ABG

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. The nurse has just received arterial blood gas (ABG) results on four patients. Which result is most
important to report rapidly to the health care provider?
a. pH 7.34, PaO2 82 mm Hg, PaCO2 40 mm Hg, and O2 sat 97%
b. pH 7.35, PaO2 85 mm Hg, PaCO2 45 mm Hg, and O2 sat 95%
c. pH 7.46, PaO2 90 mm Hg, PaCO2 32 mm Hg, and O2 sat 98%
d. pH 7.31, PaO2 91 mm Hg, PaCO2 50 mm Hg, and O2 sat 96%

____ 2. The nurse interprets which arterial blood gas values as partially compensated metabolic acidosis?
a. pH 7.28, HCO3– 19 mEq/L, PCO2 45 mm Hg, PO2 96 mm Hg
b. pH 7.45, HCO3– 22 mEq/L, PCO2 40 mm Hg, PO2 98 mm Hg
c. pH 7.32, HCO3– 17 mEq/L, PCO2 25 mm Hg, PO2 98 mm Hg
d. pH 7.48, HCO3– 28 mEq/L, PCO2 45 mm Hg, PO2 92 mm Hg

____ 3. The nurse correlates which arterial blood gas values as consistent with noncompensated respiratory
acidosis?
a. pH 7.28, HCO3– 12 mEq/L, PCO2 45 mm Hg, PO2 96 mm Hg
b. pH 7.32, HCO3– 17 mEq/L, PCO2 25 mm Hg, PO2 98 mm Hg
c. pH 7.34, HCO3– 26 mEq/L, PCO2 65 mm Hg, PO2 78 mm Hg
d. pH 7.48, HCO3– 12 mEq/L, PCO2 35 mm Hg, PO2 85 mm Hg

____ 4. A patient who has required prolonged mechanical ventilation has the following arterial blood gas
results: pH 7.48, PaO2 85 mm Hg, PaCO2 32 mm Hg, and HCO3 25 mEq/L. The nurse interprets
these results as
a. metabolic acidosis.
b. metabolic alkalosis.
c. respiratory acidosis.
d. respiratory alkalosis.

____ 5. A patient has the following arterial blood gas (ABG) results: pH 7.32, PaO2 88 mm Hg, PaCO2 37
mm Hg, and HCO3 16 mEq/L. The nurse interprets these results as
a. metabolic acidosis.
b. metabolic alkalosis.
c. respiratory acidosis.
d. respiratory alkalosis.