CMSRN Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CMSRN exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CMSRN Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CMSRN Topics to Study (80)
✍️ Sample CMSRN Questions & Answers
1. A nurse is caring for a patient with heart failure who develops frothy, pink-tinged sputum and severe dyspnea. What is the priority nursing intervention?
Frothy pink-tinged sputum indicates pulmonary edema, and the priority is to position upright to reduce preload and administer supplemental oxygen.
2. During spinal anesthesia, a patient's blood pressure drops from 130/80 to 75/40 mmHg. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate FIRST?
Hypotension following spinal anesthesia results from sympathetic blockade; vasopressors (ephedrine or phenylephrine) combined with IV fluids are the first-line treatment.
3. A patient with hepatic encephalopathy is prescribed lactulose. What is the primary therapeutic goal of this medication?
Lactulose acidifies the colon, trapping ammonia as ammonium ion and promoting its fecal excretion, thereby reducing the serum ammonia causing encephalopathy.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient who had an abdominal hysterectomy 2 days ago. The patient reports a sudden onset of shortness of breath and pleuritic chest pain. The nurse's first action should be to:
Positioning upright and applying oxygen immediately addresses hypoxia while further evaluation is initiated for suspected pulmonary embolism.
5. A nurse is caring for a patient receiving a blood transfusion who develops fever, flank pain, and dark urine. What is the priority nursing action?
These symptoms indicate an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, requiring immediate cessation of the transfusion to prevent further harm.
6. A patient who just had a colostomy surgery expresses distress about body image changes. Which nursing intervention is the priority?
Establishing therapeutic communication by allowing the patient to express feelings and validating concerns is the priority before education or referrals when addressing psychosocial distress.