RELIAS ED RN A, EXAM QUESTIONS AND 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS
Your patient's chest tube dressing has accidentally come off and you are preparing to
place a new one. You have a slit drain sponge, 4 x 4 gauzes, tape, scissors, and
antiseptic swabs. What else do you need? - ANSWER: Petrolatum gauze
You want to implement the new evidence-based practice guidelines in managing
patients to prevent falls on your unit. What provides the STRONGEST evidence for
interventions? - ANSWER: Systematic reviews
Upon triage of a patient, they state that they have suicidal ideation with intent.
What would you do NEXT? - ANSWER: Institute suicide precautions.
Which of the following wounds has the highest risk for developing osteomyelitis? -
ANSWER: Puncture wound from stepping on a rusty nail
What type of diet would a patient with diverticulitis follow? - ANSWER: High fiber
diet
Answer is NOT high residual diet
An elderly patient is brought in with new onset of confusion and gradual onset of
headache in the last 48 hours. The patient states that they had a fall 3 days ago.
Based on the history and presenting complaints, what diagnostic test do you
anticipate the provider to order? - ANSWER: CT scan of the brain
What medication is used in reversing the effects of opioid overdose? - ANSWER:
Naloxone (Narcan®)
What are you MOST likely to see during your initial assessment of a patient with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? - ANSWER: Pursed lip breathing
Under what circumstances can the hospital transfer an unstable patient to another
facility and maintain compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active
Labor Act (EMTALA)? - ANSWER: The necessary treatment is not available at the
current hospital.
The life-threatening and rare complication of hypothyroidism is known as: -
ANSWER: Myxedema coma
A patient presents with acute onset of chest pain and goes into cardiac arrest
immediately upon arrival. What is a possible reversible cause of cardiac arrest? -
ANSWER: Tension Pneumothorax
A patient presents with an episode of hypertensive crisis, a blood pressure of
220/118, and the provider has put in the order for nitroprusside. What demonstrates
, that the treatment has been effective? - ANSWER: Systolic blood pressure reaches
160 mm Hg
A patient arrives with suspected appendicitis. What action, if observed, would
require additional training for the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? - ANSWER:
The UAP offers the patient a ginger ale.
You see a fellow nurse placing an opioid medication in their pocket rather than
administering it as ordered. What would you do NEXT? - ANSWER: Tell your
immediate supervisor.
You are administering haloperidol (Haldol®) to a patient with acute symptoms of
Schizophrenia. What changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) are possible as a result
of this medication? - ANSWER: Prolonged QT interval
A patient presents with a 5-day history of runny nose, headache, and productive
cough. The patient is unable to speak full sentences, reports having a history of
moderate to severe COPD, and has a SpO2 reading of 89%. What intervention do you
anticipate implementing FIRST for this patient? - ANSWER: Provide oxygen
A patient who is 24 weeks pregnant presents with fever and right upper quadrant
pain. The patient states that the pain is radiating to the right shoulder blade, and
started an hour after having a pizza for lunch. She is tachycardic, tachypneic, and
diaphoretic on the initial triage assessment. What is the MOST likely diagnosis for
this patient? - ANSWER: Cholecystitis
A patient arrives with acute onset of central chest pain. The patient is tachycardic
and tachypneic and appears very anxious and restless. What would be the MOST
important initial intervention for this patient? - ANSWER: Administer oxygen
Answer is NOT Obtain electrocardiogram
A patient is being treated with an anticoagulant for pulmonary embolism (PE). What
patient assessment finding indicates that a heparin infusion would be stopped
IMMEDIATELY? - ANSWER: Decreased level of consciousness
A new nurse observes their preceptor giving the incorrect dosage of a medication to
a patient. Implementing the ethical principle veracity, what action would the new
nurse take? - ANSWER: Inform the charge nurse about what happened and
document it.
What is the appropriate intervention for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome (ARDS)? - ANSWER: Mechanical ventilation
What is a common assessment finding in a patient with a tension pneumothorax? -
ANSWER: Distended neck veins
CORRECT ANSWERS
Your patient's chest tube dressing has accidentally come off and you are preparing to
place a new one. You have a slit drain sponge, 4 x 4 gauzes, tape, scissors, and
antiseptic swabs. What else do you need? - ANSWER: Petrolatum gauze
You want to implement the new evidence-based practice guidelines in managing
patients to prevent falls on your unit. What provides the STRONGEST evidence for
interventions? - ANSWER: Systematic reviews
Upon triage of a patient, they state that they have suicidal ideation with intent.
What would you do NEXT? - ANSWER: Institute suicide precautions.
Which of the following wounds has the highest risk for developing osteomyelitis? -
ANSWER: Puncture wound from stepping on a rusty nail
What type of diet would a patient with diverticulitis follow? - ANSWER: High fiber
diet
Answer is NOT high residual diet
An elderly patient is brought in with new onset of confusion and gradual onset of
headache in the last 48 hours. The patient states that they had a fall 3 days ago.
Based on the history and presenting complaints, what diagnostic test do you
anticipate the provider to order? - ANSWER: CT scan of the brain
What medication is used in reversing the effects of opioid overdose? - ANSWER:
Naloxone (Narcan®)
What are you MOST likely to see during your initial assessment of a patient with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? - ANSWER: Pursed lip breathing
Under what circumstances can the hospital transfer an unstable patient to another
facility and maintain compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active
Labor Act (EMTALA)? - ANSWER: The necessary treatment is not available at the
current hospital.
The life-threatening and rare complication of hypothyroidism is known as: -
ANSWER: Myxedema coma
A patient presents with acute onset of chest pain and goes into cardiac arrest
immediately upon arrival. What is a possible reversible cause of cardiac arrest? -
ANSWER: Tension Pneumothorax
A patient presents with an episode of hypertensive crisis, a blood pressure of
220/118, and the provider has put in the order for nitroprusside. What demonstrates
, that the treatment has been effective? - ANSWER: Systolic blood pressure reaches
160 mm Hg
A patient arrives with suspected appendicitis. What action, if observed, would
require additional training for the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? - ANSWER:
The UAP offers the patient a ginger ale.
You see a fellow nurse placing an opioid medication in their pocket rather than
administering it as ordered. What would you do NEXT? - ANSWER: Tell your
immediate supervisor.
You are administering haloperidol (Haldol®) to a patient with acute symptoms of
Schizophrenia. What changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) are possible as a result
of this medication? - ANSWER: Prolonged QT interval
A patient presents with a 5-day history of runny nose, headache, and productive
cough. The patient is unable to speak full sentences, reports having a history of
moderate to severe COPD, and has a SpO2 reading of 89%. What intervention do you
anticipate implementing FIRST for this patient? - ANSWER: Provide oxygen
A patient who is 24 weeks pregnant presents with fever and right upper quadrant
pain. The patient states that the pain is radiating to the right shoulder blade, and
started an hour after having a pizza for lunch. She is tachycardic, tachypneic, and
diaphoretic on the initial triage assessment. What is the MOST likely diagnosis for
this patient? - ANSWER: Cholecystitis
A patient arrives with acute onset of central chest pain. The patient is tachycardic
and tachypneic and appears very anxious and restless. What would be the MOST
important initial intervention for this patient? - ANSWER: Administer oxygen
Answer is NOT Obtain electrocardiogram
A patient is being treated with an anticoagulant for pulmonary embolism (PE). What
patient assessment finding indicates that a heparin infusion would be stopped
IMMEDIATELY? - ANSWER: Decreased level of consciousness
A new nurse observes their preceptor giving the incorrect dosage of a medication to
a patient. Implementing the ethical principle veracity, what action would the new
nurse take? - ANSWER: Inform the charge nurse about what happened and
document it.
What is the appropriate intervention for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome (ARDS)? - ANSWER: Mechanical ventilation
What is a common assessment finding in a patient with a tension pneumothorax? -
ANSWER: Distended neck veins
