NSG 3160 Exam 3: Health Assessment |
180+ Q-Bank | Questions & Answers | 100%
Correct | Grade A (2026/2027) Galen
This NSG 3160 Exam 3 at Galen College of Nursing covers health assessment of
the cardiovascular, respiratory, and breast systems. The 186-question exam
assesses your ability to identify heart murmurs, differentiate valve auscultation
sites, evaluate respiratory sounds, and assess cardiovascular risk factors.
Common exam concepts and their correct assessment findings include:
Cardiovascular & Neck Vessels
• Carotid Bruits: Listening for a blowing, swishing sound indicates potential
atherosclerosis.
• Precordium Pulsations: Pulsations in the precordium are typically
abnormal and must be evaluated further.
• Auscultation Sites: The aortic valve is heard at the 2nd intercostal space at
the right sternal margin, and the pulmonic valve at the 2nd intercostal space at
the left sternal margin.
• Jugular Venous Distension (JVD): Pulsations 5 cm above the sternal
angle at 45-degree elevation indicate elevated pressure related to heart
failure.
Respiratory System
• Vertebra Prominens: Refers to the spinous process of C7.
1
, • Costal Angle: A costal angle of about 90 degrees is a normal finding in
healthy adults.
• Lung Lobes: The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two lobes.
• Trachea Bifurcation: The trachea bifurcates anteriorly at the sternal angle.
Breast Assessment
• Breast Self-Exams (BSE): BSEs are still recommended because they can
detect lumps that appear between mammograms.
• Breastfeeding: Exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months provides antibodies,
promotes bonding, and decreases the risk of ear infections.
Q1. Tactile fremitus is most intense over the lower anterior chest.
[True/False]
A) True
B) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Tactile fremitus is the palpable vibration felt on the chest wall when a
patient speaks; it is transmitted through the bronchial tree and chest tissues. These
vibrations are normally most intense between the scapulae where the major bronchi are
closer to the chest wall—not over the lower anterior chest.
Q2. Decreased mobility of the thorax is an abnormal finding in older
adults. [True/False]
2
, A) True
B) False
Answer: False
Explanation: With normal aging the chest wall stiffens and the thoracic expansion
decreases, so reduced thoracic mobility is an expected, nonpathologic finding in older
adults. It becomes abnormal only when markedly limited or associated with other signs
of respiratory compromise.
Q3. The left lung consists of two lobes. [True/False]
A) True
B) False
Answer: True
Explanation: The left lung has two lobes (upper and lower) because the heart occupies
space on the left side of the thorax (cardiac notch). The right lung is larger and has three
lobes (upper, middle, lower).
Q4. Explain the clinical significance of bronchophony when detected
during lung auscultation. [Short Answer]
Answer: Bronchophony is an abnormal increase in the clarity of spoken
sounds heard or felt over the chest; its presence is clinically significant
because it suggests pulmonary consolidation. When lung tissue is
consolidated, voice sounds transmit more clearly through the denser
medium, so bronchophony prompts assessment for consolidation.
3
, Explanation: Normally voice sounds are muffled over air-filled lung. Consolidation
(replacement of air with fluid or solid tissue) conducts sound better, making spoken
words louder and clearer at the chest wall. Detecting bronchophony alerts the clinician
to possible consolidation and the need for focused evaluation.
Q5. Explain why unequal chest expansion occurs and what a clinician
should suspect when it is observed. [Short Answer]
Answer: Unequal chest expansion occurs when one lung (or part of a lung)
fails to expand normally, so one hemithorax moves less than the other
during inspiration. This asymmetry suggests obstruction or collapse of that
portion of the lung and warrants further evaluation.
Explanation: Unequal chest expansion is a sign of impaired ventilation on one side: if air
cannot enter a region because of obstruction or collapse, that side will not inflate fully
and will move less. Recognizing this pattern helps the clinician suspect localized problems
(e.g., atelectasis or airway blockage) and to pursue targeted assessment or imaging.
Q6. The nurse is observing the auscultation technique of another
nurse. The correct method to use when progressing from one
auscultatory site on the thorax to another is _______ comparison.
[Multiple Choice]
A) Side-to-side
B) Top-to-bottom
C) Inner-to-outer
D) Anterior-to-posterior
Answer: Side-to-side
4
180+ Q-Bank | Questions & Answers | 100%
Correct | Grade A (2026/2027) Galen
This NSG 3160 Exam 3 at Galen College of Nursing covers health assessment of
the cardiovascular, respiratory, and breast systems. The 186-question exam
assesses your ability to identify heart murmurs, differentiate valve auscultation
sites, evaluate respiratory sounds, and assess cardiovascular risk factors.
Common exam concepts and their correct assessment findings include:
Cardiovascular & Neck Vessels
• Carotid Bruits: Listening for a blowing, swishing sound indicates potential
atherosclerosis.
• Precordium Pulsations: Pulsations in the precordium are typically
abnormal and must be evaluated further.
• Auscultation Sites: The aortic valve is heard at the 2nd intercostal space at
the right sternal margin, and the pulmonic valve at the 2nd intercostal space at
the left sternal margin.
• Jugular Venous Distension (JVD): Pulsations 5 cm above the sternal
angle at 45-degree elevation indicate elevated pressure related to heart
failure.
Respiratory System
• Vertebra Prominens: Refers to the spinous process of C7.
1
, • Costal Angle: A costal angle of about 90 degrees is a normal finding in
healthy adults.
• Lung Lobes: The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two lobes.
• Trachea Bifurcation: The trachea bifurcates anteriorly at the sternal angle.
Breast Assessment
• Breast Self-Exams (BSE): BSEs are still recommended because they can
detect lumps that appear between mammograms.
• Breastfeeding: Exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months provides antibodies,
promotes bonding, and decreases the risk of ear infections.
Q1. Tactile fremitus is most intense over the lower anterior chest.
[True/False]
A) True
B) False
Answer: False
Explanation: Tactile fremitus is the palpable vibration felt on the chest wall when a
patient speaks; it is transmitted through the bronchial tree and chest tissues. These
vibrations are normally most intense between the scapulae where the major bronchi are
closer to the chest wall—not over the lower anterior chest.
Q2. Decreased mobility of the thorax is an abnormal finding in older
adults. [True/False]
2
, A) True
B) False
Answer: False
Explanation: With normal aging the chest wall stiffens and the thoracic expansion
decreases, so reduced thoracic mobility is an expected, nonpathologic finding in older
adults. It becomes abnormal only when markedly limited or associated with other signs
of respiratory compromise.
Q3. The left lung consists of two lobes. [True/False]
A) True
B) False
Answer: True
Explanation: The left lung has two lobes (upper and lower) because the heart occupies
space on the left side of the thorax (cardiac notch). The right lung is larger and has three
lobes (upper, middle, lower).
Q4. Explain the clinical significance of bronchophony when detected
during lung auscultation. [Short Answer]
Answer: Bronchophony is an abnormal increase in the clarity of spoken
sounds heard or felt over the chest; its presence is clinically significant
because it suggests pulmonary consolidation. When lung tissue is
consolidated, voice sounds transmit more clearly through the denser
medium, so bronchophony prompts assessment for consolidation.
3
, Explanation: Normally voice sounds are muffled over air-filled lung. Consolidation
(replacement of air with fluid or solid tissue) conducts sound better, making spoken
words louder and clearer at the chest wall. Detecting bronchophony alerts the clinician
to possible consolidation and the need for focused evaluation.
Q5. Explain why unequal chest expansion occurs and what a clinician
should suspect when it is observed. [Short Answer]
Answer: Unequal chest expansion occurs when one lung (or part of a lung)
fails to expand normally, so one hemithorax moves less than the other
during inspiration. This asymmetry suggests obstruction or collapse of that
portion of the lung and warrants further evaluation.
Explanation: Unequal chest expansion is a sign of impaired ventilation on one side: if air
cannot enter a region because of obstruction or collapse, that side will not inflate fully
and will move less. Recognizing this pattern helps the clinician suspect localized problems
(e.g., atelectasis or airway blockage) and to pursue targeted assessment or imaging.
Q6. The nurse is observing the auscultation technique of another
nurse. The correct method to use when progressing from one
auscultatory site on the thorax to another is _______ comparison.
[Multiple Choice]
A) Side-to-side
B) Top-to-bottom
C) Inner-to-outer
D) Anterior-to-posterior
Answer: Side-to-side
4
