Question 1

The primary purpose of the ciliated mucous membrane in the nose is to:

Accepted Answer

The nasal hairs filter the coarsest matter from inhaled air, whereas the mucous blanket filters out dust and bacteria.The rich blood supply of the nasal mucosa warms the inhaled air.

Question 2

The nurse is using an otoscope to assess the nasal cavity.Which of these techniques is correct?

Accepted Answer

The correct technique for using an otoscope is to insert the apparatus into the nasal vestibule, avoiding pressure on the sensitive nasal septum.The tip of the nose should be lifted up before inserting the speculum.

Question 3

A 72-year-old patient has a history of hypertension and chronic lung disease.An important question for the nurse to include in the health history would be:

Accepted Answer

Xerostomia (dry mouth) is a side effect of many drugs taken by older people, including antidepressants, anticholinergics, antispasmodics, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, and bronchodilators.

Question 4

The projections in the nasal cavity that increase the surface area are called the:

Accepted Answer

The lateral walls of each nasal cavity contain three parallel bony projections: the superior, middle, and inferior turbinates.These increase the surface area, making more blood vessels and mucous membrane available to warm, humidify, and filter the inhaled air.

Question 5

The salivary gland that is the largest and located in the cheek in front of the ear is the _________ gland.

Accepted Answer

The mouth contains three pairs of salivary glands.The largest, the parotid gland, lies within the cheeks in front of the ear extending from the zygomatic arch down to the angle of the jaw.Stensen's duct (not gland) drains the parotid gland onto the buccal mucosa opposite the second molar.The sublingual gland is located within the floor of the mouth under the tongue.The submandibular gland lies beneath the mandible at the angle of the jaw.

Question 6

A 32-year-old woman is at the clinic for "little white bumps in my mouth." During the assessment, the nurse notes that she has a 0.5-cm, white, nontender papule under her tongue and one on the mucosa of her right cheek.What would the nurse tell the patient?

Accepted Answer

Fordyce granules are small, isolated white or yellow papules on the mucosa of the cheek, tongue, and lips.These little sebaceous cysts are painless and are not significant.Chalky, white raised patches would indicate leukoplakia.In strep throat, the examiner would see tonsils that are bright red and swollen and may have exudates or white spots.

Question 7

During an assessment of a 20-year-old patient with a 3-day history of nausea and vomiting, the nurse notices dry mucosa and deep vertical fissures in the tongue.These findings are reflective of:

Accepted Answer

Dry mouth occurs with dehydration or fever.The tongue has deep vertical fissures.

Question 8

The tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth is the:

Accepted Answer

The frenulum is a midline fold of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth.The uvula is the free projection hanging down from the middle of the soft palate.The palate is the arching roof of the mouth.Papillae are the rough, bumpy elevations on the tongue's dorsal surface.

Question 9

The nurse is assessing an 80-year-old patient.Which of these findings would be expected for this patient?

Accepted Answer

The sense of smell may be reduced because of a decrease in the number of olfactory nerve fibres.Nasal hairs grow coarser and stiffer with aging.The gums may recede with aging, not hypertrophy, and saliva production decreases.

Question 10

A 92-year-old patient has had a stroke.The right side of his face is drooping.The nurse might also suspect which of these assessment findings?

Accepted Answer

Dysphagia refers to difficulty swallowing and may occur with a variety of disorders, including stroke and other neurological diseases.Rhinorrhea refers to a runny nose, epistaxis to a bloody nose, and xerostomia to dry mouth.

Question 11

While obtaining the health history from the mother of a 1-year-old child, the nurse notices that the baby has had a bottle in his mouth the entire time.The mother states, "It makes a great pacifier." The best response by the nurse would be:

Accepted Answer

Prolonged bottle use during the day or when going to sleep places the infant at risk for tooth decay and middle ear infections.

Question 12

The nurse is reviewing the development of the newborn infant.Regarding the sinuses, which statement in relation to a newborn infant is true?

Accepted Answer

Only the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are present at birth.The sphenoid sinuses are minute at birth and develop after puberty.The frontal sinuses are absent at birth, are fairly well developed at age 7 to 8 years, and reach full size after puberty.

Question 13

During an oral assessment of a 30-year-old patient of African descent, the nurse notices bluish lips and a dark line along the gingival margin.What action would the nurse perform in response to this finding?

Accepted Answer

Some individuals of African descent may have bluish lips and a dark line on the gingival margin; this appearance is a normal finding.

Question 14

The nurse is performing an assessment on a 21-year-old patient and notices that his nasal mucosa appears pale, grey, and swollen.What would be the most appropriate question to ask the patient?

Accepted Answer

With chronic allergies, the mucosa looks swollen, boggy, pale, and grey.Elevated body temperature, colds, and nosebleeds do not cause these mucosal changes.

Question 15

A 10-year-old is at the clinic for "a sore throat that has lasted 6 days." Which of these findings would be consistent with an acute infection?

Accepted Answer

With an acute infection, tonsils are bright red and swollen and may have exudate or large white spots.Tonsils are enlarged to 2+, 3+, or 4+ with an acute infection.

Question 16

During assessment, the nurse palpates the patient's sinus areas.The patient demonstrates that findings are normal when reporting:

Accepted Answer

The person should feel firm pressure but no pain.Sinus areas are tender to palpation in persons with chronic allergies or an acute infection (sinusitis).

Question 17

The nurse is performing an oral assessment on a 40-year-old dark-skinned patient and notices the presence of a 1-cm, nontender, greyish-white lesion on the left buccal mucosa.The nurse will:

Accepted Answer

Leukoedema, a greyish-white benign lesion occurring on the buccal mucosa, is most often observed in individuals of African descent.

Question 18

The nurse is obtaining a health history on a 3-month-old infant.During the interview, the mother states, "I think she is getting her first tooth because she has started drooling a lot." The nurse's best response would be:

Accepted Answer

In the infant, salivation starts at 3 months.The baby will drool for a few months before learning to swallow the saliva.This drooling does not herald the eruption of the first tooth, although many parents think it does.

Question 19

In assessing the tonsils of a 30-year-old, the nurse notices that they are involuted, granular in appearance, and appear to have deep crypts.The nurse will:

Accepted Answer

The tonsils are the same colour as the surrounding mucous membrane, although they look more granular and their surface shows deep crypts.Tonsillar tissue enlarges during childhood until puberty and then involutes.

Question 20

During health history, the patient tells the nurse that he has frequent nosebleeds and asks the best way to get them to stop.What would be the nurse's best response?

Accepted Answer

With a nosebleed, the person should sit up with the head tilted forward and pinch the nose between the thumb and forefinger for 5 to 15 minutes.

Quiz 17: Nose, Mouth, and Throat