Critical Care Practice questions with
correct answers
B) let me contact the health care provider to answer your questions. - correct answer ✔✔A
client who has experienced trauma is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The nurse's
initial assessment findings include a Glasgow Coma Scale score of (3), pupils fixed and dilated
with an absence of corneal reflex, blood pressure of 80/30 mmHg, core temperature of 95.7°F
(35.4° C). The client's spouse asks the nurse when the client will wake up. How should the nurse
respond?
A) "Your spouse's condition indicates irreversible damage."
B) "Let me contact the health care provider to answer your questions."
C) "Each person is different and we need to wait and see what happens."
D) "I need to initiate the volume expanders and warming blanket to stimulate a response."
A) Call a rapid response team for emergency airway management - correct answer ✔✔The
nurse is caring for a client who is recently extubated in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). The
client has humidified oxygen per mask and suddenly develops stridor and respiratory difficulty.
Which action should the nurse implement?
A) Call a rapid response team for emergency airway management.
B) Encourage the client to take deep breaths, cough, and expectorate.
C) Increase the flow rate of the humidified oxygen.
D) Suction the client's mouth and oropharynx thoroughly.
A) Push button when pain is first experienced instead of waiting until pain is unbareable -
correct answer ✔✔An older client is admitted to the intensive care unit after a small bowel
resection. The postoperative prescriptions include a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device
with morphine titrated per protocol. Which information should the nurse provide the client
about the use of the PCA?
A) Push button when pain is first experienced instead of waiting until pain is unbearable.
,B) Family members or visitors can press the button when the client grimaces in pain.
C) Press the button every 15 minutes even when pain is not present.
D) Delay pressing the button until the pain level is 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
B) Respiratory alkalosis - correct answer ✔✔The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas (ABG)
of a client who is mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH- 7.52; paCO2- 30 mmHg;
HCO3- 28 mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this blood gas?
A) Respiratory acidosis.
B) Respiratory alkalosis.
C) Metabolic acidosis.
D) Metabolic alkalosis.
B) Fractured liver
C) Ruptured spleen - correct answer ✔✔According to the paramedic's report, the victim of a
motor vehicle collision was sitting in the passenger seat on the left side of the vehicle. The
vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when the vehicle was hit on the left side by another vehicle
traveling at speeds exceeding 60 mph (97 kmh). The client reports slight tenderness and
achiness on (L) side of thorax and body. The significant assessment findings include: weak and
thready pulse; diffuse abdominal pain, tenderness and guarding present upon palpation; skin is
diaphoretic and extremities cool to touch, capillary refill +4 in extremities, and bruising is
present in the (L) flank area and progresses towards the abdomen. Vital signs are temperature-
97.2° F (36.2° C), pulse- 110 beats/minute, respirations- 22 breaths/minute, blood pressure
84/46 mmHg, MAP- (57), and pulse oximetry 90% on 2 lpm O2 via nasal cannula.Which
potential injuries should the triage nur
D) Blood culture - correct answer ✔✔A client reports to the nurse feeling achy and weak, being
tired and coughing all the time, frequent headaches and experiencing night sweats. The client's
assessment is significant for crackles scattered throughout the lungs, dependent peripheral
edema +3/+4, S3 and S4 heart sounds, temperature of 102.4° F(39.1° C), heart rate of 110
beats/minute, respirations of 20 breaths/minute, and blood pressure of 105/60 mmHg with a
mean arterial pressure of (75). Which diagnostic procedure should the nurse prepare to do
first?
, A) Metabolic panel with electrolytes.
B) Complete blood count.
C) Liver function test.
D) Blood culture.
A) An over-lying cranial bone flap is removed to allow swelling brain tissue to expand - correct
answer ✔✔The nurse is caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit with a traumatic
brain injury from a motor vehicle collision. The client is experiencing increased intracranial
pressure (ICP). The healthcare provider explains to the family that the client needs to go to
surgery for decompressive craniectomy. Which information should the nurse explain to the
client?
A) An over-lying cranial bone flap is removed to allow swelling brain tissue to expand.
B) The procedure uses a magnetic resonce imaging-guided laser ablation.
C) An opening into the skull is made to remove damage tissue.
D) A burr hole is drilled through the cranial bones to evacuate blood.
C) Calcium gluconate IV push - correct answer ✔✔A client's cardiac rhythm reveals peaked "T"
waves, a widening "QRS" complex and the flattening of "P" waves. Which medication should the
nurse administer?
A) Phosphate IV push.
B) Furosemide IV push.
C) Calcium gluconate IV push.
D) Diluted potassium IV push.
A) Fully compensated respiratory acidosis - correct answer ✔✔The nurse is analyzing an arterial
blood gas of a client who is mechanical ventilated. The ABG results are pH- 7.42; paCO 2- 50
mmHg; HCO 3- 30mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this blood gas?
A) Fully compensated respiratory acidosis.
B) Fully compensated respiratory alkalosis.
correct answers
B) let me contact the health care provider to answer your questions. - correct answer ✔✔A
client who has experienced trauma is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The nurse's
initial assessment findings include a Glasgow Coma Scale score of (3), pupils fixed and dilated
with an absence of corneal reflex, blood pressure of 80/30 mmHg, core temperature of 95.7°F
(35.4° C). The client's spouse asks the nurse when the client will wake up. How should the nurse
respond?
A) "Your spouse's condition indicates irreversible damage."
B) "Let me contact the health care provider to answer your questions."
C) "Each person is different and we need to wait and see what happens."
D) "I need to initiate the volume expanders and warming blanket to stimulate a response."
A) Call a rapid response team for emergency airway management - correct answer ✔✔The
nurse is caring for a client who is recently extubated in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). The
client has humidified oxygen per mask and suddenly develops stridor and respiratory difficulty.
Which action should the nurse implement?
A) Call a rapid response team for emergency airway management.
B) Encourage the client to take deep breaths, cough, and expectorate.
C) Increase the flow rate of the humidified oxygen.
D) Suction the client's mouth and oropharynx thoroughly.
A) Push button when pain is first experienced instead of waiting until pain is unbareable -
correct answer ✔✔An older client is admitted to the intensive care unit after a small bowel
resection. The postoperative prescriptions include a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device
with morphine titrated per protocol. Which information should the nurse provide the client
about the use of the PCA?
A) Push button when pain is first experienced instead of waiting until pain is unbearable.
,B) Family members or visitors can press the button when the client grimaces in pain.
C) Press the button every 15 minutes even when pain is not present.
D) Delay pressing the button until the pain level is 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
B) Respiratory alkalosis - correct answer ✔✔The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas (ABG)
of a client who is mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH- 7.52; paCO2- 30 mmHg;
HCO3- 28 mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this blood gas?
A) Respiratory acidosis.
B) Respiratory alkalosis.
C) Metabolic acidosis.
D) Metabolic alkalosis.
B) Fractured liver
C) Ruptured spleen - correct answer ✔✔According to the paramedic's report, the victim of a
motor vehicle collision was sitting in the passenger seat on the left side of the vehicle. The
vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when the vehicle was hit on the left side by another vehicle
traveling at speeds exceeding 60 mph (97 kmh). The client reports slight tenderness and
achiness on (L) side of thorax and body. The significant assessment findings include: weak and
thready pulse; diffuse abdominal pain, tenderness and guarding present upon palpation; skin is
diaphoretic and extremities cool to touch, capillary refill +4 in extremities, and bruising is
present in the (L) flank area and progresses towards the abdomen. Vital signs are temperature-
97.2° F (36.2° C), pulse- 110 beats/minute, respirations- 22 breaths/minute, blood pressure
84/46 mmHg, MAP- (57), and pulse oximetry 90% on 2 lpm O2 via nasal cannula.Which
potential injuries should the triage nur
D) Blood culture - correct answer ✔✔A client reports to the nurse feeling achy and weak, being
tired and coughing all the time, frequent headaches and experiencing night sweats. The client's
assessment is significant for crackles scattered throughout the lungs, dependent peripheral
edema +3/+4, S3 and S4 heart sounds, temperature of 102.4° F(39.1° C), heart rate of 110
beats/minute, respirations of 20 breaths/minute, and blood pressure of 105/60 mmHg with a
mean arterial pressure of (75). Which diagnostic procedure should the nurse prepare to do
first?
, A) Metabolic panel with electrolytes.
B) Complete blood count.
C) Liver function test.
D) Blood culture.
A) An over-lying cranial bone flap is removed to allow swelling brain tissue to expand - correct
answer ✔✔The nurse is caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit with a traumatic
brain injury from a motor vehicle collision. The client is experiencing increased intracranial
pressure (ICP). The healthcare provider explains to the family that the client needs to go to
surgery for decompressive craniectomy. Which information should the nurse explain to the
client?
A) An over-lying cranial bone flap is removed to allow swelling brain tissue to expand.
B) The procedure uses a magnetic resonce imaging-guided laser ablation.
C) An opening into the skull is made to remove damage tissue.
D) A burr hole is drilled through the cranial bones to evacuate blood.
C) Calcium gluconate IV push - correct answer ✔✔A client's cardiac rhythm reveals peaked "T"
waves, a widening "QRS" complex and the flattening of "P" waves. Which medication should the
nurse administer?
A) Phosphate IV push.
B) Furosemide IV push.
C) Calcium gluconate IV push.
D) Diluted potassium IV push.
A) Fully compensated respiratory acidosis - correct answer ✔✔The nurse is analyzing an arterial
blood gas of a client who is mechanical ventilated. The ABG results are pH- 7.42; paCO 2- 50
mmHg; HCO 3- 30mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this blood gas?
A) Fully compensated respiratory acidosis.
B) Fully compensated respiratory alkalosis.
