Page 1 of 46
CRITICAL CARE HESI PRACTICE EXAM |
FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS | BRAND NEW!
A client's assessment reveals S3 and S4 heart sounds,
pulmonary crackles, blood pressure 86/52 mmHg, heart rate 110
beats/minute, and a respiratory rate 18 breaths/minute. The
hemodynamic monitor readings reveal’s a decrease in the height
of the waveform, stroke volume of 34 mL, and a central venous
pressure of 10 mmHg. How should the nurse calculate the
cardiac output for this client?
A.) Multiply (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute).
B.) Multiply (110 beats/minute) X (52 mmHg).
C.) Multiply (52 mmHg) X 2, plus (86 mmHg)/ divided by 3.
D.) Multiply (10 mmHg) X (110 beats/minute)/ divided by 2.
A.) Multiply (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute)
The cardiac output is determined by multiplying the (stroke
volume) X the (heart rate). The cardiac output for this client
would be (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute) = 3740 mL/minute (3.74
L/minute). The normal cardiac output is 4-8 L/minute.
,Page 2 of 46
The nurse is caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit
with full-thickness burns covering 20% of the body. A family
member states that the burns do not look too bad and asks why
the healthcare provider is being so aggressive with treatment.
Which response should the nurse provide?
A.) Treatment is provided for extensive burns which can manifest
more damage after the first 24 hours of shock.
B.) Consult with the health care provider about specific questions
about therapy to alleviate your concerns.
C.) Burns appearance and depth provides guidelines for the
appropriate treatment being provided.
D.) Treatment is approached cautiously because of the type of
burn the client sustained.
A.) Treatment is provided for extensive burns which can manifest
more damage after the first 24 hours of shock.
The nurse should address the family member's concerns by
explaining the reason for the aggressive plan of care. The
standard of care for burns is to initiate aggressive care for
clients with burn injuries in the first 24 hours of initial shock.
While waiting on lab results, the trauma nurse begins
transfusing a unit of O- (negative) packed red blood cells to an
unconscious client who suffered a massive blood loss. Within the
first 5 minutes of the transfusion, the client becomes dyspneic
,Page 3 of 46
and develops stridor, nasal drip and coughing. What action
should the nurse take next?
A.) Warm the blood as it infuses.
B.) Slow down the blood's infusion rate.
C.) Infuse the blood with normal saline.
D.) Stop the infusion of blood.
D.) Stop the infusion of blood.
The client's antibodies are reacting to the antigens present in the
donated blood, thus initiating the T-lymphocytes to activate an
immune response. During an emergency situation when there is
no time for typing and cross-matching of a client's blood, clients
are infused with O- (negative) blood while waiting for units of
blood from the blood bank that were typed and cross-matched
with the client's blood.
The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas (ABG) of a client who
is mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH 7.17; paCO2 70
mmHg; HCO3 20 mEq/L. The nurse would understand that which
is the likely cause of these results?
A.) Respiratory rate is too slow, causing respiratory acidosis.
B.) Respiratory rate is too rapid, causing respiratory alkalosis.
C.) Diarrhea has caused metabolic acidosis.
D.) Vomiting and has caused metabolic alkalosis.
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C.) Diarrhea has caused metabolic acidosis.
The normal arterial blood gas (ABG) levels are pH: 7.35-7.45;
paCO2: 35-45 mmHg; HCO3: 22-26 mEq/liter. In metabolic
acidosis, the pH is decreased and the HCO3 is decreased.
Diarrhea causes a loss of base which, then leads to metabolic
acidosis.
The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas of a client who is
mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH 7.32; paCO2 50
mmHg; HCO3 30mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this
blood gas?
A.) Partially compensated respiratory acidosis.
B.) Partially compensated respiratory alkalosis.
C.) Partially compensated metabolic acidosis.
D.) Partially compensated metabolic alkalosis.
A.) Partially compensated respiratory acidosis
The normal arterial blood gas (ABG) levels are pH: 7.35-7.45;
paCO2: 35-45 mmHg; HCO3: 22-26 mEq/liter. In partially
compensated respiratory acidosis because the pH is not within
normal limits, compensation is attempting to correct the pH. In
compensation, the opposite of the disorder compensates to bring
the pH to normal range. In this case, the HCO3 is elevated to
compensate for the paCO2.
CRITICAL CARE HESI PRACTICE EXAM |
FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS | BRAND NEW!
A client's assessment reveals S3 and S4 heart sounds,
pulmonary crackles, blood pressure 86/52 mmHg, heart rate 110
beats/minute, and a respiratory rate 18 breaths/minute. The
hemodynamic monitor readings reveal’s a decrease in the height
of the waveform, stroke volume of 34 mL, and a central venous
pressure of 10 mmHg. How should the nurse calculate the
cardiac output for this client?
A.) Multiply (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute).
B.) Multiply (110 beats/minute) X (52 mmHg).
C.) Multiply (52 mmHg) X 2, plus (86 mmHg)/ divided by 3.
D.) Multiply (10 mmHg) X (110 beats/minute)/ divided by 2.
A.) Multiply (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute)
The cardiac output is determined by multiplying the (stroke
volume) X the (heart rate). The cardiac output for this client
would be (34 mL) X (110 beats/minute) = 3740 mL/minute (3.74
L/minute). The normal cardiac output is 4-8 L/minute.
,Page 2 of 46
The nurse is caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit
with full-thickness burns covering 20% of the body. A family
member states that the burns do not look too bad and asks why
the healthcare provider is being so aggressive with treatment.
Which response should the nurse provide?
A.) Treatment is provided for extensive burns which can manifest
more damage after the first 24 hours of shock.
B.) Consult with the health care provider about specific questions
about therapy to alleviate your concerns.
C.) Burns appearance and depth provides guidelines for the
appropriate treatment being provided.
D.) Treatment is approached cautiously because of the type of
burn the client sustained.
A.) Treatment is provided for extensive burns which can manifest
more damage after the first 24 hours of shock.
The nurse should address the family member's concerns by
explaining the reason for the aggressive plan of care. The
standard of care for burns is to initiate aggressive care for
clients with burn injuries in the first 24 hours of initial shock.
While waiting on lab results, the trauma nurse begins
transfusing a unit of O- (negative) packed red blood cells to an
unconscious client who suffered a massive blood loss. Within the
first 5 minutes of the transfusion, the client becomes dyspneic
,Page 3 of 46
and develops stridor, nasal drip and coughing. What action
should the nurse take next?
A.) Warm the blood as it infuses.
B.) Slow down the blood's infusion rate.
C.) Infuse the blood with normal saline.
D.) Stop the infusion of blood.
D.) Stop the infusion of blood.
The client's antibodies are reacting to the antigens present in the
donated blood, thus initiating the T-lymphocytes to activate an
immune response. During an emergency situation when there is
no time for typing and cross-matching of a client's blood, clients
are infused with O- (negative) blood while waiting for units of
blood from the blood bank that were typed and cross-matched
with the client's blood.
The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas (ABG) of a client who
is mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH 7.17; paCO2 70
mmHg; HCO3 20 mEq/L. The nurse would understand that which
is the likely cause of these results?
A.) Respiratory rate is too slow, causing respiratory acidosis.
B.) Respiratory rate is too rapid, causing respiratory alkalosis.
C.) Diarrhea has caused metabolic acidosis.
D.) Vomiting and has caused metabolic alkalosis.
, Page 4 of 46
C.) Diarrhea has caused metabolic acidosis.
The normal arterial blood gas (ABG) levels are pH: 7.35-7.45;
paCO2: 35-45 mmHg; HCO3: 22-26 mEq/liter. In metabolic
acidosis, the pH is decreased and the HCO3 is decreased.
Diarrhea causes a loss of base which, then leads to metabolic
acidosis.
The nurse is analyzing an arterial blood gas of a client who is
mechanically ventilated. The ABG results are pH 7.32; paCO2 50
mmHg; HCO3 30mEq/liter. How should the nurse interpret this
blood gas?
A.) Partially compensated respiratory acidosis.
B.) Partially compensated respiratory alkalosis.
C.) Partially compensated metabolic acidosis.
D.) Partially compensated metabolic alkalosis.
A.) Partially compensated respiratory acidosis
The normal arterial blood gas (ABG) levels are pH: 7.35-7.45;
paCO2: 35-45 mmHg; HCO3: 22-26 mEq/liter. In partially
compensated respiratory acidosis because the pH is not within
normal limits, compensation is attempting to correct the pH. In
compensation, the opposite of the disorder compensates to bring
the pH to normal range. In this case, the HCO3 is elevated to
compensate for the paCO2.
