PCCN EXAM TEST BANK 2024 WITH 150 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS)
PCCN EXAM PREP TEST BANK (NEWLY UPDATED 2025-
2026!!)
✅ Key Features:
150 Verified Exam Questions & Correct Answers
Includes detailed rationales for each answer to reinforce learning
Fully aligned with the 2025-2026 PCCN Exam blueprint
Covers cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, renal, neurology,
hematology, and multisystem care
Focused on clinical judgment, professional caring, and ethics
Updated to reflect latest AACN PCCN standards
📘 Best For:
Nurses preparing for the PCCN Certification Exam
RN/BSN professionals working in step-down, telemetry, or progressive
care units
Learners who want comprehensive practice with rationales to ensure a
first-attempt pass
A nurse is caring for a 71-year-old female patient with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) who is experiencing cardiac ischemia with increased shortness of breath. The MOST
appropriate goal of oxygen therapy for this patient would be to:
A. Limit supplemental oxygen to lower the risk of reducing respiratory drive
B. Maintain oxygen saturations between 86% and 89%
C. Administer oxygen until oxygen saturations are greater than 95% in order to relieve ischemia
D. Maintain oxygen saturations between 90% and 92% - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Maintain oxygen
saturations between 90% and 92%
Feedback
Maintaining oxygen saturations between 90% and 92% will serve the purpose of providing enough
oxygen to relieve cardiac ischemia while reducing the risk of respiratory depression in a patient with
COPD.
,The nurse is caring for a Vietnamese patient who is a practicing Buddhist, and the patient passes
away. The family is present and requests that per tradition, the body be left undisturbed in the
hospital bed for four hours. The charge nurse informs the patient's nurse that the emergency
department is currently full and badly needs beds for admitting patients. Which of the following is
the most appropriate action for the patient's nurse to take?
A. Apologize and tell the family that the bed is needed for another family and the body must be
moved to the morgue
B. Inform the charge nurse of the patient and family's cultural practices related to death and ask that
the patient's body be allowed to remain undisturbed for the requested four hours
c. Tell the family that the body must be moved in order to make room for another patient, but offer
the family the opportunity to participate in post-mortem care
D. Tell the fa - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Inform the charge nurse of the patient and family's cultural
practices related to death and ask that the patient's body be allowed to remain undisturbed for the
requested four hours
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Response to
Diversity involves the ability to recognize and integrate different cultural practices into patient care.
The nurse understands that Buddhist culture states that the body must remain undisturbed for at
least four hours to give the soul time to leave the body and educates the charge nurse on the patient
and family's cultural standards as well.
A 60-year-old male patient is admitted following a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
(PTCA) and stent placement to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. During shift change three
hours later, the patient complains of flank pain. Assessment reveals hypotension and tachycardia.
The nurse suspects:
A. Dissecting aortic aneurysm
B. A pulmonary embolism
C. Stent failure with acute re-occlusion of the LAD
D. Retroperitoneal hemorrhage - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Retroperitoneal hemorrhage
Feedback
Trauma to the femoral/iliac artery during insertion of the angioplasty catheter may result in
retroperitoneal bleeding. Hypotension and tachycardia are signs of shock, in this case, hypovolemic
shock due to blood loss into the retroperitoneal space.
The nurse is monitoring a 53-year-old female patient who is post coronary angiography with a right
femoral arterial approach; the patient's sheath was pulled 40 minutes ago. The patient begins
complaining of 6/10 pain and a tingling sensation in her right leg. Upon assessment, the nurse notes
that the patient's foot is pale and her previously palpable pedal pulses are no longer found on the
doppler. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
,A. Administer a 1 L bolus of 0.9% NS and pain medication
B. Immediately notify the provider and prepare the patient for a possible emergency procedure
C. Place the patient in Trendelenburg position and obtain a 12-lead ECG
D. Reassess the pedal pulse in 15 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Immediately notify the provider
and prepare the patient for a possible emergency procedure
Feedback
The nurse should recognize that these are symptoms of reduced perfusion to the affected extremity
due to a thromboembolism or other complication, and constitute an emergency that might require
surgical intervention. The nurse must notify the provider of these symptoms immediately.
The nurse is caring for an 84 year old Native American female patient. The provider informs the
nurse that testing has shown that the patient has a terminal illness, but the patient's son has
requested that the patient not be informed of the diagnosis. What is the most appropriate action for
the nurse to take?
A. Refer the case to the hospital's ethics committee.
B. Research the cultural beliefs about death specific to the patient's tribe
C. Talk to the son and explain the importance of the patient knowing her diagnosis so that she can
make her own end-of-life decisions
D. Tell the son that he must tell the patient about her diagnosis or the provider will have to do so -
CORRECT ANSWER-B. Research the cultural beliefs about death specific to the patient's tribe
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Response to
Diversity involves the ability to recognize and integrate different cultural practices into patient care.
Many cultures, including some Native Americans, ask that providers avoid disclosing terminal
diagnoses in order to avoid terminal suffering and to preserve hope. The nurse does the correct
thing by researching the patient's culture to better understand the son's decision.
Several nurses in the transitional care unit have noted a high frequency of IV infiltrations using the
new facility-provided catheters. The BEST approach to addressing this clinical problem would be to:
A. Have a few nurses from the unit meet with nurses from other units to see if they are noticing the
same problem
B. Write a collective unit letter to the chief nursing officer (CNO) of the facility requesting a change in
intravenous catheters
C. Purchase a supply of the previous brand of IV catheters and use those instead of the hospital-
supplied catheters
, D. Alert the unit nurse manager of the nurses' observations, and offer to form a committee to
evaluate the problem - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Alert the unit nurse manager of the nurses'
observations, and offer to form a committee to evaluate the problem
Feedback
A committee approved by the nurse manager is most likely to be successful at gathering and
evaluating the available data and observations. Findings may then be presented to the facility
nursing officers and department(s) responsible for purchasing supplies.
A nurse is planning care for a hallucinating and delusional patient who has been rescued from a
suicide attempt. Appropriate intervention at this time would be to: - CORRECT ANSWER-Initiate one-
to-one suicide precautions immediately
Feedback
One-to-one suicide precautions are required for the patient rescued from a suicide attempt,
especially if the patient is also delusional and hallucinating. These factors increase the risk of
unpredictable behavior and suicide.
The nurse is caring for a 59 year old male patient who is being treated for acute respiratory failure
with bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP). Which of the following nursing diagnoses would be
MOST appropriate for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Risk for impaired skin integrity
Feedback
The nurse should recognize that successful BIPAP therapy requires a mask that is snugly fitted to the
patient's face, which represents a threat to the patient's skin integrity. This requires close
monitoring of the patient's facial skin to ensure that breakdown does not occur.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. The patient is
unresponsive but moaning and clutching her head with both hands and the nurse tells the family
that the patient would benefit from pain medication. The patient's daughter tells the nurse that in
their culture, they do not believe in giving dying patients any medications that could speed the onset
of death, including pain medication. The charge nurse pulls the patient's nurse aside and tells them
that the patient appears to be suffering and something should be done. What is the most
appropriate action for the patient's nurse to take? - CORRECT ANSWER-Inform the charge nurse of
the patient and family's cultural beliefs regarding death and dying, and that they do not want the
patient to have pain medication
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Patient
Advocacy and Moral Agency means representing the concerns of the patient and helping to resolve
ethical concerns. This includes issues on which the nurse may not agree with the patient/patient's
family.
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS)
PCCN EXAM PREP TEST BANK (NEWLY UPDATED 2025-
2026!!)
✅ Key Features:
150 Verified Exam Questions & Correct Answers
Includes detailed rationales for each answer to reinforce learning
Fully aligned with the 2025-2026 PCCN Exam blueprint
Covers cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, renal, neurology,
hematology, and multisystem care
Focused on clinical judgment, professional caring, and ethics
Updated to reflect latest AACN PCCN standards
📘 Best For:
Nurses preparing for the PCCN Certification Exam
RN/BSN professionals working in step-down, telemetry, or progressive
care units
Learners who want comprehensive practice with rationales to ensure a
first-attempt pass
A nurse is caring for a 71-year-old female patient with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) who is experiencing cardiac ischemia with increased shortness of breath. The MOST
appropriate goal of oxygen therapy for this patient would be to:
A. Limit supplemental oxygen to lower the risk of reducing respiratory drive
B. Maintain oxygen saturations between 86% and 89%
C. Administer oxygen until oxygen saturations are greater than 95% in order to relieve ischemia
D. Maintain oxygen saturations between 90% and 92% - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Maintain oxygen
saturations between 90% and 92%
Feedback
Maintaining oxygen saturations between 90% and 92% will serve the purpose of providing enough
oxygen to relieve cardiac ischemia while reducing the risk of respiratory depression in a patient with
COPD.
,The nurse is caring for a Vietnamese patient who is a practicing Buddhist, and the patient passes
away. The family is present and requests that per tradition, the body be left undisturbed in the
hospital bed for four hours. The charge nurse informs the patient's nurse that the emergency
department is currently full and badly needs beds for admitting patients. Which of the following is
the most appropriate action for the patient's nurse to take?
A. Apologize and tell the family that the bed is needed for another family and the body must be
moved to the morgue
B. Inform the charge nurse of the patient and family's cultural practices related to death and ask that
the patient's body be allowed to remain undisturbed for the requested four hours
c. Tell the family that the body must be moved in order to make room for another patient, but offer
the family the opportunity to participate in post-mortem care
D. Tell the fa - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Inform the charge nurse of the patient and family's cultural
practices related to death and ask that the patient's body be allowed to remain undisturbed for the
requested four hours
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Response to
Diversity involves the ability to recognize and integrate different cultural practices into patient care.
The nurse understands that Buddhist culture states that the body must remain undisturbed for at
least four hours to give the soul time to leave the body and educates the charge nurse on the patient
and family's cultural standards as well.
A 60-year-old male patient is admitted following a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
(PTCA) and stent placement to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. During shift change three
hours later, the patient complains of flank pain. Assessment reveals hypotension and tachycardia.
The nurse suspects:
A. Dissecting aortic aneurysm
B. A pulmonary embolism
C. Stent failure with acute re-occlusion of the LAD
D. Retroperitoneal hemorrhage - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Retroperitoneal hemorrhage
Feedback
Trauma to the femoral/iliac artery during insertion of the angioplasty catheter may result in
retroperitoneal bleeding. Hypotension and tachycardia are signs of shock, in this case, hypovolemic
shock due to blood loss into the retroperitoneal space.
The nurse is monitoring a 53-year-old female patient who is post coronary angiography with a right
femoral arterial approach; the patient's sheath was pulled 40 minutes ago. The patient begins
complaining of 6/10 pain and a tingling sensation in her right leg. Upon assessment, the nurse notes
that the patient's foot is pale and her previously palpable pedal pulses are no longer found on the
doppler. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
,A. Administer a 1 L bolus of 0.9% NS and pain medication
B. Immediately notify the provider and prepare the patient for a possible emergency procedure
C. Place the patient in Trendelenburg position and obtain a 12-lead ECG
D. Reassess the pedal pulse in 15 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Immediately notify the provider
and prepare the patient for a possible emergency procedure
Feedback
The nurse should recognize that these are symptoms of reduced perfusion to the affected extremity
due to a thromboembolism or other complication, and constitute an emergency that might require
surgical intervention. The nurse must notify the provider of these symptoms immediately.
The nurse is caring for an 84 year old Native American female patient. The provider informs the
nurse that testing has shown that the patient has a terminal illness, but the patient's son has
requested that the patient not be informed of the diagnosis. What is the most appropriate action for
the nurse to take?
A. Refer the case to the hospital's ethics committee.
B. Research the cultural beliefs about death specific to the patient's tribe
C. Talk to the son and explain the importance of the patient knowing her diagnosis so that she can
make her own end-of-life decisions
D. Tell the son that he must tell the patient about her diagnosis or the provider will have to do so -
CORRECT ANSWER-B. Research the cultural beliefs about death specific to the patient's tribe
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Response to
Diversity involves the ability to recognize and integrate different cultural practices into patient care.
Many cultures, including some Native Americans, ask that providers avoid disclosing terminal
diagnoses in order to avoid terminal suffering and to preserve hope. The nurse does the correct
thing by researching the patient's culture to better understand the son's decision.
Several nurses in the transitional care unit have noted a high frequency of IV infiltrations using the
new facility-provided catheters. The BEST approach to addressing this clinical problem would be to:
A. Have a few nurses from the unit meet with nurses from other units to see if they are noticing the
same problem
B. Write a collective unit letter to the chief nursing officer (CNO) of the facility requesting a change in
intravenous catheters
C. Purchase a supply of the previous brand of IV catheters and use those instead of the hospital-
supplied catheters
, D. Alert the unit nurse manager of the nurses' observations, and offer to form a committee to
evaluate the problem - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Alert the unit nurse manager of the nurses'
observations, and offer to form a committee to evaluate the problem
Feedback
A committee approved by the nurse manager is most likely to be successful at gathering and
evaluating the available data and observations. Findings may then be presented to the facility
nursing officers and department(s) responsible for purchasing supplies.
A nurse is planning care for a hallucinating and delusional patient who has been rescued from a
suicide attempt. Appropriate intervention at this time would be to: - CORRECT ANSWER-Initiate one-
to-one suicide precautions immediately
Feedback
One-to-one suicide precautions are required for the patient rescued from a suicide attempt,
especially if the patient is also delusional and hallucinating. These factors increase the risk of
unpredictable behavior and suicide.
The nurse is caring for a 59 year old male patient who is being treated for acute respiratory failure
with bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP). Which of the following nursing diagnoses would be
MOST appropriate for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Risk for impaired skin integrity
Feedback
The nurse should recognize that successful BIPAP therapy requires a mask that is snugly fitted to the
patient's face, which represents a threat to the patient's skin integrity. This requires close
monitoring of the patient's facial skin to ensure that breakdown does not occur.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. The patient is
unresponsive but moaning and clutching her head with both hands and the nurse tells the family
that the patient would benefit from pain medication. The patient's daughter tells the nurse that in
their culture, they do not believe in giving dying patients any medications that could speed the onset
of death, including pain medication. The charge nurse pulls the patient's nurse aside and tells them
that the patient appears to be suffering and something should be done. What is the most
appropriate action for the patient's nurse to take? - CORRECT ANSWER-Inform the charge nurse of
the patient and family's cultural beliefs regarding death and dying, and that they do not want the
patient to have pain medication
Feedback
The nurse should recall that according to the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Patient
Advocacy and Moral Agency means representing the concerns of the patient and helping to resolve
ethical concerns. This includes issues on which the nurse may not agree with the patient/patient's
family.
