ICU Environment & Scope of Practice
Which nurse-to-patient ratio is most common in the care of critically ill patients?
A. 1:1 or 1:2
B. 1:3
C. 1:4
A. 1:1 or 1:2
Which factor most contributes to family stress during a critical illness?
A. Loss of control and uncertainty
B. Restricted mobility
C. Lack of medical terminology knowledge
A. Loss of control and uncertainty
Ethics in nursing primarily guides decisions about what is:
A. Right and wrong
B. Legal
C. Efficient
A. Right and wrong
Pain, agitation, and delirium in critically ill patients often occur:
A. Simultaneously and interactively
B. Independently
C. In a predictable sequence
A. Simultaneously and interactively
Which concept underpins most standards of critical care nursing practice?
A. Patient safety
B. Nurse autonomy
C. Task efficiency
A. Patient safety
Critical care nursing includes care for both acutely ill and critically ill patients across the continuum of care.
A. Only in emergency situations
B. False
C. True
C. True
Which nursing action best supports family coping during critical illness?
A. Avoiding emotional conversations
B. Providing consistent updates using clear language
C. Limiting communication to physicians only
B. Providing consistent updates using clear language
Which ethical principle supports fair allocation of limited ICU resources?
A. Autonomy
B. Beneficence
C. Justice
C. Justice
Vital signs alone are unreliable indicators of pain because they are:
A. Too sensitive
B. Invasive
C. Nonspecific
C. Nonspecific
Evidence-based practice challenges which type of care?
A. Protocol-driven care
B. Interprofessional collaboration
C. Tradition-based practice without evidence
C. Tradition-based practice without evidence
Which setting commonly provides critical care–level services outside of a traditional ICU?
A. Long-term care facilities
B. Step-down or progressive care units
C. Medical-surgical units
B. Step-down or progressive care units
Which ICU practice has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve trust for families?
A. Written updates only
B. Restrictive visitation
C. Family participation in care when appropriate
C. Family participation in care when appropriate
A patient’s informed consent requires understanding, voluntariness, and this additional element:
A. Decision-making capacity
B. Written documentation
C. Family agreement
A. Decision-making capacity
Which tool is used specifically to screen for delirium in ICU patients?
A. CAM-ICU
B. RASS
C. CPOT
A. CAM-ICU
Which nurse action best demonstrates professional accountability?
A. Delegating responsibilities whenever possible
B. Reflecting on practice and seeking improvement
C. Following routines without question
B. Reflecting on practice and seeking improvement
Tele–Critical Care (TCC) primarily exists to accomplish which goal?
A. Reduce hospital staffing needs
B. Replace bedside nurses
C. Provide remote expert monitoring and consultation
C. Provide remote expert monitoring and consultation
A patient recalls frightening hallucinations after ICU discharge. This experience is most associated with:
A. Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
B. ICU-acquired weakness
C. Chronic pain syndrome
A. Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
Which situation places a nurse at greatest risk for moral distress?
A. Caring for a stable patient
B. Providing care believed to be non-beneficial
C. Following evidence-based guidelines
B. Providing care believed to be non-beneficial
Which intervention is most effective in reducing delirium risk?
A. Deep continuous sedation
B. Environmental orientation and sleep promotion
C. Physical restraints
B. Environmental orientation and sleep promotion
Healthy work environments in critical care are most strongly associated with improvements in:
A. Documentation compliance
B. Staffing ratios alone
C. Nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes
C. Nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes
A patient in a non-ICU unit develops worsening hypotension and altered mental status. Which action best reflects the expanded role of critical care nursing?
A. Activating the rapid response team
B. Documenting findings and reassessing later
C. Waiting for transfer orders
A. Activating the rapid response team
A nurse recognizes that a calm, respectful presence at the bedside benefits both patient and family. This approach primarily supports which goal of critical care nursing?
A. Efficiency
B. Task completion
C. Human-centered care
C. Human-centered care
A nurse advocates for a goals-of-care discussion when treatment no longer aligns with patient values. This action best reflects which professional responsibility?
A. Task prioritization
B. Legal compliance
C. Ethical advocacy
C. Ethical advocacy
A mechanically ventilated patient becomes agitated despite adequate oxygenation. Which nursing action is most appropriate first?
A. Apply physical restraints
B. Increase sedative infusion
C. Assess pain and discomfort
C. Assess pain and discomfort
A nurse recognizes early deterioration, communicates concerns, engages the family, and applies evidence-based interventions. This reflects effective use of:
A. Clinical judgment
B. Technology
C. Task delegation
A. Clinical judgment