ABG PRACTICE QUESTIONS EXAM SCRIPT
2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS WITH
DETAILED SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ How can you correct Respiratory Acidosis? Answer: You can increase
the number of breaths per minute, increase the size of the breaths, or
decrease dead space.
⩥ What are the causes of Respiratory alkalosis? Answer: A low amount
of CO2 in the blood, hyperventilation, pain, and anxiety.
⩥ How can you correct respiratory alkalosis? Answer: You can decrease
the number of breaths per minute, give medication for pain, and treat the
anxiety.
⩥ What are the causes of metabolic acidosis? Answer: A low amount of
Bicarb in the blood, diarrhea, aspirin toxicity, diabetes, and renal failure.
⩥ How can you correct metabolic acidosis? Answer: You can correct
metabolic acidosis by stopping or correcting whatever is causing the
issue. You can also provide medication for diarrhea, and treat the renal
failure.
,⩥ What are the causes of metabolic alkalosis? Answer: An increase in
Bicarb in the blood, vomiting, NG suctioning, and the ingestion of
sodium Bicarb.
⩥ How can you correct metabolic alkalosis? Answer: You correct it by
stopping or correcting the vomiting, discontinue NG suctioning, and stop
the sodium Bicarb ingestion.
⩥ What is oxygenation? Answer: Oxygenation is represented by the
PaO2 values and it is measured only of the oxygen dissolved in plasma.
⩥ What is the first step before doing an ABG? Answer: The first step is
to check the patient's chart to confirm the doctor's order.
⩥ What is the preferred site for an ABG in adults? Answer: The Radial
artery the preferred site.
⩥ What is the longest time an ABG sample could go (without ice)
without being analyzed? Answer: 15 minutes.
⩥ What test is performed to confirm collateral circulation before doing
an ABG stick? Answer: The Modified Allen Test.
⩥ What is an adequate amount of blood for an ABG sample? Answer: 2
-4 milliliters of blood is enough for a sample.
,⩥ What are some causes of metabolic acidosis? Answer: Some causes
include Diarrhea, starvation, and diabetic ketoacidosis.
⩥ What are the 3 major hazards of an arterial puncture? Answer: The 3
major hazards include Bleeding, obstruction of the vessel, and infection.
⩥ What are the three major criteria for the selection of the arterial
puncture site? Answer: Collateral blood flow, vessel accessibility, and
peripheral structures.
⩥ What is collateral blood flow? Answer: Collateral blood flow helps to
prevent loss of distal blood flow in the event of an arterial obstruction.
⩥ What does vessel accessibility mean? Answer: The best vessel for an
arterial puncture is one that is easy to palpate, relatively superficial, and
somewhat stable.
⩥ What are peripheral structures? Answer: Peripheral structures are
referring to something that is easy to get to. In this case, we're referring
to the radial artery in regards to sticking an ABG.
⩥ How to perform the Modified Allen test? Answer: To perform this
test, you need to Elevate the patient's hand and make a fist for 20
seconds, hold firm pressure against the radial and ulnar arteries, the
, patient then opens the hand and it should blanch white, the examiner
releases only the ulnar compression, and you should see the hand pinken
up which indicates that collateral circulation is present.
⩥ What are alternative methods of assessing for collateral circulation?
Answer: Doppler ultrasound and pulse oximetry.
⩥ What would you look at if you wanted to determine the oxygenation
status of a patient? Answer: You would look at their PaO2.
⩥ An increase in CO2 causes the pH levels to become what? Answer:
The pH becomes acidic.
⩥ A patient comes in with a pH of 7.52, a PaCO2 of 25, a Bicarb of 25,
and a base excess of +1. What would be the interpretation of this blood
gas? Answer: The interpretation is Respiratory Alkalosis.
⩥ A patient has the following ABG results: A pH of 7.1, a PaCO2 of 20,
Bicarb of 10, and a Base Excess of -20. What is your interpretation of
this ABG? Answer: The interpretation is Metabolic Acidosis.
⩥ What do you look at in a blood gas to determine ventilation? Answer:
You would look at the PaCO2.
2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS WITH
DETAILED SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ How can you correct Respiratory Acidosis? Answer: You can increase
the number of breaths per minute, increase the size of the breaths, or
decrease dead space.
⩥ What are the causes of Respiratory alkalosis? Answer: A low amount
of CO2 in the blood, hyperventilation, pain, and anxiety.
⩥ How can you correct respiratory alkalosis? Answer: You can decrease
the number of breaths per minute, give medication for pain, and treat the
anxiety.
⩥ What are the causes of metabolic acidosis? Answer: A low amount of
Bicarb in the blood, diarrhea, aspirin toxicity, diabetes, and renal failure.
⩥ How can you correct metabolic acidosis? Answer: You can correct
metabolic acidosis by stopping or correcting whatever is causing the
issue. You can also provide medication for diarrhea, and treat the renal
failure.
,⩥ What are the causes of metabolic alkalosis? Answer: An increase in
Bicarb in the blood, vomiting, NG suctioning, and the ingestion of
sodium Bicarb.
⩥ How can you correct metabolic alkalosis? Answer: You correct it by
stopping or correcting the vomiting, discontinue NG suctioning, and stop
the sodium Bicarb ingestion.
⩥ What is oxygenation? Answer: Oxygenation is represented by the
PaO2 values and it is measured only of the oxygen dissolved in plasma.
⩥ What is the first step before doing an ABG? Answer: The first step is
to check the patient's chart to confirm the doctor's order.
⩥ What is the preferred site for an ABG in adults? Answer: The Radial
artery the preferred site.
⩥ What is the longest time an ABG sample could go (without ice)
without being analyzed? Answer: 15 minutes.
⩥ What test is performed to confirm collateral circulation before doing
an ABG stick? Answer: The Modified Allen Test.
⩥ What is an adequate amount of blood for an ABG sample? Answer: 2
-4 milliliters of blood is enough for a sample.
,⩥ What are some causes of metabolic acidosis? Answer: Some causes
include Diarrhea, starvation, and diabetic ketoacidosis.
⩥ What are the 3 major hazards of an arterial puncture? Answer: The 3
major hazards include Bleeding, obstruction of the vessel, and infection.
⩥ What are the three major criteria for the selection of the arterial
puncture site? Answer: Collateral blood flow, vessel accessibility, and
peripheral structures.
⩥ What is collateral blood flow? Answer: Collateral blood flow helps to
prevent loss of distal blood flow in the event of an arterial obstruction.
⩥ What does vessel accessibility mean? Answer: The best vessel for an
arterial puncture is one that is easy to palpate, relatively superficial, and
somewhat stable.
⩥ What are peripheral structures? Answer: Peripheral structures are
referring to something that is easy to get to. In this case, we're referring
to the radial artery in regards to sticking an ABG.
⩥ How to perform the Modified Allen test? Answer: To perform this
test, you need to Elevate the patient's hand and make a fist for 20
seconds, hold firm pressure against the radial and ulnar arteries, the
, patient then opens the hand and it should blanch white, the examiner
releases only the ulnar compression, and you should see the hand pinken
up which indicates that collateral circulation is present.
⩥ What are alternative methods of assessing for collateral circulation?
Answer: Doppler ultrasound and pulse oximetry.
⩥ What would you look at if you wanted to determine the oxygenation
status of a patient? Answer: You would look at their PaO2.
⩥ An increase in CO2 causes the pH levels to become what? Answer:
The pH becomes acidic.
⩥ A patient comes in with a pH of 7.52, a PaCO2 of 25, a Bicarb of 25,
and a base excess of +1. What would be the interpretation of this blood
gas? Answer: The interpretation is Respiratory Alkalosis.
⩥ A patient has the following ABG results: A pH of 7.1, a PaCO2 of 20,
Bicarb of 10, and a Base Excess of -20. What is your interpretation of
this ABG? Answer: The interpretation is Metabolic Acidosis.
⩥ What do you look at in a blood gas to determine ventilation? Answer:
You would look at the PaCO2.
