ATI Med surg cardiac questions Flashcards
a nurses caring for a client who is postoperative following vein ligation and stripping for varicose veins. which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Position the client supine with his legs elevated when in bed.
B. Encourage the client to ambulate 5-10 min every hour while awake to prevent venous stasis.
C. Tell the client to sit with his legs dependent after ambulating.
D. Instruct the client to wear knee length socks for 2 weeks after surgery.
A. position the client with his legs elevated in bed.
(The nurse should elevate the clients legs above his heart to promote venous return by gravity. During discharge teaching, the nurse should reinforce the importance of periodic positioning of the legs above the heart.)
a nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and whose telemetry reading displays a flattening of the T wave. which of the following laboratory results should the nurse anticipates as the cause of this ECG change?
A. potassium 2.8
B. Digoxin 0.7
Hemoglobin 9.8
D. calcium 8.0
A. potassium 2.8
A flattened t-wave or the development of U waves is indicative of low potassium levels.
a nurse is reviewing a client’s report laboratory results 4 hr after administering fresh frozen plasma. which of the following laboratory results should the nurse review?
A. Prothrombin Time
B. WBC count
C. Platelet count
D. Hematocrit
A. prothrombin time
(The nurse should review the PT time after the administration of FFP, which is plasma rich in clotting factors. FFP is administered to treat acute clotting disorders. The desired effect is a decrease in PT time.)
a nurse is providing teaching to a client who has anemia and a new prescription for epoetin alpha. which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?
A. Hospitalization is required when administering each treatment.
B. The max effect of the medication will occur within 6 hours.
C. HTN is a common adverse effect of this medicine.
D. Blood transfusions are needed with each treatment.
C. HTN is a common adverse effect of this med.
(This adverse effect happens because of the rise in the production of erythrocytes and other blood cell types. Epoetin alpha is a synthetic version of human erythropoetin. Epoetin alpha is used to treat anemia associated with kidney disease or medication therapy. It increases and maintains the red blood cell level.)
a nurse is completing an assessment for a client who has a history of unstable angina. which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Chest pain is relieved soon after resting
B. Nitro relives chest pain
C. Physical exertion does not precipitate chest pain
D. Chest pain lasts longer than 15 minutes.
D. chest pain lasts longer than 15 min
(A client with unstable angina will report chest pain or discomfort with exertion, which can limit the clients activity. This is due to the reduced blood flow in the coronary artery due to atherosclerotic plaque and thrombus formation causing partial arterial obstruction.
a nurse is assessing a client who has fluid volume overload from a cardiovascular disorder. which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect? select all that apply.
A. JVD B. Moist crackles C. Postural Hypotension D. increased heart rate E. Fever
A, B, D
fever and postural hypotension is associated with dehydration, not fluid volume overload
a nurse is monitoring a client who has a myocardial infarction. for which of the following complications should the nurse monitor in the first 24 hrs?
A. Infective endocarditis
B. Pericarditis
C. Ventricular dysrhythmias
D. Pulmonary emboli
C. Ventricular dysrhythmias
(After a MI, the electrical conduction system of the heart can be irritable and prone to dysrhythmias. Ischemic tissue caused by the infarction can also interfere with the normal conduction patterns of the hearts electrical system.
a nurse on a telemetry unit is caring for a client who has an irregular radial pulse. which of the following egg abnormalities should the nurse recognize as atrial flutter?
A. P waves occurring at 0.16 seconds before each QRS complex.
B. Atrial rate of 300/min with QRS complex of 80/min
C. Ventricular rate of 82/min with an atrial rate of 80/min
An irregular ventricular rate of 125/min with a wide QRS pattern
B. Atrial rate of 300/min with QRS complex of 80/min.
(This indicates a lack of conduction between the atria and ventricles. The additional atrial beats are not conducting.
a nurse is assessing a client who has an abdominal aortic aneurysm. which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?
A. midsternal chest pain
B. Thrill
C. Pitting edema in lower extremities
D. Lower back discomfort
D. Lower back discomfort
(Abdominal aortic aneurysm involves a widening, or ballooning of the aorta. Back and abdominal pain indicate that the aneurysm is extending downward pressing on the lumbar spinal nerve roots, causing pain.
a nurse us assessing a client who has late-stage heart failure and is experiencing fluid volume overload. which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Weight gain 1 kg (2.2 lb) in 1 day
B. Pitting edema +1
C. Client reports nocturnal cough
D. BNP level of 100 pg/mL
A. Weight gain of 1 lb in a day
(This alerts the nurse that the client is retaining fluid and is at risk of fluid volume overload. This is an indication that the clients heart failure is worsening.
a nurse is completing a medication history for a client who reports using fish oil as a dietary supplement. which of the following substances in fish oil should the nurse recognize as a health benefit to the client?
A. Omega 3 fatty acids
B. antioxidants
C. Vitamins A, D, and C
D. Beta carotene
A. Omega 3 fatty acids
This can help lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by decreasing triglyceride levels
A nurse is assessing a client for manifestations of aplastic anemia. which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Plethoric appearance of facial skin
B. Glossitis and weight loss
C. Jaundice with enlarged liver
D. Petechiae and ecchymosis
D. Petechiae and ecchymosis
(The client who has aplastic anemia will have manifestations of petechaie and ecchymosis. Dyspnea on exertion can also be present. In aplastic anemia, all three major blood components (RBC, WBC, and platelets) are reduced or absent, which is known as pancytopenia. Manifestations usually develop gradually.
a nurse is caring for a client who has abdominal aortic aneurysm and is scheduled for surgery. the client’s vital signs are blood pressure 160/80 mmHg, heart rate 102/min, respirations 22/min, spO2 95%. which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Administer anti hypertensive medication for BP
B. Monitor that urinary output is 20 mL/hr
C. Withhold pain medication to prepare for surgery
D. Take vital signs every 2 hours
a. Administer anti hypertensive for BP
(The nurse should administer the anti hypertensive for the elevated BP because HTN can cause a sudden rupture of the aneurysm due to pressure on the atrial wall.)
