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Free Practice Quiz Question List

5 Responding to Critical Laboratory Findings Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 5 Responding to Critical Laboratory Findings, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions
01
True or false
1 point

True or false: Critical-value thresholds and reporting timelines can vary by laboratory, patient population, and care setting, so staff should follow the facility’s policy.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False

02
Choose one
1 point

A patient with acute kidney injury has a potassium of 6.7 mEq/L, weakness, and new peaked T waves on the monitor. The laboratory says the specimen may be hemolyzed. What should the nurse do first?

  1. A

    Wait for a repeat potassium result before contacting anyone because the specimen may be hemolyzed.

  2. B

    Assess the patient and urgently escalate the result and ECG changes while maintaining cardiac monitoring.

  3. C

    Document the result and wait for the next routine clinician round.

  4. D

    Independently start treatment for hyperkalemia before notifying the responsible clinician.

03
Fill in the blank
1 point

A confused patient who is NPO has a glucose of 42 mg/dL and cannot swallow safely. Do not give ; follow the severe-hypoglycemia protocol for nonoral treatment.

04
Choose one
1 point

A patient with a sodium of 118 mEq/L develops worsening confusion and a seizure. What is the priority response?

  1. A

    Activate the emergency response, protect the patient from injury, and support airway and breathing while help arrives.

  2. B

    Leave the patient briefly to obtain a repeat sodium result before deciding whether to escalate.

  3. C

    Attempt to correct the sodium independently before notifying the responsible clinician.

  4. D

    Wait for the responsible clinician to call back before taking safety measures.

05
True or false
1 point

True or false: Once a critical result appears in the patient’s chart, it is safely managed even if no clinician has acknowledged it.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False

06
Written response
1 point

According to facility policy, what communication method should be used to verify a critical result received verbally?

07
Fill in the blank
1 point

To close the loop on a critical result, confirm that the right clinician has it and that a has been made.

08
Choose one
1 point

A patient has a critical hemoglobin of 6.4 g/dL, new shortness of breath, and tachycardia. Which response is most appropriate?

  1. A

    Assume that every patient below a single hemoglobin cutoff requires the same treatment.

  2. B

    Wait for routine rounds because the laboratory has already flagged the result.

  3. C

    Assess the patient, report the symptoms with the result, and escalate promptly for a clinical plan.

  4. D

    Make the transfusion decision independently based only on the hemoglobin value.

09
Written response
1 point

What communication concept describes confirming that a critical result was received, acknowledged, and acted upon?

10
Choose all
1 point

Which actions are part of a reliable response to a critical laboratory finding? Select all that apply.

  1. A

    Verify the patient, test, result, units, and relevant laboratory comments.

  2. B

    Assess the patient’s current condition rather than relying on the number alone.

  3. C

    Wait for a repeat test before escalating any potentially critical result.

  4. D

    Confirm that the appropriate clinician acknowledged the result and that a plan was made.

11
Choose all
1 point

A patient being treated for infection has a newly positive blood culture, fever, tachycardia, hypotension, and new confusion. Which actions are appropriate? Select all that apply.

  1. A

    Assess the patient immediately and alert the responsible clinician; activate the facility pathway as indicated.

  2. B

    Wait for the next routine round because the culture result is already documented.

  3. C

    Report the positive culture together with the hypotension, tachycardia, fever, and new confusion.

  4. D

    Follow facility procedures for monitoring and time-sensitive treatment.

12
Choose one
1 point

You report a critical result and leave a message, but no clinician acknowledges it and the patient is deteriorating. What should you do?

  1. A

    Wait for the original clinician to return the call before taking further action.

  2. B

    Activate the rapid-response or emergency system now and continue escalation through the facility pathway.

  3. C

    Send another message and assume the result is managed once it is delivered.

  4. D

    Repeat the test and postpone escalation until the result is available.

13
Open ended
1 point

After responding to a critical result, what information should the nurse document, and what must be confirmed to ensure follow-through?

14
Choose one
1 point

A laboratory reports a result that may be critical, but you are unsure whether it meets the cutoff you remember. What is the safest approach?

  1. A

    Wait until the result reaches a memorized universal cutoff before taking action.

  2. B

    Follow the facility’s critical-value policy, assess the patient, and promptly escalate concerning findings.

  3. C

    Repeat the test before assessing the patient or notifying anyone.

  4. D

    Use the same threshold and reporting timeline for every patient and care setting.

15
Written response
1 point

If a patient with a critical laboratory finding is deteriorating, which facility system should you activate? Enter the system name.

16
Written response
1 point

A patient who is NPO becomes confused and diaphoretic, and point-of-care glucose is 42 mg/dL. The patient cannot swallow safely. What route category should the approved treatment use? Enter one term.

17
Choose one
1 point

After responding to a critical laboratory finding, which documentation best supports safe follow-through?

  1. A

    Document only the laboratory result because it is already in the chart.

  2. B

    Document the result, notification and read-back, assessment, actions, response, and follow-up plan.

  3. C

    Document the result and wait to add the assessment and actions until the next routine note.

  4. D

    Document only the clinician’s name and the time the message was sent.

18
Choose one
1 point

You report a critical result, but no clinician acknowledges it. The patient is worsening. What is the best next response?

  1. A

    Assume leaving a message completes escalation and document that it was sent.

  2. B

    Wait for the next routine round before contacting anyone else.

  3. C

    Continue through the facility escalation chain until a qualified clinician acknowledges the result and a plan is established; activate the emergency response if the patient is deteriorating.

  4. D

    Send the result again through the chart and take no further action.

19
Choose one
1 point

A patient being treated for infection has a newly positive blood culture and is febrile, tachycardic, hypotensive, and newly confused. Which response is best?

  1. A

    Wait for the next routine round because the patient is already being treated for infection.

  2. B

    Focus on the culture result alone and defer assessment until all test results are available.

  3. C

    Notify the clinician only if the fever continues after the next scheduled vital-sign check.

  4. D

    Assess immediately, alert the responsible clinician, and activate the facility sepsis or rapid-response pathway as indicated.

20
True or false
1 point

True or false: If a nurse leaves a message about a critical result and the patient is worsening, escalation is complete even though no clinician has acknowledged the result.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False