AACN Exam Questions & Answers
Charcot's Triad RUQ pain, fever, jaundice (indicates cholangitis)
Reynold's pentad RUQ pain, fever, jaundice, AMS, hypotension (indicates worsening cholang
Murphy's sign pain with palpation of the RUQ during inspiration, indicative of cholecystiti
Psoas sign RLQ pain with extension of right thigh/hip indicative of appendicitis
Left shoulder pain caused by irritation of the undersurface of the diaphrag
blood leaking from a ruptured spleen. While Kehr's sign (left shoulder pain
Kehr's sign
commonly a symptom of splenic rupture, right shoulder pain typically sign
liver or gallbladder irritation
Cullen's sign Ecchymosis in periumbilical area, seen with pancreatitis
Grey Turner's sign Atraumatic ecchymosis in the flank, typically indicating hemorrhagic pancr
Beck's triad JVD, muffled heart sounds, decreased BP (indicate cardiac tamponade)
bradycardia, bradypnea, hypertension (indicate increased ICP; normal ICP
Cushing's triad
mm Hg)
Charcot's neurologic triad Nystagmus, staccato speech, intentional tremor (indicate MS)
Virchow's triad Venous stasis, hypercoagulability, endothelial damage (high risk of thromb
Shock Triad Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea
Opioid Poisoning Triad CNS depression (AMS, coma), respiratory depression, miosis (pinpoint pup
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome: 3 signs short PR interval, delta waves, and wide QRS complex
Behcet's disease Recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye inflammation
3 D's of pellagra (niacin, vit B3, Diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis
deficiency)
Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin medications, and has HYPERreflex
muscle activity
Serotonin Syndrome
Symptoms= mental status changes and hyperthermia.
Treatment=cyproheptadine
Adverse reaction to antipsychotics with severe "lead pipe" rigidty, FEVER (1
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
104), tachycardia, tachypnea, mental status changes
lethal triad of trauma Hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy
Neurogenic shock: 3 symptoms Hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia
1. Fasting hypoglycemia <50
2. Symptoms during hypoglycemia
Whipple's triad
3. Immediate relief of symptoms after the administration of IV glucose
(suggest insulinoma)
Can't see (conjunctivitis), can't pee (urethritis or cervicitis), can't climb a tree
Reactive arthritis rhyme
(arthritis)
Murphy's Triad RLQ pain, nausea/vomiting, fever (indicates appendicitis)
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
ROME:
Respiratory - Opposite
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is up
Acidosis vs Alkalosis Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is down
Metabolic - Equal
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is down
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is up
"PRIL" Captopril, Enalapril, Afosiopril
Antihypertensive. Blocks ACE in lungs from converting angiotensin I to
angiotensin II (powerful vasoconstrictor). Decreases BP, Decreased
ACE Inhibitors Aldosterone secretions, Sodium and fluid loss.
Check BP before giving (hypotension)
*Orthostatic Hypotension
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
"SARTAN"
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
They decrease blood pressure, increase CO
ARBs -Examples: Valsartan (Diovan), Losartan (Cozaar), and Irbesartan (Avapro)
-Uses: hypertension and heart failure
-Nursing Considerations: watch for hyperkalemia, hypotension, and renal
dysfunction
Cholesterol Medications end in -statin
Beta blockers end in -olol
Calcium Channel Blockers end in -dipine (and verapamil and diltiazem)
5 P's of compartment syndrome Pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis
Cold and clammy, need some candy
"TIRED"
T: tachycardia
Hypoglycemia rhyme I: irritable
R: restlessness
E: excessive hunger
D: diaphoresis
Charcot's Triad RUQ pain, fever, jaundice (indicates cholangitis)
Reynold's pentad RUQ pain, fever, jaundice, AMS, hypotension (indicates worsening cholang
Murphy's sign pain with palpation of the RUQ during inspiration, indicative of cholecystiti
Psoas sign RLQ pain with extension of right thigh/hip indicative of appendicitis
Left shoulder pain caused by irritation of the undersurface of the diaphrag
blood leaking from a ruptured spleen. While Kehr's sign (left shoulder pain
Kehr's sign
commonly a symptom of splenic rupture, right shoulder pain typically sign
liver or gallbladder irritation
Cullen's sign Ecchymosis in periumbilical area, seen with pancreatitis
Grey Turner's sign Atraumatic ecchymosis in the flank, typically indicating hemorrhagic pancr
Beck's triad JVD, muffled heart sounds, decreased BP (indicate cardiac tamponade)
bradycardia, bradypnea, hypertension (indicate increased ICP; normal ICP
Cushing's triad
mm Hg)
Charcot's neurologic triad Nystagmus, staccato speech, intentional tremor (indicate MS)
Virchow's triad Venous stasis, hypercoagulability, endothelial damage (high risk of thromb
Shock Triad Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea
Opioid Poisoning Triad CNS depression (AMS, coma), respiratory depression, miosis (pinpoint pup
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome: 3 signs short PR interval, delta waves, and wide QRS complex
Behcet's disease Recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, eye inflammation
3 D's of pellagra (niacin, vit B3, Diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis
deficiency)
Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin medications, and has HYPERreflex
muscle activity
Serotonin Syndrome
Symptoms= mental status changes and hyperthermia.
Treatment=cyproheptadine
Adverse reaction to antipsychotics with severe "lead pipe" rigidty, FEVER (1
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
104), tachycardia, tachypnea, mental status changes
lethal triad of trauma Hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy
Neurogenic shock: 3 symptoms Hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia
1. Fasting hypoglycemia <50
2. Symptoms during hypoglycemia
Whipple's triad
3. Immediate relief of symptoms after the administration of IV glucose
(suggest insulinoma)
Can't see (conjunctivitis), can't pee (urethritis or cervicitis), can't climb a tree
Reactive arthritis rhyme
(arthritis)
Murphy's Triad RLQ pain, nausea/vomiting, fever (indicates appendicitis)
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
ROME:
Respiratory - Opposite
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is up
Acidosis vs Alkalosis Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is down
Metabolic - Equal
Acidosis: pH is down, pCO2 is down
Alkalosis: pH is up, pCO2 is up
"PRIL" Captopril, Enalapril, Afosiopril
Antihypertensive. Blocks ACE in lungs from converting angiotensin I to
angiotensin II (powerful vasoconstrictor). Decreases BP, Decreased
ACE Inhibitors Aldosterone secretions, Sodium and fluid loss.
Check BP before giving (hypotension)
*Orthostatic Hypotension
, AACN Exam Questions & Answers
"SARTAN"
Angiotensin II receptor blockers
They decrease blood pressure, increase CO
ARBs -Examples: Valsartan (Diovan), Losartan (Cozaar), and Irbesartan (Avapro)
-Uses: hypertension and heart failure
-Nursing Considerations: watch for hyperkalemia, hypotension, and renal
dysfunction
Cholesterol Medications end in -statin
Beta blockers end in -olol
Calcium Channel Blockers end in -dipine (and verapamil and diltiazem)
5 P's of compartment syndrome Pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis
Cold and clammy, need some candy
"TIRED"
T: tachycardia
Hypoglycemia rhyme I: irritable
R: restlessness
E: excessive hunger
D: diaphoresis
