Nursing Cardiac Care Multiple Choice Questions

Which assessment is the nurse’s top priority before a scheduled percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)?

• Obtain a 12-lead ECG

• Check for allergy to iodine/contrast dye

• Start aspirin therapy

• Teach incentive-spirometer use

During the first hour after a femoral-access PCI, the nurse should assess which item every 15 minutes?

• Mental status changes

• Neurovascular status of the affected leg and insertion-site bleeding

• Bowel sounds

• Capillary blood glucose

A post-PCI patient reports back pain, and the nurse notes a growing tender mass at the groin site. What is the priority action?

• Reposition the patient for comfort

• Apply firm manual pressure and notify the provider (possible retroperitoneal bleed)

• Administer IV morphine for pain

• Elevate the leg on two pillows

Which CABG technique avoids a sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass by using small thoracotomy incisions and a mechanical stabilizer?

• Conventional on-pump CABG

• Minimally invasive direct CABG (MIDCAB)

• Off-pump CABG (OPCAB)

• Totally endoscopic CABG (TECAB)

After traditional CABG using cardiopulmonary bypass, which postoperative finding requires the most immediate attention?

• Chest-tube drainage of 30 mL/hr serosanguinous fluid

• Temperature 97.8 °F (36.5 °C)

• Sudden drop in mediastinal drainage with rising jugular venous pressure

• HR 96 bpm with sinus rhythm

β-Blockers are started ≥24 h before CABG and restarted post-op primarily to reduce which common complication?

• Ventricular fibrillation

• Postoperative atrial fibrillation

• Acute kidney injury

• Hypothermia

A 70-year-old male with a history of CAD and hypertension presents for routine follow-up. His telemetry shows a PR interval of 0.24 seconds with a regular rhythm and no symptoms. What is the appropriate nursing action?

• Notify the provider for emergency pacing

• Hold his beta-blocker and prepare atropine

• Document and continue to monitor

• Schedule an urgent echocardiogram

A patient admitted for chest pain suddenly shows the rhythm below on telemetry: “longer, longer, longer, drop.” He is alert with a BP of 110/60. What is the priority nursing action?

• Administer IV atropine

• Notify provider and apply transcutaneous pacing pads

• Observe the rhythm and monitor for symptoms

• Prepare for immediate defibrillation

A patient with a recent anterior MI develops a heart rate of 40 bpm and an ECG showing normal P waves with every other P not followed by a QRS. He is pale and dizzy. What is the nurse’s first action?

• Start CPR

• Place the patient on oxygen and notify the rapid response team

• Apply transcutaneous pacing pads and anticipate dopamine

• Document the rhythm and reassess in 30 minutes

A patient in the telemetry unit suddenly becomes unresponsive. The monitor shows P waves with no consistent relationship to wide QRS complexes. HR is 30, BP 70/40. What should the nurse anticipate administering?

• A. Adenosine

• B. Epinephrine infusion and preparation for TCP

• C. Amiodarone bolus

• D. Atropine 0.5 mg IV