NUR2790 Exam 3 V2 | NUR 2790 Professional
Nursing III / PN3 Exam Q&A | Rasmussen
University
────────────────────────────────────
This study guide is intended to provide comprehensive preparation for advanced nursing
assessments related to critical illness management, emergency nursing care, and complex
patient interventions. The content reflects practical nursing concepts commonly tested in
professional nursing examinations.
This version contains realistic exam-style questions designed to strengthen understanding of
emergency prioritization, patient assessment findings, and therapeutic nursing interventions.
Detailed expert explanations support concept mastery and practical nursing application.
════════════════════════════════════
The Exam Covers:
• Intensive care nursing concepts
• Mechanical ventilation basics
• Cardiac rhythm interpretation
• Neurological emergency care
• Burn and trauma nursing
• Emergency pharmacology concepts
• Ethical dilemmas in critical care
• Family-centered emergency support
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1. A patient on a mechanical ventilator is triggering the high-pressure alarm. Which action
should the nurse take first?
A. Check the ventilator tubing for kinks or condensation.
B. Auscultate the patient’s breath sounds for possible secretions.
,C. Increase the oxygen concentration setting (FiO2).
D. Administer a sedative to the patient immediately.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: High-pressure alarms are often caused by airway obstruction such as
secretions or the patient biting the tube. The nurse should first assess the patient’s breath
sounds to determine if suctioning is needed. Checking for kinks is a secondary step if the
airway is clear.
2. Which clinical finding is most indicative of early stage neurogenic shock in a patient with a
spinal cord injury at T3?
A. Bradycardia and hypotension.
B. Tachycardia and hypertension.
C. Cool, clammy extremities.
D. Increased systemic vascular resistance.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Neurogenic shock results from a loss of sympathetic tone, leading to
massive vasodilation. This typically manifests as a classic triad of hypotension, bradycardia,
and warm, dry skin. Most other types of shock present with tachycardia as a compensatory
mechanism.
, 3. During a trauma assessment, the nurse notes clear fluid leaking from a patient’s nose after
a motor vehicle accident. What is the priority intervention?
A. Pack the nose with sterile gauze to stop the drainage.
B. Insert a nasogastric tube to decompress the stomach.
C. Test the drainage for glucose using a reagent strip.
D. Instruct the patient to blow their nose to clear the passage.
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Clear drainage from the nose (rhinorrhea) in a trauma patient may
indicate a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from a basilar skull fracture. Testing for glucose or
the ‘halo sign’ helps confirm the presence of CSF. Packing the nose or inserting an NG tube
is contraindicated due to the risk of brain trauma or infection.
4. A patient presents with full-thickness burns to the chest and back. Using the Rule of Nines,
what is the estimated total body surface area (TBSA) affected?
A. 18%
B. 45%
C. 36%
D. 54%
Correct Answer: C
Nursing III / PN3 Exam Q&A | Rasmussen
University
────────────────────────────────────
This study guide is intended to provide comprehensive preparation for advanced nursing
assessments related to critical illness management, emergency nursing care, and complex
patient interventions. The content reflects practical nursing concepts commonly tested in
professional nursing examinations.
This version contains realistic exam-style questions designed to strengthen understanding of
emergency prioritization, patient assessment findings, and therapeutic nursing interventions.
Detailed expert explanations support concept mastery and practical nursing application.
════════════════════════════════════
The Exam Covers:
• Intensive care nursing concepts
• Mechanical ventilation basics
• Cardiac rhythm interpretation
• Neurological emergency care
• Burn and trauma nursing
• Emergency pharmacology concepts
• Ethical dilemmas in critical care
• Family-centered emergency support
════════════════════════════════════
1. A patient on a mechanical ventilator is triggering the high-pressure alarm. Which action
should the nurse take first?
A. Check the ventilator tubing for kinks or condensation.
B. Auscultate the patient’s breath sounds for possible secretions.
,C. Increase the oxygen concentration setting (FiO2).
D. Administer a sedative to the patient immediately.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: High-pressure alarms are often caused by airway obstruction such as
secretions or the patient biting the tube. The nurse should first assess the patient’s breath
sounds to determine if suctioning is needed. Checking for kinks is a secondary step if the
airway is clear.
2. Which clinical finding is most indicative of early stage neurogenic shock in a patient with a
spinal cord injury at T3?
A. Bradycardia and hypotension.
B. Tachycardia and hypertension.
C. Cool, clammy extremities.
D. Increased systemic vascular resistance.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Neurogenic shock results from a loss of sympathetic tone, leading to
massive vasodilation. This typically manifests as a classic triad of hypotension, bradycardia,
and warm, dry skin. Most other types of shock present with tachycardia as a compensatory
mechanism.
, 3. During a trauma assessment, the nurse notes clear fluid leaking from a patient’s nose after
a motor vehicle accident. What is the priority intervention?
A. Pack the nose with sterile gauze to stop the drainage.
B. Insert a nasogastric tube to decompress the stomach.
C. Test the drainage for glucose using a reagent strip.
D. Instruct the patient to blow their nose to clear the passage.
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Clear drainage from the nose (rhinorrhea) in a trauma patient may
indicate a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from a basilar skull fracture. Testing for glucose or
the ‘halo sign’ helps confirm the presence of CSF. Packing the nose or inserting an NG tube
is contraindicated due to the risk of brain trauma or infection.
4. A patient presents with full-thickness burns to the chest and back. Using the Rule of Nines,
what is the estimated total body surface area (TBSA) affected?
A. 18%
B. 45%
C. 36%
D. 54%
Correct Answer: C
