Practice Quiz

CEN Practice Exam (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Category - Shock

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You are caring for a patient in cardiogenic shock who has a multilumen pulmonary artery catheter in place. What cardiac output (CO) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) would you see if the patient were unstable?
  1. CO 5 L/min, PCWP low
  2. CO 4 L/min, PCWP high
  3. CO 3 L/min, PCWP high
  4. CO 2 L/min, PCWP low
Explanation
Answer: C - A CO 3 L/min and PCWP that is high would indicate that the patient in cardiogenic shock is unstable. Normal cardiac output is 4 to 8 L/min. The heart fails to pump, which leads to the cardiac output falling and PCWP rising.
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