Renal and urinary: RCSI aptitude test practice questions
About this topic
Renal and urinary on the RCSI theory paper
Urinalysis and dipstick, UTI, catheter care and CAUTI prevention, specimen collection, urine output.
20 multiple-choice questions, each with an explanation and the document it was checked against. Three questions are free; the pass opens the other 17 and every other topic. Wrong answers come back first the next time you practise, and a question counts as mastered after two correct answers in a row.
Sample questions from this topic
Question 1
When should a catheter drainage bag be emptied, and how often changed, according to the HSE?
- AEmpty hourly; change every month
- BEmpty when completely full; change the bag every day
- CEmpty twice a day; change the bag every 3 days or when soiled
- DEmpty at half to three-quarters full; change every 7 days
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Answer: D. HSE: empty the bag when it is half to three-quarters full so its weight does not pull on the catheter, wash hands before and after, wipe the outlet with a tissue, and change the bag every 7 days.
Question 2
A catheterised patient develops fever, rigors, cloudy offensive urine and new confusion. What should the nurse suspect and do?
- AChange the drainage bag and continue the routine observations
- BIncrease oral fluids, keep the bag below the bladder and recheck tomorrow
- CSepsis screen, escalate, CSU aseptically, review the catheter
- DGive paracetamol and document the temperature
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Answer: C. Fever, rigors, offensive urine and new confusion in a catheterised patient suggest catheter-associated UTI progressing to sepsis. Record INEWS, screen for sepsis, escalate, obtain a catheter specimen of urine aseptically from the sampling port, and review whether the catheter is still needed.
Source: HSE: Urinary catheter
Question 3
When changing a drainage bag, what step protects the closed system?
- ALet the catheter drain freely into a bowl for a few minutes first
- BPinch the catheter and connect the new bag without touching the tip
- CRinse and reuse the old bag
- DRinse the connector under running water before attaching the bag
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Answer: B. HSE bag change: wash hands, pinch the catheter above the connection, disconnect the old bag, and immediately connect the new one without touching the tip. Keeping the system closed prevents bacteria entering.
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Documents behind these questions
Every fact was checked against the public document named on the answer. This topic draws on: