Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Flashcards
6 cards from real CRRN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation flashcards as text
A patient enrolled in Phase II cardiac rehabilitation after MI is exercising on a treadmill. Which heart rate finding is the THRESHOLD for stopping the session?
Answer: Heart rate exceeding the prescribed target range or symptoms of angina/dyspnea
Cardiac rehab exercise should stop if the patient's heart rate exceeds the individualized prescribed limit or if symptoms such as angina, dyspnea, or dizziness occur.
A rehabilitation nurse is educating a patient about the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale for home exercise after heart failure. Which RPE level indicates APPROPRIATE exercise intensity?
Answer: RPE 11–14 (fairly light to somewhat hard)
An RPE of 11–14 on the 6–20 Borg scale represents moderate exercise intensity, which is safe and therapeutic for most cardiac rehabilitation patients.
A patient with COPD is learning pursed-lip breathing in pulmonary rehabilitation. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this technique?
Answer: Slow exhalation to reduce air trapping and dynamic hyperinflation
Pursed-lip breathing creates back-pressure that slows expiratory flow, preventing small airway collapse and reducing dynamic hyperinflation in COPD.
A rehabilitation nurse is assessing a patient one week post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Which finding requires IMMEDIATE reporting?
Answer: Sternal clicking with movement and fever of 101.8°F
Sternal instability (clicking) combined with fever suggests sternal dehiscence or mediastinitis, a life-threatening post-CABG complication requiring emergent evaluation.
Which oxygen saturation level during pulmonary rehabilitation exercise REQUIRES supplemental oxygen to be initiated or increased?
Answer: SpO2 < 88%
An SpO2 below 88% during exercise indicates significant hypoxemia requiring supplemental oxygen to prevent exercise-induced desaturation complications.
A patient in cardiac rehab has a resting blood pressure of 180/105 mmHg before the exercise session. What is the APPROPRIATE nursing action?
Answer: Withhold exercise and notify the physician
A resting BP ≥ 180/110 mmHg is a contraindication to cardiac rehabilitation exercise; the nurse should withhold exercise and notify the supervising physician.
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