NUR 309 Exam #3 Study Guide EXAM 2026-2027 LATEST
UPDATED VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse is percussing over the lungs of a patient with pneumonia. The nurse knows that percussion
over an area of atelectasis in the lungs would reveal:
A) resonance.
B) tympany.
C) dullness.
D) hyperresonance. - answer>>c
During an assessment of an adult, the nurse has noted unequal chest expansion and recognizes that this
occurs in which situation?
A) When accessory muscles are used to augment respiratory effort
B) When bulging of the intercostal spaces is present
C) An obese patient
D) When part of the lung is obstructed or collapsed - answer>>d
The nurse is listening to the breath sounds of a patient with severe asthma. Air passing through
narrowed bronchioles would produce which of these adventitious sounds?
A) Bronchophony
B) Bronchial sounds
C) Wheezes
D) Whispered pectoriloquy - answer>>c
A teenage patient comes to the emergency department with complaints of an inability to breathe and a
sharp pain in the left side of his chest. The assessment findings include cyanosis, tachypnea, tracheal
deviation to the right, decreased tactile fremitus on the left, hyperresonance on the left, and decreased
breath sounds on the left. The nurse interprets that these assessment findings are consistent with:
A) bronchitis.
,B) a pneumothorax.
C) acute pneumonia.
D) an asthmatic attack. - answer>>b
During palpation of the anterior chest wall, the nurse notices a coarse, crackling sensation over the skin
surface. On the basis of these findings, the nurse suspects:
A) crepitus.
B) tactile fremitus
C) friction rub.
D) adventitious sounds. - answer>>a
A 65-year-old patient with a history of heart failure comes to the clinic with complaints of "being
awakened from sleep with shortness of breath." Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A) Obtain a detailed history of the patient's allergies and history of asthma.
B) Tell the patient to sleep on his or her right side to facilitate ease of respirations.
C) Assess for other signs and symptoms of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
D) Assure the patient that this is normal and will probably resolve within the next week. - answer>>c
When auscultating the lungs of an adult patient, the nurse notes that over the posterior lower lobes
low-pitched, soft breath sounds are heard, with inspiration being longer than expiration. The nurse
interprets that these are
A) sounds normally auscultated over the trachea.
B) bronchial breath sounds and are normal in that location.
C) vesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location.
D) bronchovesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location. - answer>>c
A mother brings her 3-month-old infant to the clinic for evaluation of a cold. She tells the nurse that he
had "a runny nose for a week." When performing the physical assessment, the nurse notes that the
child has nasal flaring and sternal and intercostal retractions. The nurse's next action should be to
A) assure the mother that these are normal symptoms of a cold.
, B)recognize that these are serious signs and contact the physician.
C) ask the mother if the infant has had trouble with feedings.
D) perform a complete cardiac assessment because these are probably signs of early heart failure. -
answer>>b
A patient with pleuritis has been admitted to the hospital and complains of pain with breathing. What
other key assessment finding would the nurse expect to find upon auscultation?
A) Wheezing
B) Crackles
C) Stridor
D) Friction rub - answer>>d
The findings from an assessment of a 70-year-old patient with swelling in his ankles include jugular
venous pulsations 5 cm above the sternal angle when the head of his bed is elevated 45 degrees. The
nurse knows that this finding indicates
A) decreased fluid volume.
B) increased cardiac output.
C) narrowing of jugular veins.
D) elevated pressure on the right side of the heart. - answer>>d
During an assessment of a 68-year-old man with a recent onset of right-sided weakness, the nurse hears
a blowing, swishing sound with the bell of the stethoscope over the left carotid artery. This finding
would indicate:
A) A valvular disorder.
B) Fluid volume overload.
C) Obstruction of flow.
D) Ventricular hypertrophy. - answer>>c
During an assessment of a healthy adult, where would the nurse expect to palpate the apical impulse?
A) Third left intercostal space at the midclavicular line
UPDATED VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse is percussing over the lungs of a patient with pneumonia. The nurse knows that percussion
over an area of atelectasis in the lungs would reveal:
A) resonance.
B) tympany.
C) dullness.
D) hyperresonance. - answer>>c
During an assessment of an adult, the nurse has noted unequal chest expansion and recognizes that this
occurs in which situation?
A) When accessory muscles are used to augment respiratory effort
B) When bulging of the intercostal spaces is present
C) An obese patient
D) When part of the lung is obstructed or collapsed - answer>>d
The nurse is listening to the breath sounds of a patient with severe asthma. Air passing through
narrowed bronchioles would produce which of these adventitious sounds?
A) Bronchophony
B) Bronchial sounds
C) Wheezes
D) Whispered pectoriloquy - answer>>c
A teenage patient comes to the emergency department with complaints of an inability to breathe and a
sharp pain in the left side of his chest. The assessment findings include cyanosis, tachypnea, tracheal
deviation to the right, decreased tactile fremitus on the left, hyperresonance on the left, and decreased
breath sounds on the left. The nurse interprets that these assessment findings are consistent with:
A) bronchitis.
,B) a pneumothorax.
C) acute pneumonia.
D) an asthmatic attack. - answer>>b
During palpation of the anterior chest wall, the nurse notices a coarse, crackling sensation over the skin
surface. On the basis of these findings, the nurse suspects:
A) crepitus.
B) tactile fremitus
C) friction rub.
D) adventitious sounds. - answer>>a
A 65-year-old patient with a history of heart failure comes to the clinic with complaints of "being
awakened from sleep with shortness of breath." Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A) Obtain a detailed history of the patient's allergies and history of asthma.
B) Tell the patient to sleep on his or her right side to facilitate ease of respirations.
C) Assess for other signs and symptoms of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
D) Assure the patient that this is normal and will probably resolve within the next week. - answer>>c
When auscultating the lungs of an adult patient, the nurse notes that over the posterior lower lobes
low-pitched, soft breath sounds are heard, with inspiration being longer than expiration. The nurse
interprets that these are
A) sounds normally auscultated over the trachea.
B) bronchial breath sounds and are normal in that location.
C) vesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location.
D) bronchovesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location. - answer>>c
A mother brings her 3-month-old infant to the clinic for evaluation of a cold. She tells the nurse that he
had "a runny nose for a week." When performing the physical assessment, the nurse notes that the
child has nasal flaring and sternal and intercostal retractions. The nurse's next action should be to
A) assure the mother that these are normal symptoms of a cold.
, B)recognize that these are serious signs and contact the physician.
C) ask the mother if the infant has had trouble with feedings.
D) perform a complete cardiac assessment because these are probably signs of early heart failure. -
answer>>b
A patient with pleuritis has been admitted to the hospital and complains of pain with breathing. What
other key assessment finding would the nurse expect to find upon auscultation?
A) Wheezing
B) Crackles
C) Stridor
D) Friction rub - answer>>d
The findings from an assessment of a 70-year-old patient with swelling in his ankles include jugular
venous pulsations 5 cm above the sternal angle when the head of his bed is elevated 45 degrees. The
nurse knows that this finding indicates
A) decreased fluid volume.
B) increased cardiac output.
C) narrowing of jugular veins.
D) elevated pressure on the right side of the heart. - answer>>d
During an assessment of a 68-year-old man with a recent onset of right-sided weakness, the nurse hears
a blowing, swishing sound with the bell of the stethoscope over the left carotid artery. This finding
would indicate:
A) A valvular disorder.
B) Fluid volume overload.
C) Obstruction of flow.
D) Ventricular hypertrophy. - answer>>c
During an assessment of a healthy adult, where would the nurse expect to palpate the apical impulse?
A) Third left intercostal space at the midclavicular line
