Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Test
Questions and Answers Rated A
When assessing the client with COPD, which over the bed table. The nurse needs to maintain
health promotion information would be most the client's safety.
important for the nurse to obtain? 2. Oxygen will be applied as soon as possible,but
the least amount possible. If levels of oxygen are
1. Number of years the client has smoked. too high, the client may stop breathing.
2. Risk factors for complications. 3. Vital signs need to be monitored, but this is not
3. Ability to administer inhaled medication. the first priority. If the equipment is not in the
4. Possibility for lifestyle changes. - room, another member of the health-care team
ANSWER -1. This would be information should bring it to the nurse. The nurse should
needed to treat the cause but not the most stay with the client.
important in health promotion. 4. The health-care provider will need to be
2. The risk factors for complications would be notified, but the client needs to be treated first.
important in planning care. The nurse should get assistance if possible so
3. Assessing the ability to deliver medications that the nurse can treat this client quickly.
would be important when teaching the client.
***4. The possibility of lifestyle changes is most TEST-TAKING HINT: When a question asks for
important in health promotion. The most the test taker to choose the intervention to
important is smoking cessation. The nurse needs implement first, the test taker should treat life-
to assess if the client has the willing- ness to threatening events first. In this situation the client
consider cessation of smoking and carry out the is in respiratory distress so the nurse must act
plan. If the client refuses to stop, treatment will quickly to prevent the progression to respiratory
need to be altered. failure. "Notify the health-care provider" is usually
not the first intervention. There are usually
TEST-TAKING HINT: The test taker needs to assessment data to obtain before calling.
read the question for words such as "health
promotion." These words make all the other
answer options wrong because they do not When assessing the client with the diagnosis of
promote health. COPD, which data would require the nurse to
take immediate action?
The client diagnosed with an exacerbation of 1. Large amounts of thick white sputum.
COPD is in respiratory distress. Which 2. Oxygen flow meter set on eight (8) liters.
intervention should the nurse implement first? 3. Use of accessory muscles during inspiration.
4. Presence of a barrel chest and dyspnea. -
1. Assist the client into a sitting position at 90 ANSWER -1. A large amount of thick
degrees. sputum is a common symptom of COPD. There
2. Give oxygen at six (6) LPM via nasal cannula. is no cause for immediate intervention.
3. Monitor vital signs with the client sitting ***2. The nurse should decrease the oxygen rate.
upright. Hypoxemia is the stimulus for breathing in the
4. Notify the health-care provider about the client with COPD. If the hypoxemia improves and
client's status. - ANSWER -***1. The client the oxygen level increases, the drive to breathe
should be assisted into a sitting position either on may be eliminated. Careful monitoring is
the side of the bed or in the bed. This position important to prevent complications.
decreases the work of breathing. Some clients 3. It is common for clients with COPD to use
find it easier sitting on the side of the bed leaning accessory muscles when inhaling. These clients
1/5
, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Test
Questions and Answers Rated A
tend to lean forward. course of care. The client is meeting the
4. In clients with COPD, there is a characteristic expected outcome.
barrel chest from chronic hyperinflation, and
dyspnea is common. TEST-TAKING HINT: This question is similar to
an "except" question. The test taker should look
TEST-TAKING HINT: This question requires at each answer option for a positive outcome.
interpreting the data to determine which is Nurses want their clients to improve so the
abnormal or unexpected and thus is the one that expected outcomes should be an improvement of
needs intervention before the client is harmed. At some problem. The test taker should decide
first the test taker may be tempted to choose "4" which outcome is not desired.
because of the word "dyspnea" or "3" because of
the use of accessory muscles, but these are
common occurrences for that client or, in other The nurse is caring for the client diagnosed with
words, normal for the client. If the data describes end-stage COPD. Which data would warrant
a normal scenario for that client, the test taker immediate intervention by the nurse?
should look for the option that is different or
describes an occurrence that is not expected or 1. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 92%.
that is incorrect—in this case, the oxygen being 2. The client's arterial blood gas level is 74.
given too rapidly. 3. The client has SOB when walking to the
bathroom. 4. The client's sputum is rusty colored.
- ANSWER -1. The client with end-stage
While the nurse is caring for the client diagnosed COPD would have decreased peripheral oxygen
with COPD, which outcome would require a levels; therefore, this would not warrant
revision in the plan of care? immediate intervention.
2. The client's ABGs would normally have a low
1. The client has no signs of respiratory distress. oxygen level; therefore, this would not warrant
2. The client shows an improved respiratory immediate intervention.
pattern. 3. The client would have shortness of breath
3. The client demonstrates intolerance to activity. (SOB) when ambulating to the bathroom.
4. The client participates in establishing goals. - ***4. Rusty-colored sputum may indicate blood in
ANSWER -1. The expected outcome of the sputum and would require further assessment
showing no signs of respiratory distress would by the nurse.
indicate that the plan of care is effective and
should be continued. TEST-TAKING HINT: The test taker could rule
2. An improved respiratory pattern indicates that out options "1" and "2" as correct answers
the plan should be continued because the client because both describe the same data of de-
is improving. creased oxygen, which is characteristic of COPD.
***3. The expected outcome should be that the
client is showing an improved activity tolerance;
because the client is not meeting the expected What statement made by the client diagnosed
outcome, the plan of care needs revision. The with chronic bronchitis indicates to the nurse that
nurse needs to collaborate with the health-care more teaching is needed?
team and with the client to establish interventions
that will assist in improving the client's outcome. 1. "I should contact my health-care provider if my
4. The client needs to participate in planning the sputum changes color or amount."
2/5
Questions and Answers Rated A
When assessing the client with COPD, which over the bed table. The nurse needs to maintain
health promotion information would be most the client's safety.
important for the nurse to obtain? 2. Oxygen will be applied as soon as possible,but
the least amount possible. If levels of oxygen are
1. Number of years the client has smoked. too high, the client may stop breathing.
2. Risk factors for complications. 3. Vital signs need to be monitored, but this is not
3. Ability to administer inhaled medication. the first priority. If the equipment is not in the
4. Possibility for lifestyle changes. - room, another member of the health-care team
ANSWER -1. This would be information should bring it to the nurse. The nurse should
needed to treat the cause but not the most stay with the client.
important in health promotion. 4. The health-care provider will need to be
2. The risk factors for complications would be notified, but the client needs to be treated first.
important in planning care. The nurse should get assistance if possible so
3. Assessing the ability to deliver medications that the nurse can treat this client quickly.
would be important when teaching the client.
***4. The possibility of lifestyle changes is most TEST-TAKING HINT: When a question asks for
important in health promotion. The most the test taker to choose the intervention to
important is smoking cessation. The nurse needs implement first, the test taker should treat life-
to assess if the client has the willing- ness to threatening events first. In this situation the client
consider cessation of smoking and carry out the is in respiratory distress so the nurse must act
plan. If the client refuses to stop, treatment will quickly to prevent the progression to respiratory
need to be altered. failure. "Notify the health-care provider" is usually
not the first intervention. There are usually
TEST-TAKING HINT: The test taker needs to assessment data to obtain before calling.
read the question for words such as "health
promotion." These words make all the other
answer options wrong because they do not When assessing the client with the diagnosis of
promote health. COPD, which data would require the nurse to
take immediate action?
The client diagnosed with an exacerbation of 1. Large amounts of thick white sputum.
COPD is in respiratory distress. Which 2. Oxygen flow meter set on eight (8) liters.
intervention should the nurse implement first? 3. Use of accessory muscles during inspiration.
4. Presence of a barrel chest and dyspnea. -
1. Assist the client into a sitting position at 90 ANSWER -1. A large amount of thick
degrees. sputum is a common symptom of COPD. There
2. Give oxygen at six (6) LPM via nasal cannula. is no cause for immediate intervention.
3. Monitor vital signs with the client sitting ***2. The nurse should decrease the oxygen rate.
upright. Hypoxemia is the stimulus for breathing in the
4. Notify the health-care provider about the client with COPD. If the hypoxemia improves and
client's status. - ANSWER -***1. The client the oxygen level increases, the drive to breathe
should be assisted into a sitting position either on may be eliminated. Careful monitoring is
the side of the bed or in the bed. This position important to prevent complications.
decreases the work of breathing. Some clients 3. It is common for clients with COPD to use
find it easier sitting on the side of the bed leaning accessory muscles when inhaling. These clients
1/5
, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Test
Questions and Answers Rated A
tend to lean forward. course of care. The client is meeting the
4. In clients with COPD, there is a characteristic expected outcome.
barrel chest from chronic hyperinflation, and
dyspnea is common. TEST-TAKING HINT: This question is similar to
an "except" question. The test taker should look
TEST-TAKING HINT: This question requires at each answer option for a positive outcome.
interpreting the data to determine which is Nurses want their clients to improve so the
abnormal or unexpected and thus is the one that expected outcomes should be an improvement of
needs intervention before the client is harmed. At some problem. The test taker should decide
first the test taker may be tempted to choose "4" which outcome is not desired.
because of the word "dyspnea" or "3" because of
the use of accessory muscles, but these are
common occurrences for that client or, in other The nurse is caring for the client diagnosed with
words, normal for the client. If the data describes end-stage COPD. Which data would warrant
a normal scenario for that client, the test taker immediate intervention by the nurse?
should look for the option that is different or
describes an occurrence that is not expected or 1. The client's pulse oximeter reading is 92%.
that is incorrect—in this case, the oxygen being 2. The client's arterial blood gas level is 74.
given too rapidly. 3. The client has SOB when walking to the
bathroom. 4. The client's sputum is rusty colored.
- ANSWER -1. The client with end-stage
While the nurse is caring for the client diagnosed COPD would have decreased peripheral oxygen
with COPD, which outcome would require a levels; therefore, this would not warrant
revision in the plan of care? immediate intervention.
2. The client's ABGs would normally have a low
1. The client has no signs of respiratory distress. oxygen level; therefore, this would not warrant
2. The client shows an improved respiratory immediate intervention.
pattern. 3. The client would have shortness of breath
3. The client demonstrates intolerance to activity. (SOB) when ambulating to the bathroom.
4. The client participates in establishing goals. - ***4. Rusty-colored sputum may indicate blood in
ANSWER -1. The expected outcome of the sputum and would require further assessment
showing no signs of respiratory distress would by the nurse.
indicate that the plan of care is effective and
should be continued. TEST-TAKING HINT: The test taker could rule
2. An improved respiratory pattern indicates that out options "1" and "2" as correct answers
the plan should be continued because the client because both describe the same data of de-
is improving. creased oxygen, which is characteristic of COPD.
***3. The expected outcome should be that the
client is showing an improved activity tolerance;
because the client is not meeting the expected What statement made by the client diagnosed
outcome, the plan of care needs revision. The with chronic bronchitis indicates to the nurse that
nurse needs to collaborate with the health-care more teaching is needed?
team and with the client to establish interventions
that will assist in improving the client's outcome. 1. "I should contact my health-care provider if my
4. The client needs to participate in planning the sputum changes color or amount."
2/5
