NURS 403 EXAM 1 (2026-2027) QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
What is a reason to measure bladder pressures?
Measuring intra abdominal pressure can be a way to assess compartment syndrome
Organs swelling can cut off circulation- may not be able to breathe supine d/t high
thoracic pressures. Abdominal HTN starts at 12 mmHg
What can be used to flush arterial line?
ONLY normal saline and only a very small amount
What test should be done before taking an ABG?
Allen's test
Where is the location of the phlebostatic axis?
midaxillary and 4th intercoastal space
What determines a positive or negative allen's test?
,Positive when normal color does not return within 7 seconds- negative when it
does
Why is it important to zero reference the transducer and perform a dynamic
response (square wave) test during initial setup of the equipment?
Transducer too high, blood pressure will read low, too low it will be a false high
What is the purpose of a square wave test?
Recognize good arterial line vs not good
Square wave test
Observe waveform sharply rise and "square off", release flush and the waveform
returns to baseline—count the number of oscillations and observe distance between
them.
Square wave test
Optimally damped
underdamped
overdamped
,The arterial line tracing
Pressure goes up when systole begins
Dicrotic arch occurs when the aortic valve closes (when diastole is happening)
coronary arteries are perfused during diastole
femoral lines tend to be wider
Arterial line tracings that are normal, overdamped, and underdamped
Monitoring image
What are the risks of arterial pressure monitoring?
Hemorrhage (when removing hold pressure atleast 5 min)
infection- blood is moving faster so the infection rate is lower
thrombus formation
neurovascular impairment
, loss of limb
What is the purpose of zeroing invasive pressure monitoring? When is it done?
put to atmospheric pressure
confirms that when pressure within system is zero
done by opening reference stopcock to room air
-may be once a shift
-per hospital policy
-if system is disconnected from monitor
-when changing system (bag/tubing)
nob off to pt -->open to air to zero-->new red cap to replace
ECG line
Arterial line
PA pressure line
SPO2
AND CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
What is a reason to measure bladder pressures?
Measuring intra abdominal pressure can be a way to assess compartment syndrome
Organs swelling can cut off circulation- may not be able to breathe supine d/t high
thoracic pressures. Abdominal HTN starts at 12 mmHg
What can be used to flush arterial line?
ONLY normal saline and only a very small amount
What test should be done before taking an ABG?
Allen's test
Where is the location of the phlebostatic axis?
midaxillary and 4th intercoastal space
What determines a positive or negative allen's test?
,Positive when normal color does not return within 7 seconds- negative when it
does
Why is it important to zero reference the transducer and perform a dynamic
response (square wave) test during initial setup of the equipment?
Transducer too high, blood pressure will read low, too low it will be a false high
What is the purpose of a square wave test?
Recognize good arterial line vs not good
Square wave test
Observe waveform sharply rise and "square off", release flush and the waveform
returns to baseline—count the number of oscillations and observe distance between
them.
Square wave test
Optimally damped
underdamped
overdamped
,The arterial line tracing
Pressure goes up when systole begins
Dicrotic arch occurs when the aortic valve closes (when diastole is happening)
coronary arteries are perfused during diastole
femoral lines tend to be wider
Arterial line tracings that are normal, overdamped, and underdamped
Monitoring image
What are the risks of arterial pressure monitoring?
Hemorrhage (when removing hold pressure atleast 5 min)
infection- blood is moving faster so the infection rate is lower
thrombus formation
neurovascular impairment
, loss of limb
What is the purpose of zeroing invasive pressure monitoring? When is it done?
put to atmospheric pressure
confirms that when pressure within system is zero
done by opening reference stopcock to room air
-may be once a shift
-per hospital policy
-if system is disconnected from monitor
-when changing system (bag/tubing)
nob off to pt -->open to air to zero-->new red cap to replace
ECG line
Arterial line
PA pressure line
SPO2
