Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation for NCLEX Quiz (40 Questions)

Updated on

May 27, 2025

Arterial Blood Gas Nursing Test Banks for NCLEX RN

Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Practice Quiz
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Let us help you review the concepts behind arterial blood gas interpretation for the NCLEX with these acid-base balance practice questions.

Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Practice Quiz

In this section are the practice problems and questions for arterial blood gas interpretation. This nursing test bank set includes 40 questions divided into two parts. Includes topics are arterial blood gas interpretation, acid-base balance and imbalances, respiratory acidosis and alkalosis, and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis.

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Quizzes included in this ABG nursing test bank are:

Quiz No.	Quiz Title	Questions
1	Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Practice Exam	20
2	Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Challenge Exam	20

Arterial Blood Gas Reviewer

For your reviewer on the concepts behind arterial blood gas (ABGs) and interpretation, please visit:

Arterial Blood Gas Analysis Made Easy with Tic-Tac-Toe Method

Recommended Resources

Recommended books and resources for your NCLEX success:

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Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN
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43 responses to “Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation for NCLEX Quiz (40 Questions)”

Thompson Egbudu

September 24, 2020

Thank you for work done so far. god bless you.
I’ll like you to review this question No:20 under ABGs NCLEX Quiz 2. The correct answer you gave contradicts with the rationale -” For these ABG values, pH is NORMAL but slightly acidic and lines up with PACO2 which is METABOLIC. Therefore, this group of ABG values is considered METABOLIC ALKALOSIS.” Thank you.. pls see below.

20. Question
Match the acid-base status of the following blood samples to the disorders in the given choices. (PaCO2 values are in mm Hg and bicarbonate values in mmol/l).

pH 7.39, PaCO2 59, HCO3- 35

A. Respiratory Acidosis, Uncompensated
B. Metabolic Alkalosis, Uncompensated
C. Respiratory Acidosis, Fully Compensated
D. Metabolic Alkalosis, Partially Compensated
Correct
Correct Answer: C. Respiratory Acidosis, Fully Compensated

Based on the given ABG values, pH is 7.39. For pH, the normal range is 7.35 to 7.45. So it is NORMAL.
PaCO2 is 59. The normal range for PaCO2 is from 35 to 45. If PaCO2 is above 45, it is acidosis. Based on the given ABG values, PaCO2 is above 45, so it is considered ACIDOSIS.
HCO3- is 35. The normal range for HCO3 is from 22 to 26. If HCO3 is above 26, it is alkalosis. Based on the given ABG values, HCO3 is above 26, so it is considered ALKALOSIS.
For these ABG values, pH is NORMAL but slightly acidic and lines up with PACO2 which is METABOLIC. Therefore, this group of ABG values is considered METABOLIC ALKALOSIS.
Lastly, it is FULLY COMPENSATED because pH is normal. It is considered fully compensated if pH is normal.

Thompson.

Reply
1. aliyah
  
  June 14, 2021
  
  Agreed, the symptoms also line up with patient being alkalosis as well: irritability and diarrhea. Assuming SaO2 levels are normal, increased respirations would point to alkalosis as well.
  
  Reply
2. noreen
  
  June 19, 2021
  
  I beg to disagree with your analysis.
  The answer is correct Respiratory Acidosis with Fully compensated. The pH is within normal limits, the PCO2 is high meaning respiratory aspect is getting acidotic and because the respiratory is getting acidotic the kidney which the HCO3 is compensating well by increasing.
  
  Reply
  1. Judith
    
    June 27, 2021
    
    The answer is Respiratory acidosis; fully compensated.
3. Regina
  
  October 29, 2021
  
  Hi Thompson,
  
  I respectfully disagree with your analysis of the question as well. Since the pH is within normal limits, it is fully compensated, you are correct. The absolute normal for pH is 7.4, so since 7.39 is below the absolute it is still considered acidic. From there, The PaCO2 is elevated above normal range of 35-45, along with HCO3- elevated from the normal range of 22-26. HCO3- is elevated due to renal compensation. We know with respiratory disorders of ABGs, respiratory values go in opposite directions of one another and metabolic values go in the same directions (ROME method). Therefore, this situation is respiratory acidosis.
  
  Reply
  1. rio
    
    December 19, 2022
    
    I agree.
4. Batule
  
  December 5, 2021
  
  This is fully compesated Respiratory acidosis because PCO2 is corrected by respiratory system and not metabolism as it does the Kidney to HCO3
  
  Reply
5. Afra
  
  February 3, 2022
  
  No, the answer should be Respiratory Acidosis. PaCO2 is respiratory fully compensated.
  
  Reply
6. SHEEBA DANIEL
  
  December 20, 2022
  
  Very good explanation — simple and understanding
  
  Reply
7. Marion
  
  February 18, 2023
  
  You are correct Thompson, that there is compensation. This is because the bicarb has increased, providing a normal ph. A client with a PaCO2 of 59 is still having respiratory issues despite the body compensating. In response to Aliyah, Increased respirations are an attempt to get rid of more CO2.
  
  Reply
Adline Merrill

October 3, 2020

i love this material i never understand before

Reply
RAHAMATA ADAMS

October 6, 2020

A 73year man has been admitted to the unit with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .he states that he has difficulty breathing when walking short distance .he also states that his heart feels like it is racing at the same time .he states that he is tired all the time and while talking to you he is continually wringing his hands and looking out the windows.1.Identify the 4 health problem of the patient.2.formulate the nursing diagnosis

Reply
Jasmine

October 11, 2020

Thompson,
The PaCo2 is high and the pH is normal but slightly acidic because it is on the lower end. Using the ROME method, this would make it respiratory acidosis, fully compensated. I recommend using the ROME method (respiratory opposite metabolic equal).

Reply
ALI

October 17, 2020

B. Metabolic Acidosis, Partially Compensated

REASON: NORMAL
pH (ACID 0 10 ALK)
CO2 (ACID 100 0 ALK.)
HCO3 (ACID 0 50 ALK)

Reply
Deogracious Bulegyeya

December 1, 2020

Thanks for this topic of ABGs here on NCLEX
I have understood this topic than I did ever in my academic career

Reply
1. Eunice
  
  May 28, 2021
  
  Thanks for the lesson I can answer the question correctly
  
  Reply
Fred D. Sonya

December 19, 2020

In the Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Practice Quiz (Part 1: 20 Items), I think the correct answer to Q3. should have been : Respiratory Alkalosis, Partially Compensated. Please revisit and let me know. Thanks for the resources.

Reply
Fred D Sonya

December 19, 2020

The answer is quite in order. Pls disregard comment. Thanks

Reply
Irvin R Vaughn

January 7, 2021

This ABG’s study with the practice quiz was great and help me understand the difference in acidosis and alkalosis, respiratory versus metabolic and also compensated as well as uncompensated to fully compensated. Thanks for the resources.

Reply
IW Mashoud

January 8, 2021

The blood Ph is more towards Acidic. the PaCo2 is elevated, which is always an indicator for respiratory acidosis.
the HCO3 is also elevated, but an elevated HCO3 is is also always an indicator for Metabolic Alkalosis.
Since the Ph of the blood is is towards acidity, and the PaCO2 is elevated, the patient is in respiratory acidosis, the HCO3 is also elevated because homeostasis have set in an the body needs to form more alkaines to compensate for the increased acidity. since the Ph of the blood, though towards acidity but still within normal, that means the RESPIRATORY ACIDOSIS IS FULLY COMPENSATED.

Reply
angeline

March 21, 2021

This is such a helpful one> thank you so much for sharing this.

Reply
anna l

April 5, 2021

Very helpful and informative

Reply
1. Matt Vera, BSN, R.N.
  
  April 8, 2021
  
  Thank you!
  
  Reply
Ann marie Green

May 7, 2021

This helpful thank you so much for sharing.

Reply
Jennifer Mensah

August 3, 2021

The answer is Respiratory Acidosis, Fully compensated. This is because the ph is within normal range and based on the principle of ROME which is Respiratory Opposite Metabolic Equal, the PCO2 of 59 is Acidotic. Therefore, the PCO2 is Opposite to the ph (7.39) meaning that the result is Respiratory Acidosis, Fully compensated.

Reply
Charity

August 31, 2021

Really helpful. Thanks

Reply
vickie

October 16, 2021

Thanks for the lecture and this quiz. Now I understand ABG better and it will be quite helpful in my practice!

Reply
am

February 21, 2022

This was very helpful. I truly understand ABG and compensation now. Love that the questions were NCLEA style questions

Reply
Simone

February 23, 2022

For #9 shouldn’t the answer be Metabolic Alkalosis, Fully Compensated?

Reply
1. omar hameed
  
  April 9, 2022
  
  why metabolic? it’s Asmathic baby! with Pco2 is 72, so it’s resp acidosis, the body inorder to compensate raises the bicarbonate to 38, so it’s fully compensated
  
  Reply
Cindy Mwaniki

March 7, 2022

Everything was well explained and understood,thank you

Reply
Dr

April 18, 2022

Hello Thompson and other colleges,

I disagree as well. Please read the case history before reading the ABG chart. The PH was leaning towards acidic hence being compensated. It’s not metabolic alkalosis.

Reply
Dino Lomedico

May 29, 2022

Known about blood gases in 1974 as a Navy Corpsman and now an RN, this tic tac toe made it as simple as ever, and it is free. Awesome lesson! A+!
While reading, I thought that the Allen test, which is needed to show blood flow to the hand, would be intact if the radial artery was damaged while drawing arterial blood, thus dependent on the ulnar artery. Seen myriads of ABGs but do not recall an Allen test ever being done. This lesson was EXCELLENT, systematic, step by step.

Reply
Dee

September 23, 2022

Shouldn’t number 1 have been uncompensated respiratory acidosis? Partially compensated is when all 3 variables are abnormal, and the HCO3 was normal in this case.

Reply
Lee

January 12, 2023

The answer for this question should be Respiratory Acidosis, partially compensated. HCO3 is in normal range.

Reply
1. Cherry
  
  September 8, 2023
  
  No, because partially compensated is NOTHING IS NORMAL
  
  Reply
Rachael

February 9, 2023

Wonderful practice questions.

Reply
James Romelus

February 25, 2023

Great practice questions. I had 19 right answers and the one I did not get still don’t make sense to me. Because I though the highest is the altitude, the less oxygen is present in the air and it is most likely for the person’s PaCO2 to goes up. But it was the opposite

Reply
Rose E.Chitseko

August 21, 2023

Helpful

Reply
Acquah Myles Gerald

October 30, 2023

Helpful

Reply
1. Matt Vera BSN, R.N.
  
  November 2, 2023
  
  Hi Acquah, Glad to hear it was helpful! If there’s anything else you’re looking to understand better or need more info on, just let me know. Here to help!
  
  Reply
Mireri

April 4, 2024

The answer should be fully compensated respiratory acidosis since the PCO2 is elevated and is being compensated by the kidney due to increase of HCO3

Reply
Jeremiah Confidence

May 16, 2024

Please help me with this question I’m quite confused.
Match the acid-base status of the following blood samples to the disorders in the given choices. (PaCO2 values are in mm Hg and bicarbonate values in mmol/l).
pH 7.64, PaCO2 25, HCO3- 19

Reply