Common Board Questions (CBQ) in Nurse Licensure Examination (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM)

CBQ no. 1 How do clients experiencing angina? Describe that pain. Answers: Described as squeezing, heavy, burning, radiates to left arm or shoulder, transient or prolonged. CBQ no. 2 Develop a teaching plan for the client taking nitroglycerin. Answers: Take at first sign of anginal pain. Take no more than 3, five minutes apart. Call for emergency attention if no relief in 10 minutes. CBQ no. 3 List the parameters of blood pressure for diagnosing hypertension. Answers: >140/90 CBQ no. 4 Differentiate between essential and secondary hypertension. Answers: Essential has no known cause while secondary hypertension develops in response to an identifiable mechanism. CBQ no. 5 Develop a teaching plan for the client taking antihypertensive medications. Answers: Explain how and when to take med, reason for med, necessary of compliance, need for follow-up visits while on med, need for certain lab tests, vital sign parameters while initiating therapy. CBQ no. 6 Describe intermittent claudication. Answers: Pain related to peripheral vascular disease occurring with exercise and disappearing with rest. CBQ no. 7 Describe the nurses discharge instructions to a client with venous peripheral vascular disease. Answers: Keep extremities elevated when sitting, rest at first sign of pain, keep extremities warm (but do NOT use heating pad), change position often, avoid crossing legs, wear unrestrictive clothing. CBQ no. 8 What is often the underlying cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm? Answers: Atherosclerosis. CBQ no. 9 What lab values should be monitored daily for the client with thrombophlebitis who is undergoing anticoagulant therapy? Answers: PTT, PT, Hgb, and Hct, platelets. CBQ no. 10 When do PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) present a grave danger? Answers: When they begin to occur more often than once in 10 beats, occur in 2s or 3s, land near the T wave, or take on multiple configurations.

CBQ no. 11 Differentiate between the symptoms of left-sided cardiac failure and rightsided cardiac failure. Answers: Left-sided failure results in pulmonary congestion due to back-up of circulation in the left ventricle. Right-sided failure results in peripheral congestion due to back-up of circulation in the right ventricle. CBQ no. 12 List 3 symptoms of digitalis toxicity. Answers: Dysrhythmias, headache, nausea and vomiting CBQ no. 13 What condition increases the likelihood of digitalis toxicity occurring? Answers: When the client is hypokalemic (which is more common when diuretics and digitalis preparations are given together). CBQ no. 14 what life style changes can the client who is at risk for hypertension initiate to reduce the likelihood of becoming hypertensive? Answers: Cease cigarette smoking if applicable, control weight, exercise regularly, and maintain a low-fat/low-cholesterol diet. CBQ no. 15 What immediate actions should the nurse implement when a client is having a myocardial infarction? Answers: Place the client on immediate strict bedrest to lower oxygen demands of heart, administer oxygen by nasal cannula at 2-5 L/min., take measures to alleviate pain and anxiety (administer prn pain medications and anti-anxiety medications). CBQ no. 16 What symptoms should the nurse expect to find in the client with hypokalemia? Answers: Dry mouth and thirst, drowsiness and lethargy, muscle weakness and aches, and tachycardia. CBQ no. 17 Bradycardia is defined as a heart rate below ___ BPM. Tachycardia is defined as a heart rate above ___ BPM. Answers: bradycardia 60 bpm; tachycardia 100 bpm CBQ no. 18 What precautions should clients with valve disease take prior to invasive procedures or dental work? Answers: Take prophylactic antibiotics.