Foundations of Critical Care Nursing
Which description best defines the focus of critical care nursing?
A. Managing technology used in intensive care units
B. Responding to human responses to life-threatening illness and treatment
C. Restoring physical function after hospitalization
B. Responding to human responses to life-threatening illness and treatment
Critical illness commonly triggers which emotional responses in patients and families?
A. Anger and denial
B. Anxiety and fear
C. Detachment and apathy
B. Anxiety and fear
Respecting a patient’s right to make decisions about their care reflects which ethical principle?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
C. Justice
B. Autonomy
What is the gold standard for pain assessment in critically ill patients?
A. Vital signs
B. Behavioral cues
C. Patient self-report
C. Patient self-report
Using current research, clinical expertise, and patient values to guide care is known as:
A. Quality improvement
B. Evidence-based practice
C. Policy-driven care
B. Evidence-based practice
The development of modern critical care units was most directly influenced by the need to care for patients with which condition?
A. Tuberculosis
B. Poliomyelitis
C. Acute myocardial infarction
B. Poliomyelitis
Which care approach emphasizes collaboration with families and inclusion in decision-making?
A. Task-oriented care
B. Patient-centered care
C. Family-centered care
C. Family-centered care
Which ethical principle requires nurses to avoid causing harm to patients?
A. Nonmaleficence
B. Fidelity
C. Veracity
A. Nonmaleficence
Which validated tool is most commonly used to assess agitation and sedation in ICU patients?
A. CAM-ICU
B. RASS
C. CPOT
B. RASS
A work environment that encourages error reporting without punishment reflects which concept?
A. Shared governance
B. Just culture
C. Moral resilience
B. Just culture
Which professional organization specifically represents critical care nurses and promotes evidence-based practice?
A. SCCM
B. AHA
C. AACN
C. AACN
Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) includes which long-term effects?
A. Only physical weakness
B. Physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments
C. Emotional changes limited to anxiety
B. Physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments
A legal document that outlines a patient’s healthcare wishes if they lose decision-making capacity is called a:
A. Living trust
B. Advance directive
C. Consent form
B. Advance directive
An acute change in attention, cognition, and level of consciousness with fluctuating symptoms defines:
A. Dementia
B. Delirium
C. Depression
B. Delirium
Protecting patient rights, values, and preferences is a core nursing role known as:
A. Leadership
B. Advocacy
C. Accountability
B. Advocacy
The AACN Synergy Model emphasizes which core relationship?
A. Nurse autonomy and task efficiency
B. Technology use and patient acuity
C. Alignment of nurse competencies with patient and family needs
C. Alignment of nurse competencies with patient and family needs
Environmental stressors such as noise, alarms, and constant lighting most increase the risk for which ICU complication?
A. Depression
B. Delirium
C. Dementia
B. Delirium
A nurse experiences emotional distress after being unable to act according to ethical beliefs due to institutional constraints. This is known as:
A. Burnout
B. Compassion fatigue
C. Moral distress
C. Moral distress
Which delirium subtype is quiet, withdrawn, and frequently missed?
A. Hyperactive delirium
B. Mixed delirium
C. Hypoactive delirium
C. Hypoactive delirium
Communication failures during handoffs place patients at increased risk for:
A. Delayed discharge
B. Patient harm
C. Documentation errors
B. Patient harm
A nurse prioritizes continuous assessment, rapid interpretation of data, and proactive intervention rather than completing tasks in isolation. This best reflects which essential element of critical care nursing practice?
A. Delegation
B. Clinical judgment
C. Technical proficiency
B. Clinical judgment
A family member repeatedly asks the same questions and appears frustrated during rounds. How should the nurse best interpret this behavior?
A. Lack of understanding despite education
B. A normal stress response to critical illness
C. Intentional disruption of care
B. A normal stress response to critical illness
Continuing aggressive treatment that offers no meaningful benefit most directly conflicts with which ethical concept?
A. Justice
B. Non-beneficial treatment
C. Autonomy
B. Non-beneficial treatment
According to evidence-based practice, which condition should be addressed before increasing sedation in an agitated ICU patient?
A. Pain
B. Anxiety
C. Sleep deprivation
A. Pain
A nurse reassesses pain frequently, includes family in care discussions, questions non-beneficial treatment, and collaborates with the team. This best reflects which professional role?
A. Task manager
B. Patient advocate
C. Clinical educator
B. Patient advocate