ATI RN
Critical Care Nursing Exam Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
The critical care nurse knows that in critically ill patients, renal dysfunction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Renal dysfunction is common in critically ill patients due to various factors like sepsis, hypotension, and nephrotoxic medications. This affects nearly two thirds of patients, making it a significant issue in critical care.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. A is wrong because renal dysfunction is not rare in critically ill patients. C is incorrect as renal replacement therapy does not guarantee low mortality rates. D is inaccurate as renal dysfunction can have a significant impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life in critically ill patients.
Question 2 of 5
The term used to describe an increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine is
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: azotemia. Azotemia refers to an increase in BUN and serum creatinine levels, indicating impaired kidney function. Oliguria (
A) is a decrease in urine output, not specific to BUN and creatinine levels. Acute kidney injury (
C) is a broader term encompassing various causes of kidney dysfunction, not specific to elevated BUN and creatinine. Prerenal disease (
D) refers to conditions affecting blood flow to the kidneys, not directly related to elevated BUN and creatinine levels.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute kidney injury who is being treated with hemodialysis. The patient asks if he will need dialysis for the rest of his life. Which of the following would be the best response?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: “Recovery is possible, but it may take several months.” This response is the best choice as it provides a balanced and accurate explanation to the patient. Here's the rationale:
1. Hemodialysis is often used as a temporary measure to support kidney function while allowing time for the kidneys to recover.
2. Acute kidney injury can be reversible in some cases, especially if the underlying cause is identified and treated promptly.
3. Recovery time varies for each individual, and it can indeed take several months for kidney function to improve.
4.
Choices A, B, and C are incorrect:
- A is overly pessimistic and does not consider the potential for recovery.
- B provides a specific timeframe that may not be accurate for all patients.
- C is not a reliable indicator of kidney function recovery and may lead to confusion.
Question 4 of 5
The patient is admitted with complaints of general malaise and fatigue, along with a decreased urinary output. The patient’s urinalysis shows coarse, muddy brown granular casts and hematuria. The nurse determines that the patient has:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: intrarenal disease, probably acute tubular necrosis. The patient's symptoms of general malaise, fatigue, decreased urinary output, along with the presence of coarse, muddy brown granular casts and hematuria in the urinalysis indicate kidney damage. Acute tubular necrosis is a common cause of acute kidney injury characterized by damage to the renal tubules, leading to impaired kidney function. The presence of granular casts and hematuria suggests tubular injury and bleeding within the kidney.
Choices A and B are incorrect as they refer to prerenal and postrenal causes of kidney injury, respectively, which do not align with the patient's symptoms and urinalysis findings.
Choice D is incorrect as a urinary tract infection would typically present with different symptoms and urinalysis findings.
Question 5 of 5
The patient’s potassium level is 7.0 mEq/L. Besides dialysis, which of the following actually reduces plasma potassium levels and total body potassium content safely in a patient with renal dysfunction?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Correct
Answer: C - Regular insulin
Rationale:
1. Insulin promotes cellular uptake of potassium.
2. When insulin is administered, it moves potassium from extracellular to intracellular space.
3. This decreases plasma potassium levels safely.
4. Other options do not directly lower potassium levels in the same manner.
Summary of Other
Choices:
A: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate - exchanges sodium for potassium in the intestines, not reducing total body potassium.
B: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate with sorbitol - similar to A, does not reduce total body potassium.
D: Calcium gluconate - does not directly lower potassium levels, used for treating hyperkalemia-induced cardiac toxicity.