Heart Failure Test Exam Questions With 100%
Verified Solutions
You are assisting a patient up from the bed to the bathroom. The patient has swelling in
the feet and legs. The patient is receiving treatment for heart failure and is taking
Hydralazine and Isordil. Which of the following is a nursing priority for this patient while
assisting them to the bathroom?
A. Measure and record the urine voided.
B. Assist the patient up slowing and gradually.
C. Place the call light in the patient's reach while in the bathroom.
D. Provide privacy for the patient. - ANSWER- B. Assist the patient up slowing and
gradually.
The answer is B. The best answer for this particular question is option B. All the options
are important for the nurse to perform. However, Hydralazine (vasodilator) and Isordil
(nitrate) can cause orthostatic hypotension. The patient should transfer slowly and
gradually to decrease dizziness and the risk of falling.
A patient is taking Digoxin. Prior to administration you check the patient's apical pulse
and find it to be 61 bpm. Morning lab values are the following: K+ 3.3 and Digoxin level
of 5 ng/mL. Which of the following is the correct nursing action?
A. Hold this dose and administer the second dose at 1800.
B. Administer the dose as ordered.
C. Hold the dose and notify the physician of the digoxin level.
D. Hold this dose until the patient's potassium level is normal. - ANSWER- C. Hold the
dose and notify the physician of the digoxin level.
The answer is C. The patient is Digoxin toxic. A normal Digoxin level is <2 ng/mL.
Therefore, the nurse should not administer the dose but hold it and notify the doctor for
further orders.
Which of the following is a common side effect of Spironolactone?
A. Renal failure
B. Hyperkalemia
C. Hypokalemia
D. Dry cough - ANSWER- B. Hyperkalemia
The answer is B. Spironolactone is potassium-sparing. Therefore, it can increase the
potassium level (hyperkalemia).
,The physician's order says to administered Lasix 40 mg IV twice a day. The patient has
the following morning labs: Na+ 148, BNP 900, K+ 2.0, and BUN 10. Which of the
following is a nursing priority?
A. Administer the Lasix as ordered
B. Notify the physician of the BNP level
C. Assess the patient for edema
D. Hold the dose and notify the physician about the potassium level - ANSWER- D.
Hold the dose and notify the physician about the potassium level
The answer is D. Lasix is a diuretic that wastes potassium. A normal potassium level is
3.5-5.1. The nurse should hold the dose and notify the physician who will order a
potassium supplement to replace the potassium deficient.
What is heart failure? - ANSWER- the heart is too weak to pump efficiently, and can't
provide CO needed
Causes of heart failure (FAILURE) - ANSWER- Faulty valves: stenosis, regurgitation
(leaks)
Arrythmias: a-fib (atriums not pumping efficiently), tachy (prolonged strain)
Infarction: from CAD; blockage --> lack of O2, nutrient supply --> ischemia --> cell
death, muscle weakness (CAD, atherosclerosis)
Lineage: family history, congenital issues
Uncontrolled HTN: leads to stiffening (valves can't fill properly)
Recreational drug use: stimulants, EtOH
Evaders: viral, bacterial
Ejection fraction - ANSWER- Difference between amount of blood filled into left ventricle
and amount of blood contracted out
Normal EF - ANSWER- >50%
How to diagnose EF - ANSWER- echocardiogram, cardiac cath, nuclear stress test
EF of patient in HF - ANSWER- <40%
, How to diagnose HF - ANSWER- - BNP labs
- chest XR
- echo
- cardiac cath
- nuclear stress test
BNP ranges: no HF - ANSWER- <100
BNP ranges: HF present - ANSWER- 100-300
BNP ranges: mild HF - ANSWER- >300
BNP ranges: moderate HF - ANSWER- >600
BNP ranges: severe HF - ANSWER- >900
Left-sided HF signs & symptoms (DROWNING) - ANSWER- Dyspnea
Rales (crackles)
Orthopnea (pt may sit up at night)
Weakness
Nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea (SOB that wakes pt)
Inc HR (trying to get blood to organs)
Nagging cough (late stage = frothy, blood-tinged sputum)
Gaining weight (2-3 lb/day or 5 lb/wk)
Right-sided HF signs & symptoms (SWELLING) - ANSWER- Swelling of legs, hands,
liver
Weight gain
Edema (pitting)
Large neck vein (jugular vein distension)
Lethargic
Verified Solutions
You are assisting a patient up from the bed to the bathroom. The patient has swelling in
the feet and legs. The patient is receiving treatment for heart failure and is taking
Hydralazine and Isordil. Which of the following is a nursing priority for this patient while
assisting them to the bathroom?
A. Measure and record the urine voided.
B. Assist the patient up slowing and gradually.
C. Place the call light in the patient's reach while in the bathroom.
D. Provide privacy for the patient. - ANSWER- B. Assist the patient up slowing and
gradually.
The answer is B. The best answer for this particular question is option B. All the options
are important for the nurse to perform. However, Hydralazine (vasodilator) and Isordil
(nitrate) can cause orthostatic hypotension. The patient should transfer slowly and
gradually to decrease dizziness and the risk of falling.
A patient is taking Digoxin. Prior to administration you check the patient's apical pulse
and find it to be 61 bpm. Morning lab values are the following: K+ 3.3 and Digoxin level
of 5 ng/mL. Which of the following is the correct nursing action?
A. Hold this dose and administer the second dose at 1800.
B. Administer the dose as ordered.
C. Hold the dose and notify the physician of the digoxin level.
D. Hold this dose until the patient's potassium level is normal. - ANSWER- C. Hold the
dose and notify the physician of the digoxin level.
The answer is C. The patient is Digoxin toxic. A normal Digoxin level is <2 ng/mL.
Therefore, the nurse should not administer the dose but hold it and notify the doctor for
further orders.
Which of the following is a common side effect of Spironolactone?
A. Renal failure
B. Hyperkalemia
C. Hypokalemia
D. Dry cough - ANSWER- B. Hyperkalemia
The answer is B. Spironolactone is potassium-sparing. Therefore, it can increase the
potassium level (hyperkalemia).
,The physician's order says to administered Lasix 40 mg IV twice a day. The patient has
the following morning labs: Na+ 148, BNP 900, K+ 2.0, and BUN 10. Which of the
following is a nursing priority?
A. Administer the Lasix as ordered
B. Notify the physician of the BNP level
C. Assess the patient for edema
D. Hold the dose and notify the physician about the potassium level - ANSWER- D.
Hold the dose and notify the physician about the potassium level
The answer is D. Lasix is a diuretic that wastes potassium. A normal potassium level is
3.5-5.1. The nurse should hold the dose and notify the physician who will order a
potassium supplement to replace the potassium deficient.
What is heart failure? - ANSWER- the heart is too weak to pump efficiently, and can't
provide CO needed
Causes of heart failure (FAILURE) - ANSWER- Faulty valves: stenosis, regurgitation
(leaks)
Arrythmias: a-fib (atriums not pumping efficiently), tachy (prolonged strain)
Infarction: from CAD; blockage --> lack of O2, nutrient supply --> ischemia --> cell
death, muscle weakness (CAD, atherosclerosis)
Lineage: family history, congenital issues
Uncontrolled HTN: leads to stiffening (valves can't fill properly)
Recreational drug use: stimulants, EtOH
Evaders: viral, bacterial
Ejection fraction - ANSWER- Difference between amount of blood filled into left ventricle
and amount of blood contracted out
Normal EF - ANSWER- >50%
How to diagnose EF - ANSWER- echocardiogram, cardiac cath, nuclear stress test
EF of patient in HF - ANSWER- <40%
, How to diagnose HF - ANSWER- - BNP labs
- chest XR
- echo
- cardiac cath
- nuclear stress test
BNP ranges: no HF - ANSWER- <100
BNP ranges: HF present - ANSWER- 100-300
BNP ranges: mild HF - ANSWER- >300
BNP ranges: moderate HF - ANSWER- >600
BNP ranges: severe HF - ANSWER- >900
Left-sided HF signs & symptoms (DROWNING) - ANSWER- Dyspnea
Rales (crackles)
Orthopnea (pt may sit up at night)
Weakness
Nocturnal paroxysmal dyspnea (SOB that wakes pt)
Inc HR (trying to get blood to organs)
Nagging cough (late stage = frothy, blood-tinged sputum)
Gaining weight (2-3 lb/day or 5 lb/wk)
Right-sided HF signs & symptoms (SWELLING) - ANSWER- Swelling of legs, hands,
liver
Weight gain
Edema (pitting)
Large neck vein (jugular vein distension)
Lethargic
