10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,050-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The CDN exam has 150 questions and runs 3 hours.
These 10 free CDN questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Certified Dialysis Nurse blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
During hemodialysis, the removal of excess fluid from the patient's blood is accomplished PRIMARILY by which mechanism?
Correct answer: C - Hydrostatic pressure creating a pressure gradient across the dialyzer membrane
Ninety minutes into treatment, a nurse observes that the blood in the venous line is dark cranberry-colored. The patient reports back pain, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Which action should the nurse take FIRST?
Correct answer: B - Clamp the lines and stop the pump without returning blood
A patient dialyzing three times weekly has a pre-dialysis BUN of 74 mg/dL and a post-dialysis BUN of 25 mg/dL. Based on this treatment, the nurse should recognize that the patient's urea reduction ratio is:
Correct answer: A - 66%, which is below the recommended target
Anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin during hemodialysis is MOST appropriately monitored using which laboratory test?
Correct answer: C - Activated clotting time
A nurse assessing a two-year-old arteriovenous fistula notes that the bruit, previously a low-pitched continuous rumble, is now high-pitched and discontinuous. A thrill is still palpable. This finding is MOST consistent with:
Correct answer: D - Stenosis within the venous outflow of the fistula
A patient suddenly develops dyspnea, cyanosis, and chest tightness, and the nurse hears a churning sound in the venous line. After clamping the venous line and stopping the blood pump, the nurse should position the patient:
Correct answer: B - On the left side with the head of the bed lowered
A patient with a persistently elevated serum phosphorus states, "I take my calcium acetate about an hour after I finish eating so it doesn't upset my stomach." The nurse's BEST response is to explain that the medication should be taken:
Correct answer: A - With meals and snacks so it can bind the phosphorus in the food
A patient care technician tells the nurse, "The patient in chair 6 has a blood pressure of 84/48 and says he feels a little dizzy." Which action should the nurse take FIRST?
Correct answer: C - Go to the patient and perform a focused nursing assessment
Four patients are scheduled for the same shift. Based on CDC recommendations for hemodialysis settings, which patient must be dialyzed in a separate room with a dedicated machine and dedicated staff?
Correct answer: C - A patient who is hepatitis B surface antigen positive
A patient arrives for treatment with a serum potassium of 6.8 mEq/L. Which electrocardiographic change would the nurse expect to appear EARLIEST?
Correct answer: B - Tall, peaked T waves
The CDN exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:
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