DEWIT’S MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
ACTUAL TEST SCRIPT WITH SOLVED
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
●● 2. What does the term hypoxemia indicate?
A. An excess of oxygen in the blood
B. An excess of carbon dioxide in the blood
C. A deficiency of oxygen in the blood
D. A deficiency of carbon dioxide in the blood
Answer: C. A deficiency of oxygen in the blood
Hypoxemia means that there is an insufficient amount of oxygen in the
blood.
●● 3. How does exhaling affect the pH of the blood?
A. Exhaling causes the pH to increase (more alkaline).
B. Exhaling causes the pH to lower (more acidic).
C. Exhaling causes the pH to be positive.
D. Exhaling causes the pH to be negative.
Answer: A. Exhaling causes the pH to increase (more alkaline).
, Exhaling releases carbon dioxide, which makes the blood from the
respiratory tract more acidic. This has the effect of raising the pH of
blood, making it more alkaline. Retaining carbon dioxide would lower
the pH of the blood by making it more acidic.
●● 4. In what structure does the actual gas exchange during respiration
occur?
A. Lungs
B. Trachea
C. Bronchi
D. Alveoli
Answer: D. Alveoli
Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged through the walls of the
alveoli. The trachea and bronchi are air passageways, but no gas
exchange occurs in these structures.
●● 5. What is the function of the chemoreceptors in the carotid and
aortic bodies?
A. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to changes in blood carbon
dioxide levels.
, B. These chemoreceptors regulate respiratory depth and rhythm.
C. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to increases in blood oxygen
levels.
D. These chemoreceptors send impulses to the myocardium.
Answer: C. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to increases in blood
oxygen levels.
These receptors monitor arterial carbon dioxide levels. The regulatory
centers for respiratory rate and depth are located in the medulla
oblongata. Chemoreceptors sensitive to oxygen levels are located in the
medulla oblongata. These chemoreceptors communicate directly with
the medulla oblongata.
●● 6. The nurse is assessing an elderly patient who has been admitted
with a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia. As the nurse auscultates the
patient's lungs, diminished breath sounds are heard on the right side.
Why is the patient more likely to aspirate foreign objects into the right
bronchus rather than the left?
A. The right bronchus is shorter and more horizontal.
B. The right bronchus is narrower and shorter.
C. The right bronchus angles off to the right.
D. The right bronchus is larger and wider.
Answer: C. The right bronchus angles off to the right.
ACTUAL TEST SCRIPT WITH SOLVED
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
●● 2. What does the term hypoxemia indicate?
A. An excess of oxygen in the blood
B. An excess of carbon dioxide in the blood
C. A deficiency of oxygen in the blood
D. A deficiency of carbon dioxide in the blood
Answer: C. A deficiency of oxygen in the blood
Hypoxemia means that there is an insufficient amount of oxygen in the
blood.
●● 3. How does exhaling affect the pH of the blood?
A. Exhaling causes the pH to increase (more alkaline).
B. Exhaling causes the pH to lower (more acidic).
C. Exhaling causes the pH to be positive.
D. Exhaling causes the pH to be negative.
Answer: A. Exhaling causes the pH to increase (more alkaline).
, Exhaling releases carbon dioxide, which makes the blood from the
respiratory tract more acidic. This has the effect of raising the pH of
blood, making it more alkaline. Retaining carbon dioxide would lower
the pH of the blood by making it more acidic.
●● 4. In what structure does the actual gas exchange during respiration
occur?
A. Lungs
B. Trachea
C. Bronchi
D. Alveoli
Answer: D. Alveoli
Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged through the walls of the
alveoli. The trachea and bronchi are air passageways, but no gas
exchange occurs in these structures.
●● 5. What is the function of the chemoreceptors in the carotid and
aortic bodies?
A. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to changes in blood carbon
dioxide levels.
, B. These chemoreceptors regulate respiratory depth and rhythm.
C. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to increases in blood oxygen
levels.
D. These chemoreceptors send impulses to the myocardium.
Answer: C. These chemoreceptors are sensitive to increases in blood
oxygen levels.
These receptors monitor arterial carbon dioxide levels. The regulatory
centers for respiratory rate and depth are located in the medulla
oblongata. Chemoreceptors sensitive to oxygen levels are located in the
medulla oblongata. These chemoreceptors communicate directly with
the medulla oblongata.
●● 6. The nurse is assessing an elderly patient who has been admitted
with a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia. As the nurse auscultates the
patient's lungs, diminished breath sounds are heard on the right side.
Why is the patient more likely to aspirate foreign objects into the right
bronchus rather than the left?
A. The right bronchus is shorter and more horizontal.
B. The right bronchus is narrower and shorter.
C. The right bronchus angles off to the right.
D. The right bronchus is larger and wider.
Answer: C. The right bronchus angles off to the right.
