Deck 2: Basic Patient Assessment: Vital Signs and Breath Sounds

Question 1

How should the patient breathe when you are auscultating the chest?

A) Normally through the mouth
B) Breathing slowly and slightly deeper than normal through the nose
C) Breathing at a rate faster than normal at abnormal depth
D) Breathing slowly and slightly deeper than normal through the mouth

Answer 1

Breathing slowly and slightly deeper than normal through the mouth

Question 2

What breath sounds are normally heard over the sternum at around the second intercostal space,between the scapulae and over the right apex of the lung; are somewhat muted; are without a pause between inspiration and expiration; and have inspiratory and expiratory phases roughly equal in length?

A) Vesicular
B) Bronchovesicular
C) Bronchial
D) Tracheal

Answer 2

Bronchovesicular

Question 3

What breath sounds are thought to be produced by the sudden opening of alveoli or sections of the lung?

A) Wheezes
B) Rubbing
C) Crackles
D) Rhonchi

Answer 3

Crackles

Question 4

Which of the following steps is not correct when systematically auscultating a patient's chest?

A) Listen for one complete inspiratory and expiratory cycle
B) Contrast breath sounds with the patient nasal to oral breathing
C) Compare one side of the chest to the other side
D) Progress from the superior to the inferior segments of the lung

Question 5

A child has a respiratory rate of 30/minute.This is called _____________.

A) tachypnea
B) apnea
C) normal
D) bradypnea

Question 6

Abnormal breath sounds are often referred to as ___________________.

A) vesicular breath sounds.
B) bronchial breath sounds.
C) tracheal breath sounds.
D) adventitious breath sounds.

Question 7

What determines the loudness (intensity)of a sound?

A) Duration
B) Frequency
C) Amplitude
D) Pitch

Question 8

What are continuous abnormal breath sounds described low-pitched and thought to be produced by fluid or secretions vibrating in the airways?

A) Tracheal
B) Wheezes
C) Crackles
D) Rhonchi

Question 9

What are abnormal breath sounds called that are generated by air passing through a narrowed lumen?

A) Wheezes
B) Rhonchi
C) Crackles
D) Vesicular

Question 10

What is the correct term to describe a patient with a body temperature of 101 degrees F?

A) Hypertension
B) Hyperthermia
C) Hypotension
D) Hypothermia

Question 11

Which of the following is not an optimal position the patient should be in for chest expansion?

A) The patient sitting in a Fowler's position
B) The patient lying supine while performing deep breathing
C) The patient dangling on the side of the bed
D) The patient sitting in a chair at the bedside

Question 12

The patient has a blood pressure of 150/100.Which of the following could cause this?
I.Renal failure/fluid retention
II.Hormonal imbalances
III.Shock
IV.Emotional stress
V.Depressant drugs

A) I, II, IV
B) III and V
C) I, II, III
D) IV and V

Question 13

The practitioner places a sphygmomanometer on the patient's upper arm.The brachial artery is palpated and the cuff is inflated until the pulse disappears at 110 mmHg.How should this be recorded in the patient's chart?

A) This is the systolic pressure
B) This is the diastolic pressure
C) This is the pulse pressure
D) This is the intrathoracic pressure

Question 14

What is described as having a rapid upstroke and a rapid downstroke tracing,with a maximum point of intensity between the peak and the base of the pulse pressure?

A) Bounding pulse
B) Hypertension
C) Plateau pulse
D) Blood volume loss

Question 15

Which of the following environmental conditions should be considered when auscultating a patient's chest?
I.Close the door before initiating the examination
II.The temperature should be comfortable,especially not too cold
III.Turn off noise producing appliances in the room

A) III only
B) II and III
C) I and II
D) I, II, and III

Question 16

Which type of breath sound would be described as low-pitched,soft sounds that have an inspiratory phase longer than the expiratory phase?

A) Tracheal
B) Broncho-vesicular
C) Bronchial
D) Vesicular

Question 17

What pressure is being measured during a blood pressure reading during the ventricular contraction?

A) Bounding pressure
B) Systolic pressure
C) Plateau pressure
D) Diastolic pressure

Question 18

What breath sound is described as a loud,higher pitched breath sound with the expiratory phase longer than the inspiratory phase,with a short pause between phases?

A) Vesicular
B) Tracheal
C) Bronchial
D) Bronchovesicular

Question 19

Which breath sounds are heard above the clavicular notch,are very harsh and quite high-pitched,and have the expiratory phase lasting a little longer than the inspiratory phase?

A) Tracheal
B) Bronchial
C) Bronchovesicular
D) Vesicular

Question 20

A patient has a pulse rate of 50 beats per minute.Which of the following could be the cause of this?
I.Hypothermia
II.Emotional stress
III.Vagal stimulus
IV.Depressant drugs
V.Hypoxemia

A) IV and V
B) II and V
C) I, II, III
D) I, III, IV

Question 21

A patient is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a motor vehicle accident.She has had massive blood loss and hypotension.What should the practitioner expect the heart rate to be?

A) Tachycardic
B) Bradycardic
C) High pulse pressure
D) Absent

Question 22

The practitioner auscultates the chest of an asthmatic patient and notes wheezing bilaterally.When describing the wheezing,what things should be documented when charting these breath sounds?
I.Location
II.Intensity
III.Inspiratory or expiratory
IV.Pitch of the wheezing sounds

A) I and II
B) III and IV
C) III only
D) I, II, III, IV

Question 23

A patient is admitted to the emergency department after being involved in a construction accident.The physician suspects the patient has a right tension pneumothorax.How would you assess the patient for a pneumothorax and why?

Question 24

What is the pressure called that is measured at the time the ventricles are at rest?

A) Tachycardia pressure
B) Diastolic pressure
C) Systolic pressure
D) Bradycardia pressure

Question 25

A practitioner is called to the emergency department to evaluate a patient from a nursing home in chronic renal failure with fluid retention.What would the practitioner would expect the patient's blood pressure to be?

A) Hypotensive
B) Hypertensive
C) Normal
D) Lower than normal

Question 26

The practitioner records a carotid pulse of 45/minute.How should this be documented in the patient's chart?

A) Tachycardia
B) Bradycardia
C) Hypotension
D) Hypertension

Question 27

Since the stethoscope should be used on bare skin,discuss what the problems can be caused by hair under the stethoscope and large breasts and how to correct these problems.

Question 28

A patient comes to the emergency department in respiratory distress.What should be evaluated to assess the patient's distress?