What are the normal vital signs for an adult in nursing?

For a resting adult: heart rate 60–100 beats/min, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg, oxygen saturation (SpO2) 95–100%, and temperature about 36.1–37.2 °C. Paediatric heart and respiratory rates run higher and fall with age.

What are the normal ranges for sodium and potassium?

Serum sodium (Na+) is normally 135–145 mmol/L and serum potassium (K+) is 3.5–5.0 mmol/L. These are standard reference ranges — your lab and exam authority may quote slightly different cut-offs, so always confirm locally.

What is the antidote for an opioid overdose?

Naloxone reverses opioids. Other key antidotes tested in nursing exams are flumazenil for benzodiazepines, vitamin K and protamine for warfarin and heparin, calcium gluconate for magnesium toxicity and hyperkalaemia, and N-acetylcysteine for paracetamol.

What is the IV drip rate formula in nursing?

Drops per minute = (volume in mL × drop factor in gtt/mL) ÷ time in minutes. Macrodrip sets are usually 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL and a microdrip set is 60 gtt/mL. For an infusion pump, mL/hr = total volume in mL ÷ time in hours.

What are the four types of infection-control precautions?

Standard precautions apply to every patient, then transmission-based precautions add Contact (e.g. MRSA, C. difficile), Droplet (e.g. influenza, meningococcal meningitis) and Airborne (e.g. tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox), each with its own PPE.

What is a normal APGAR score for a newborn?

APGAR is scored at 1 and 5 minutes across five signs (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration), each 0–2 for a maximum of 10. A score of 7–10 is normal, 4–6 is moderately depressed and 0–3 is severely depressed.

What is the passing mark for the DHA nursing exam?

DHA's computer-based test (CBT) assessment guideline lists a 50% pass score for nurses. The nursing exams are 150 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions in a three-hour appointment (which includes check-in). Item counts, the pass score and the fee can change without the guideline being reissued, so confirm the current figures on the Sheryan PDF before you book.

What can a nurse delegate to a UAP or nursing assistant?

Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) can carry out ADLs — bathing, feeding, ambulating, positioning — plus vital signs, intake/output and weights on stable patients. They cannot assess, teach, give medications, evaluate care, or take a patient whose condition is changing. The RN can delegate a task but never the accountability: assessment, teaching, evaluation and clinical judgement stay with the RN. Exact scopes vary by authority and employer, so confirm locally.

How do you decide which patient to see first?

Use ABCs first — Airway before Breathing before Circulation — then Maslow's hierarchy (physiological needs before safety before psychosocial). Prioritise acute over chronic, unstable over stable, and actual problems over potential (“risk for”) ones. A new, unexpected finding outranks an expected, unchanged one.

Free revision sheet · DHA · SCFHS · DOH · QCHP · NHRA · OMSB · MOH

DHA Nursing Exam Cheat Sheet & Quick Reference

The high-yield clinical facts to know cold before your DHA or Gulf nursing licensing exam — normal lab values, vital signs by age, dosage-calculation formulas, fluid & electrolyte imbalance signs, ECG basics, drug antidotes, ABG interpretation, infection-control precautions, priority-setting & delegation, and a compact DHA exam blueprint, all on one scannable page. The clinical syllabus is shared across the authorities, so it applies whichever exam you sit.

Study aid — always confirm against current local clinical protocols and your exam authority. Reference ranges vary slightly between labs and sources; the values below are standard, well-established figures, not authority-specific cut-offs.

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The exam rewards applying these values under time pressure — not just reading them.

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Vital signs

Normal adult vital signs

Sign	Normal range
Temperature (oral)	36.1–37.2 °C (97–99 °F)
Heart rate (pulse)	60–100 beats/min
Respiratory rate	12–20 breaths/min
Blood pressure	< 120/80 mmHg (normal)
Oxygen saturation (SpO2)	95–100%

Hypertension is generally ≥ 130/80 mmHg; hypotension is often taken as < 90/60 mmHg.

Paediatric heart & respiratory rates (awake, approx.)

Age	Heart rate (bpm)	Respiratory rate (/min)
Newborn (0–1 month)	100–160	30–60
Infant (1–12 months)	100–150	30–53
Toddler (1–2 years)	90–140	22–37
Preschool (3–5 years)	80–120	20–28
School age (6–11 years)	70–110	18–25
Adolescent (12–15 years)	60–100	12–20

Paediatric ranges differ between sources (PALS, APLS, WHO). Rates are highest in the newborn and fall towards adult values with age — confirm against the ranges your authority uses.

Key lab values

Electrolytes

Analyte	Normal range
Sodium (Na+)	135–145 mmol/L
Potassium (K+)	3.5–5.0 mmol/L
Chloride (Cl−)	98–106 mmol/L
Calcium (total)	2.1–2.6 mmol/L (8.5–10.5 mg/dL)
Ionised calcium	1.1–1.3 mmol/L
Magnesium (Mg2+)	0.7–1.0 mmol/L (1.7–2.4 mg/dL)

Glucose & HbA1c

Test	Reference
Fasting glucose	3.9–5.5 mmol/L (70–99 mg/dL)
Random glucose	< 7.8 mmol/L (< 140 mg/dL)
Diabetes (fasting)	≥ 7.0 mmol/L (≥ 126 mg/dL)
HbA1c — normal	< 5.7% (< 39 mmol/mol)
HbA1c — prediabetes	5.7–6.4% (39–46 mmol/mol)
HbA1c — diabetes	≥ 6.5% (≥ 48 mmol/mol)

Renal function

Analyte	Normal range
Urea	2.5–7.1 mmol/L
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)	7–20 mg/dL
Creatinine	60–110 µmol/L (0.7–1.3 mg/dL)

Creatinine is a little lower in women and children; some labs report from ~45 µmol/L.

Complete blood count (CBC)

Analyte	Normal range
Haemoglobin — men	130–170 g/L (13–17 g/dL)
Haemoglobin — women	120–155 g/L (12–15.5 g/dL)
White cells (WBC)	4.0–11.0 ×10⁹/L
Platelets	150–400 ×10⁹/L

Arterial blood gas (ABG)

Value	Normal range
pH	7.35–7.45
PaCO2	35–45 mmHg (4.7–6.0 kPa)
HCO3−	22–26 mmol/L
PaO2	80–100 mmHg (10.7–13.3 kPa)
SaO2	95–100%

Coagulation

Test	Normal range
INR (no anticoagulant)	0.8–1.2
INR (therapeutic warfarin)	2.0–3.0 (target varies)
Prothrombin time (PT)	11–13.5 s
aPTT	30–40 s

Reference times differ by analyser and reagent; always read against the lab's own range.

Fluid & electrolyte imbalance signs

Potassium (K+ 3.5–5.0 mmol/L)

Imbalance	Key signs	Watch for
Hypokalaemia (< 3.5)	Muscle weakness/cramps, ↓ reflexes, fatigue, ileus/constipation	Flat T waves, U waves, digoxin toxicity risk
Hyperkalaemia (> 5.0)	Weakness, paraesthesia, diarrhoea, palpitations	Peaked T waves, wide QRS → cardiac arrest

Never give IV potassium as a bolus/push — always diluted and infused. Calcium gluconate protects the heart in severe hyperkalaemia.

Sodium (Na+ 135–145 mmol/L)

Imbalance	Key signs
Hyponatraemia (< 135)	Headache, nausea, confusion, muscle cramps, seizures; correct slowly to avoid osmotic demyelination
Hypernatraemia (> 145)	Thirst, dry mucous membranes, restlessness/agitation, ↑ temperature, seizures if severe

Calcium (total 2.1–2.6 mmol/L)

Imbalance	Key signs
Hypocalcaemia	Tetany, +Trousseau & +Chvostek signs, tingling, laryngospasm, prolonged QT
Hypercalcaemia	“Stones, bones, groans, moans” — renal stones, bone pain, constipation, lethargy, weakness

Magnesium (0.7–1.0 mmol/L)

Imbalance	Key signs
Hypomagnesaemia	Tremor, hyperreflexia, +Trousseau/Chvostek, torsades de pointes; often with low K+/Ca2+
Hypermagnesaemia	↓ reflexes (early sign), flushing, hypotension, respiratory depression, bradycardia

Fluid volume

State	Key signs
Fluid volume deficit (dehydration)	↑ HR, ↓ BP/postural drop, dry mucosa, poor skin turgor, ↓ urine output, ↑ urine specific gravity, weight loss
Fluid volume overload	Bounding pulse, ↑ BP, oedema, crackles/dyspnoea, distended neck veins, weight gain, ↓ urine specific gravity

Daily weight is the most reliable measure of fluid status — 1 kg ≈ 1 litre.

ABG interpretation — quick guide

The 3-step method

pH — below 7.35 = acidosis, above 7.45 = alkalosis.
PaCO2 (respiratory) — rises make blood acidic. If pH and CO2 move in opposite directions, the cause is respiratory.
HCO3− (metabolic) — falls make blood acidic. If pH and HCO3 move in the same direction, the cause is metabolic.

Memory aid ROME: Respiratory = Opposite, Metabolic = Equal. Compensation is present when the "other" value has shifted to pull the pH back toward normal.

Pattern table

Disorder	pH	PaCO2	HCO3−
Respiratory acidosis	↓	↑	normal / ↑*
Respiratory alkalosis	↑	↓	normal / ↓*
Metabolic acidosis	↓	normal / ↓*	↓
Metabolic alkalosis	↑	normal / ↑*	↑

*second arrow = compensation.

ECG basics

Normal waves & intervals

Component	Represents / normal
P wave	Atrial depolarisation
QRS complex	Ventricular depolarisation; < 0.12 s (< 3 small squares)
T wave	Ventricular repolarisation
PR interval	0.12–0.20 s (3–5 small squares)
QT interval	≈ 0.36–0.44 s (varies with rate)

Paper speed 25 mm/s: 1 small square = 0.04 s, 1 large square = 0.20 s. Rate ≈ 300 ÷ number of large squares between two R waves.

Common rhythms to recognise

Rhythm	Clue
Normal sinus	Rate 60–100, P before every QRS, regular
Sinus tachycardia	Same shape, rate > 100
Sinus bradycardia	Same shape, rate < 60
Atrial fibrillation	Irregularly irregular, no clear P waves
Atrial flutter	“Sawtooth” flutter waves
VT	Wide, regular, fast; may be pulseless (shockable)
VF	Chaotic, no organised complexes (shockable)
Asystole	Flat line (non-shockable)

High-yield ECG danger signs

Peaked T waves → hyperkalaemia
Flat T / U waves → hypokalaemia
ST elevation → acute MI (STEMI)
ST depression / T inversion → ischaemia
Prolonged QT → risk of torsades de pointes
Wide QRS → ventricular origin / hyperkalaemia

Dosage-calculation formulas

Core formulas

Tablets / dose: (Desired dose ÷ Available dose) × quantity per unit
Liquid volume: (Desired ÷ Have) × volume of that stock
Weight-based: dose = mg/kg × patient weight (kg)
Infusion pump (mL/hr): total volume (mL) ÷ time (hours)

IV drip rate & drop factors

Drops/min (gtt/min) = (volume mL × drop factor gtt/mL) ÷ time in minutes

Macrodrip: 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL
Microdrip: 60 gtt/mL

mcg/kg/min (e.g. inotropes)

Dose (mcg/min) = mcg/kg/min × weight (kg)
mL/hr = (dose in mcg/min × 60) ÷ concentration (mcg/mL)
Tip: 1 mg = 1000 mcg; keep units consistent before you divide.

Rule of Nines — adult burns (% TBSA)

Body area	% TBSA
Head & neck	9%
Each arm	9%
Anterior trunk	18%
Posterior trunk	18%
Each leg	18%
Perineum / genitalia	1%

Children differ — the head takes a larger share (~18% in infants) and the legs less. A patient's palm (with fingers) is roughly 1% for scattered burns.

High-alert medications & antidotes

Antidotes to know cold

Drug / toxin	Antidote / reversal
Opioids	Naloxone
Benzodiazepines	Flumazenil
Warfarin	Vitamin K (phytomenadione); FFP/PCC for major bleeding
Heparin	Protamine sulfate
Paracetamol (acetaminophen)	N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
Magnesium toxicity	Calcium gluconate
Hyperkalaemia (cardiac protection)	Calcium gluconate (or calcium chloride)
Digoxin	Digoxin-specific antibody (DigiFab)
Iron	Desferrioxamine (deferoxamine)
Beta-blocker	Glucagon
Organophosphates	Atropine (+ pralidoxime)
Many ingested poisons	Activated charcoal (if within ~1 hr, airway protected)

High-alert medication classes (ISMP)

Insulin
Anticoagulants (heparin, warfarin)
Opioids / narcotics
Concentrated electrolytes (KCl, hypertonic saline)
Chemotherapy agents
Neuromuscular blockers

These carry a heightened risk of serious harm — double-checks and independent verification are the standard safeguards.

Infection-control precautions

Standard + transmission-based precautions

Precaution	Key PPE / control	Example conditions
Standard	Hand hygiene, gloves; gown/mask/eye protection as risk dictates	All patients, all the time
Contact	Gloves + gown; dedicated equipment; single room	MRSA, VRE, C. difficile (soap & water), scabies, norovirus
Droplet	Surgical mask within ~1–2 m; single room	Influenza, pertussis, meningococcal meningitis, mumps, rubella
Airborne	N95/FFP2 respirator; negative-pressure room; door closed	Tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox (varicella), disseminated zoster

C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol gel — wash with soap and water. COVID-19 is managed with droplet + contact precautions, escalating to airborne for aerosol-generating procedures. Confirm the current local policy at your facility.

Priority-setting & delegation

How to choose the priority patient

ABCs first: Airway → Breathing → Circulation. An airway problem always outranks a circulation one.
Maslow: physiological needs before safety, before psychosocial. Oxygen, fluids and pain before teaching or reassurance.
Acute before chronic, unstable before stable, and actual problems before potential (“risk for”) ones.
Safety / least-restrictive: protect from injury; use the least restrictive effective measure.
Nursing process: assess before you act — when unsure, gather more data first.

The unstable patient (see first)

New or worsening airway/breathing problem
Sudden change in vital signs or level of consciousness
Fresh, uncontrolled bleeding or new chest pain

Stable = expected findings, chronic conditions, ready-for-discharge. A patient with an expected, unchanged finding is not the priority over a new, unexpected one.

Delegation: RN vs LPN/EN vs UAP

Role	Can do	Cannot do
Registered Nurse (RN)	Assessment, diagnosis, planning, evaluation, teaching, first dose/blood, unstable & complex patients	—
LPN / Enrolled Nurse	Reinforce teaching, monitor stable patients, routine meds (per scope), dressings, ongoing data collection	Initial assessment, care plan, IV push (varies), unstable patients
UAP / assistant (nursing aide)	ADLs, bathing, feeding, ambulating, positioning, vitals on stable patients, intake/output, weights	Assessment, teaching, medications, evaluating care, anything with a stable→unstable change

The “five rights” of delegation: right task, right circumstance, right person, right direction/communication, right supervision. You can delegate a task but never the accountability — assessment, teaching, evaluation and clinical judgement stay with the RN. Exact scopes vary by authority and employer; confirm locally.

Adult emergency & ACLS essentials

Key arrest & peri-arrest drugs

Drug	Dose / use
Adrenaline (cardiac arrest)	1 mg IV/IO every 3–5 min (1:10,000)
Adrenaline (anaphylaxis)	0.5 mg IM (1:1000), repeat after 5 min if needed
Amiodarone (VF/pVT)	300 mg IV after 3rd shock; further 150 mg if needed
Atropine (symptomatic bradycardia)	1 mg IV every 3–5 min, max 3 mg
Adenosine (SVT)	6 mg rapid IV, then 12 mg if needed
Naloxone (opioid arrest)	0.4–2 mg IV/IM/IN, titrate & repeat

High-quality CPR (adult)

Compression : ventilation = 30 : 2
Rate 100–120/min
Depth 5–6 cm; allow full recoil
Defibrillate shockable rhythms; biphasic 120–200 J

Quick recall

Shockable rhythms: VF and pulseless VT
Non-shockable: asystole, PEA
Minimise interruptions to compressions

Maternal & newborn essentials

APGAR score (at 1 and 5 minutes)

Sign	0	1	2
Appearance (colour)	Blue / pale	Body pink, extremities blue	Fully pink
Pulse (heart rate)	Absent	< 100 bpm	≥ 100 bpm
Grimace (reflex)	None	Grimace	Cry / cough / sneeze
Activity (tone)	Limp	Some flexion	Active motion
Respiration	Absent	Slow / irregular	Good / crying

Total 0–10: 7–10 normal, 4–6 moderately depressed, 0–3 severely depressed.

Normal newborn vitals

Sign	Range
Heart rate	100–160 bpm
Respiratory rate	30–60 breaths/min
Temperature (axillary)	36.5–37.5 °C
Blood glucose	≥ 2.6 mmol/L

Maternal quick facts

Term pregnancy: 37–42 weeks
Normal fetal heart rate: 110–160 bpm
Nägele's rule (EDD): LMP − 3 months + 7 days
Postpartum fundus: firm, midline, at the umbilicus

DHA exam blueprint — at a glance

Format & pass mark (DHA CBT, nursing)

Item	What DHA's guideline lists
Delivery	Computer-based test (CBT) at Prometric
Questions	150 single-best-answer multiple-choice
Appointment	3 hours (includes check-in & introduction, not just questions)
Pass score	50% — except the in-active Assistant Midwife entry, which lists 45%
Fee	USD 240 on all four nursing entries

Read from the DHA CBT assessment guideline stamped Updated — Sep 2026. Item counts, duration, pass score and fee can change without the document being reissued — confirm on the current PDF via Sheryan before you rely on them.

Nursing exam codes & coverage

Title	Code	Coverage
Registered Nurse	RNT0312	Unit Management & Leadership · Fundamentals · Maternal–Child Nursing · Adult Nursing
Assistant Nurse	ARN5061	Unit Management & Leadership · Fundamentals · Maternal–Child Nursing · Adult Nursing
Registered Midwife	MID5104	Antenatal · Intrapartum · Postpartum · Newborn · Gynaecological · Pharmacology · Ethics & Legal
Assistant Midwife — “(In-active)”	MID5101	Same midwifery coverage as MID5104, at a 45% pass score

The four nursing headings are deliberately broad — they map the whole of general nursing, so the reference textbooks are the real syllabus. See the DHA syllabus & references guide for the full blueprint and book list.

Quick answers

What are the normal vital signs for an adult in nursing?: For a resting adult: heart rate 60–100 beats/min, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg, oxygen saturation (SpO2) 95–100%, and temperature about 36.1–37.2 °C. Paediatric heart and respiratory rates run higher and fall with age.
What are the normal ranges for sodium and potassium?: Serum sodium (Na+) is normally 135–145 mmol/L and serum potassium (K+) is 3.5–5.0 mmol/L. These are standard reference ranges — your lab and exam authority may quote slightly different cut-offs, so always confirm locally.
What is the antidote for an opioid overdose?: Naloxone reverses opioids. Other key antidotes tested in nursing exams are flumazenil for benzodiazepines, vitamin K and protamine for warfarin and heparin, calcium gluconate for magnesium toxicity and hyperkalaemia, and N-acetylcysteine for paracetamol.
What is the IV drip rate formula in nursing?: Drops per minute = (volume in mL × drop factor in gtt/mL) ÷ time in minutes. Macrodrip sets are usually 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL and a microdrip set is 60 gtt/mL. For an infusion pump, mL/hr = total volume in mL ÷ time in hours.
What are the four types of infection-control precautions?: Standard precautions apply to every patient, then transmission-based precautions add Contact (e.g. MRSA, C. difficile), Droplet (e.g. influenza, meningococcal meningitis) and Airborne (e.g. tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox), each with its own PPE.
What is a normal APGAR score for a newborn?: APGAR is scored at 1 and 5 minutes across five signs (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration), each 0–2 for a maximum of 10. A score of 7–10 is normal, 4–6 is moderately depressed and 0–3 is severely depressed.
What is the passing mark for the DHA nursing exam?: DHA's computer-based test (CBT) assessment guideline lists a 50% pass score for nurses. The nursing exams are 150 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions in a three-hour appointment (which includes check-in). Item counts, the pass score and the fee can change without the guideline being reissued, so confirm the current figures on the Sheryan PDF before you book.
What can a nurse delegate to a UAP or nursing assistant?: Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) can carry out ADLs — bathing, feeding, ambulating, positioning — plus vital signs, intake/output and weights on stable patients. They cannot assess, teach, give medications, evaluate care, or take a patient whose condition is changing. The RN can delegate a task but never the accountability: assessment, teaching, evaluation and clinical judgement stay with the RN. Exact scopes vary by authority and employer, so confirm locally.
How do you decide which patient to see first?: Use ABCs first — Airway before Breathing before Circulation — then Maslow's hierarchy (physiological needs before safety before psychosocial). Prioritise acute over chronic, unstable over stable, and actual problems over potential (“risk for”) ones. A new, unexpected finding outranks an expected, unchanged one.

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Unofficial study aid, not endorsed by any licensing authority, DataFlow or Prometric. Reference values are standard, well-established figures for revision — always confirm against current local clinical protocols and your exam authority before relying on them.