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Clinical Nursing Skills

Review Questions

Clinical Nursing SkillsReview Questions

Review Questions

1 .
The nurse is explaining the anatomy of the thorax to a group of nursing students. What statement, if made by a student nurse, would indicate an understanding of thoracic anatomy?
  1. “There are five thoracic vertebrae in total.”
  2. “The xiphoid process is the superior tip of the sternum.”
  3. “The main function of the thoracic cage is to protect the thoracic cavity.”
  4. “The larynx is also commonly called the windpipe.”
2 .
What part of the lungs is the site where gas exchange occurs?
  1. primary bronchi
  2. alveoli
  3. pulmonary artery
  4. carina
3 .
What is an accurate statement about pressure relationships and breathing mechanics?
  1. Air flows from areas of lower pressure to higher pressure in pulmonary ventilation.
  2. Higher transpulmonary pressure results in a smaller, less inflated lung.
  3. Intrapleural pressure undergoes significant fluctuations during the breathing cycle.
  4. Intra-alveolar pressure will always equalize with atmospheric pressure.
4 .
What should a nurse say to a patient who asks what the tidal volume (TV) measurement means?
  1. “Tidal volume is the amount of air that enters your lungs when you’re quietly breathing.”
  2. “This measurement shows the amount of air that you can exhale after a normal breath.”
  3. “Tidal volume is the extra amount of air that you can bring into the lungs during a forced inspiration of air.”
  4. “This will show how much air is left in your lungs after you exhale as much air as possible.”
5 .
The nurse is preparing to obtain the inspiratory capacity (IC) on a patient. What parameters will the nurse use to obtain this information?
  1. functional residual capacity and tidal volume
  2. tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume
  3. sum of all volumes except residual capacity
  4. expiratory and inspiratory reserve volumes
6 .
The nurse is obtaining a health history on a patient during a focused respiratory assessment. What information provided by the patient would the nurse note as being a potential risk factor for the development of chronic respiratory disorders?
  1. occasional alcohol use
  2. getting a flu shot annually
  3. BMI of 25
  4. working a sedentary job
7 .
The nurse is performing a focused thorax physical assessment on a patient. What finding does the nurse anticipate?
  1. asymmetrical chest rise and fall
  2. anteroposterior-transverse ratio of 1:1
  3. twenty-five breaths noted per minute
  4. inspiration that is shorter than expiration
8 .
The nurse is caring for a patient admitted for a COPD exacerbation. What assessment finding would indicate that the condition is becoming more severe?
  1. oxygen saturation of 92%
  2. patient has outward curvature of the spine
  3. intercostal retractions are noted
  4. patient breathing rate of eighteen breaths a minute
9 .
The nurse observes that a patient has unequal chest expansion during an assessment. What condition does the nurse most suspect the patient has?
  1. kyphosis
  2. barrel chest
  3. fractured ribs
  4. emphysema
10 .
The nurse is caring for a patient with COPD. What anteroposterior-transverse chest ratio would be most consistent with the patient’s condition?
  1. 1:1
  2. 1:2
  3. 2:1
  4. 1:3
11 .
The nurse is precepting a student nurse and observing the student perform a focused respiratory assessment. What observation would warrant intervention by the nurse?
  1. The student nurse places the stethoscope directly on the patient’s skin.
  2. The student nurse positions the patient in a supine position while listening to the lungs.
  3. The student nurse listens in a side-to-side pattern over the chest and back.
  4. The student nurse listens in twelve different places on the patient’s chest.
12 .
The nurse is auscultating a patient’s lungs and notices a high-pitched, loud sound over the trachea. What breathing sound is the nurse most likely hearing?
  1. vesicular
  2. stridor
  3. bronchial
  4. bronchovesicular
13 .
The nurse is auscultating a patient’s lungs and hears wheezes on inspiration. What condition is the most consistent with these findings?
  1. pneumonia
  2. asthma
  3. congestive heart failure
  4. pleuritis
14 .
The nurse is obtaining a health history on a new patient. The patient reports having difficulty sleeping flat and sleeps in the recliner most nights. How would the nurse document this information in the chart?
  1. bradypnea
  2. tachypnea
  3. apnea
  4. orthopnea
15 .
The nurse is caring for a patient with a history of COPD. What lung sounds would the nurse most anticipate?
  1. bradypnea
  2. friction rub
  3. stridor
  4. wheezing
16 .
The nurse is obtaining a health history on a patient being seen for a suspicious lump in the breast. What information, if provided by the patient, would the nurse recognize as a risk factor for breast cancer?
  1. family history of prostate cancer
  2. first menstruation cycle at age 14
  3. first pregnancy at age 26
  4. never breastfeeding
17 .
The nurse is getting ready to palpate the breasts of a patient to check for abnormal lumps. What position should the nurse place the patient in for the exam?
  1. prone position
  2. sitting upright in a chair
  3. supine with arms raised
  4. side lithotomy position
18 .
The nurse is providing education to a 50-year-old female about breast cancer screening. What frequency should the nurse recommend the patient get mammograms?
  1. every other year
  2. annually
  3. annually starting at age 55
  4. every six months
19 .
During a physical assessment, the nurse notices that the patient has swollen axillary lymph nodes. How would the nurse document these findings in the chart?
  1. lymphedema
  2. lymphadenopathy
  3. metastatic breast cancer
  4. peripheral edema
20 .
The nurse is explaining the role of the lymphatic system to a student nurse. What statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates an understanding of the teaching?
  1. “It fights off infection in the body.”
  2. “It transports blood to body organs.”
  3. “It discards excess fluids and wastes.”
  4. “It is part of the digestive system.”
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