Free Certified Emergency Nurse Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The patient has an anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is transported to the emergency department. You are evaluating him to determine whether to administer fibrinolytics. The following conditions are a strict no-no for this therapy:
- Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival. (Correct answer)
- The patient has received aspirin in the last 2 hours.
- The patient had a previous MI 6 years ago.
- The patient's pain is not relieved by medications.
Correct answer: Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival.
In general, fibrinolytic therapy is NOT advised for patients whose symptoms started more than 12 hours prior to arrival. Unless a posterior MI is identified, fibrinolytics shouldn't be used if symptoms started more than 24 hours before to arrival. The MI was anterior in this instance.
Question 2: Preload describes:
- The pressure in the arterial system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
- The volume of blood entering the left side of the heart
- The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart (Correct answer)
- The pressure in the venous system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
Correct answer: The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart
The amount of blood that enters the right side of the heart is called preload. The heart's fibers are stretched by this volume before contraction. Atrial pressure is a frequent way to quantify preload.
Question 3: A patient is receiving CPR from the team. In response to an electrical shock, the beat will be:
- PEA
- Ventricular fibrillation (Correct answer)
- SVT
- Asystole
Correct answer: Ventricular fibrillation
The two rhythms regarded as ""shockable"" cardiac arrest rhythms are ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. As cardiac arrest rhythms, asystole and PEA do not react to electrical shock.
Question 4: Which of the following should suctioning during a cardiac arrest be restricted to?
- Less than 30 seconds
- Less than 20 seconds
- Less than 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- Less than 5 seconds
Correct answer: Less than 10 seconds
The 2010 BLS and ACLS recommendations state that sucking for more than 10 seconds may draw too much oxygen out of the airways, leading to hypoxemia.
Question 5: ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF CARDIAC ARREST, EXCEPT:
- Hypokalemia
- Tension Pneumothorax
- Hypervolemia (Correct answer)
- Hypoxia
Correct answer: Hypervolemia
Correction of these causes can frequently reverse a cardiac arrest. These causes are known as the H's and T's and include hypovolemia (NOT hypervolemia), hypoxia, hydrogen ion excess (acidosis), hypo or hyperkalemia, hypothermia, tension pneumothorax, tamponade, toxins, and thrombosis (pulmonary or coronary).
Question 6: The American Heart Association's ACLS guidelines state that applying cricoid pressure when intubating should:
- Should only be done on children.
- Should be done in all cases.
- Is no longer recommended. (Correct answer)
- None of the above.
Correct answer: Is no longer recommended.
Cricoid pressure is no longer advised in accordance with the most recent AHA recommendations because it may hinder or delay the insertion of an advanced airway.
Question 7: Using a Bag-mask device, you are delivering ventilations. Suddenly, the patient's chest does not lift in response to the ventilation. To maintain an open airway, you must reposition the patient. You don't see his chest rise as you try to ventilate him. This is most likely brought on by:
- Airway obstruction (Correct answer)
- The patient has suffered an MI
- Cardiac tamponade
- The bag-mask device is faulty
Correct answer: Airway obstruction
An airway blockage is the most likely reason why the chest doesn't raise during ventilations. It is improbable that a defective bag-mask device would malfunction in the middle of providing ventilations, notwithstanding the possibilities.
The patient has an anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is transported to the emergency department.
You are evaluating him to determine whether to administer fibrinolytics.
The following conditions are a strict no-no for this therapy: