LVN Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield LVN facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A patient with OCD spends 3 hours per day washing their hands. The LVN's INITIAL approach should be? → Allow the ritual while collaborating with the treatment team to gradually reduce it.
2. What information should be documented after administering medication? → Drug name, dose, route, time, patient response, and the nurse's initials
3. The nurse is calculating fluid maintenance for a 20 kg child using the Holliday-Segar method. What is the correct 24-hour fluid requirement? → 1600 mL
4. Which documentation practice best protects the LVN from legal liability? → Documenting objectively, accurately, and contemporaneously with care provided
5. A veteran with PTSD becomes startled by a car backfiring and runs out of the waiting room. The nurse's PRIORITY intervention is to: → Follow the patient and begin grounding techniques in a calm voice
6. What is the normal range for fetal heart rate (FHR)? → 110–160 beats per minute
7. A physician's written order is illegible. What is the most appropriate action for the LVN? → Call the physician to clarify the order before proceeding
8. The nurse is teaching a patient about iron-rich foods to treat iron-deficiency anemia. Which food is the best source of heme iron? → Lean beef
9. The LVN is preparing to change a sterile dressing. Which action would break sterile technique? → Reaching across the sterile field to place supplies
10. An LVN is caring for a patient in contact precautions. In what order should PPE be donned before entering the room? → Gown, mask, goggles, gloves
11. When providing care for a patient from a culture where eye contact is considered disrespectful, the nurse should: → Adapt communication style to respect the patient's cultural norm
12. A nurse is preparing a child for a painful procedure. Which non-pharmacological comfort measure is most appropriate for a 4-year-old? → Distraction with a favorite toy or video during the procedure
13. Which nursing response BEST demonstrates therapeutic communication when a patient states, 'I feel like no one understands me'? → 'Tell me more about what you're experiencing.'
14. A patient scores 14 on the Braden Scale. What does this indicate? → Moderate pressure ulcer risk
15. A patient in wrist restraints should be assessed and the restraints released for how long at minimum every 2 hours? → 10 minutes
16. Which action should the LVN take when disposing of an unused controlled substance after partial administration? → Waste the remainder in the presence of a witness and document per facility policy
17. What is the normal respiratory rate for a healthy newborn? → 30–60 breaths per minute
18. Which of the following reusable medical equipment requires high-level disinfection (HLD) before reuse? → Flexible endoscopes
19. An LVN is caring for a client with C. difficile (C. diff). Which hand hygiene method is most appropriate? → Soap and water handwashing
20. A patient says 'I feel like nobody cares about me.' Which LVN response best demonstrates therapeutic communication? → That must be a very difficult feeling to carry.
21. A patient has 3+ pitting edema. When the nurse presses on the ankle, the indentation: → Is 6 mm deep and takes up to 1 minute to rebound
22. A patient refuses their scheduled medication. The LVN's best response is to: → Respect the refusal, document it, and notify the provider
23. Which dressing type is BEST for a wound with minimal exudate that requires a moist healing environment and protection from external contamination? → Hydrocolloid dressing
24. An LVN observes signs of physical abuse on an elderly patient admitted from a nursing home. The LVN is legally required to: → Report the suspected abuse to the supervisor and appropriate authorities
25. When administering a transdermal patch, the LVN should: → Remove the old patch, clean the skin, and rotate sites with each new patch
26. A 7-year-old with acute rheumatic fever is prescribed penicillin. The nurse explains this medication is given primarily to: → Eliminate Group A streptococcal infection and prevent carditis progression
27. Which ethical principle is MOST directly upheld when an LVN keeps a patient's diagnosis confidential from unauthorized visitors? → Confidentiality/Fidelity
28. An LVN is caring for a patient with moderate Alzheimer's disease who repeatedly asks where she is. What is the best response? → Redirect and reassure her calmly each time
29. Which of the following is NOT appropriate to include in an incident report? → Opinion about whose fault the incident was
30. Which clinical finding is associated with hypocalcemia? → Chvostek's sign