HEALTHSTREAM TEST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
2025/2026
/. A patient assessment reveals distended neck veins, pulsus paradoxus, and
decreased systolic pressure. This assessment is most consistent with: - Answer-
✅cardiac tamponade.
/.The nurse is caring for a patient with severe sepsis and third-degree heart block. The
patient is hypotensive. The treatment for this life-threatening rhythm change includes: -
Answer-✅transcutaneous pacing.
/.A patient is admitted to the ICU with suspected cervical spinal cord injury following a
motor vehicle accident. The most important nursing intervention for this patient is to: -
Answer-✅immobilize his head.
/.The nurse assesses a patient's chest tube drainage 2 hours following thoracic surgery.
The total drainage in the system is 200 mL. The nurse knows that: - Answer-✅this is an
excessive amount of drainage
/.The patient being admitted requires CRRT therapy. The nurse assigned to admit the
patient has not been educated on this therapy. The charge nurse adjusts the
assignment so that a nurse with 3 years experience in CRRT therapy is assigned to the
patient. This type of
decision making is an example of: - Answer-✅the synergy model for patient care.
/.The patient diagnosed with acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and experiencing severe
dehydration, sepsis, and pneumonia is now in the polyureic stage of ATN. The most
important nursing action is to: - Answer-✅monitor electrolyte levels and signs of fluid
depletion.
/.A patient has an elevated central venous pressure (CVP) measurement. The most
likely reason is: - Answer-✅right heart failure.
/.Diabetes insipidus is usually treated with - Answer-✅vasopressin.
/.Which physiologic effect is produced by alpha-1 receptors? - Answer-
✅Vasoconstriction
/.The patient experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) arrived on the unit an
hour ago with TPA infusing. Initially, the patient's neurologic exam was normal. The
, nurse assesses the patient and finds him now disoriented. The next nursing action
should be to: - Answer-✅discontinue the TPA.
/.A patient has cardiomyopathy and is unstable. The nurse understands that the
treatment goal is to improve contractility, reduce preload and reduce afterload. The
nurse anticipates that medication management will include: - Answer-✅dobutamine and
nitroprusside infusions
/.A continuous drip of a medication is ordered at a rate of 2 mg/min. The standard
mixture of this medication to yield a final concentration of 2 mg/mL is 1 g of the
medication in 500 mL of IV fluid. At what rate in milliliters per hour should the IV pump
be set? - Answer-✅60 mL/hr
/.A practitioner has ordered 700 mg of an antibiotic. The medication label states, "Add 5
mL sterile water to 1 g of this medication; 0.5 g = 2 mL." How many milliliters should be
given? - Answer-✅2.8 mL
/.A practitioner order is written for a continuous infusion of insulin at 3 units/hr; the
premixed solution is composed of 100 units of regular U-100 insulin in 100 mL normal
saline. At which rate should the infusion run? - Answer-✅3 ml/hr
/.A dose of 35 mg of a corticosteroid is ordered to be given IM to treat inflammation. The
medication is available as 250 mg/10 mL. How many milliliters should be administered?
- Answer-✅1.4 ml
/.A practitioner's order prescribes levothyroxine 0.075 mg PO daily. The available
medication is levothyroxine 25-mcg tablets. What will the nurse administer? - Answer-
✅3 tabs
/.The actions of nitroglycerin in the management of angina include - Answer-✅coronary
artery dilation and peripheral venous dilation.
/.The most common cause of right heart failure is: - Answer-✅left heart failure.
/.The nurse is differentiating between right- and left-sided heart failure in an assigned
patient. For right-sided heart failure, the patient presents with edematous extremities,
nausea/vomiting, and: - Answer-✅anorexia.
/.The nurse is assigned to a patient with acute adrenal insufficiency (Addisonian crisis).
The practitioner orders the steroids to be discontinued quickly. The nurse knows to
question the order because: - Answer-✅steroids should be withdrawn slowly to allow for
pituitary production of ACTH
2025/2026
/. A patient assessment reveals distended neck veins, pulsus paradoxus, and
decreased systolic pressure. This assessment is most consistent with: - Answer-
✅cardiac tamponade.
/.The nurse is caring for a patient with severe sepsis and third-degree heart block. The
patient is hypotensive. The treatment for this life-threatening rhythm change includes: -
Answer-✅transcutaneous pacing.
/.A patient is admitted to the ICU with suspected cervical spinal cord injury following a
motor vehicle accident. The most important nursing intervention for this patient is to: -
Answer-✅immobilize his head.
/.The nurse assesses a patient's chest tube drainage 2 hours following thoracic surgery.
The total drainage in the system is 200 mL. The nurse knows that: - Answer-✅this is an
excessive amount of drainage
/.The patient being admitted requires CRRT therapy. The nurse assigned to admit the
patient has not been educated on this therapy. The charge nurse adjusts the
assignment so that a nurse with 3 years experience in CRRT therapy is assigned to the
patient. This type of
decision making is an example of: - Answer-✅the synergy model for patient care.
/.The patient diagnosed with acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and experiencing severe
dehydration, sepsis, and pneumonia is now in the polyureic stage of ATN. The most
important nursing action is to: - Answer-✅monitor electrolyte levels and signs of fluid
depletion.
/.A patient has an elevated central venous pressure (CVP) measurement. The most
likely reason is: - Answer-✅right heart failure.
/.Diabetes insipidus is usually treated with - Answer-✅vasopressin.
/.Which physiologic effect is produced by alpha-1 receptors? - Answer-
✅Vasoconstriction
/.The patient experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) arrived on the unit an
hour ago with TPA infusing. Initially, the patient's neurologic exam was normal. The
, nurse assesses the patient and finds him now disoriented. The next nursing action
should be to: - Answer-✅discontinue the TPA.
/.A patient has cardiomyopathy and is unstable. The nurse understands that the
treatment goal is to improve contractility, reduce preload and reduce afterload. The
nurse anticipates that medication management will include: - Answer-✅dobutamine and
nitroprusside infusions
/.A continuous drip of a medication is ordered at a rate of 2 mg/min. The standard
mixture of this medication to yield a final concentration of 2 mg/mL is 1 g of the
medication in 500 mL of IV fluid. At what rate in milliliters per hour should the IV pump
be set? - Answer-✅60 mL/hr
/.A practitioner has ordered 700 mg of an antibiotic. The medication label states, "Add 5
mL sterile water to 1 g of this medication; 0.5 g = 2 mL." How many milliliters should be
given? - Answer-✅2.8 mL
/.A practitioner order is written for a continuous infusion of insulin at 3 units/hr; the
premixed solution is composed of 100 units of regular U-100 insulin in 100 mL normal
saline. At which rate should the infusion run? - Answer-✅3 ml/hr
/.A dose of 35 mg of a corticosteroid is ordered to be given IM to treat inflammation. The
medication is available as 250 mg/10 mL. How many milliliters should be administered?
- Answer-✅1.4 ml
/.A practitioner's order prescribes levothyroxine 0.075 mg PO daily. The available
medication is levothyroxine 25-mcg tablets. What will the nurse administer? - Answer-
✅3 tabs
/.The actions of nitroglycerin in the management of angina include - Answer-✅coronary
artery dilation and peripheral venous dilation.
/.The most common cause of right heart failure is: - Answer-✅left heart failure.
/.The nurse is differentiating between right- and left-sided heart failure in an assigned
patient. For right-sided heart failure, the patient presents with edematous extremities,
nausea/vomiting, and: - Answer-✅anorexia.
/.The nurse is assigned to a patient with acute adrenal insufficiency (Addisonian crisis).
The practitioner orders the steroids to be discontinued quickly. The nurse knows to
question the order because: - Answer-✅steroids should be withdrawn slowly to allow for
pituitary production of ACTH
