PCCN practice exam
Exam Coverage
Exam coverage for the PCCN Practice Exam includes progressive care nursing concepts aligned
Shuffle
with certification through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). It focuses on
the care of acutely ill adult patients in step-down or progressive care units, including
cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, endocrine, renal, gastrointestinal, and multisystem
conditions. The exam also evaluates understanding of hemodynamic monitoring, cardiac rhythm
interpretation, pharmacologic therapies, patient safety, and prevention of complications.Additional
emphasis is placed on clinical judgment, prioritization, and professional caring practices such as
advocacy, collaboration, and ethical decision-making. The practice exam is designed to strengthen
knowledge application, improve test readiness, and support safe, evidence-based nursing care in
progressive care settings
,The nurse notes the following when analyzing a patient's telemetry strip: HR, 65/min and regular;
PR interval, 0.22 seconds; QRS complex, 0.10 seconds; QTc, 0.52 seconds. Which of the following
dysrhythmias is the patient at risk for?
A. Atrial fibrillation because the PR interval is wide
B. Sinus arrhythmia because the QRS complex is narrow
C. Torsades de pointes because the QTc is wide
D. Third-degree heart block because the PR interval is narrow
C.
QT measurements reflect the duration of ventricular repolarization. Lengthening of QT interval is
associated with arrhythmias, adverse cardiac events, and increased mortality because a longer QT
duration places the vulnerable ventricular repolarization phase close to the next depolarization,
increasing the likelihood of R-on-T. The most common arrhythmia that occurs with prolonged QTc
is torsades de pointes. Atrial fibrillation, sinus bradycardia, and third-degree heart block are not
typically associated with prolonged ventricular repolarization (QTc >0.50 seconds).
,Pt on Vtach, HR 135, RR 32, BP 90/48, conscious but c/o dizziness, recent K+ lvl is 3.4. What action
would you do first?
a. emergent defib
b. amio 300mg IVP
c. emergent cardioversion
d. hang 10 mEq KCL/50mL D5W
C
, A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is admitted for worsening dyspnea
and possible pneumonia. The current ABG results are pH, 7.19; PaO2, 52 mm Hg; PaCO2, 68 mm
Hg; HCO3 - , 32 mmol/L. The nurse would interpret these results as
A. Metabolic acidosis with hypoxemia
B. Respiratory acidosis with hypoxemia
C. Respiratory alkalosis with typical oxygenation for a COPD patient
D. Metabolic alkalosis with typical oxygenation for a COPD patient
B.
Based on the ABG analysis, the patient is experiencing a respiratory acidosis with hypoxemia most
likely due to the pneumonia. A pH of 7.19 indicates acidosis; a PaCO2 of 68 mm Hg is elevated and
a cause of acidosis; an HCO3 - of 32 mmol/L indicates renal compensation; a PaO2 of 52 mm Hg
indicates hypoxemia
Exam Coverage
Exam coverage for the PCCN Practice Exam includes progressive care nursing concepts aligned
Shuffle
with certification through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). It focuses on
the care of acutely ill adult patients in step-down or progressive care units, including
cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, endocrine, renal, gastrointestinal, and multisystem
conditions. The exam also evaluates understanding of hemodynamic monitoring, cardiac rhythm
interpretation, pharmacologic therapies, patient safety, and prevention of complications.Additional
emphasis is placed on clinical judgment, prioritization, and professional caring practices such as
advocacy, collaboration, and ethical decision-making. The practice exam is designed to strengthen
knowledge application, improve test readiness, and support safe, evidence-based nursing care in
progressive care settings
,The nurse notes the following when analyzing a patient's telemetry strip: HR, 65/min and regular;
PR interval, 0.22 seconds; QRS complex, 0.10 seconds; QTc, 0.52 seconds. Which of the following
dysrhythmias is the patient at risk for?
A. Atrial fibrillation because the PR interval is wide
B. Sinus arrhythmia because the QRS complex is narrow
C. Torsades de pointes because the QTc is wide
D. Third-degree heart block because the PR interval is narrow
C.
QT measurements reflect the duration of ventricular repolarization. Lengthening of QT interval is
associated with arrhythmias, adverse cardiac events, and increased mortality because a longer QT
duration places the vulnerable ventricular repolarization phase close to the next depolarization,
increasing the likelihood of R-on-T. The most common arrhythmia that occurs with prolonged QTc
is torsades de pointes. Atrial fibrillation, sinus bradycardia, and third-degree heart block are not
typically associated with prolonged ventricular repolarization (QTc >0.50 seconds).
,Pt on Vtach, HR 135, RR 32, BP 90/48, conscious but c/o dizziness, recent K+ lvl is 3.4. What action
would you do first?
a. emergent defib
b. amio 300mg IVP
c. emergent cardioversion
d. hang 10 mEq KCL/50mL D5W
C
, A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is admitted for worsening dyspnea
and possible pneumonia. The current ABG results are pH, 7.19; PaO2, 52 mm Hg; PaCO2, 68 mm
Hg; HCO3 - , 32 mmol/L. The nurse would interpret these results as
A. Metabolic acidosis with hypoxemia
B. Respiratory acidosis with hypoxemia
C. Respiratory alkalosis with typical oxygenation for a COPD patient
D. Metabolic alkalosis with typical oxygenation for a COPD patient
B.
Based on the ABG analysis, the patient is experiencing a respiratory acidosis with hypoxemia most
likely due to the pneumonia. A pH of 7.19 indicates acidosis; a PaCO2 of 68 mm Hg is elevated and
a cause of acidosis; an HCO3 - of 32 mmol/L indicates renal compensation; a PaO2 of 52 mm Hg
indicates hypoxemia
