Nokea
The nurse is caring for a patient experiencing bronchospasm due to an exacerbation of asthma. During auscultation, the nurse anticipates the presence of which breath sound?
- A. Sibilant
- B. Wheezes
- C. Rhonchi
- D. Crackles
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wheezes are musical or squeaking high-pitched, continuous sounds heard as air passes through narrowed airways, such as with bronchospasm found in asthma or COPD. Rhonchi are low-pitched, continuous sounds with a snoring quality, which may clear with coughing; they occur when air passes through secretions. Crackles are discontinuous bubbling, cracking, or popping, low- to high-pitched sounds, that occur when air passes through fluid in the airways.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is caring for a group of patients. For which patient will the nurse perform a focused assessment?
- A. Newly admitted
- B. Recent application of a wrist cast
- C. Signs of acute respiratory distress
- D. Post-abdominal surgery without complications
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After application of a cast, the nurse performs a focused neurovascular assessment, to assess circulation, sensation, and motor ability. A newly admitted patient requires a comprehensive assessment. The nurse performs an emergency assessment on a patient who presents with signs of acute respiratory difficulty. A postoperative patient without complications will receive ongoing assessments at regular intervals to evaluate the effectiveness of care and to assess for new problems.
A nurse is caring for a patient with exacerbation of COPD and pneumonia. When auscultating the lungs, coarse expiratory, low-pitched, and continuous sounds that clear with coughing are present. How will the nurse document this breath sound in the electronic health record?
- A. Rhonchi
- B. Bronchovesicular breath sounds
- C. Stridor
- D. Bronchial breath sounds
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rhonchi are abnormal low-pitched, continuous breath sounds auscultated during inspiration and occasionally expiration, indicating that air is passing through or around secretions. Bronchovesicular breath sounds are normal sounds heard on inspiration and expiration. Stridor is a harsh, loud, high-pitched sound auscultated on inspiration indicating narrowing of the upper airway or presence of a foreign body. Bronchial sounds are normal blowing, hollow sounds, auscultated over the larynx and trachea.
A nurse in the emergency department is using the Glasgow coma scale to assess a patient who was struck in the head and upper body with a baseball bat. Based on the information in the neurologic assessment, what numerical value will the nurse assign?
- A. 3
- B. 7
- C. 11
- D. 15
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eye opening to painful stimulus = 2 points, no speech = 1 point; and withdrawal to painful stimulus = 4 points, for a total score of 7. A score of 8 or less is associated with coma.
A nurse is performing a breast assessment using the circular technique for palpation, gently compressing the breast tissue against the chest wall. How does the nurse proceed with the examination?
- A. Begins at the tail of Spence and moves in increasing smaller circles
- B. Starts at the outer edge of the breast and palpates up and down the breast
- C. Works in a counterclockwise direction and palpates from the periphery toward the areola
- D. Proceeds from the inner edge of the breast and palpates up and down the breast
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: During breast assessment, the nurse palpates each quadrant of the breasts in a systematic method using the pads of the first three fingers to gently compress the breast tissue against the chest wall. In the circular method, the nurse begins at the tail of Spence and moves in increasingly smaller circles. In the wedge method, the nurse works in a clockwise direction and palpates from the periphery toward the areola. In the vertical strip method, the nurse begins at the outer edge of the breast, palpating up and down the breast.
The nurse places a patient in the dorsal recumbent position during a physical assessment. Which nursing assessments can the nurse perform with the patient in this position? Select all that apply.
- A. Assessing the abdomen
- B. Taking peripheral pulses
- C. Performing a breast examination
- D. Auscultating the heart
- E. Assessing vital signs
- F. Assessing balance and gait
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: In the dorsal recumbent position, the patient lies on the back with legs separated, knees flexed, and soles of the feet on the bed. It is used to assess the head, neck, anterior thorax, lungs, heart, breasts, extremities, and peripheral pulses. It should not be used for abdominal assessment because it causes contraction of the abdominal muscles. Vital sign assessment should be done in the sitting position, and evaluating balance and gait is done with the patient in the standing position.