Cardiac nursing answers for the bedside and the exam
Free, plain-language answers to the questions cardiac and critical care nurses ask most, from ABGs and drips to hemodynamics, IABP care and CCRN prep. Each is drawn from a Cardiac Nurse Playbooks guide written by cardiac nurse Angela Warman, BSN, RN, and each is educational reference only: your unit policy and facility references always win.
Where should I start?
How do you interpret an ABG step by step?
Use the same five steps every time, in the same order: check oxygenation against the FiO2, then decide whether the pH is acidemic, alkalemic or…
How do vasoactive drips (pressors and inotropes) work, and how do nurses titrate them safely?
Vasoactive drips work by stimulating specific receptors: alpha-1 constricts vessels and raises blood pressure, beta-1 strengthens and speeds the…
What are normal hemodynamic values, and what do CVP, PA pressures, cardiac output and SVR tell you?
Typical adult reference ranges are CVP 2–6 mmHg, PA pressure 15–30/8–15 mmHg, wedge 6–12 mmHg, cardiac output 4–8 L/min and SVR 800–1200…
What's the difference between STEMI and NSTEMI, and what does the nurse do for each?
STEMI shows ST elevation meeting criteria (or new LBBB in context) and means complete occlusion, so the nurse works on a clock of minutes: 12-lead…
How does an intra-aortic balloon pump work, and what does the nurse monitor?
An intra-aortic balloon pump is a counterpulsation device in the descending thoracic aorta. It inflates during diastole to raise coronary perfusion…
How do I survive orientation as a new grad nurse in the CVICU?
Treat orientation as training in judgment, not just tasks. Open every shift with a structured check of infusions, transducers, pacing wires and chest…
How should I study for the CCRN exam?
Study for the CCRN by answering practice questions, not by rereading. The exam tests application: short scenarios asking for the priority action.…
How do you interpret telemetry rhythms? A step-by-step method
Interpret every telemetry strip with the same six questions in the same order: rate, regularity, a P wave before every QRS, a QRS after every P wave,…
Which answer should I read first?
For the bedside, start with how to interpret an ABG step by step, how vasoactive drips work and how nurses titrate them, and the normal hemodynamic values with what CVP, PA pressures, cardiac output and SVR tell you. For rhythm and chest pain questions, read the telemetry method and the STEMI versus NSTEMI comparison.
What about devices, orientation and the exam?
The intra-aortic balloon pump guide covers how the pump works and what the nurse monitors. The CVICU guide is for surviving orientation as a new grad, and the CCRN guide is a study plan for the exam.
Who wrote these answers?
They are drawn from Cardiac Nurse Playbooks guides written by Angela Warman, BSN, RN, a cardiac cath lab nurse and former CVICU nurse.
Can I use these at work?
Treat them as study and reference material. They are educational, not medical advice and not a protocol. Verify every dose, setting and parameter against your facility's approved sources, and when this and your unit policy disagree, your unit policy wins.
What does a typical answer include?
Each guide opens with a short answer, then walks through the method step by step in plain language. For example, the ABG guide uses the same five steps every time, in the same order, and the hemodynamics guide gives typical adult reference ranges for CVP, PA pressure, wedge pressure, cardiac output and SVR so you can check what you see at the bedside against a published range.
Is there a full library behind these answers?
Cath lab, hemodynamics and mechanical support, CVICU and certification, as print-ready PDFs. $15 each, $49 per five-guide bundle, or all 20 for $109.
This article is educational reference material for licensed clinicians and students, drawn from a Cardiac Nurse Playbooks guide. It is not medical advice, not a protocol, and not a substitute for your facility's policies, physician orders, device manufacturer instructions for use, or current drug references. Any values shown are typical published reference figures; verify every dose, setting and parameter against your facility's approved sources. When this and your unit policy disagree, your unit policy wins.
Sources
Official and professional sources on the topic. Guidelines and handbooks are updated, so confirm current details there before you rely on this page. This is an independent study aid, not a clinical protocol.
- Get Your CCRN Certification (AACN). Explains CCRN (Adult) eligibility, exam fees, handbooks and study resources for nurses caring for critically ill adults.
- 2025 ACC/AHA/ACEP/NAEMSP/SCAI Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes (American Heart Association). Summarizes current guideline recommendations for acute-phase treatment of unstable angina, NSTEMI and STEMI.
- What Is an Arrhythmia? (NHLBI, NIH). Introduces arrhythmias as heart rate or rhythm problems and explains when irregular beats are a concern.