VABC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the VABC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 VABC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 VABC Topics to Study (71)
✍️ Sample VABC Questions & Answers
1. A patient signs consent for a midline catheter but during insertion the nurse realizes a PICC is clinically indicated. The nurse should:
Consent is procedure-specific; inserting a different device than the one consented to requires new informed consent.
2. Which precaution is MOST important when replacing IV administration sets connected to a central venous catheter used for lipid-containing parenteral nutrition?
CDC and INS guidelines recommend replacing IV tubing used for lipid-containing PN or blood products within 24 hours because lipids support microbial growth more rapidly than dextrose/amino acid solutions.
3. Which action best reflects accurate documentation when a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is suspected?
Suspected CLABSI requires prompt documentation of clinical signs, provider notification, and all interventions in real time to support patient safety and surveillance.
4. Which INS-recommended practice best prevents air embolism—and simultaneously supports infection prevention—during central venous catheter cap changes?
Clamping the catheter and having the patient perform Valsalva or exhale before cap changes prevents air entry and limits hub exposure time, reducing both air embolism and contamination risk.
5. Which clinical sign most strongly suggests superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome as a complication of a long-term central venous catheter?
SVC syndrome causes bilateral facial and upper extremity edema plus prominent neck and chest wall venous collaterals due to obstruction of the superior vena cava.
6. Pinch-off syndrome is a mechanical complication specific to which type of vascular access device?
Pinch-off syndrome occurs when the catheter of a subclavian-inserted port is compressed between the clavicle and first rib, causing intermittent or complete occlusion and catheter fracture risk.