PEDIATRIC CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
The nurse is caring for a child with persistent hypoxia secondary to a cardiac defect. The nurse
recognizes the risk of cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) occurring. Which of the following is an
important objective to decrease this risk?
a. Minimize seizures.
b. Prevent dehydration.
c. Promote cardiac output.
d. Reduce energy expenditure. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
In children with persistent hypoxia, polycythemia develops. Dehydration must be prevented in
hypoxemic children because it potentiates the risk of strokes. Minimizing seizures, promoting
cardiac output, and reducing energy expenditure will not reduce the risk of cerebrovascular
accidents.
A 3-month-old infant has a hypercyanotic spell. The nurse's first action should be which of the
following?
a. Assess for neurologic defects.
b. Prepare family for imminent death.
c. Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
d. Place child in the knee-chest position. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: D
The first action is to place the infant in the knee-chest position. Blow-by oxygen may be
indicated. Neurologic defects are unlikely. Preparing the family for imminent death or
beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be unnecessary. The child is assessed for
airway, breathing, and circulation. Often, calming the child and administering oxygen and
morphine can alleviate the hypercyanotic spell.
,PEDIATRIC CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
A cardiac defect that allows blood to shunt from the (high pressure) left side of the heart to the
(lower pressure) right side can result in:
a. cyanosis.
b. congestive heart failure.
c. decreased pulmonary blood flow.
d. bounding pulses in upper extremities. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
As blood is shunted into the right side of the heart, there is increased pulmonary blood flow
and the child is at high risk for congestive heart failure. Cyanosis usually occurs in defects with
decreased pulmonary blood flow. Bounding upper extremity pulses are a manifestation of
coarctation of the aorta.
Ventricular septal defect has the following blood flow pattern:
a. Mixed blood flow
b. Increased pulmonary blood flow
c. Decreased pulmonary blood flow
d. Obstruction to blood flow from ventricles - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
The opening in the septal wall allows for blood to flow from the higher pressure left ventricle
into the lower pressure right ventricle. This left-to-right shunt creates increased pulmonary
blood flow. The shunt is one way, from high pressure to lower pressure; oxygenated and
unoxygenated blood do not mix. The outflow of blood from the ventricles is not affected by the
septal defect.
The physician suggests that surgery be performed for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) to prevent
which of the following complications?
, PEDIATRIC CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
a. Hypoxemia
b. Right-to-left shunt of blood
c. Decreased workload on left side of heart
d. Pulmonary vascular congestion - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: D
In PDA, blood flows from the higher pressure aorta into the lower pressure pulmonary vein,
resulting in increased pulmonary blood flow. This creates pulmonary vascular congestion.
Hypoxemia usually results from defects with mixed blood flow and decreased pulmonary blood
flow. The shunt is from left to right in a PDA. The closure would stop this. There is increased
workload on the left side of the heart with a PDA.
Which of the following defects results in obstruction to blood flow?
a. Aortic stenosis
b. Tricuspid atresia
c. Atrial septal defect
d. Transposition of the great arteries - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: A
Aortic stenosis is a narrowing or stricture of the aortic valve, causing resistance to blood flow in
the left ventricle, decreased cardiac output, left ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary
vascular congestion. Tricuspid atresia results in decreased pulmonary blood flow. The atrial
septal defect results in increased pulmonary blood flow. Transposition of the great arteries
results in mixed blood flow.
Which of the following structural defects constitute tetralogy of Fallot?
a. Pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy
b. Aortic stenosis, ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
The nurse is caring for a child with persistent hypoxia secondary to a cardiac defect. The nurse
recognizes the risk of cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) occurring. Which of the following is an
important objective to decrease this risk?
a. Minimize seizures.
b. Prevent dehydration.
c. Promote cardiac output.
d. Reduce energy expenditure. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
In children with persistent hypoxia, polycythemia develops. Dehydration must be prevented in
hypoxemic children because it potentiates the risk of strokes. Minimizing seizures, promoting
cardiac output, and reducing energy expenditure will not reduce the risk of cerebrovascular
accidents.
A 3-month-old infant has a hypercyanotic spell. The nurse's first action should be which of the
following?
a. Assess for neurologic defects.
b. Prepare family for imminent death.
c. Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
d. Place child in the knee-chest position. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: D
The first action is to place the infant in the knee-chest position. Blow-by oxygen may be
indicated. Neurologic defects are unlikely. Preparing the family for imminent death or
beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be unnecessary. The child is assessed for
airway, breathing, and circulation. Often, calming the child and administering oxygen and
morphine can alleviate the hypercyanotic spell.
,PEDIATRIC CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
A cardiac defect that allows blood to shunt from the (high pressure) left side of the heart to the
(lower pressure) right side can result in:
a. cyanosis.
b. congestive heart failure.
c. decreased pulmonary blood flow.
d. bounding pulses in upper extremities. - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
As blood is shunted into the right side of the heart, there is increased pulmonary blood flow
and the child is at high risk for congestive heart failure. Cyanosis usually occurs in defects with
decreased pulmonary blood flow. Bounding upper extremity pulses are a manifestation of
coarctation of the aorta.
Ventricular septal defect has the following blood flow pattern:
a. Mixed blood flow
b. Increased pulmonary blood flow
c. Decreased pulmonary blood flow
d. Obstruction to blood flow from ventricles - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: B
The opening in the septal wall allows for blood to flow from the higher pressure left ventricle
into the lower pressure right ventricle. This left-to-right shunt creates increased pulmonary
blood flow. The shunt is one way, from high pressure to lower pressure; oxygenated and
unoxygenated blood do not mix. The outflow of blood from the ventricles is not affected by the
septal defect.
The physician suggests that surgery be performed for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) to prevent
which of the following complications?
, PEDIATRIC CARDIAC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2025/2026 A COMPLETE EXAM SOLUTION ALL
ANSWERS 100% CORRECT DETAILED BEST GRADED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
a. Hypoxemia
b. Right-to-left shunt of blood
c. Decreased workload on left side of heart
d. Pulmonary vascular congestion - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: D
In PDA, blood flows from the higher pressure aorta into the lower pressure pulmonary vein,
resulting in increased pulmonary blood flow. This creates pulmonary vascular congestion.
Hypoxemia usually results from defects with mixed blood flow and decreased pulmonary blood
flow. The shunt is from left to right in a PDA. The closure would stop this. There is increased
workload on the left side of the heart with a PDA.
Which of the following defects results in obstruction to blood flow?
a. Aortic stenosis
b. Tricuspid atresia
c. Atrial septal defect
d. Transposition of the great arteries - CORRECT ANSWERS ANS: A
Aortic stenosis is a narrowing or stricture of the aortic valve, causing resistance to blood flow in
the left ventricle, decreased cardiac output, left ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary
vascular congestion. Tricuspid atresia results in decreased pulmonary blood flow. The atrial
septal defect results in increased pulmonary blood flow. Transposition of the great arteries
results in mixed blood flow.
Which of the following structural defects constitute tetralogy of Fallot?
a. Pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy
b. Aortic stenosis, ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy
