CARDIAC
A patient reports crushing chest pain that radiates to the left arm and jaw. What condition should the nurse suspect?
Acute coronary syndrome / myocardial infarction (MI).
What is the normal oxygen saturation range for most healthy adults?
BONUS: COPD?
Approximately 95–100%
BONUS: Lower than the normal range of a healthy adult, usually 88%-92%
Furosemide is what type of medication?
A loop diuretic.
What is the term for the first fetal movement felt by the pregnant patient?
Quickening.
Which vital sign generally tends to be higher in infants and young children compared with adults?
Heart rate.
Heart rate.
Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into systemic circulation?
The left ventricle.
A patient suddenly develops shortness of breath, tachycardia, and sharp chest pain after being immobilized following surgery. What life-threatening condition should you suspect?
Pulmonary embolism (PE).
Which electrolyte is especially important to monitor in a patient taking furosemide?
Potassium.
During pregnancy, which hormone is commonly detected by a pregnancy test?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
An infant has several wet diapers each day, moist mucous membranes, and tears when crying. What does this suggest?
Adequate hydration.
A patient with heart failure suddenly develops severe shortness of breath, crackles, and pink, frothy sputum. What complication should the nurse suspect?
Acute pulmonary edema.
A patient with COPD becomes increasingly restless and confused. Why might this be concerning?
It can indicate worsening hypoxia and/or respiratory failure.
A patient taking an ACE inhibitor develops swelling of the lips and tongue. What serious adverse effect should the nurse suspect?
Angioedema.
A pregnant patient reports vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, and a rigid abdomen. Why should the nurse be concerned?
These can be signs of placental abruption, which is an obstetric emergency.
A child with respiratory distress is sitting upright, leaning forward, drooling, and refusing to lie down. What should the nurse do?
Treat this as an airway emergency and avoid unnecessarily agitating the child.
💡 You'd be thinking about epiglottitis.
BONUS: WHAT NOT TO DO???
A patient with atrial fibrillation is at increased risk for what major complication?
A: Stroke due to thrombus formation.
A patient suddenly develops severe dyspnea, absent breath sounds on one side, hypotension, and distended neck veins after chest trauma. What should the nurse suspect?
Tension pneumothorax.
A patient taking spironolactone asks why they need their potassium levels monitored. What should the nurse explain?
Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic, so it can cause hyperkalemia.
During labor, the fetal heart rate suddenly drops and remains low. What should the nurse do first?
Assess the fetal status and initiate appropriate intrauterine resuscitation measures, such as repositioning the patient and assessing for causes of fetal distress according to the clinical situation.
A child with asthma is wheezing and having difficulty breathing. Suddenly, the wheezing disappears, but the child continues to have severe respiratory distress. Is this improvement?
No. A “silent chest” can indicate severe airflow obstruction and impending respiratory failure.
A patient with heart failure has gained 5 lb in three days. What does this most likely indicate?
Fluid retention/worsening heart failure.
A patient with respiratory distress is becoming increasingly drowsy. Their respiratory rate drops from 24 to 8 breaths/min. Is the decreasing respiratory rate reassuring?
No. It may indicate impending respiratory failure and fatigue. The nurse should immediately assess airway and breathing and initiate emergency interventions.
A patient taking digoxin has an apical pulse of 52/min and reports nausea and seeing yellow halos around lights. What should the nurse suspect?
Digoxin toxicity.
BONUS: ANTIDOTE??
A pregnant patient at 34 weeks has severe headache, visual disturbances, and right upper quadrant/epigastric pain. What condition should the nurse suspect?
Severe preeclampsia.
A 6-month-old infant has vomiting and diarrhea. Which finding is most concerning for dehydration?
A. One loose stool
B. Slightly decreased appetite
C. No tears when crying and significantly fewer wet diapers
D. Asking for more food
A: C. No tears and significantly fewer wet diapers.