Question 1

A 64-year-old male patient was scheduled to undergo CABG surgery after a coronary angiogram. During pre-cardiac surgery education, the nurse should explain to the patient that the objective of the bypass surgery is:

Accepted Answer

A) Revascularization of selected area of myocardium 
B) Complete revascularization of the myocardium 
C) Correction of the abnormalities of the coronary arteries 
D) Removal of the diseased part of the coronary artery

Question 2

A 60-year-old patient had undergone embolectomy for arterial emboli. What anticoagulant drug modification should the attending nurse do post-operatively?

Accepted Answer

A) Stop heparin and start aspirin. 
B) Continue heparin infusion only 
C) Continue heparin post-operatively and start warfarin 
D) Stop all anticoagulant medication after surgery

Question 3

A patient presents to an emergency room after trauma to his left lower limb. Which of the following is the most important P of the 6 Ps that are used to assess the severity of trauma to an extremity?

Accepted Answer

A) Pain 
B) Paralysis 
C) Pulselessness 
D) Pallor

Question 4

A patient has undergone aortic valve replacement surgery. An EKG done post-operatively demonstrates a junctional rhythm. What parameters should the nurse assess before consulting a cardiologist to consider A-V sequential pacing?

Accepted Answer

A) Rule out digoxin toxicity and myocardial ischemia 
B) Rule out hypomagnesemia 
C) Make sure that patient is not hypokalemic 
D) All of the above

Question 5

Which leadership style involves minimal guidance from a leader and provides little feedback to team members?

Accepted Answer

A) Autocratic 
B) Laissez-faire 
C) Transactional 
D) Transformational

Question 6

A patient known to have AF (atrial fibrillation) presents with acute pain in his left lower limb and over the course of several hours he experiences a loss of sensation in the area and the limb becomes numb and cold. What is the first treatment the nurse should take?

Accepted Answer

A) Send the patient for arteriography 
B) Immediate heparinization 
C) Prepare the patient for embolectomy 
D) Identify and treat the underlying cause

Question 7

A patient is scheduled to undergo coronary atherectomy. What should the nurse explain to patient about the procedure during pre-procedure teaching?

Accepted Answer

A) The procedure is done via the femoral, brachial or radial artery 
B) Coronary atherectomy uses a grinding/cutting tool to clear plaque from diseased coronary arteries. It can be combined with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and/or a stent procedure 
C) A grinding/cutting tool is used to clear plaque from diseased coronary arteries 
D) Tell the patient about different types of atherectomies

Question 8

Which of the following signs and symptoms would the attending nurse expect to observe in a patient who has a ruptured aneurysm?

Accepted Answer

A) Pain abdomen, hypertension, bradycardia 
B) Hypotension, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, chest pain/lower back/abdominal pain 
C) Headache, nausea, vomiting, vertigo 
D) Hypertension, chest pain, syncope

Question 9

A patient presents to an emergency room with acute pain in abdomen; there is a high degree of suspicion that he has a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. What measures should be initiated immediately?

Accepted Answer

A) Send the patient for abdominal CT scan 
B) Start resuscitation after ensuring immediate vascular access 
C) Start blood transfusion after grouping and cross-matching 
D) Immediate laparotomy

Question 10

A patient is being released after pacemaker implantation. What instruction should the nurse give the patient about follow-up?

Accepted Answer

A) Patients should be instructed to followup 1 week after permanent pacemaker placement and then every month to check programming and setting of the device 
B) Patients should be instructed to followup with 1 week after permanent pacemaker placement and then every 3 to 6 months to check programming and setting of the device 
C) Patients should be instructed to followup 1 week after permanent pacemaker placement and then every 3 to 6 months to check battery status of the device 
D) Patients should be instructed to followup 1 week after permanent pacemaker placement and then every month to check battery status of the device

Question 11

The nurse calculates the ankle-brachial index (ABI) of a patient as 0.65. The patient wants to know the significance of this value. What is the correct answer given by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

A) Ankle-brachial index gives the percentage of blockage in the artery of foot 
B) Ankle-brachial index is calculated to estimate the degree of arterial occlusion in patients suspected of having peripheral arterial disease. Values between 0.5 and 0.8 suggest moderate degree of peripheral arterial disease 
C) Ankle-brachial index gives the estimate of power in the muscles of lower limb 
D) Ankle-brachial index gives an idea about the oxygenation of tissues

Question 12

The nurse is going to assist the interventionist during PCTA. Which drugs should the nurse be prepared to administer?

Accepted Answer

A) Heparin, streptokinase 
B) Heparin, nitroglycerin, abciximab 
C) Heparin, warfarin 
D) Heparin, warfarin, aspirin

Question 13

A nurse is explaining the post-operative follow-up procedure to a patient who has undergone carotid endarterectomy. Which of the following are the correct instructions?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 week post-procedure and then follow-up after 6 months 
B) 1 week post-procedure and then follow-up after 1 month 
C) 1 week post-procedure and then follow-up after 1 month in first month and then after 3 months 
D) 1 week post-procedure and then follow-up after 3 months

Question 14

You are caring for a 47-year-old female who has been admitted to the cardiac care unit. On your rounds you notice that her mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) is decreasing. What is the mean arterial blood pressure?

Accepted Answer

A) The systolic pressure 
B) The point of disappearance of the sounds 
C) The average pressure in the circulatory system 
D) The increase in the cardiac output

Question 15

A 75-year-old male who has diabetes presents to emergency with sudden onset of chest pain radiating to the arms. The pain has persisted for 2 hours; he is also diaphoretic. His EKG shows ST-T elevation changes in precordial leads. Which of the following medications would be the first ones the nurse should be prepared to administer to this patient?

Accepted Answer

A) Streptokinase, nitroglycerin, heparin, morphine 
B) Streptokinase, angiotensin receptor blocker 
C) Heparin, ACE inhibitor, furosemide 
D) Tirofiban, hydrochlorothiazide, clopidogrel

Question 16

A patient who has hypertension states that after eating he experiences dizziness, fatigue, syncope/ fainting, mental confusion, and lightheadedness. The nurse records a fall in blood pressure after the patient finishes eating. What advice should the nurse give the patient about lifestyle modification to help this condition?

Accepted Answer

A) Stop taking all antihypertensive medications 
B) Exercise after taking meals 
C) Eating smaller meals low in carbohydrates 
D) Stay in prone position after meals

Question 17

A patient is wearing a Holter monitor. What instructions should the nurse give to the patient during monitoring?

Accepted Answer

A) Stop all his regular medications 
B) Maintain an activity diary of his physical activities 
C) Restrict physical activity 
D) Do strenuous exercise

Question 18

Which of the following examinations are parts of the post-operative neurological assessment of a patient who has undergone carotid endarterectomy during post-op period?

Accepted Answer

A) Level of consciousness, response to verbal stimuli, orientation to time and place 
B) Level of consciousness, response to verbal stimuli, sensation to touch 
C) Level of consciousness, sensation, motor strength and reflexes, pupil size and reaction to light 
D) Level of consciousness, vibration and position sense, function of the vocal cords

Question 19

What lifestyle modifications should the nurse recommend to a patient who has atherosclerotic disease and dyslipidemia?

Accepted Answer

A) Restriction of physical activity, dietary supplementation, smoking cessation 
B) Physical exercise, healthy diet, smoking cessation 
C) Physical exercise, healthy diet, dietary supplementation, smoking cessation 
D) Restriction of physical activity, diet rich in saturated fat, smoking cessation

Question 20

A nurse is giving an educational pamphlet to a patient with reduced visual acuity. What is the most appropriate way to print the pamphlet?

Accepted Answer

A) Letters in normal size font, printed in black ink on a white paper 
B) Letters in large font, printed in black ink on a white paper 
C) Letters in large font, printed with black ink on yellow colored paper 
D) Letters in large font, printed with a contrast color ink on paper of any color

Exam 1: Intervention