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CMS NR341 – COMPLETE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
## ALL QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
& RATIONALES
### COMPLEX ADULT HEALTH | CHAMBERLAIN
UNIVERSITY | 2026/2027 UPDATE
## SECTION 1: CARDIAC & POST-OPERATIVE CARE (Questions 1–40)
**1. A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hours postoperative following a
coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Which of the following assessments
should the nurse plan to perform FIRST?**
A) Check the client’s pain level
B) Auscultate breath sounds
C) Assess the incision site for drainage
D) Review the client’s telemetry rhythm
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** After CABG, the priority assessment is airway and breathing.
Auscultating breath sounds helps identify pulmonary complications such as
atelectasis, pneumonia, or pulmonary edema.
---
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**2. What medications are typically prescribed for angina and myocardial
infarction?**
A) Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Heparin
B) MONA (Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin, Morphine) plus beta-blocker
C) Furosemide, Digoxin, Spironolactone
D) Albuterol, Ipratropium, Prednisone
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The standard initial treatment for angina and MI is MONA:
Morphine (pain and anxiety), Oxygen (if hypoxic), Nitroglycerin (vasodilation),
and Aspirin (antiplatelet). Beta-blockers are also typically prescribed to reduce
myocardial oxygen demand.
---
**3. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has heart failure and
instructs the client to limit sodium intake to 2g per day. Which of the following
statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?**
A) "I can have a frozen fruit juice with a meal."
B) "I should avoid using fresh herbs in my cooking."
C) "Canned soup is a good low-sodium option."
D) "I can add salt to my food at the table as long as I don't cook with it."
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**Correct Answer: A**
**Rationale:** Frozen fruit juice is naturally low in sodium and would be an
appropriate choice for a 2g sodium diet. Fresh herbs are encouraged, while canned
soups and table salt are high in sodium.
---
**4. What are important nursing considerations for a patient who had a cardiac
catheterization? (Select all that apply)**
A) Keep the head of the bed (HOB) no higher than 30 degrees
B) Keep the affected extremity straight
C) Stay on bed rest for 4-8 hours
D) If the patient coughs, hold pressure over the site
E) Decrease fluids to prevent fluid overload
**Correct Answers: A, B, C, D**
**Rationale:** After cardiac catheterization via the femoral artery, HOB should be
low (≤30°), the affected leg must remain straight, and bed rest is typically required
for 4-8 hours. If the patient coughs, pressure should be held over the site to prevent
bleeding. Fluids should be increased (not decreased) to help excrete contrast dye.
---
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**5. A nurse is caring for a client following a cardiac catheterization. The client’s
blood pressure is 88/56 mm Hg. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take FIRST?**
A) Notify the provider
B) Elevate the head of the bed
C) Assess the access site for bleeding
D) Administer IV fluids
**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Hypotension following cardiac catheterization may indicate
bleeding or retroperitoneal hematoma at the arterial access site. Assessment of the
access site for hematoma, bleeding, or pseudoaneurysm is the priority.
---
**6. What is the purpose of a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)?**
A) To replace the heart valves
B) To revascularize the heart
C) To insert a pacemaker
D) To remove plaque from the coronary arteries
**Correct Answer: B**
CMS NR341 – COMPLETE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
## ALL QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
& RATIONALES
### COMPLEX ADULT HEALTH | CHAMBERLAIN
UNIVERSITY | 2026/2027 UPDATE
## SECTION 1: CARDIAC & POST-OPERATIVE CARE (Questions 1–40)
**1. A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hours postoperative following a
coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Which of the following assessments
should the nurse plan to perform FIRST?**
A) Check the client’s pain level
B) Auscultate breath sounds
C) Assess the incision site for drainage
D) Review the client’s telemetry rhythm
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** After CABG, the priority assessment is airway and breathing.
Auscultating breath sounds helps identify pulmonary complications such as
atelectasis, pneumonia, or pulmonary edema.
---
,2|Page
**2. What medications are typically prescribed for angina and myocardial
infarction?**
A) Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Heparin
B) MONA (Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin, Morphine) plus beta-blocker
C) Furosemide, Digoxin, Spironolactone
D) Albuterol, Ipratropium, Prednisone
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The standard initial treatment for angina and MI is MONA:
Morphine (pain and anxiety), Oxygen (if hypoxic), Nitroglycerin (vasodilation),
and Aspirin (antiplatelet). Beta-blockers are also typically prescribed to reduce
myocardial oxygen demand.
---
**3. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has heart failure and
instructs the client to limit sodium intake to 2g per day. Which of the following
statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?**
A) "I can have a frozen fruit juice with a meal."
B) "I should avoid using fresh herbs in my cooking."
C) "Canned soup is a good low-sodium option."
D) "I can add salt to my food at the table as long as I don't cook with it."
,3|Page
**Correct Answer: A**
**Rationale:** Frozen fruit juice is naturally low in sodium and would be an
appropriate choice for a 2g sodium diet. Fresh herbs are encouraged, while canned
soups and table salt are high in sodium.
---
**4. What are important nursing considerations for a patient who had a cardiac
catheterization? (Select all that apply)**
A) Keep the head of the bed (HOB) no higher than 30 degrees
B) Keep the affected extremity straight
C) Stay on bed rest for 4-8 hours
D) If the patient coughs, hold pressure over the site
E) Decrease fluids to prevent fluid overload
**Correct Answers: A, B, C, D**
**Rationale:** After cardiac catheterization via the femoral artery, HOB should be
low (≤30°), the affected leg must remain straight, and bed rest is typically required
for 4-8 hours. If the patient coughs, pressure should be held over the site to prevent
bleeding. Fluids should be increased (not decreased) to help excrete contrast dye.
---
, 4|Page
**5. A nurse is caring for a client following a cardiac catheterization. The client’s
blood pressure is 88/56 mm Hg. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take FIRST?**
A) Notify the provider
B) Elevate the head of the bed
C) Assess the access site for bleeding
D) Administer IV fluids
**Correct Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Hypotension following cardiac catheterization may indicate
bleeding or retroperitoneal hematoma at the arterial access site. Assessment of the
access site for hematoma, bleeding, or pseudoaneurysm is the priority.
---
**6. What is the purpose of a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)?**
A) To replace the heart valves
B) To revascularize the heart
C) To insert a pacemaker
D) To remove plaque from the coronary arteries
**Correct Answer: B**
