Trivia Flashcards
7 cards from real Acute Care Nurse Practitioner practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Trivia flashcards as text
Which lab value is the MOST sensitive early marker of acute kidney injury (AKI)?
Answer: Serum cystatin C
Cystatin C rises earlier than creatinine in AKI because it is freely filtered and not affected by muscle mass.
A patient on mechanical ventilation has a plateau pressure of 34 cmH2O. What is the BEST next step?
Answer: Decrease tidal volume to 6 mL/kg IBW
Plateau pressures >30 cmH2O indicate over-distension; reducing tidal volume to 6 mL/kg IBW per ARDSNet protocol is the priority.
Which rhythm is a contraindication to synchronized cardioversion?
Answer: Ventricular fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation has no organized QRS complex to synchronize to, requiring unsynchronized defibrillation instead.
What is the primary mechanism of injury in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)?
Answer: Donor antibodies activating recipient neutrophils
TRALI is most commonly caused by donor HLA or HNA antibodies that activate recipient neutrophils, leading to pulmonary capillary leak.
A patient with septic shock receives adequate fluid resuscitation but MAP remains <65 mmHg. Which vasopressor is the FIRST-LINE agent?
Answer: Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is the first-line vasopressor recommended by Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines for septic shock.
Which finding on a 12-lead ECG is MOST consistent with right ventricular strain from a massive pulmonary embolism?
Answer: S1Q3T3 pattern
The S1Q3T3 pattern (S wave in lead I, Q wave and T wave inversion in lead III) is the classic ECG finding in acute massive PE.
In DKA management, insulin infusion should NOT be started until which lab value is corrected?
Answer: Potassium ≥3.5 mEq/L
Insulin drives potassium intracellularly; starting insulin with hypokalemia risks life-threatening arrhythmias from further potassium drop.