Questions of Respiratory System Related

Review Questions of Respiratory System related questions and content

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: The correct answer is A because vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial breath sounds are distinguished based on their location over specific areas of the lung. Vesicular sounds are soft and low-pitched and are heard over most of the lung fields, bronchovesicular sounds are intermediate in pitch and are heard over the major bronchi, and bronchial sounds are loud and high-pitched and are heard over the trachea and larynx. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as the distinction between these breath sounds is not based on volume, inspiration or expiration, or continuity of the sounds.