PCCN practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q11What is the most fast-acting pharmaceutical intervention in treating hypertensive crisis?
✓ Correct answer: B. Sodium nitroprusside
Intravenous sodium nitroprusside is the first-line treatment for hypertensive crisis.<br/><br/>It is a fast-acting drug.<br/><br/>Clonidine, Captopril, Amlodipine, and Indapamide are anti-hypertensives.<br/><br/>Other medications are also utilized if sodium nitroprusside is not available, although it will take a while before they start to work.<br/><br/>Sodium nitroprusside gradually brings the blood pressure down to normal after initial treatment.
Q12You are providing preoperative care to a patient who has a history of congestive heart failure. Of the following, for which condition is this patient at elevated risk?
✓ Correct answer: C. myocardial infarction
Patients with a history of cardiovascular problems, including congestive heart failure, are at higher risk for myocardial infarction during and post surgery. The stresses of surgery and anesthesia contribute to this risk.
Q13An angiogram, fractional flow reserve, intravascular ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography are all types of <code>________</code> cardiac catheterizations.
✓ Correct answer: D. Diagnostic
An angiogram, fractional flow reserve (FFR), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and optical coherence tomography (OTC) are all examples of a diagnostic cardiac catheterization. An angiogram shows blockages and narrow arteries using dye. A FFR measures the pressure of blood flow through arteries. An IVUS and OTC both measure blocked and narrowed arteries to diagnose coronary artery disease.
Q14Which of the following is NOT a test to diagnose an arterial or venous occlusion?
✓ Correct answer: C. Testing a blood sample for cholesterol
Testing a blood sample for cholesterol is not a diagnostic test for arterial and venous occlusions. Cholesterol levels can help determine a person's risk for occlusions, but they are not used to diagnose occlusions.
Q15What is TRUE about angina?
✓ Correct answer: C. A reduced flow of the blood or low oxygen content.
Patients with angina have low oxygen levels or a decreased blood flow.
Q16What are stroke or cerebrovascular accidents classified as?
✓ Correct answer: D. Ischemic and hemorrhagic
Hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes are the two types of cerebrovascular accidents. Hemorrhagic strokes arise from the rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure, while ischemic strokes are those that are brought on by a disruption in the blood supply. Ischemia and hemorrhage account for 87% and 3% of strokes respectively.
Q17Which of the following statements regarding an ECG or electrocardiogram is FALSE?
✓ Correct answer: C. The ECG is simple to interpret and simple to use.
Electrocardiograms, often known as ECGs, are frequently used as diagnostic tools to diagnose individuals with known or suspected cardiac disease.<br/><br/>It offers a visual representation of the electrical forces generated by a patient's heart.<br/><br/>Although the data is easy to use, it is difficult to interpret, and its accuracy is only limited.
Q18Which of the following is NOT a suspected cause of aneurysms?
✓ Correct answer: A. Elevated calcium levels
Elevated calcium levels are not known to be a cause of aneurysms.
Q19Which of the following common concerns requires vascular surgery?
✓ Correct answer: B. Concerns like aneurysms and occlusions require vascular surgery
Concerns like aneurysms and occlusions are common concerns that require vascular surgery.
Q20A 50-year-old patient makes an appointment after discovering a painless lump on her left breast during her monthly self exam. Based on what finding would the nurse suspect the lump could be cancerous?
✓ Correct answer: C. a nonmobile mass with irregular edges
Tumors are typically hard and fixed in one place with edges that feel uneven or irregular. If the mass was able to move or soft to touch, this would suggest a fluid-filled cyst, which is benign. Nipple leakage or swollen lymph nodes are generally signs of an infection, not cancer.
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Theory