FNP Boards Fitzgerald questions and answers
2026\2027 A+ Grade
hyperkalemia
- correct answer ACEI/ARB use poses a ________ risk, especially with reduced GFR, overdiuresis and/or
under hydration.
Cranial Nerve II
- correct answer Assessment of the optic disc is a component of the evaluation of which cranial nerve?
Mitral regurgitation
- correct answer The cardiac exam features in _________ include the presence of a holosystolic murmur
with a blowing quality that is typically Gr II-III/VI with a predictable pattern of radiation to the left axilla
Left ventricular hypertrophy
- correct answer What is the most common heart chamber hypertrophy?
Left atrial hypertrophy
- correct answer What is the second most common heart chamber hypertrophy?
Aortic stenosis
- correct answer What is the most common stenotic heart valve?
Primary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on preventing the health problem? Examples:
immunizations, counseling about safety, injury, and disease prevention
Secondary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on detecting disease in early, asymptomatic, or
preclinical state to minimize impact?
,Examples: screening tests, such as BO check, mammography, colonoscopy
Tertiary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on minimizing negative disease-induced outcomes?
Examples: In established disease, adjusting therapy to avoid further target organ damage. Potentially
viewed as a failure of primary prevention
Acute blood loss
Anemia of chronic disease (CKD, Lupus, chronic inflammatory diseases, gastritis, menorrhagia, etc)
- correct answer What anemias are classified as normocytic, normochromic with low HGB, Hematocrit
and RBC's?
- Iron deficiency
- Plumbism (lead toxicity)
- correct answer What are the most common etiology of microcytic (MCV <80 fL) hypochromic anemia
with elevated RDW in primary care? Small cells are seen in this type of anemia due to insufficient
hemoglobin. All values decreased: HGB, HCT, RBC, MCV, MCHC ***RDW is increased***
Next test is ferritin for iron stores, add lead testing in younger children
- Alpha or Beta thalassemia minor
** at risk ethnic groups for alpha thalassemia minor: Asian, African ancestry (AAA - Alpha, Asian, African)
*** at risk ethnic groups for beta thalassemia minor: African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern ancestry
(BAMME - Beta, African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern)
- CONSIDERED A GENETIC Variation, not a disease
- Next test would be a hemoglobin electrophoresis for evaluation of hemoglobin variants
- correct answer What type of anemia
decreased: HGB, HCT, MCV, MCHC
elevated RBC's
Normal RDW?
(Microcytic, hypochromic with elevated RBC's and normal RDW)
,- Vitamin B12 deficiency, especially pernicious anemia
- Folate deficiency
- correct answer What type of anemia has Macrocytic (MCV >96 fL), normochromic anemia, with
elevated RDW?
Decreased: HGB, Hematocrit, RBC's
Elevated: MCV, RDW
Normal: MCHC
**Next test - serum vitamin B12 and RBC folate
Iron deficiency anemia
- correct answer What is most common anemia?
Seen commonly in women of childbearing age, pregnancy, and childhood
- chronic blood loss
- correct answer What is most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in the adult population
specifically?
Take your medication on an empty stomach
- correct answer Which of the following represents the optimal advice to a patient who is taking oral
iron therapy to MAXIMIZE the medication's effectiveness?
A.) Take your medication with an antacid
B.) Take your medication on an empty stomach
C.) Take your medication after the largest meal of the day
D.) Take your medication with a large glass of milk
B12
(B12 deficiency is most common in older women)
- correct answer What micronutrient is critical to neurological function?
For men, 24 to 336 micrograms per liter.
, For women, 11 to 307 micrograms per liter
- correct answer What is the normal range for blood ferritin in males and females?
13-17.5 g/dL
- correct answer What is the normal hemoglobin level in males?
12.0-16g/dL
- correct answer What is the normal hemoglobin level in females?
40-50%
- correct answer What is the normal hematocrit percentage for males?
36-45%
- correct answer What is the normal hematocrit percentage for females?
80-100 fL
- correct answer MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume. An MCV blood test measures the average
size of your red blood cells. High MCV means that the RBC are too large and indicates macrocytic
anemia. This condition can be caused by several factors including low folate or vitamin B12 levels or
chemotherapy. Low MCV (microcytosis) is less than 80 fl. It may be a sign of: Iron-deficiency anemia.
Alpha or Beta Thalassemia. What is the normal MCV?
12-15%
- correct answer A red cell distribution width (RDW) test measures the differences in the volume and
size of your red blood cells (erythrocytes). A high RDW means that there's variation in the size of your
red blood cells beyond what's considered normal. A low to typical RDW means your red blood cells do
not vary much in volume and size, and a low RDW means the red blood cells are the most similar in size.
What is a normal RDW?
MCHC: 32 to 36 grams/deciliter (g/dL) or 320 to 360 grams per liter (g/L)
- correct answer Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is a measurement of the average
amount of hemoglobin in a single red blood cell (RBC) as it relates to the volume of the cell. Hemoglobin
is the protein molecule that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues within your body. The
following types of anemia are associated with a low hemoglobin concentration: Iron deficiency anemia
can be caused by an iron-deficient diet or by an inability to absorb iron. When less iron is available for
red blood cell development, the red blood cells become smaller and paler. The following types of
anemia are associated with a low hemoglobin concentration:
2026\2027 A+ Grade
hyperkalemia
- correct answer ACEI/ARB use poses a ________ risk, especially with reduced GFR, overdiuresis and/or
under hydration.
Cranial Nerve II
- correct answer Assessment of the optic disc is a component of the evaluation of which cranial nerve?
Mitral regurgitation
- correct answer The cardiac exam features in _________ include the presence of a holosystolic murmur
with a blowing quality that is typically Gr II-III/VI with a predictable pattern of radiation to the left axilla
Left ventricular hypertrophy
- correct answer What is the most common heart chamber hypertrophy?
Left atrial hypertrophy
- correct answer What is the second most common heart chamber hypertrophy?
Aortic stenosis
- correct answer What is the most common stenotic heart valve?
Primary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on preventing the health problem? Examples:
immunizations, counseling about safety, injury, and disease prevention
Secondary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on detecting disease in early, asymptomatic, or
preclinical state to minimize impact?
,Examples: screening tests, such as BO check, mammography, colonoscopy
Tertiary prevention
- correct answer What type of prevention focuses on minimizing negative disease-induced outcomes?
Examples: In established disease, adjusting therapy to avoid further target organ damage. Potentially
viewed as a failure of primary prevention
Acute blood loss
Anemia of chronic disease (CKD, Lupus, chronic inflammatory diseases, gastritis, menorrhagia, etc)
- correct answer What anemias are classified as normocytic, normochromic with low HGB, Hematocrit
and RBC's?
- Iron deficiency
- Plumbism (lead toxicity)
- correct answer What are the most common etiology of microcytic (MCV <80 fL) hypochromic anemia
with elevated RDW in primary care? Small cells are seen in this type of anemia due to insufficient
hemoglobin. All values decreased: HGB, HCT, RBC, MCV, MCHC ***RDW is increased***
Next test is ferritin for iron stores, add lead testing in younger children
- Alpha or Beta thalassemia minor
** at risk ethnic groups for alpha thalassemia minor: Asian, African ancestry (AAA - Alpha, Asian, African)
*** at risk ethnic groups for beta thalassemia minor: African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern ancestry
(BAMME - Beta, African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern)
- CONSIDERED A GENETIC Variation, not a disease
- Next test would be a hemoglobin electrophoresis for evaluation of hemoglobin variants
- correct answer What type of anemia
decreased: HGB, HCT, MCV, MCHC
elevated RBC's
Normal RDW?
(Microcytic, hypochromic with elevated RBC's and normal RDW)
,- Vitamin B12 deficiency, especially pernicious anemia
- Folate deficiency
- correct answer What type of anemia has Macrocytic (MCV >96 fL), normochromic anemia, with
elevated RDW?
Decreased: HGB, Hematocrit, RBC's
Elevated: MCV, RDW
Normal: MCHC
**Next test - serum vitamin B12 and RBC folate
Iron deficiency anemia
- correct answer What is most common anemia?
Seen commonly in women of childbearing age, pregnancy, and childhood
- chronic blood loss
- correct answer What is most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in the adult population
specifically?
Take your medication on an empty stomach
- correct answer Which of the following represents the optimal advice to a patient who is taking oral
iron therapy to MAXIMIZE the medication's effectiveness?
A.) Take your medication with an antacid
B.) Take your medication on an empty stomach
C.) Take your medication after the largest meal of the day
D.) Take your medication with a large glass of milk
B12
(B12 deficiency is most common in older women)
- correct answer What micronutrient is critical to neurological function?
For men, 24 to 336 micrograms per liter.
, For women, 11 to 307 micrograms per liter
- correct answer What is the normal range for blood ferritin in males and females?
13-17.5 g/dL
- correct answer What is the normal hemoglobin level in males?
12.0-16g/dL
- correct answer What is the normal hemoglobin level in females?
40-50%
- correct answer What is the normal hematocrit percentage for males?
36-45%
- correct answer What is the normal hematocrit percentage for females?
80-100 fL
- correct answer MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume. An MCV blood test measures the average
size of your red blood cells. High MCV means that the RBC are too large and indicates macrocytic
anemia. This condition can be caused by several factors including low folate or vitamin B12 levels or
chemotherapy. Low MCV (microcytosis) is less than 80 fl. It may be a sign of: Iron-deficiency anemia.
Alpha or Beta Thalassemia. What is the normal MCV?
12-15%
- correct answer A red cell distribution width (RDW) test measures the differences in the volume and
size of your red blood cells (erythrocytes). A high RDW means that there's variation in the size of your
red blood cells beyond what's considered normal. A low to typical RDW means your red blood cells do
not vary much in volume and size, and a low RDW means the red blood cells are the most similar in size.
What is a normal RDW?
MCHC: 32 to 36 grams/deciliter (g/dL) or 320 to 360 grams per liter (g/L)
- correct answer Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is a measurement of the average
amount of hemoglobin in a single red blood cell (RBC) as it relates to the volume of the cell. Hemoglobin
is the protein molecule that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues within your body. The
following types of anemia are associated with a low hemoglobin concentration: Iron deficiency anemia
can be caused by an iron-deficient diet or by an inability to absorb iron. When less iron is available for
red blood cell development, the red blood cells become smaller and paler. The following types of
anemia are associated with a low hemoglobin concentration:
