Chapter 01: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient Urden: Priorities in
Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What type of practitioner has a broad depth of specialty knowledge and expertise and
manages complex clinical and system issues? a. Registered nurses
b. Advanced practice nurses
c. Clinical nurse leaders
d. Intensivists
ANS: B
Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have a broad depth of knowledge and expertise in their
specialty area and manage complex clinical and systems issues. Intensivists are medical
practitioners who manage the critical ill patient. Registered nurses (RNs) are generally direct
care providers. Clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) generally do not manage system issues.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
2. What type of practitioner is instrumental in ensuring care that is evidence based and that safety
programs are in place?
a. Clinical nurse specialist
b. Advanced practice nurse
c. Registered nurses
d. Nurse practitioners
ANS: A
Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) serve in specialty roles that use their clinical, teaching,
research, leadership, and consultative abilities. They are instrumental in ensuring that care is
evidence based and that safety programs are in place. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have
a broad depth of knowledge and expertise in their specialty area and manage complex clinical
and systems issues. Registered nurses are generally direct care providers. Nurse practitioners
(NPs) manage direct clinical care of groups of patients.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
3. Which professional organization administers critical care certification exams for registered
nurses?
a. State Board of Registered Nurses
b. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialist
c. Society of Critical Care Medicine
d. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
ANS:D
testbank lovers
, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) administers certification exams for
registered nurses. The State Board of Registered Nurses (SBON) does not administer
certification exams. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) does not
administer certification exams. Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) does not
administer nursing certification exams for registered nurses.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
4. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has developed short directives
that can be used as quick references for clinical use that are known as: a. critical care
protocol.
b. practice policies.
c. evidence-based research.
d. practice alerts.
ANS: D
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has promulgated several
evidence-based practice summaries in the form of “practice alerts.” Evidence-based nursing
practice considers the best research evidence on the care topic along with clinical expertise of
the nurse and patient preferences. Critical care protocol and practice policies are established
by individual institutions.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care
Environment: Coordinated Care
5. What type of therapy is an option to conventional treatment?
a. Alternative
b. Holistic
c. Complementary
d. Individualized
ANS: A
The term alternative denotes that a specific therapy is an option or alternative to what is
considered conventional treatment of a condition or state. The term complementary was
proposed to describe therapies that can be used to complement or support conventional
treatments. Holistic care focuses on human integrity and stresses that the body, mind, and
spirit are interdependent and inseparable. Individualized care recognizes the uniqueness of
each patient’s preferences, condition, and physiologic and psychosocial status.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
6. Guided imagery and massage are both examples of what type of treatment?
a. Alternative therapy
b. Holistic care
testbank lovers
, c. Complementary care
d. Individualized care
ANS: C
The term complementary was proposed to describe therapies that can be used to complement
or support conventional treatments. Guided imagery, massage, and animal-assisted therapy
are all examples of complementary care. The term alternative denotes that a specific therapy
is an option or alternative to what is considered conventional treatment of a condition or state.
Holistic care focuses on human integrity and stresses that the body, mind, and spirit are
interdependent and inseparable. Individualized care recognizes the uniqueness of each
patient’s preferences, condition, and physiologic and psychosocial status.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
7. A patient was admitted to a rural critical care unit in Montana. Critical care nurses are
assisting with monitoring and care of the patient from the closest major city. What is
this type of practice termed? a. Tele-nursing
b. Tele-ICU
c. Tele-informatics
d. Tele-hospital
ANS: B
Tele-ICU is a form of telemedicine. Telemedicine was initially used in outpatient areas,
remote rural geographic locations, and areas where there was a dearth of medical
providers. Currently, there are tele-ICUs in areas where there are limited resources onsite.
However, experts (critical care nurses, intensivists) are located in a central distant site.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing
Process Step: Evaluation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient MSC:
NCLEX: Physiological Integrity:
Reduction of Risk Potential
8. Which core competency for interprofessional practice can be described as working with
individuals of other professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values?
a. Interprofessional teamwork and team-based care
b. Values and ethics for interprofessional practice
c. Interprofessional communication
d. Roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice
ANS: B
Values and ethics for interprofessional practice mean working with individuals of other
professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values. Roles and
responsibilities for collaborative practice include using knowledge of one’s own role and the
roles of other professions to appropriately assess and address the health care needs of the
patients and populations served.
Interprofessional communication includes communicating with patients, families,
communities, and other health professionals in a responsive and responsible manner that
supports a team approach to maintaining health and treatment of disease. Interprofessional
teamwork and team-based care means applying relationship-building values and principles of
testbank lovers
, team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles to plan and deliver patient
population-centered care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
9. Which nursing intervention continues to be one of the most error-prone for critical care
nurses? a. Inappropriate care
b. Intimidating and disruptive clinician behavior
c. Injury to patients by falls
d. Medication administration
ANS: D
Medication administration continues to be one of the most error-prone nursing interventions
for critical care nurses. Intimidating and disruptive clinician behaviors can lead to errors and
preventable adverse patient outcomes. Patient safety has been described as an ethical
imperative and one that is inherent in health care professionals’ actions and interpersonal
processes; examples include inappropriate care and injury to patients by falls.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control
10. A practitioner and nurse are performing a dressing change on an unresponsive patient in room
14. The practitioner asks the nurse for an update on the patient in room 13. Which action
should the nurse take next?
a. Give the update to the practitioner.
b. Refuse to give the update because of Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements.
c. Give the update because the patient is unconscious.
d. Refuse to give the update because of Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.
ANS: B
Most specific to critical care clinicians is the privacy and confidentiality related to protection
of health care data. This has implications when interacting with family members and others
and the often very close work environments, tight working spaces, and emergency situations.
A patient’s unconscious state is not a reason for another patient’s care to be discussed in his or
her presence. Research shows hearing is the last sense to deteriorate. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) has to do with safety in the workplace, not privacy and
confidentiality.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
11. Which units can provide high-quality and cost-effective care for patients who are less
complex, more stable, and have a decreased need for physiologic monitoring? a.
Intensive care units
b. Triage units
c. Progressive care units
d. Medical surgical units
testbank lovers
Critical Care Nursing, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What type of practitioner has a broad depth of specialty knowledge and expertise and
manages complex clinical and system issues? a. Registered nurses
b. Advanced practice nurses
c. Clinical nurse leaders
d. Intensivists
ANS: B
Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have a broad depth of knowledge and expertise in their
specialty area and manage complex clinical and systems issues. Intensivists are medical
practitioners who manage the critical ill patient. Registered nurses (RNs) are generally direct
care providers. Clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) generally do not manage system issues.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
2. What type of practitioner is instrumental in ensuring care that is evidence based and that safety
programs are in place?
a. Clinical nurse specialist
b. Advanced practice nurse
c. Registered nurses
d. Nurse practitioners
ANS: A
Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) serve in specialty roles that use their clinical, teaching,
research, leadership, and consultative abilities. They are instrumental in ensuring that care is
evidence based and that safety programs are in place. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have
a broad depth of knowledge and expertise in their specialty area and manage complex clinical
and systems issues. Registered nurses are generally direct care providers. Nurse practitioners
(NPs) manage direct clinical care of groups of patients.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
3. Which professional organization administers critical care certification exams for registered
nurses?
a. State Board of Registered Nurses
b. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialist
c. Society of Critical Care Medicine
d. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
ANS:D
testbank lovers
, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) administers certification exams for
registered nurses. The State Board of Registered Nurses (SBON) does not administer
certification exams. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) does not
administer certification exams. Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) does not
administer nursing certification exams for registered nurses.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
4. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has developed short directives
that can be used as quick references for clinical use that are known as: a. critical care
protocol.
b. practice policies.
c. evidence-based research.
d. practice alerts.
ANS: D
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has promulgated several
evidence-based practice summaries in the form of “practice alerts.” Evidence-based nursing
practice considers the best research evidence on the care topic along with clinical expertise of
the nurse and patient preferences. Critical care protocol and practice policies are established
by individual institutions.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care
Environment: Coordinated Care
5. What type of therapy is an option to conventional treatment?
a. Alternative
b. Holistic
c. Complementary
d. Individualized
ANS: A
The term alternative denotes that a specific therapy is an option or alternative to what is
considered conventional treatment of a condition or state. The term complementary was
proposed to describe therapies that can be used to complement or support conventional
treatments. Holistic care focuses on human integrity and stresses that the body, mind, and
spirit are interdependent and inseparable. Individualized care recognizes the uniqueness of
each patient’s preferences, condition, and physiologic and psychosocial status.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
6. Guided imagery and massage are both examples of what type of treatment?
a. Alternative therapy
b. Holistic care
testbank lovers
, c. Complementary care
d. Individualized care
ANS: C
The term complementary was proposed to describe therapies that can be used to complement
or support conventional treatments. Guided imagery, massage, and animal-assisted therapy
are all examples of complementary care. The term alternative denotes that a specific therapy
is an option or alternative to what is considered conventional treatment of a condition or state.
Holistic care focuses on human integrity and stresses that the body, mind, and spirit are
interdependent and inseparable. Individualized care recognizes the uniqueness of each
patient’s preferences, condition, and physiologic and psychosocial status.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
7. A patient was admitted to a rural critical care unit in Montana. Critical care nurses are
assisting with monitoring and care of the patient from the closest major city. What is
this type of practice termed? a. Tele-nursing
b. Tele-ICU
c. Tele-informatics
d. Tele-hospital
ANS: B
Tele-ICU is a form of telemedicine. Telemedicine was initially used in outpatient areas,
remote rural geographic locations, and areas where there was a dearth of medical
providers. Currently, there are tele-ICUs in areas where there are limited resources onsite.
However, experts (critical care nurses, intensivists) are located in a central distant site.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing
Process Step: Evaluation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient MSC:
NCLEX: Physiological Integrity:
Reduction of Risk Potential
8. Which core competency for interprofessional practice can be described as working with
individuals of other professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values?
a. Interprofessional teamwork and team-based care
b. Values and ethics for interprofessional practice
c. Interprofessional communication
d. Roles and responsibilities for collaborative practice
ANS: B
Values and ethics for interprofessional practice mean working with individuals of other
professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values. Roles and
responsibilities for collaborative practice include using knowledge of one’s own role and the
roles of other professions to appropriately assess and address the health care needs of the
patients and populations served.
Interprofessional communication includes communicating with patients, families,
communities, and other health professionals in a responsive and responsible manner that
supports a team approach to maintaining health and treatment of disease. Interprofessional
teamwork and team-based care means applying relationship-building values and principles of
testbank lovers
, team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles to plan and deliver patient
population-centered care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level:
Remembering OBJ: Nursing Process Step: N/A
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
9. Which nursing intervention continues to be one of the most error-prone for critical care
nurses? a. Inappropriate care
b. Intimidating and disruptive clinician behavior
c. Injury to patients by falls
d. Medication administration
ANS: D
Medication administration continues to be one of the most error-prone nursing interventions
for critical care nurses. Intimidating and disruptive clinician behaviors can lead to errors and
preventable adverse patient outcomes. Patient safety has been described as an ethical
imperative and one that is inherent in health care professionals’ actions and interpersonal
processes; examples include inappropriate care and injury to patients by falls.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding OBJ: Nursing Process Step:
Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control
10. A practitioner and nurse are performing a dressing change on an unresponsive patient in room
14. The practitioner asks the nurse for an update on the patient in room 13. Which action
should the nurse take next?
a. Give the update to the practitioner.
b. Refuse to give the update because of Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements.
c. Give the update because the patient is unconscious.
d. Refuse to give the update because of Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.
ANS: B
Most specific to critical care clinicians is the privacy and confidentiality related to protection
of health care data. This has implications when interacting with family members and others
and the often very close work environments, tight working spaces, and emergency situations.
A patient’s unconscious state is not a reason for another patient’s care to be discussed in his or
her presence. Research shows hearing is the last sense to deteriorate. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) has to do with safety in the workplace, not privacy and
confidentiality.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
TOP: Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
11. Which units can provide high-quality and cost-effective care for patients who are less
complex, more stable, and have a decreased need for physiologic monitoring? a.
Intensive care units
b. Triage units
c. Progressive care units
d. Medical surgical units
testbank lovers
