Question 1

What major clinical finding present in a patient with ventricular fibrillation (VF)?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hypertension 
B)  Bradycardia 
C)  Diaphoresis 
D)  Pulselessness 
A)  Hypertension 
B)  Bradycardia 
C)  Diaphoresis 
D)  Pulselessness

Question 2

A 55-year-old patient is scheduled for a stress test.What is the estimation of the patient's maximal predicted heart rate?

Accepted Answer

A)  65 beats/min 
B)  155 beats/min 
C)  165 beats/min 
D)  265 beats/min 
A)  65 beats/min 
B)  155 beats/min 
C)  165 beats/min 
D)  265 beats/min

Question 3

A patient becomes unresponsive.The patient's heart rate is 32 beats/min in an idioventricular rhythm; blood pressure is 60/32 mm Hg; SpO₂ is 90%; and respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min.Which intervention would the nurse do first?

Accepted Answer

A)  Notify the physician and hang normal saline wide open. 
B)  Notify the physician and obtain the defibrillator. 
C)  Notify the physician and obtain a temporary pacemaker. 
D)  Notify the physician and obtain a 12-lead ECG. 
A)  Notify the physician and hang normal saline wide open. 
B)  Notify the physician and obtain the defibrillator. 
C)  Notify the physician and obtain a temporary pacemaker. 
D)  Notify the physician and obtain a 12-lead ECG.

Question 4

Identify the rhythm.

Accepted Answer

A)  Junctional escape rhythm 
B)  Atrial fibrillation 
C)  Unifocal premature ventricular contractions 
D)  Ventricular tachycardia 
A)  Junctional escape rhythm 
B)  Atrial fibrillation 
C)  Unifocal premature ventricular contractions 
D)  Ventricular tachycardia

Question 5

Which statement regarding the use of cuff blood pressures is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cuff pressures may be unreliable when a patient is in shock. 
B)  Cuff pressures are more accurate than arterial line pressures. 
C)  Cuff pressures and arterial line pressures should be nearly identical. 
D)  Cuff pressures should not be compared to arterial line pressures. 
A)  Cuff pressures may be unreliable when a patient is in shock. 
B)  Cuff pressures are more accurate than arterial line pressures. 
C)  Cuff pressures and arterial line pressures should be nearly identical. 
D)  Cuff pressures should not be compared to arterial line pressures.

Question 6

A new-onset myocardial infarction (MI)can be recognized by what electrocardiogram (ECG)change?

Accepted Answer

A)  Q waves 
B)  Smaller R waves 
C)  Widened QRS 
D)  ST segment elevation 
A)  Q waves 
B)  Smaller R waves 
C)  Widened QRS 
D)  ST segment elevation

Question 7

Which intervention should be strictly followed to ensure accurate cardiac output readings?

Accepted Answer

A)  Inject 5 mL of iced injectate at the beginning of exhalation over 30 seconds. 
B)  Inject 10 mL of warmed injectate into the pulmonary artery port three times. 
C)  Ensure at least 5° C difference between injectate and the patient temperature. 
D)  Administer the injectate within 4 seconds during inspiration. 
A)  Inject 5 mL of iced injectate at the beginning of exhalation over 30 seconds. 
B)  Inject 10 mL of warmed injectate into the pulmonary artery port three times. 
C)  Ensure at least 5° C difference between injectate and the patient temperature. 
D)  Administer the injectate within 4 seconds during inspiration.

Question 8

What does the P wave component of the electrocardiographic waveform represent?

Accepted Answer

A)  Atrial contraction 
B)  Atrial depolarization 
C)  Sinus node discharge 
D)  Ventricular contraction 
A)  Atrial contraction 
B)  Atrial depolarization 
C)  Sinus node discharge 
D)  Ventricular contraction

Question 9

A patient reports that he has been having "indigestion" for the last few hours.Upon further review the nurse suspects the patient is having of chest pain.Cardiac biomarkers and a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)are done.What finding is most significant in diagnosing an acute coronary syndrome (ACS)within the first 3 hours?

Accepted Answer

A)  Inverted T waves 
B)  Elevated troponin I 
C)  Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) 
D)  Indigestion and chest pain 
A)  Inverted T waves 
B)  Elevated troponin I 
C)  Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) 
D)  Indigestion and chest pain

Question 10

Which diagnostic test is most effective for measuring overall heart size?

Accepted Answer

A)  12-lead electrocardiography 
B)  Echocardiography 
C)  Chest radiography 
D)  Vectorcardiography 
A)  12-lead electrocardiography 
B)  Echocardiography 
C)  Chest radiography 
D)  Vectorcardiography

Question 11

ST segment monitoring for ischemia has gained increasing importance with the advent of thrombolytic therapy.What is the most accurate method for monitoring the existence of true ischemic changes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Biomarkers 
B)  Echocardiogram 
C)  5-lead ECG 
D)  12-lead ECG 
A)  Biomarkers 
B)  Echocardiogram 
C)  5-lead ECG 
D)  12-lead ECG

Question 12

The patient's admitting 12-lead ECG shows tall,peaked P waves.What diagnosis could be responsible for this finding?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mitral stenosis 
B)  Pulmonary edema 
C)  Ischemia 
D)  Pericarditis 
A)  Mitral stenosis 
B)  Pulmonary edema 
C)  Ischemia 
D)  Pericarditis

Question 13

A patient's arterial line waveform has become damped.What action should the nurse take to correct the situation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Check for kinks, blood, and air bubbles in the pressure tubing. 
B)  Prepare for a normal saline fluid challenge for hypotension. 
C)  Discontinue the arterial line as it has become nonfunctional. 
D)  Check the patient's lung sounds for a change in patient condition. 
A)  Check for kinks, blood, and air bubbles in the pressure tubing. 
B)  Prepare for a normal saline fluid challenge for hypotension. 
C)  Discontinue the arterial line as it has become nonfunctional. 
D)  Check the patient's lung sounds for a change in patient condition.

Question 14

Why is the measurement of the QT interval important?

Accepted Answer

A)  It facilitates rhythm identification and is best assessed in Lead II. 
B)  It helps differentiate myocardial ischemia from infarction. 
C)  An increasing QT interval increases the risk of torsades de pointes. 
D)  A decreasing QT interval increases the risk of torsades de pointes. 
A)  It facilitates rhythm identification and is best assessed in Lead II. 
B)  It helps differentiate myocardial ischemia from infarction. 
C)  An increasing QT interval increases the risk of torsades de pointes. 
D)  A decreasing QT interval increases the risk of torsades de pointes.

Exam 13: Cardiovascular Diagnostic Procedures

What major clinical finding present in a patient with ventricular fibrillation (VF)?

A 55-year-old patient is scheduled for a stress test.What is the estimation of the patient's maximal predicted heart rate?

A patient becomes unresponsive.The patient's heart rate is 32 beats/min in an idioventricular rhythm; blood pressure is 60/32 mm Hg; SpO₂ is 90%; and respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min.Which intervention would the nurse do first?

Identify the rhythm.

Which statement regarding the use of cuff blood pressures is true?

A new-onset myocardial infarction (MI)can be recognized by what electrocardiogram (ECG)change?

Which intervention should be strictly followed to ensure accurate cardiac output readings?

What does the P wave component of the electrocardiographic waveform represent?

Which diagnostic test is most effective for measuring overall heart size?

ST segment monitoring for ischemia has gained increasing importance with the advent of thrombolytic therapy.What is the most accurate method for monitoring the existence of true ischemic changes?

The patient's admitting 12-lead ECG shows tall,peaked P waves.What diagnosis could be responsible for this finding?

A patient's arterial line waveform has become damped.What action should the nurse take to correct the situation?

Why is the measurement of the QT interval important?

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