Nokea
The nurse is caring for a patient admitted with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During assessment, the nurse finds that the patient is experiencing increased dyspnea. What is the most accurate measurement of the concentration of oxygen in the patients blood?
- A. A capillary blood sample
- B. Pulse oximetry
- C. An arterial blood gas (ABG) study
- D. A complete blood count (CBC)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The arterial oxygen tension (partial pressure or PaO2) indicates the degree of oxygenation of the blood, and the arterial carbon dioxide tension (partial pressure or PaCO2) indicates the adequacy of alveolar ventilation. ABG studies aid in assessing the ability of the lungs to provide adequate oxygen and remove carbon dioxide and the ability of the kidneys to reabsorb or excrete bicarbonate ions to maintain normal body pH. Capillary blood samples are venous blood, not arterial blood, so they are not as accurate as an ABG. Pulse oximetry is a useful clinical tool but does not replace ABG measurement, because it is not as accurate. A CBC does not indicate the concentration of oxygen.
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In addition to heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and temperature, the nurse needs to assess a patients arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). What procedure will best accomplish this?
- A. Incentive spirometry
- B. Arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement
- C. Peak flow measurement
- D. Pulse oximetry
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive procedure in which a small sensor is positioned over a pulsating vascular bed. It can be used during transport and causes the patient no discomfort. An incentive spirometer is used to assist the patient with deep breathing after surgery. ABG measurement can measure SaO2, but this is an invasive procedure that can be painful. Some patients with asthma use peak flow meters to measure levels of expired air.
While assessing an acutely ill patients respiratory rate, the nurse assesses four normal breaths followed by an episode of apnea lasting 20 seconds. How should the nurse document this finding?
- A. Eupnea
- B. Apnea
- C. Biots respiration
- D. Cheyne-Stokes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse will document that the patient is demonstrating a Biots respiration pattern. Biots respiration is characterized by periods of normal breathing (three to four breaths) followed by varying periods of apnea (usually 10 seconds to 1 minute). Cheyne-Stokes is a similar respiratory pattern, but it involves a regular cycle where the rate and depth of breathing increase and then decrease until apnea occurs. Biots respiration is not characterized by the increase and decrease in the rate and depth, as characterized by Cheyne-Stokes. Eupnea is a normal breathing pattern of 12 to 18 breaths per minute. Bradypnea is a slower-than-normal rate (<10 breaths per minute), with normal depth and regular rhythm, and no apnea.
The nurse is performing a respiratory assessment of an adult patient and is attempting to distinguish between vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial (tubular) breath sounds. The nurse should distinguish between these normal breath sounds on what basis?
- A. Their location over a specific area of the lung
- B. The volume of the sounds
- C. Whether they are heard on inspiration or expiration
- D. Whether or not they are continuous breath sounds
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Normal breath sounds are distinguished by their location over a specific area of the lung; they are identified as vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial (tubular) breath sounds. Normal breath sounds are heard on both inspiration and expiration, and are continuous. They are not distinguished solely on the basis of volume.
The nurse is performing a respiratory assessment of a patient who has been experiencing episodes of hypoxia. The nurse is aware that this is ultimately attributable to impaired gas exchange. On what factor does adequate gas exchange primarily depend?
- A. An appropriate perfusion-diffusion ratio
- B. An adequate ventilation-perfusion ratio
- C. Adequate diffusion of gas in shunted blood
- D. Appropriate blood nitrogen concentration
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Adequate gas exchange depends on an adequate ventilation-perfusion ratio. There is no perfusion-diffusion ratio. Adequate gas exchange does not depend on the diffusion of gas in shunted blood or a particular concentration of nitrogen.
The nurse doing rounds at the beginning of a shift notices a sputum specimen in a container sitting on the bedside table in a patients room. The patient says the specimen is about 4 hours old. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Immediately take the sputum specimen to the laboratory.
- B. Discard the specimen and assist the patient in obtaining another specimen.
- C. Refrigerate the sputum specimen and submit it once it is chilled.
- D. Add a small amount of normal saline to moisten the specimen.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Sputum samples should be submitted to the laboratory as soon as possible. Allowing the specimen to stand for several hours in a warm room results in the overgrowth of contaminated organisms and may make it difficult to identify the pathogenic organisms. Refrigeration of the sputum specimen and the addition of normal saline are not appropriate actions.