PFCCS Review Latest Update 2026 | Exam Prep | High-
Yield Review Guide
1. Given the scenario of a patient with high peak airway pressure and
hypotension, what immediate action should be taken to address the potential
cause?
Change the patient’s position to improve lung mechanics.
Administer intravenous fluids to support blood pressure.
Reduce the ventilator settings to decrease auto-PEEP.
Increase the FiO2 to improve oxygenation.
2. A patient in septic shock is not responding to initial fluid resuscitation. What is
the next appropriate step in management?
Administer vasopressors
Increase fluid volume further
Delay treatment until further tests are done
Start corticosteroid therapy
3. A patient on a ventilator has the respiratory rate set to 10. ABG's reveal
acidotic pH and elevated Co2 levels. What should the nurse do?
increase tidal volume
increase respiratory rate.
continue to monitor
reduce the respiratory rate
4. What is one common treatment option for hyperkalemia?
, Calcium gluconate
Sodium bicarbonate
Insulin
Furosemide
5. A patient with hypertension is complaining of "tearing" chest and back pain.
The nurse should be MOST concerned that the patient is experiencing
a tension pneumothorax.
a pulmonary embolism.
cardiac tamponade.
acute aortic dissection.
6. If a 70-year-old patient with CHF is experiencing acute respiratory failure,
what immediate management strategy should be prioritized?
Antibiotics
Oxygen therapy
Diuretics
Intravenous fluids
7. A patient presents in acute respiratory distress with a SpO2 of 82% on room
air. The patient is placed on a 100% non-rebreather mask. Fifteen minutes after
application of 100% FIO2, the patient's SpO2 is 84%. The nurse recognizes and
anticipates the following:
A SpO2 of 84% is adequate in the patient with respiratory distress for
the first 24 hours until the underlying cause can be reversed.
The patient is not responding to oxygen therapy and assessment and
treatment for pulmonary edema may be needed.
, The patient is not responding to oxygen therapy and may have an
unrecognized ventilation problem.
The patient most likely has a simple diffusion abnormality and needs at
least 2 hours of 100% FIO2 therapy to see any potential benefit.
8. A 75-year-old male presents to ER with a temperature of 1030F, shortness of
breath, respiratory rate of 30 bpm, and productive cough with purulent
sputum. The CHEST X-RAY demonstrates right middle lobe pneumonia and
the blood cultures are growing gram-positive cocci. His blood pressure is
now 70/50 and it does not improve with intravenous fluids. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
Severe sepsis
Septic shock
Sepsis
Systemic inflammatory response
9. What is the primary treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?
Steroids
Antibiotics
Insulin therapy
Fluid restriction
10. Describe the main treatment goal for a patient diagnosed with aortic
dissection.
The main treatment goal is to increase cardiac output.
The main treatment goal is to enhance oxygen delivery to tissues.
, The main treatment goal is to reduce blood pressure and heart rate
to minimize stress on the aorta.
The main treatment goal is to prevent infection.
11. If you are unable to intubate a patient with a frontal laceration and signs of
respiratory distress, what alternative airway management strategy might you
consider?
Use of a surgical airway (cricothyrotomy)
Using a bag-mask ventilation technique only
Administering high-flow oxygen and waiting for spontaneous
improvement
Performing a nasotracheal intubation
12. Describe the significance of identifying MRSA and MSSA in the context of
line-related infections.
Identifying MRSA and MSSA is crucial for determining the
appropriate antibiotic treatment for line-related infections.
MRSA and MSSA are treated the same way as all other bacteria.
MRSA and MSSA only affect patients with weakened immune systems.
MRSA and MSSA are irrelevant to line-related infections.
13. A patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is intubated and
placed on mechanical ventilation. His partial pressure of arterial oxygen
(PaO2) is 60 mm Hg on 100% fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2). To increase
his PaO2 without raising the FiO2, the patient will most likely be placed on:
Time-cycled ventilation
Volume-cycled ventilation
Yield Review Guide
1. Given the scenario of a patient with high peak airway pressure and
hypotension, what immediate action should be taken to address the potential
cause?
Change the patient’s position to improve lung mechanics.
Administer intravenous fluids to support blood pressure.
Reduce the ventilator settings to decrease auto-PEEP.
Increase the FiO2 to improve oxygenation.
2. A patient in septic shock is not responding to initial fluid resuscitation. What is
the next appropriate step in management?
Administer vasopressors
Increase fluid volume further
Delay treatment until further tests are done
Start corticosteroid therapy
3. A patient on a ventilator has the respiratory rate set to 10. ABG's reveal
acidotic pH and elevated Co2 levels. What should the nurse do?
increase tidal volume
increase respiratory rate.
continue to monitor
reduce the respiratory rate
4. What is one common treatment option for hyperkalemia?
, Calcium gluconate
Sodium bicarbonate
Insulin
Furosemide
5. A patient with hypertension is complaining of "tearing" chest and back pain.
The nurse should be MOST concerned that the patient is experiencing
a tension pneumothorax.
a pulmonary embolism.
cardiac tamponade.
acute aortic dissection.
6. If a 70-year-old patient with CHF is experiencing acute respiratory failure,
what immediate management strategy should be prioritized?
Antibiotics
Oxygen therapy
Diuretics
Intravenous fluids
7. A patient presents in acute respiratory distress with a SpO2 of 82% on room
air. The patient is placed on a 100% non-rebreather mask. Fifteen minutes after
application of 100% FIO2, the patient's SpO2 is 84%. The nurse recognizes and
anticipates the following:
A SpO2 of 84% is adequate in the patient with respiratory distress for
the first 24 hours until the underlying cause can be reversed.
The patient is not responding to oxygen therapy and assessment and
treatment for pulmonary edema may be needed.
, The patient is not responding to oxygen therapy and may have an
unrecognized ventilation problem.
The patient most likely has a simple diffusion abnormality and needs at
least 2 hours of 100% FIO2 therapy to see any potential benefit.
8. A 75-year-old male presents to ER with a temperature of 1030F, shortness of
breath, respiratory rate of 30 bpm, and productive cough with purulent
sputum. The CHEST X-RAY demonstrates right middle lobe pneumonia and
the blood cultures are growing gram-positive cocci. His blood pressure is
now 70/50 and it does not improve with intravenous fluids. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
Severe sepsis
Septic shock
Sepsis
Systemic inflammatory response
9. What is the primary treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?
Steroids
Antibiotics
Insulin therapy
Fluid restriction
10. Describe the main treatment goal for a patient diagnosed with aortic
dissection.
The main treatment goal is to increase cardiac output.
The main treatment goal is to enhance oxygen delivery to tissues.
, The main treatment goal is to reduce blood pressure and heart rate
to minimize stress on the aorta.
The main treatment goal is to prevent infection.
11. If you are unable to intubate a patient with a frontal laceration and signs of
respiratory distress, what alternative airway management strategy might you
consider?
Use of a surgical airway (cricothyrotomy)
Using a bag-mask ventilation technique only
Administering high-flow oxygen and waiting for spontaneous
improvement
Performing a nasotracheal intubation
12. Describe the significance of identifying MRSA and MSSA in the context of
line-related infections.
Identifying MRSA and MSSA is crucial for determining the
appropriate antibiotic treatment for line-related infections.
MRSA and MSSA are treated the same way as all other bacteria.
MRSA and MSSA only affect patients with weakened immune systems.
MRSA and MSSA are irrelevant to line-related infections.
13. A patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is intubated and
placed on mechanical ventilation. His partial pressure of arterial oxygen
(PaO2) is 60 mm Hg on 100% fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2). To increase
his PaO2 without raising the FiO2, the patient will most likely be placed on:
Time-cycled ventilation
Volume-cycled ventilation
