ATI Critical Care Exam questions with
correct answers
smoking: 6-8 h
inhaler: 4-6 h - correct answer ✔✔Before PFT's how long should a patient refrain from
smoking? Using an inhaler?
Allen's test; patency of the ulnar artery- if blood returns to hand in 15s, then the radial artery
can be used for the puncture - correct answer ✔✔What test must you do before performing an
arterial puncture?
5 minutes (20 min if the patient is on anticoagulant therapy) - correct answer ✔✔How long
should one apply pressure after an arterial puncture?
pH: 7.35-7.45
PAO2: 80-100 mm Hg
PACO2: 35-45 mm Hg
HCO3: 21-28 mEq/L
SAO2: 95-100% - correct answer ✔✔What are the normal ranges for ABG's?
(pH, PAO2, PACO2, HCO3, and SAO2)
left side in trendelenburg - correct answer ✔✔In what position should you place a patient if air
embolism is expected?
4-8 hr - correct answer ✔✔How long must a patient be NPO before a bronchoscopy?
,anxiolytics
atropine (to treat bradycardia)
viscous lidocaine
local anesthetic throat spray - correct answer ✔✔What types of medications might one
administer prior to a bronchoscopy?
significant fever (mild is ok up to 24 hrs after the procedure), productive cough, significant blood
in sputum (small amounts are to be expected), hypoxemia, laryngspasm - correct answer
✔✔What should you be monitoring a patient for after a bronchoscopy?
CXR - correct answer ✔✔Prior to a thoracentesis what diagnostic procedure must be done?
sitting up over the bedside table - correct answer ✔✔What position should the patient be in for
a thoracentesis?
mediastinal shifts
pneumothorax (deviated trachea, pain at the end of inhalation or exhalation, affected side not
moving with breath, increased HR, shallow respirations, nagging cough, air hunger) - correct
answer ✔✔What are possible complications of a thoracentesis? How do we tell patients to
identify pneumothorax?
suction - correct answer ✔✔In what chest tube chamber (ONLY) should you see bubbling?
more than 70 ml/hr - correct answer ✔✔What is excessive drainage from a chest tube?
color and amount of drainage qh for 24h after insertion, then q8h
mark date, hour, and drainage level on the container at the end of each shift - correct answer
✔✔How should the nurse document for care following a chest tube? How often?
,2 enclosed hemostats, sterile water, occlusive dressing - correct answer ✔✔What supplies
should be kept at the side of a bed for a patient with a chest tube?
valsalva maneuver - correct answer ✔✔What should the nurse instruct the patient to do during
chest tube removal?
1. have the client exhale as much as they can to remove air from the pleural space
2. immerse the end of the chest tube in sterile water to restore the water seal
3. apply dry sterile gauze - correct answer ✔✔What should the nurse do in the case that a chest
tube is disconnected?
24-44%
1-6 L/min
humidification at 4 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a nasal
cannula? at what rate do we need to administer humidification?
40-60%
5-8 L/min (less than this causes the patient to rebreathe CO2) - correct answer ✔✔What is the
FiO2 and the flow rate for a simple face mask?
40-75%
6-11 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a partial rebreather
mask?
80-95%
10-15 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a non-rebreather?
24-50%
, 4-10 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a venturi mask?
24-100%
10 L/min at least
*** Humidification requires frequent monitoring - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the
flow rate for a aerosol face mask, face tent, t-piece, and trach collar?
restlessness, hypertension, HA - correct answer ✔✔What does hypercarbia look like?
non-productive cough, substernal pain, nasal stuffiness, n/v, fatigue, HA, sore throat,
hypoventillation - correct answer ✔✔What does oxygen toxicity look like?
overtakes breathing for an intubated client - correct answer ✔✔How does assist control (AC)
work related to respiratory support?
used in weaning; increases the work of breathing
ventilator and patient work together - correct answer ✔✔How does synchronized intermittent
mandatory ventilation (SIMV) work related to respiratory support?
prolongs the inspiration phase to maximize oxygenation
HIGH RISK FOR VOLUTRAUMA - correct answer ✔✔How does assist inverse ratio ventillation
(IVR) work related to respiratory support?
patient and ventilator work together
breath expelled by the lung's own natural recoil - correct answer ✔✔How does airway pressure
release ventilation (APRV) work related to respiratory support?
lungs are ventilated separately
correct answers
smoking: 6-8 h
inhaler: 4-6 h - correct answer ✔✔Before PFT's how long should a patient refrain from
smoking? Using an inhaler?
Allen's test; patency of the ulnar artery- if blood returns to hand in 15s, then the radial artery
can be used for the puncture - correct answer ✔✔What test must you do before performing an
arterial puncture?
5 minutes (20 min if the patient is on anticoagulant therapy) - correct answer ✔✔How long
should one apply pressure after an arterial puncture?
pH: 7.35-7.45
PAO2: 80-100 mm Hg
PACO2: 35-45 mm Hg
HCO3: 21-28 mEq/L
SAO2: 95-100% - correct answer ✔✔What are the normal ranges for ABG's?
(pH, PAO2, PACO2, HCO3, and SAO2)
left side in trendelenburg - correct answer ✔✔In what position should you place a patient if air
embolism is expected?
4-8 hr - correct answer ✔✔How long must a patient be NPO before a bronchoscopy?
,anxiolytics
atropine (to treat bradycardia)
viscous lidocaine
local anesthetic throat spray - correct answer ✔✔What types of medications might one
administer prior to a bronchoscopy?
significant fever (mild is ok up to 24 hrs after the procedure), productive cough, significant blood
in sputum (small amounts are to be expected), hypoxemia, laryngspasm - correct answer
✔✔What should you be monitoring a patient for after a bronchoscopy?
CXR - correct answer ✔✔Prior to a thoracentesis what diagnostic procedure must be done?
sitting up over the bedside table - correct answer ✔✔What position should the patient be in for
a thoracentesis?
mediastinal shifts
pneumothorax (deviated trachea, pain at the end of inhalation or exhalation, affected side not
moving with breath, increased HR, shallow respirations, nagging cough, air hunger) - correct
answer ✔✔What are possible complications of a thoracentesis? How do we tell patients to
identify pneumothorax?
suction - correct answer ✔✔In what chest tube chamber (ONLY) should you see bubbling?
more than 70 ml/hr - correct answer ✔✔What is excessive drainage from a chest tube?
color and amount of drainage qh for 24h after insertion, then q8h
mark date, hour, and drainage level on the container at the end of each shift - correct answer
✔✔How should the nurse document for care following a chest tube? How often?
,2 enclosed hemostats, sterile water, occlusive dressing - correct answer ✔✔What supplies
should be kept at the side of a bed for a patient with a chest tube?
valsalva maneuver - correct answer ✔✔What should the nurse instruct the patient to do during
chest tube removal?
1. have the client exhale as much as they can to remove air from the pleural space
2. immerse the end of the chest tube in sterile water to restore the water seal
3. apply dry sterile gauze - correct answer ✔✔What should the nurse do in the case that a chest
tube is disconnected?
24-44%
1-6 L/min
humidification at 4 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a nasal
cannula? at what rate do we need to administer humidification?
40-60%
5-8 L/min (less than this causes the patient to rebreathe CO2) - correct answer ✔✔What is the
FiO2 and the flow rate for a simple face mask?
40-75%
6-11 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a partial rebreather
mask?
80-95%
10-15 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a non-rebreather?
24-50%
, 4-10 L/min - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the flow rate for a venturi mask?
24-100%
10 L/min at least
*** Humidification requires frequent monitoring - correct answer ✔✔What is the FiO2 and the
flow rate for a aerosol face mask, face tent, t-piece, and trach collar?
restlessness, hypertension, HA - correct answer ✔✔What does hypercarbia look like?
non-productive cough, substernal pain, nasal stuffiness, n/v, fatigue, HA, sore throat,
hypoventillation - correct answer ✔✔What does oxygen toxicity look like?
overtakes breathing for an intubated client - correct answer ✔✔How does assist control (AC)
work related to respiratory support?
used in weaning; increases the work of breathing
ventilator and patient work together - correct answer ✔✔How does synchronized intermittent
mandatory ventilation (SIMV) work related to respiratory support?
prolongs the inspiration phase to maximize oxygenation
HIGH RISK FOR VOLUTRAUMA - correct answer ✔✔How does assist inverse ratio ventillation
(IVR) work related to respiratory support?
patient and ventilator work together
breath expelled by the lung's own natural recoil - correct answer ✔✔How does airway pressure
release ventilation (APRV) work related to respiratory support?
lungs are ventilated separately
