Fundamentals
What is the normal range for adult respirations?
12-20 breaths per minute
What is the normal range for adult blood pressure?
120/80
FOR AN EXTRA 300 POINTS:
What does mmHg stand for?
FOR AN EXTRA 500 POINTS:
Explain systole and diastole
What is the normal potassium range?
3.5 - 5.0
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Why is it important?
When using a gait belt, where should it be placed on the patient?
Around the waist, over clothing
What is the classic triad of symptoms in diabetes mellitus, using correct medical terminology?
Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia
What are the five rights of medication administration?
Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time
FOR EXTRA POINTS (100 EACH), NAME 5 MORE
What does a SpO₂ of 88% indicate?
Hypoxemia (low oxygen)
What ABG imbalance might you expect in a patient with uncontrolled diabetes and fruity-smelling breath?
Metabolic acidosis (DKA / Diabetic ketoacidosis)
What is the best way to prevent hospital-acquired infections?
Hand hygiene
What does the acronym FAST stand for when assessing for stroke?
Facial drooping/asymmetry
Arm weakness/arm drift
Speech difficulty/slurred speech
Time (to call 911) or intervene ASAP
When should a nurse perform hand hygiene during patient care? (Give two examples.)
Before and after patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after removing gloves
Name two adventitious lung sounds and what they may indicate.
Crackles/Rales (fluid in alveoli or sudden opening of small airways)
Wheezing (narrowed airways seen in asthma or COPD)
Stridor (upper airway obstruction)
Rhonchi (blockage or secretions in airways)
Pleural Friction Rub (inflamed pleural membranes rubbing together)
If a patient has a sodium level of 128, what condition do they have?
Hyponatremia
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What is a cause of hyponatremia?
What does the acronym RACE stand for in fire safety?
Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate
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What does the acronym PASS stand for (in the correct order)?
Name three signs or symptoms of hypoxia.
Restlessness, confusion, cyanosis, SOB/dyspnea with tachypnea/shallow breathing pattern, tachycardia, dizziness, diaphoresis, difficulty talking.
Which pulse site is used to assess circulation in a patient who is unconscious?
Carotid pulse
A patient is complaining of chest pain—what’s the first assessment question you should ask?
Ask about onset/location/severity/radiation/quality
(e.g., “Can you describe the pain?”, "When did the pain start?", "What were you doing when the pain started?")
What lab value is used to monitor patients on warfarin (Coumadin)?
PT / INR
What does contact isolation mean and give one example of a disease requiring it.
Gown and gloves; C. diff, MRSA (or other MDROs), VRE, etc.
Clostridioides difficile, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Multidrug-Resistant Organism, Vancomycin-Resistant enterococci
What is the appropriate SpO2 for a person with COPD?
88-92%
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A patient with COPD is receiving oxygen at 6 L/min by nasal cannula. What is your concern?
Which part of the nursing process comes immediately after assessment?
Diagnosis
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What is the acronym these 2 words come from and what are the rest of the steps (words) in the process?
What does orthostatic hypotension mean, and how is it assessed?
Drop in BP when standing from sitting or sitting from lying down; assessed by comparing lying, sitting, standing BPs
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What are 3 causes of orthostatic hypotension?
What does a BUN and creatinine level help assess AND what are the normal ranges of each?
Kidney function
BUN 6-20 (or 7-20/30) or whatever ATI says
Creatinine 0.6-1.2 males / 0.5-1.1 females (or 0.7-1.2) or whatever ATI says
Which patient should you see first:
A. Post-op with mild pain
B. Patient with chest pain
C. Patient requesting PRN pain medication
D. Patient with discharge instructions
Patient with chest pain
A post-op patient hasn’t voided in 8 hours. What’s your first nursing action?
Assess for bladder distention; bladder scan to determine volume of urine in the bladder.
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The post-op patient has a foley catheter and there is no or minimal urine in the collection bag. What is your first nursing action?