CCRN Neonatal EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS-2026
A deformation is a(n) -ANSWER abnormality caused by unusual mechanical forces on
normal tissue.
A low birth weight infant's temperature increases during skin-to-skin care. This is an
example of heat transfer by -ANSWER conduction.
At the onset of labor the release of catecholamines stimulates -ANSWER increased
absorption of lung fluid.
An edematous, bruised lesion on the right anterior scalp where the vacuum was
applied. This lesion has clearly demarcated edges, is firm to touch, and does not cross
the suture line. This is best described as a -ANSWER cephalohematoma.
An infant born at 40 5/7 weeks gestation and weighed 5 lbs 2oz (2,360 grams). In
completing a gestational age assessment on this infant, you would identify her as -
ANSWER term, small for gestational age.
During fetal life, the ductus arteriosus -ANSWER diverts blood flow from the pulmonary
artery to the descending aorta.
Expected findings in a neonate born to a mother who received magnesium sulfate in
labor include -ANSWER hypotonia.
Eye prophylaxis with a single-use dose of sterile ophthalmic ointment containing 1%
tetracycline or 0.5% erythromycin is usually administered within the first few hours of
birth to prevent an eye infection caused by -ANSWER gonorrhea.
Following a birth complicated by shoulder dystocia, the neonate should be assessed for
-ANSWER Erb's palsy.
Preeclampsia may result in all of the following fetal conditions -ANSWER growth
restriction, hypoxia/neurological injury, prematurity.
Hyperthermia is defined as an axillary temperature greater than 99.5ºF (37.5ºC). The
MOST common cause of hyperthermia in the newborn is -ANSWER environmental.
In the immediate newborn transition period, the ability to maintain functional residual
lung capacity is most dependent upon -ANSWER an adequate amount of alveolar
surfactant.
,Neonates at risk of hypoglycemia should have their glucose levels evaluated within 2
hours of life because -ANSWER blood glucose levels reach their lowest point within one
to two hours after delivery.
Polycythemia in the immediate newborn period is often associated with -ANSWER infant
of a diabetic mother.
Symptoms of mild perinatal asphyxia include -ANSWER hyperalert state and jitteriness.
The condition in which the newborn's immature hypothalamus does not regulate
peripheral blood vessels, resulting in a vasoconstriction on one side of the body with a
vasodilation on the opposite side of the body is called -ANSWER harlequin phenomena.
The following conditions may all lead to metabolic acidosis -ANSWER loss of
HCO3/excess acid load d/t prematurity, renal tubular necrosis, severe diarrhea,
hypoxia, hypoperfusion, inborn errors of metabolism, caloric deprivation, intolerance of
cow's milk protein.
The full newborn cardiovascular assessment includes auscultation, inspection, and
palpation. The point of maximum impulse is usually palpable and can be auscultated in
the -ANSWER third to fourth intercostal space and left of the midclavicular line.
The neonate born to a mother with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus should be evaluated
for -ANSWER congenital malformations.
You are the nurse caring for a 38 weeks gestation, female infant, who was born one
hour ago in the parking lot of the emergency room. On admission to the nursery, the
neonate's rectal temperature was 95ºF (35ºC). You recognize that cold stress may
predispose the infant to -ANSWER increased oxygen consumption and hypoxia.
A full term neonate who presents at six hours of age with increasingly labile oxygenation
that appears disproportionate to the pulmonary disease should be evaluated for -
ANSWER pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
The development of pneumonia in chronically ventilated infants is most commonly
associated with which of the following organisms? -ANSWER Ureaplasma urealyticum
Antenatal steroids enhance lung maturation by -ANSWER increasing the number of type
II pneumocytes in the lung.
Mean airway pressure is defined as the -ANSWER pressure transmitted to the lung
throughout the respiratory cycle.
Many infants with the diagnosis of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) will have
pharmacologic support. Identify the medication that is a direct-acting vasodilator and
acts by relaxing pulmonary vessel musculature. -ANSWER Nitric oxide
, The following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.28, PaO2 74, PaCO2 55, HCO3- 21 and
base deficit -4 indicate -ANSWER respiratory acidosis.
Nastassia is a one-hour-old neonate, born at 39 weeks gestation by primary cesarean
birth for fetal bradycardia. She was hypotonic at birth with gasping respirations and a
heart rate of 80. She was provided bulb suctioning and bag mask ventilation and
recovered by five minutes of life. On admission to the NICU, her temperature was 36°
C. After admission to the NICU, her arterial blood gas is pH: 7.19, PCO2: 63, HCO3: 14.
The correct interpretation of this blood gas is -ANSWER mixed respiratory and metabolic
acidosis.
Which statement is most accurate when identifying the pathophysiology of transient
tachypnea of the newborn (TTN)? -ANSWER Labor enhances the process of fetal lung
fluid absorption
During which phase of fetal pulmonary development do the type II pneumocytes
become numerous and begin to produce and store surfactant? -ANSWER Canalicular
phase
An absence of air flow despite respiratory effort is an example of which apnea
classification? -ANSWER Obstructive apnea
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves oxygenation by -ANSWER
improving the ventilation-perfusion ratio.
The functional residual capacity in a newborn infant should be approximately -ANSWER
30 ml/kg.
A 29 week gestation infant who displays symptoms of a pulmonary hemorrhage should
be evaluated for -ANSWER patent ductus arteriosus.
The most significant role of surfactant in neonatal lung development is to -ANSWER
maintain alveolar stability by decreasing surface tension.
Most respiratory disorders result in a ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Ideally, the
ventilation-perfusion ratio should be -ANSWER 1 to 1
A neonate at 12 hours of life with meconium aspiration syndrome who has been
intubated since birth suddenly develops severe respiratory distress, tachycardia, and
hypotension. Which diagnosis would be least likely to be in the differential? -ANSWER
Intraventricular hemorrhage
Which of the following conditions is not an air leak? -ANSWER Pneumatosis intestinalis
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS-2026
A deformation is a(n) -ANSWER abnormality caused by unusual mechanical forces on
normal tissue.
A low birth weight infant's temperature increases during skin-to-skin care. This is an
example of heat transfer by -ANSWER conduction.
At the onset of labor the release of catecholamines stimulates -ANSWER increased
absorption of lung fluid.
An edematous, bruised lesion on the right anterior scalp where the vacuum was
applied. This lesion has clearly demarcated edges, is firm to touch, and does not cross
the suture line. This is best described as a -ANSWER cephalohematoma.
An infant born at 40 5/7 weeks gestation and weighed 5 lbs 2oz (2,360 grams). In
completing a gestational age assessment on this infant, you would identify her as -
ANSWER term, small for gestational age.
During fetal life, the ductus arteriosus -ANSWER diverts blood flow from the pulmonary
artery to the descending aorta.
Expected findings in a neonate born to a mother who received magnesium sulfate in
labor include -ANSWER hypotonia.
Eye prophylaxis with a single-use dose of sterile ophthalmic ointment containing 1%
tetracycline or 0.5% erythromycin is usually administered within the first few hours of
birth to prevent an eye infection caused by -ANSWER gonorrhea.
Following a birth complicated by shoulder dystocia, the neonate should be assessed for
-ANSWER Erb's palsy.
Preeclampsia may result in all of the following fetal conditions -ANSWER growth
restriction, hypoxia/neurological injury, prematurity.
Hyperthermia is defined as an axillary temperature greater than 99.5ºF (37.5ºC). The
MOST common cause of hyperthermia in the newborn is -ANSWER environmental.
In the immediate newborn transition period, the ability to maintain functional residual
lung capacity is most dependent upon -ANSWER an adequate amount of alveolar
surfactant.
,Neonates at risk of hypoglycemia should have their glucose levels evaluated within 2
hours of life because -ANSWER blood glucose levels reach their lowest point within one
to two hours after delivery.
Polycythemia in the immediate newborn period is often associated with -ANSWER infant
of a diabetic mother.
Symptoms of mild perinatal asphyxia include -ANSWER hyperalert state and jitteriness.
The condition in which the newborn's immature hypothalamus does not regulate
peripheral blood vessels, resulting in a vasoconstriction on one side of the body with a
vasodilation on the opposite side of the body is called -ANSWER harlequin phenomena.
The following conditions may all lead to metabolic acidosis -ANSWER loss of
HCO3/excess acid load d/t prematurity, renal tubular necrosis, severe diarrhea,
hypoxia, hypoperfusion, inborn errors of metabolism, caloric deprivation, intolerance of
cow's milk protein.
The full newborn cardiovascular assessment includes auscultation, inspection, and
palpation. The point of maximum impulse is usually palpable and can be auscultated in
the -ANSWER third to fourth intercostal space and left of the midclavicular line.
The neonate born to a mother with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus should be evaluated
for -ANSWER congenital malformations.
You are the nurse caring for a 38 weeks gestation, female infant, who was born one
hour ago in the parking lot of the emergency room. On admission to the nursery, the
neonate's rectal temperature was 95ºF (35ºC). You recognize that cold stress may
predispose the infant to -ANSWER increased oxygen consumption and hypoxia.
A full term neonate who presents at six hours of age with increasingly labile oxygenation
that appears disproportionate to the pulmonary disease should be evaluated for -
ANSWER pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
The development of pneumonia in chronically ventilated infants is most commonly
associated with which of the following organisms? -ANSWER Ureaplasma urealyticum
Antenatal steroids enhance lung maturation by -ANSWER increasing the number of type
II pneumocytes in the lung.
Mean airway pressure is defined as the -ANSWER pressure transmitted to the lung
throughout the respiratory cycle.
Many infants with the diagnosis of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) will have
pharmacologic support. Identify the medication that is a direct-acting vasodilator and
acts by relaxing pulmonary vessel musculature. -ANSWER Nitric oxide
, The following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.28, PaO2 74, PaCO2 55, HCO3- 21 and
base deficit -4 indicate -ANSWER respiratory acidosis.
Nastassia is a one-hour-old neonate, born at 39 weeks gestation by primary cesarean
birth for fetal bradycardia. She was hypotonic at birth with gasping respirations and a
heart rate of 80. She was provided bulb suctioning and bag mask ventilation and
recovered by five minutes of life. On admission to the NICU, her temperature was 36°
C. After admission to the NICU, her arterial blood gas is pH: 7.19, PCO2: 63, HCO3: 14.
The correct interpretation of this blood gas is -ANSWER mixed respiratory and metabolic
acidosis.
Which statement is most accurate when identifying the pathophysiology of transient
tachypnea of the newborn (TTN)? -ANSWER Labor enhances the process of fetal lung
fluid absorption
During which phase of fetal pulmonary development do the type II pneumocytes
become numerous and begin to produce and store surfactant? -ANSWER Canalicular
phase
An absence of air flow despite respiratory effort is an example of which apnea
classification? -ANSWER Obstructive apnea
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves oxygenation by -ANSWER
improving the ventilation-perfusion ratio.
The functional residual capacity in a newborn infant should be approximately -ANSWER
30 ml/kg.
A 29 week gestation infant who displays symptoms of a pulmonary hemorrhage should
be evaluated for -ANSWER patent ductus arteriosus.
The most significant role of surfactant in neonatal lung development is to -ANSWER
maintain alveolar stability by decreasing surface tension.
Most respiratory disorders result in a ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Ideally, the
ventilation-perfusion ratio should be -ANSWER 1 to 1
A neonate at 12 hours of life with meconium aspiration syndrome who has been
intubated since birth suddenly develops severe respiratory distress, tachycardia, and
hypotension. Which diagnosis would be least likely to be in the differential? -ANSWER
Intraventricular hemorrhage
Which of the following conditions is not an air leak? -ANSWER Pneumatosis intestinalis
