NU 301 EXAM 1 WITH LATEST QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
LATEST EDITION 2026;2027 ANSWER
What are the main pulse sites?
- temporal, carotid, apical, brachial, radial, ulnar, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, and
dorsalis pedis
What types of sounds does the bell transmit? What should you use it for?
- The bell transmits low-pitched sounds created by the low-velocity movement of blood.
- Auscultate heart and vascular sounds with the bell.
,What types of sounds does the diaphragm transmit? What should you use it for?
- It transmits high-pitched sounds created by the high-velocity movement of air and blood. -
Everything except heart sounds
You should never access ___________ at the same time
- bilateral carotids
What is a bruit?
- A bruit is a vascular sound that reflects partial arterial occlusion
What is bradycardia?
- slow heart rate (<60 bpm)
What is tachycardia?
- fast heart rate (>100 bpm)
What must you report about a pulse?
-regular/irregular rate
-regular/irregular rhythm
-quality
--bounding (nervous)
--thready (comes and goes)
--weak (hard to palpate & near end of life)
What two things may be present if circulation is compromised?
-Pallor: Paleness of skin when compared with another part of the body
,-Cyanosis: A bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin due to excessive carbon dioxide and
deficient oxygen in the blood
What is ventilation? Diffusion? Perfusion?
-Ventilation = Movement of gases into and out of the lung.
-Diffusion= Movement of oxygen and carbon monoxide between alveoli and red blood cells.
-Perfusion = Distribution of red blood cells to and from the pulmonary capillaries
What is hypoxemia?
- low oxygen in the blood
What can cause a false negative in O2 saturation?
False positive?
-nail polish
-poor circulation
What allows patients with chronic lung disease to breathe?
What may kill them?
-low levels of arterial O2 provide the stimulus that allows a patient to breathe -administration
of high oxygen levels is fatal for patients with chronic lung disease.
Is inspiration active or passive?
Explain Expiration?
-is an active process- diaphragm contract, organs move downward, chest elongates -is
passive- diaphragm relaxes.
What counting respirations you must observe.
Normal adult range?
Normal infant range?
-a full inspiration and expiration when counting.
, -12-20
-30-50
What should you document about respirations?
-Ventilatory depth: deep, normal, shallow, contractures
-Ventilatory rhythm: regular/irregular
What are two abnormal breathing patterns?
-cheyne-stokes: alternating periods of hyperventilation and apnea
-biots: respirations are abnormally shallow for two to three breaths followed by irregular
periods of apnea
What is dyspnea?
- labored breathing
What is orthopnea?
- difficulty breathing while lying down
Where may you see retractions during breathing?
-Intercostal (between ribs); -substernal
(beneath sternum); -suprasternal
(above clavicle).
What is BP? Systolic pressure? Diastolic pressure? Normal BP?
-Pressure of the blood as it is forced against arterial walls during cardiac contraction.
-Peak pressure exerted against arterial walls as the ventricles contract and eject blood -
Minimum pressure exerted against arterial walls between cardiac contractions when the
heart is at rest.
-120/80
LATEST EDITION 2026;2027 ANSWER
What are the main pulse sites?
- temporal, carotid, apical, brachial, radial, ulnar, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, and
dorsalis pedis
What types of sounds does the bell transmit? What should you use it for?
- The bell transmits low-pitched sounds created by the low-velocity movement of blood.
- Auscultate heart and vascular sounds with the bell.
,What types of sounds does the diaphragm transmit? What should you use it for?
- It transmits high-pitched sounds created by the high-velocity movement of air and blood. -
Everything except heart sounds
You should never access ___________ at the same time
- bilateral carotids
What is a bruit?
- A bruit is a vascular sound that reflects partial arterial occlusion
What is bradycardia?
- slow heart rate (<60 bpm)
What is tachycardia?
- fast heart rate (>100 bpm)
What must you report about a pulse?
-regular/irregular rate
-regular/irregular rhythm
-quality
--bounding (nervous)
--thready (comes and goes)
--weak (hard to palpate & near end of life)
What two things may be present if circulation is compromised?
-Pallor: Paleness of skin when compared with another part of the body
,-Cyanosis: A bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin due to excessive carbon dioxide and
deficient oxygen in the blood
What is ventilation? Diffusion? Perfusion?
-Ventilation = Movement of gases into and out of the lung.
-Diffusion= Movement of oxygen and carbon monoxide between alveoli and red blood cells.
-Perfusion = Distribution of red blood cells to and from the pulmonary capillaries
What is hypoxemia?
- low oxygen in the blood
What can cause a false negative in O2 saturation?
False positive?
-nail polish
-poor circulation
What allows patients with chronic lung disease to breathe?
What may kill them?
-low levels of arterial O2 provide the stimulus that allows a patient to breathe -administration
of high oxygen levels is fatal for patients with chronic lung disease.
Is inspiration active or passive?
Explain Expiration?
-is an active process- diaphragm contract, organs move downward, chest elongates -is
passive- diaphragm relaxes.
What counting respirations you must observe.
Normal adult range?
Normal infant range?
-a full inspiration and expiration when counting.
, -12-20
-30-50
What should you document about respirations?
-Ventilatory depth: deep, normal, shallow, contractures
-Ventilatory rhythm: regular/irregular
What are two abnormal breathing patterns?
-cheyne-stokes: alternating periods of hyperventilation and apnea
-biots: respirations are abnormally shallow for two to three breaths followed by irregular
periods of apnea
What is dyspnea?
- labored breathing
What is orthopnea?
- difficulty breathing while lying down
Where may you see retractions during breathing?
-Intercostal (between ribs); -substernal
(beneath sternum); -suprasternal
(above clavicle).
What is BP? Systolic pressure? Diastolic pressure? Normal BP?
-Pressure of the blood as it is forced against arterial walls during cardiac contraction.
-Peak pressure exerted against arterial walls as the ventricles contract and eject blood -
Minimum pressure exerted against arterial walls between cardiac contractions when the
heart is at rest.
-120/80
