ANCC CV-BC Certification Sample Questions

The ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification Certification Sample Question Set on this page is designed to familiarize you with the actual ANCC CV-BC exam format and question types. These sample questions help you understand how questions are structured and what to expect on test day. While they provide a useful starting point, they represent only a limited preview of the real exam experience.

These sample questions are intended for evaluation and familiarization only. To understand exam style, pacing, and reasoning patterns more clearly, we recommend trying our online sample practice environment. If you are preparing for the ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nurse-Board Certified (CV-BC) and want to assess your readiness more rigorously, structured, timed, scenario-based practice is recommended. This approach aligns with the cognitive demands and professional expectations typically associated with Registered Nurses, Cardiac or Cardiovascular Nurses, Acute Care and Specialty Care Nurses working in settings such as Hospitals and cardiac units, Cardiology clinics and outpatient care, Cardiac rehabilitation and specialty care settings.

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The demo introduces core concepts, while full-length premium simulations provide deeper, scenario-based coverage that more closely reflects the actual cognitive demands of the ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification exam, particularly in areas such as Cardiovascular patient assessment, Cardiac disease management and interventions, Cardiovascular nursing care coordination. You can use these sample questions as a starting point, then progress to the ANCC CV-BC Certification Practice Exam for stronger readiness. Our premium simulations are designed to mirror real exam conditions, helping you refine reasoning, pacing, and decision-making before your official exam attempt.

ANCC CV-BC Sample Questions:

01. A 63-year-old man is recovering on a telemetry unit after a myocardial infarction. On the third day he becomes acutely short of breath, and the nurse auscultates a loud new systolic murmur across the precordium that was not documented on admission.
Which conclusion should guide the nurse's next action?
a) A new mechanical complication of the infarction may have developed, requiring immediate escalation
b) The murmur was probably present on admission and was missed during a hurried initial assessment
c) The murmur may reflect the pericardial inflammation that commonly follows infarction and will settle with rest
d) The murmur is a benign flow sound produced by the faster heart rate that accompanies his breathlessness

02. A nurse beginning a shift on a telemetry unit receives handover on four patients.
Which patient should the nurse assess first?
a) A patient awaiting discharge after a pacemaker insertion who reports the site is sore when he lifts his arm
b) A patient with heart failure whose morning weight is up, and who is breathless on walking
c) A patient two hours after coronary angiography who says the dressing feels wet and his back has started aching
d) A patient with atrial fibrillation whose ventricular rate has been irregular overnight and who is asking for breakfast

03. A nurse observes a colleague administer a beta blocker whose order specifies withholding the dose if the heart rate falls below a stated parameter. The colleague did not check the rate before giving it. The patient appears well.
Which action should the nurse take?
a) Complete a safety report about the colleague and allow the review process to address it
b) Notify the prescriber, with the chart to hand, at the next review
c) Say nothing, since the patient appears well and no harm has resulted from the omission
d) Assess the patient now and speak directly with the colleague about the omitted step

04. A patient in a coronary care unit is being supported by an intra-aortic balloon pump inserted through the left femoral artery.
Which nursing assessment is essential during this support?
a) Passive range-of-motion exercises to the left hip, knee, and ankle, to prevent stiffness during the period of bed rest
b) The patient's ability to sit upright to at least a right angle for meals and visitors
c) Perfusion of the left leg compared with the right at the ordered frequency
d) Bowel sounds and abdominal softness assessed each shift to detect reduced gut perfusion

05. A patient on a step-down unit develops a sustained rapid rhythm with wide, uniform QRS complexes. He is awake and talking, though he says he feels his heart racing and looks pale. A radial pulse is palpable and his blood pressure is lower than his recorded baseline.
Which interpretation is most appropriate?
a) Artifact from a disconnected limb lead superimposed on the patient's underlying rhythm
b) A ventricular rhythm that is currently producing a pulse but may deteriorate at any moment
c) A supraventricular rhythm with a bundle branch pattern, which may need no urgency change
d) An accelerated escape rhythm protecting the patient from a failing sinus node

06. A patient several weeks after heart transplantation is starting a supervised exercise program. The nurse is planning how his response to activity will be monitored.
Which characteristic of the transplanted heart must the plan take into account?
a) The transplanted heart cannot increase its output during exercise, so activity is limited to gentle movement that is stopped when he tires
b) The transplanted heart is prone to sudden rate changes, so continuous rhythm monitoring is required for every session
c) The transplanted heart contracts more forcefully than a native heart, so exertion must be introduced very gradually
d) The transplanted heart no longer has its nerve supply, so the rate rises slowly at the start of exercise and falls slowly afterward

07. A patient supported by a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device is admitted to the unit. The nurse cannot palpate a radial pulse and the automated blood pressure cuff fails to produce a reading.
Which nursing action is most appropriate?
a) Assess perfusion using mentation, skin color and warmth, and urine output, and obtain a pressure by the method the device protocol specifies
b) Apply the cuff to the opposite arm, try a larger cuff size, and repeat the automated reading twice before assessing the patient any further
c) Record that the pulse and blood pressure are unobtainable and continue with the admission assessment
d) Begin chest compressions immediately and call for the resuscitation team

08. A patient with a large pericardial effusion has undergone pericardiocentesis, with a drainage catheter left in place. He is markedly improved and resting comfortably.
Which nursing surveillance is most important during the hours that follow?
a) Record the total drainage volume at the end of each shift for the fluid balance chart
b) Assess the puncture site for signs of infection, and change the dressing at the ordered intervals
c) Monitor rhythm and hemodynamic status alongside the catheter's drainage
d) Encourage deep breathing and coughing hourly to prevent postprocedure atelectasis

09. A patient with severe peripheral arterial disease has been advised to undergo bypass surgery. He tells the nurse he understands the risk to his leg without it and has decided against the operation. He answers questions clearly and can explain the consequences of his decision.
Which response is most appropriate?
a) Document the refusal and arrange for him to sign a form declining the recommended treatment
b) Explore what matters to him about the decision and ensure the team knows his refusal
c) Ask the family to help persuade him, since the risk of losing the limb is substantial
d) Explain that the surgery is the only way to save the limb and ask him to reconsider overnight

10. Two patients present to an ambulatory clinic with markedly elevated blood pressure. The first has a headache and feels anxious but has a normal neurologic examination and no chest or breathing symptoms. The second describes blurred vision that began this morning and has new confusion noted by her daughter.
How should the nurse characterize these two presentations?
a) Both require immediate emergency department transfer because of the height of the readings
b) The first is the emergency because headache and anxiety indicate a rising pressure that is not yet controlled
c) The first requires urgent review and control; the second shows evidence of organ injury and is an emergency
d) Neither is an emergency provided both patients are alert and able to give a history

Answers:

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Note: These sample questions are not official exam questions and are intended only for familiarization and study purposes. If you find any typos or data entry errors in these ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC) sample questions, please let us know by emailing us at feedback@medicoexam.com