ATI Heart Failure
Questions With Correct
Answers.
1. A nurse is caring for a client with left-sided heart failure. Which assessment finding
should the nurse expect?
A. Jugular vein distention
B. Hepatomegaly
C. Crackles in the lungs
D. Ascites
Correct Answer: C. Crackles in the lungs
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to crackles,
dyspnea, orthopnea, and pulmonary edema. Right-sided failure causes JVD,
hepatomegaly, and ascites.
2. A client with heart failure is prescribed furosemide. Which laboratory value is the
priority for the nurse to monitor?
A. Calcium 9.2 mg/dL
B. Potassium 3.0 mEq/L
C. Sodium 140 mEq/L
D. Magnesium 2.0 mEq/L
,Correct Answer: B. Potassium 3.0 mEq/L
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that can cause hypokalemia, increasing the
risk of dysrhythmias and digoxin toxicity.
3. A nurse is teaching a client with chronic heart failure about daily weights. Which
statement by the client indicates understanding?
A. “I will weigh myself every evening after dinner.”
B. “I will weigh myself every morning after I urinate.”
C. “I will weigh myself only if my ankles are swollen.”
D. “I will weigh myself once a week.”
Correct Answer: B. “I will weigh myself every morning after I urinate.”
Rationale: Clients with HF should weigh themselves daily at the same time,
preferably in the morning after voiding, using the same scale and similar clothing.
4. A nurse is assessing a client who has worsening heart failure. Which finding should
the nurse report immediately?
A. Weight gain of 1 lb in 1 day
B. Dyspnea at rest with pink frothy sputum
C. Mild bilateral ankle edema
D. Fatigue after activity
Correct Answer: B. Dyspnea at rest with pink frothy sputum
Rationale: Pink frothy sputum indicates pulmonary edema, a medical emergency
requiring immediate intervention.
,5. Which medication is commonly prescribed to reduce preload in a client with heart
failure?
A. Metoprolol
B. Furosemide
C. Lisinopril
D. Digoxin
Correct Answer: B. Furosemide
Rationale: Diuretics such as furosemide reduce circulating blood volume, which
decreases preload.
6. A nurse is reinforcing dietary teaching for a client with heart failure. Which food
should the nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Baked chicken breast
C. Canned soup
D. Brown rice
Correct Answer: C. Canned soup
Rationale: Canned soup is often high in sodium, which can worsen fluid retention in
HF.
7. A client with heart failure asks why they are prescribed lisinopril. Which response
by the nurse is correct?
A. “It increases your heart rate.”
B. “It helps your body retain potassium.”
C. “It decreases the workload on your heart by lowering blood pressure.”
, D. “It removes extra fluid immediately.”
Correct Answer: C. “It decreases the workload on your heart by lowering blood
pressure.”
Rationale: ACE inhibitors (like lisinopril) reduce afterload and blood pressure,
improving cardiac output and decreasing HF progression.
8. A nurse is caring for a client taking digoxin for heart failure. Which finding suggests
digoxin toxicity?
A. Increased appetite
B. Yellow-tinged vision
C. Hypertension
D. Tachycardia
Correct Answer: B. Yellow-tinged vision
Rationale: Classic signs of digoxin toxicity include visual disturbances (yellow/green
halos), nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, and dysrhythmias.
9. Which position should the nurse place a client in who is experiencing acute
pulmonary edema from heart failure?
A. Supine
B. Trendelenburg
C. High-Fowler’s
D. Prone
Correct Answer: C. High-Fowler’s
Questions With Correct
Answers.
1. A nurse is caring for a client with left-sided heart failure. Which assessment finding
should the nurse expect?
A. Jugular vein distention
B. Hepatomegaly
C. Crackles in the lungs
D. Ascites
Correct Answer: C. Crackles in the lungs
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to crackles,
dyspnea, orthopnea, and pulmonary edema. Right-sided failure causes JVD,
hepatomegaly, and ascites.
2. A client with heart failure is prescribed furosemide. Which laboratory value is the
priority for the nurse to monitor?
A. Calcium 9.2 mg/dL
B. Potassium 3.0 mEq/L
C. Sodium 140 mEq/L
D. Magnesium 2.0 mEq/L
,Correct Answer: B. Potassium 3.0 mEq/L
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that can cause hypokalemia, increasing the
risk of dysrhythmias and digoxin toxicity.
3. A nurse is teaching a client with chronic heart failure about daily weights. Which
statement by the client indicates understanding?
A. “I will weigh myself every evening after dinner.”
B. “I will weigh myself every morning after I urinate.”
C. “I will weigh myself only if my ankles are swollen.”
D. “I will weigh myself once a week.”
Correct Answer: B. “I will weigh myself every morning after I urinate.”
Rationale: Clients with HF should weigh themselves daily at the same time,
preferably in the morning after voiding, using the same scale and similar clothing.
4. A nurse is assessing a client who has worsening heart failure. Which finding should
the nurse report immediately?
A. Weight gain of 1 lb in 1 day
B. Dyspnea at rest with pink frothy sputum
C. Mild bilateral ankle edema
D. Fatigue after activity
Correct Answer: B. Dyspnea at rest with pink frothy sputum
Rationale: Pink frothy sputum indicates pulmonary edema, a medical emergency
requiring immediate intervention.
,5. Which medication is commonly prescribed to reduce preload in a client with heart
failure?
A. Metoprolol
B. Furosemide
C. Lisinopril
D. Digoxin
Correct Answer: B. Furosemide
Rationale: Diuretics such as furosemide reduce circulating blood volume, which
decreases preload.
6. A nurse is reinforcing dietary teaching for a client with heart failure. Which food
should the nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Baked chicken breast
C. Canned soup
D. Brown rice
Correct Answer: C. Canned soup
Rationale: Canned soup is often high in sodium, which can worsen fluid retention in
HF.
7. A client with heart failure asks why they are prescribed lisinopril. Which response
by the nurse is correct?
A. “It increases your heart rate.”
B. “It helps your body retain potassium.”
C. “It decreases the workload on your heart by lowering blood pressure.”
, D. “It removes extra fluid immediately.”
Correct Answer: C. “It decreases the workload on your heart by lowering blood
pressure.”
Rationale: ACE inhibitors (like lisinopril) reduce afterload and blood pressure,
improving cardiac output and decreasing HF progression.
8. A nurse is caring for a client taking digoxin for heart failure. Which finding suggests
digoxin toxicity?
A. Increased appetite
B. Yellow-tinged vision
C. Hypertension
D. Tachycardia
Correct Answer: B. Yellow-tinged vision
Rationale: Classic signs of digoxin toxicity include visual disturbances (yellow/green
halos), nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, and dysrhythmias.
9. Which position should the nurse place a client in who is experiencing acute
pulmonary edema from heart failure?
A. Supine
B. Trendelenburg
C. High-Fowler’s
D. Prone
Correct Answer: C. High-Fowler’s
