHg
o What if it’s higher than 100? What if it’s lower than 80?
Higher = too much oxygenation … lower = hypoxia
► What is the normal arterial blood gas (ABG) range for the partial
pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2)?
o 35-45 mmHg
o What if it’s lower than 35? What is it’s higher than 45?
Decreased = Respiratory alkalosis … increased =
Respiratory Acidosis
► What is the normal range for the compensatory arterial blood gas
(ABG) bicarbonate (HCO3)?
o 21-28 mEq/L
o What is it’s higher than 28? What if it’s lower than 21?
Higher = respiratory acidosis (compensation for metabolic
alkalosis) … Lower = respiratory alkalosis (compensating
for metabolic acidosis)
► What is the normal range for glucose?
o 60-100 mg/dL
► What is the range of pre-diabetes for an impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
test?
o 100-125 mg/dL
► What is the range of pre-diabetes for a 2 hour oral glucose tolerance
(IGT) test?
o 140-199 mg/dL
► What is the normal range for a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) test?
4-6%
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte phosphorus?
o 3 – 4.5 mg/deciLiter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte magnesium?
o 1.3 – 2.1 milli-Equivalents/Liter
1
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte chloride?
Page
, o 98 – 106 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte calcium?
o 9 – 10.5 mg/deciLiter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte potassium?
o 3.5 – 5 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte sodium?
o 136 – 145 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for hemoglobin?
o 14-18 gram/deciliter
► What is the reference range for hematocrit?
o 42-52%
► What is the reference range for blood osmolarity?
o 285-295 mOsm/kg
► What are the normal levels for serum creatinine?
o 0.6-1.2
► What are the normal levels for BUN?
o 10-20
► What is the leading cause of death in head trauma patients who arrive
to the hospital?
o Increased Intracranial Pressure
► What causes increased intracranial pressure to kill someone?
o Pressure causes the medulla oblongata to herniate
o What symptoms occur when the medulla oblongata gets
compressed from intracranial pressure?
Severe bradycardia, widening pulse pressure, elevated
2
systolic pressure
Page
, What is this presentation of symptoms known as?
Cushing’s triad
► What section of the brain will experience inflammation from
intracranial pressure first?
o The frontal lobe
o What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
(1) Level of consciousness (2) judgment (3) awareness
o What symptoms could be expected from injury to the frontal lobe
due to intracranial pressure?
(1) Change in level of consciousness (the first sign!!!) (2)
lethargy (3) stupor (4) disorientation or alert but not
oriented (5) coma
► What are the earliest signs of increased intracranial pressure?
o Change in level of consciousness = (1) confusion (2) lethargy (3)
slurred speech (4) irritability
► If intracranial pressure is affecting the hypothalamus, how would it be
exhibited?
o Temperature would increase
► What can be done to prevent and detect intracranial pressure?
o Getting baseline vitals
► If a patient exhibits sluggish pupil dilation bilaterally, what cranial
nerve is being affected?
o Cranial nerve 3 (oculomotor)
o What does this mean is happening to the patient?
Intracranial pressure is reaching the brainstem
► An ovoid pupil reaction has what presentation?
3
o A size between normal and dilated
Page
o What does this mean about intracranial pressure?
► What is the normal arterial blood gas (ABG) range for the partial
pressure of oxygen (PO2)?
o 80-100 mmHg
o What if it’s higher than 100? What if it’s lower than 80?
Higher = too much oxygenation … lower = hypoxia
► What is the normal arterial blood gas (ABG) range for the partial
pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2)?
o 35-45 mmHg
o What if it’s lower than 35? What is it’s higher than 45?
Decreased = Respiratory alkalosis … increased =
Respiratory Acidosis
► What is the normal range for the compensatory arterial blood gas
(ABG) bicarbonate (HCO3)?
o 21-28 mEq/L
o What is it’s higher than 28? What if it’s lower than 21?
Higher = respiratory acidosis (compensation for metabolic
alkalosis) … Lower = respiratory alkalosis (compensating
for metabolic acidosis)
► What is the normal range for glucose?
o 60-100 mg/dL
► What is the range of pre-diabetes for an impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
test?
o 100-125 mg/dL
► What is the range of pre-diabetes for a 2 hour oral glucose tolerance
(IGT) test?
o 140-199 mg/dL
► What is the normal range for a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) test?
4-6%
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte phosphorus?
o 3 – 4.5 mg/deciLiter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte magnesium?
o 1.3 – 2.1 milli-Equivalents/Liter
1
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte chloride?
Page
, o 98 – 106 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte calcium?
o 9 – 10.5 mg/deciLiter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte potassium?
o 3.5 – 5 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for the electrolyte sodium?
o 136 – 145 milli-Equivalents/Liter
► What is the reference range for hemoglobin?
o 14-18 gram/deciliter
► What is the reference range for hematocrit?
o 42-52%
► What is the reference range for blood osmolarity?
o 285-295 mOsm/kg
► What are the normal levels for serum creatinine?
o 0.6-1.2
► What are the normal levels for BUN?
o 10-20
► What is the leading cause of death in head trauma patients who arrive
to the hospital?
o Increased Intracranial Pressure
► What causes increased intracranial pressure to kill someone?
o Pressure causes the medulla oblongata to herniate
o What symptoms occur when the medulla oblongata gets
compressed from intracranial pressure?
Severe bradycardia, widening pulse pressure, elevated
2
systolic pressure
Page
, What is this presentation of symptoms known as?
Cushing’s triad
► What section of the brain will experience inflammation from
intracranial pressure first?
o The frontal lobe
o What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
(1) Level of consciousness (2) judgment (3) awareness
o What symptoms could be expected from injury to the frontal lobe
due to intracranial pressure?
(1) Change in level of consciousness (the first sign!!!) (2)
lethargy (3) stupor (4) disorientation or alert but not
oriented (5) coma
► What are the earliest signs of increased intracranial pressure?
o Change in level of consciousness = (1) confusion (2) lethargy (3)
slurred speech (4) irritability
► If intracranial pressure is affecting the hypothalamus, how would it be
exhibited?
o Temperature would increase
► What can be done to prevent and detect intracranial pressure?
o Getting baseline vitals
► If a patient exhibits sluggish pupil dilation bilaterally, what cranial
nerve is being affected?
o Cranial nerve 3 (oculomotor)
o What does this mean is happening to the patient?
Intracranial pressure is reaching the brainstem
► An ovoid pupil reaction has what presentation?
3
o A size between normal and dilated
Page
o What does this mean about intracranial pressure?
