Critical Care Nursing Exam Review
Course Introduction
Critical Care Nursing is an advanced course designed to equip nursing students with the specialized knowledge and skills required to care for critically ill patients in high-acuity environments such as intensive care units, emergency departments, and trauma centers. The course covers the assessment and management of complex health conditions involving multiple organ systems, pharmacological interventions, and the use of advanced life-support equipment. Students will learn to apply clinical reasoning, prioritize patient care, and coordinate interdisciplinary teams while addressing issues related to ethics, communication, and the emotional needs of both patients and their families. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based practice, rapid decision-making, and the safe delivery of high-quality patient care in fast-paced, dynamic healthcare settings.
Recommended Textbook
ECGs Made Easy 5th Edition by Barbara J Aehlert
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10 Chapters
515 Verified Questions
515 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/400 Page 2
Chapter 1: Anatomy and Physiology
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66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/6999
Sample Questions
Q1) List two factors that may affect the heart's efficiency as a pump. Answer: Abnormalities of cardiac muscle,the valves,or the conduction system.
Q2) What effects can be expected from sympathetic stimulation of the heart?
Answer: Sympathetic stimulation of the heart results in increased heart rate,force of contraction,conduction velocity,blood pressure,and cardiac output.
Q3) Name the valve that separates the right ventricle from the right atrium.
Answer: Tricuspid valve
Q4) Blood leaves the left ventricle through the _____ valve to the aorta and its branches and is distributed throughout the body.
A) mitral
B) aortic
C) pulmonic
D) tricuspid
Answer: B
Q5) _____ is the period of relaxation during which a heart chamber is filling. Answer: Diastole
Q6) __________ is the period during which a heart chamber is contracting and blood is being ejected.
Answer: Systole
Page 3
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Chapter 2: Basic Electrophysiology
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66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7000
Sample Questions
Q1) The normal pacemaker of the heart is the _____ node,which is found in the _____ atrium,and has an intrinsic firing rate of _____ beats/min.
A) sinoatrial; left; 40 to 60
B) sinoatrial; right; 60 to 100
C) atrioventricular; left; 20 to 40
D) atrioventricular; right; 100 to 180
Answer: B
Q2) In most patients,the sinoatrial (SA)and atrioventricular (AV)nodes are supplied by the _____ coronary artery.
A) right
B) left main
C) circumflex
D) left anterior descending
Answer: A
Q3) An ECG lead that has a positive and negative electrode is called a(n)_____ lead.
Answer: bipolar
Q4) The appearance of coved ("frowny face")ST-segment elevation is called a(n)_____
Answer: acute injury pattern
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Chapter 3: Sinus Mechanisms
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45 Verified Questions
45 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7001
Sample Questions
Q1) The rate of sinus tachycardia is _____ beats/min.
A) slower than 60
B) 40 to 80
C) 60 to 100
D) faster than 100
Answer: D
Q2) In sinus arrhythmia,a gradual increasing of the heart rate is usually associated with _____.
A) expiration
B) inspiration
C) excessive caffeine intake
D) early signs of heart failure
Answer: B
Q3) Which of the following correctly reflects the ECG criteria for a sinus rhythm?
A) More P waves than QRS complexes
B) P waves that look alike and upright in lead II,one before each QRS complex
C) Irregular atrial and ventricular rhythm
D) PR interval exceeding 0.20 seconds
Answer: B
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Atrial Rhythms
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60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7002
Sample Questions
Q1) Atrial fibrillation is characterized by _____.
A) one P wave before each QRS and a regular ventricular rate of 60 to 100 beats/min
B) an erratic,wavy baseline and irregular ventricular rhythm
C) "saw-tooth"- or "picket-fence"-shaped waveforms preceding each QRS
D) P waves occurring before,during,or after the QRS complex; when seen,they are inverted
Q2) The ventricular rhythm in atrial fibrillation is usually "irregularly irregular."
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following correctly describes multifocal atrial tachycardia?
A) Atrial rhythm is regular.
B) Ventricular rhythm is irregular.
C) Atrial and ventricular rhythms are regular.
D) Atrial and ventricular rhythms are irregular.
Q4) PACs associated with a wide QRS complex are called _____ _____ PACs,indicating that conduction through the ventricles is abnormal.
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Chapter 5: Junctional Rhythms
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51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7003
Sample Questions
Q1) A junctional escape rhythm occurs because of _____.
A) severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
B) multiple irritable sites firing within the AV junction
C) slowing of the rate of the heart's primary pacemaker
D) intrathoracic pressure changes associated with the normal respiratory cycle
Q2) Depending on the severity of the patient's signs and symptoms,management of slow rhythms originating from the AV junction may require intervention including _____.
A) defibrillation
B) intravenous atropine
C) synchronized cardioversion
D) vagal maneuvers or adenosine,or both
Q3) A beat originating from the AV junction that appears later than the next expected sinus beat is called a(n)_____ _____ _____.
Q4) The AV junction consists of the AV node and the nonbranching portion of the bundle of His.
A)True
B)False
Q5) List four reasons why the AV junction may assume responsibility for pacing the heart.
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Page 7
Chapter 6: Ventricular Rhythms
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60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7004
Sample Questions
Q1) Sustained monomorphic VT is often associated with underlying heart disease,particularly myocardial ischemia,and rarely occurs in patients without underlying structural heart disease.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The rate of an idioventricular rhythm is _____ beats/min.
A) 20 to 40
B) 41 to 60
C) 61 to 100
D) 101 to 180
Q3) What is the name given to polymorphic VT that occurs in the presence of a long QT interval?
Q4) Transcutaneous pacing is the treatment of choice for pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
A)True
B)False
Q5) List four reasons why the ventricles may assume responsibility for pacing the heart.
Q6) List three potential sites of origin of ectopic beats.
Q7) List four common causes of premature ventricular complexes.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Heart Blocks
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48 Verified Questions
48 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7005
Sample Questions
Q1) Indicate the ECG criteria for the following dysrhythmias:
\(\begin{array}{lccc}
& \text { Third-Degree AV Block } & \text { 2:1 AV Block } \\
\text { Ventricular } \\
\text { Rhythm } & ----------& ---------- \\
\text { PR interval } & ----------& ---------- \\
\text { QRS width } & ----------& ---------- \\ \end{array}\)
Q2) Indicate the ECG criteria for the following dysrhythmias.
\(\begin{array}{lccc}
& \text { Second-Degree AV Block Type I } & \text { Third-Degree AV Block } \\
\text { Ventricular } \\
\text { Rhythm } & ----------& ---------- \\
\text { PR interval } & ----------& ---------- \\
\text { QRS width } & ----------& ---------- \\ \end{array}\)
Q3) Most of the bundle branch tissue is supplied by the _____ coronary artery.
A) right B) left
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Chapter 8: Pacemaker Rhythms
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17 Verified Questions
17 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7006
Sample Questions
Q1) In pacing,sensitivity refers to _____.
A) the ability of a pacemaker to recognize and respond to intrinsic electrical activity
B) a pacing lead with a single electrical pole at the distal tip of the pacing lead through which the stimulating pulse is delivered
C) the successful conduction of an artificial pacemaker's impulse through the myocardium,resulting in depolarization
D) the length of time between an atrial sensed or atrial paced event and the delivery of a ventricular pacing stimulus
Q2) Explain the benefits of a dual-chamber pacemaker.
Q3) The first letter of the pacemaker identification code represents _____.
A) the chamber sensed
B) the chamber paced
C) the mode of response
D) programmable functions
Q4) Your patient has a VVI pacemaker.Briefly explain the meaning of each of these letters.
Q5) A demand pacemaker is also known as a _____ pacemaker.
Q6) Explain the difference between electrical capture and mechanical capture.
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Chapter 9: Introduction to the 12-Lead ECG
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36 Verified Questions
36 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7007
Sample Questions
Q1) Poor R-wave progression is a phrase used to describe R waves that decrease in size from V<sub>1</sub> to V<sub>4</sub>.This is often seen in an _____ infarction.
A) anteroseptal
B) anterolateral
C) inferolateral
D) inferoposterior
Q2) Lead I is perpendicular to lead _____.
A) II
B) III
C) aVF
D) aVL
Q3) When you read a 12-lead ECG from left to right,the ECG tracing is continuous.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Lead aVL views the _____.
A) interatrial septum
B) lateral wall of the left ventricle
C) inferior wall of the left ventricle
D) anterior wall of the right ventricle
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Chapter 10: Post-Test
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66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/7008
Sample Questions
Q1) The term acute coronary syndromes refers to patients presenting with ischemic chest pain.
A)True
B)False
Q2) When reviewing a 12-lead ECG,intervals and duration are usually expressed in _____.
Q3) The anterior surface of the heart consists primarily of the _____.
A) left atrium
B) right atrium
C) left ventricle
D) right ventricle
Q4) A QRS measuring 0.10 to 0.12 seconds is called a(n)_____ right or left bundle branch block.
Q5) Which of the following correctly describes multifocal atrial tachycardia?
A) The atrial rhythm is regular.
B) The ventricular rhythm is irregular.
C) The atrial and ventricular rhythms are regular.
D) The atrial and ventricular rhythms are irregular.
Q6) A _____ bundle branch block produces a QS pattern in lead V<sub>1</sub>.
Q7) Each small box on ECG paper represents _____ seconds.
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