CARDIAC TEST BANK EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
A patient is scheduled for catheter ablation therapy. When describing this procedure
to the patient's family, the nurse should address what aspect of the treatment?
A) Resetting of the heart's contractility
B) Destruction of specific cardiac cells
C) Correction of structural cardiac abnormalities
D) Clearance of partially occluded coronary arteries - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
Catheter ablation destroys specific cells that are the cause or central conduction
route of a tachydysrhythmia. It does not "reset" the heart's contractility and it does
not address structural or vascular abnormalities.
A patient has undergone diagnostic testing and received a diagnosis of sinus
bradycardia attributable to sinus node dysfunction. When planning this patient's care,
what nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?
A) Acute pain
B) Risk for unilateral neglect
C) Risk for activity intolerance
D) Risk for fluid volume excess - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
Sinus bradycardia causes decreased cardiac output that is likely to cause activity
intolerance. It does not typically cause pain, fluid imbalances, or neglect of a
unilateral nature.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has had a dysrhythmic event. The nurse is
aware of the need to assess for signs of diminished cardiac output (CO). What
change in status may signal to the nurse a decrease in cardiac output?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Bounding peripheral pulses
,C) Changes in level of consciousness
D) Skin flushing - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
The nurse conducts a physical assessment to confirm the data obtained from the
history and to observe for signs of diminished cardiac output (CO) during the
dysrhythmic event, especially changes in level of consciousness. Blood pressure
tends to decrease with lowered CO and bounding peripheral pulses are inconsistent
with this problem. Pallor, not skin flushing, is expected.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is in the recovery room following the
implantation of an ICD. The patient has developed ventricular tachycardia (VT).
What should the nurse assess and document?
A) ECG to compare time of onset of VT and onset of device's shock
B) ECG so physician can see what type of dysrhythmia the patient has
C) Patient's level of consciousness (LOC) at the time of the dysrhythmia
D) Patient's activity at time of dysrhythmia - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
If the patient has an ICD implanted and develops VT or ventricular fibrillation, the
ECG should be recorded to note the time between the onset of the dysrhythmia and
the onset of the device's shock or antitachycardia pacing. This is a priority over LOC
or activity at the time of onset.
During a CPR class, a participant asks about the difference between cardioversion
and defibrillation. What would be the instructor's best response?
A) "Cardioversion is done on a beating heart; defibrillation is not."
B) "The difference is the timing of the delivery of the electric current."
C) "Defibrillation is synchronized with the electrical activity of the heart, but
cardioversion is not."
D) "Cardioversion is always attempted before defibrillation because it has fewer
risks." - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
One major difference between cardioversion and defibrillation is the timing of the
delivery of electrical current. In cardioversion, the delivery of the electrical current is
synchronized with the patient's electrical events; in defibrillation, the delivery of the
, current is immediate and unsynchronized. Both can be done on beating heart (i.e., in
a dysrhythmia). Cardioversion is not necessarily attempted first.
A patient is admitted to the cardiac care unit for an electrophysiology (EP) study.
What goal should guide the planning and execution of the patient's care?
A) Ablate the area causing the dysrhythmia.
B) Freeze hypersensitive cells.
C) Diagnose the dysrhythmia.
D) Determine the nursing plan of care. - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
A patient may undergo an EP study in which electrodes are placed inside the heart
to obtain an intracardiac ECG. This is used not only to diagnose the dysrhythmia but
also to determine the most effective treatment plan. However, because an EP study
is invasive, it is performed in the hospital and may require that the patient be
admitted.
A patient calls his cardiologist's office and talks to the nurse. He is concerned
because he feels he is being defibrillated too often. The nurse tells the patient to
come to the office to be evaluated because the nurse knows that the most frequent
complication of ICD therapy is what?
A) Infection
B) Failure to capture
C) Premature battery depletion
D) Oversensing of dysrhythmias - Answer-Ans: D
Feedback:
Inappropriate delivery of ICD therapy, usually due to oversensing of atrial and sinus
tachycardias with a rapid ventricular rate response, is the most frequent complication
of ICD. Infections, failure to capture, and premature battery failure are less common.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been diagnosed with an elevated
cholesterol level. The nurse is aware that plaque on the inner lumen of arteries is
composed chiefly of what?
A) Lipids and fibrous tissue
B) White blood cells
C) Lipoproteins
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
A patient is scheduled for catheter ablation therapy. When describing this procedure
to the patient's family, the nurse should address what aspect of the treatment?
A) Resetting of the heart's contractility
B) Destruction of specific cardiac cells
C) Correction of structural cardiac abnormalities
D) Clearance of partially occluded coronary arteries - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
Catheter ablation destroys specific cells that are the cause or central conduction
route of a tachydysrhythmia. It does not "reset" the heart's contractility and it does
not address structural or vascular abnormalities.
A patient has undergone diagnostic testing and received a diagnosis of sinus
bradycardia attributable to sinus node dysfunction. When planning this patient's care,
what nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?
A) Acute pain
B) Risk for unilateral neglect
C) Risk for activity intolerance
D) Risk for fluid volume excess - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
Sinus bradycardia causes decreased cardiac output that is likely to cause activity
intolerance. It does not typically cause pain, fluid imbalances, or neglect of a
unilateral nature.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has had a dysrhythmic event. The nurse is
aware of the need to assess for signs of diminished cardiac output (CO). What
change in status may signal to the nurse a decrease in cardiac output?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Bounding peripheral pulses
,C) Changes in level of consciousness
D) Skin flushing - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
The nurse conducts a physical assessment to confirm the data obtained from the
history and to observe for signs of diminished cardiac output (CO) during the
dysrhythmic event, especially changes in level of consciousness. Blood pressure
tends to decrease with lowered CO and bounding peripheral pulses are inconsistent
with this problem. Pallor, not skin flushing, is expected.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is in the recovery room following the
implantation of an ICD. The patient has developed ventricular tachycardia (VT).
What should the nurse assess and document?
A) ECG to compare time of onset of VT and onset of device's shock
B) ECG so physician can see what type of dysrhythmia the patient has
C) Patient's level of consciousness (LOC) at the time of the dysrhythmia
D) Patient's activity at time of dysrhythmia - Answer-Ans: A
Feedback:
If the patient has an ICD implanted and develops VT or ventricular fibrillation, the
ECG should be recorded to note the time between the onset of the dysrhythmia and
the onset of the device's shock or antitachycardia pacing. This is a priority over LOC
or activity at the time of onset.
During a CPR class, a participant asks about the difference between cardioversion
and defibrillation. What would be the instructor's best response?
A) "Cardioversion is done on a beating heart; defibrillation is not."
B) "The difference is the timing of the delivery of the electric current."
C) "Defibrillation is synchronized with the electrical activity of the heart, but
cardioversion is not."
D) "Cardioversion is always attempted before defibrillation because it has fewer
risks." - Answer-Ans: B
Feedback:
One major difference between cardioversion and defibrillation is the timing of the
delivery of electrical current. In cardioversion, the delivery of the electrical current is
synchronized with the patient's electrical events; in defibrillation, the delivery of the
, current is immediate and unsynchronized. Both can be done on beating heart (i.e., in
a dysrhythmia). Cardioversion is not necessarily attempted first.
A patient is admitted to the cardiac care unit for an electrophysiology (EP) study.
What goal should guide the planning and execution of the patient's care?
A) Ablate the area causing the dysrhythmia.
B) Freeze hypersensitive cells.
C) Diagnose the dysrhythmia.
D) Determine the nursing plan of care. - Answer-Ans: C
Feedback:
A patient may undergo an EP study in which electrodes are placed inside the heart
to obtain an intracardiac ECG. This is used not only to diagnose the dysrhythmia but
also to determine the most effective treatment plan. However, because an EP study
is invasive, it is performed in the hospital and may require that the patient be
admitted.
A patient calls his cardiologist's office and talks to the nurse. He is concerned
because he feels he is being defibrillated too often. The nurse tells the patient to
come to the office to be evaluated because the nurse knows that the most frequent
complication of ICD therapy is what?
A) Infection
B) Failure to capture
C) Premature battery depletion
D) Oversensing of dysrhythmias - Answer-Ans: D
Feedback:
Inappropriate delivery of ICD therapy, usually due to oversensing of atrial and sinus
tachycardias with a rapid ventricular rate response, is the most frequent complication
of ICD. Infections, failure to capture, and premature battery failure are less common.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been diagnosed with an elevated
cholesterol level. The nurse is aware that plaque on the inner lumen of arteries is
composed chiefly of what?
A) Lipids and fibrous tissue
B) White blood cells
C) Lipoproteins
