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NURS 611 ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
|REAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
(100% VERIFIED SOLUTIONS)
|ALREADY RATED A+.
A client with chronic bronchitis is admitted with an exacerbation of symptoms. During the
nursing assessment, the nurse will expect which of the following findings? Select all that
apply.
a) Use of accessory muscles to breathe
b) Tympany percussed bilaterally over the lung bases
c) Hypoventilatory breathing pattern
d) Respiratory rate of 10 breaths per minute
e) Purulent sputum with frequent coughing - CORRECT ✓✓ • Use of accessory muscles to
breathe
• Purulent sputum with frequent coughing
Explanation:
Chronic bronchitis increases airway resistance and can thicken bronchial mucosa during an
exacerbation. The client will have dyspnea requiring the use of accessory muscles to breathe,
along with tachypnea and sputum production. Bronchial irritation and the need to expectorate
mucus will lead to coughing. Percussion in this client would lead to resonant or
hyperresonant sounds.
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A student nurse is working with a client who is diagnosed with head trauma. The nurse has
documented Cheyne-Stokes respirations. The student would expect to see which of the
following?
a) Periods of normal breathing followed by periods of apnea
b) Regular breathing where the rate and depth increase, then decrease
c) Period of cessation of breathing
d) Irregular breathing at 14 to 18 breaths per minute - CORRECT ✓✓ Regular breathing
where the rate and depth increase, then decrease
Explanation:
Observing the rate and depth of respiration is an important aspect of the nursing assessment.
Certain patterns of breathing are characteristic of specific disease states or conditions. Head
trauma can cause damage to the respiratory center in the brain, thereby altering the rate and
depth of respirations. Cheyne-Stokes breathing is characterized by a regular cycle in which
the rate and depth of breathing increase, then decrease until apnea occurs.
A hospitalized client with terminal heart failure is nearing the end of life. The nurse observes
which of the following breathing patterns? - CORRECT ✓✓ Cheyne-Stokes breathing is
characterized by a regular cycle where the rate and depth of breathing increase, then decrease
until apnea occurs. The duration of apnea varies but progresses in length. This breathing
pattern is associated with heart failure, damage to the respiratory center in the brain, or both.
Which of the following ventilation-perfusion ratios is exhibited when a patient is diagnosed
with pulmonary emboli?
a) Normal perfusion to ventilation ratio
b) Silent unit
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c) Low ventilation-perfusion ratio
d) Dead space - CORRECT ✓✓ Dead space
Explanation:
When ventilation exceeds perfusion a dead space exists (high ventilation-perfusion ratios).
An example of a dead space is pulmonary emboli, pulmonary infarction, and cardiogenic
shock. A low ventilation-perfusion ratio exists in pneumonia or with a mucus plug. A silent
unit occurs in pneumothorax or ARDS.
On arrival at the intensive care unit, a critically ill client suffers respiratory arrest and is
placed on mechanical ventilation. The physician orders pulse oximetry to monitor the client's
arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) noninvasively. Which vital sign abnormality may alter
pulse oximetry values?
a) Tachypnea
b) Fever
c) Hypotension
d) Tachycardia - CORRECT ✓✓ Hypotension
Explanation:
Hypotension, hypothermia, and vasoconstriction may alter pulse oximetry values by reducing
arterial blood flow. Likewise, movement of the finger to which the oximeter is applied may
interfere with interpretation of SaO2. All of these conditions limit the usefulness of pulse
oximetry. Fever, tachypnea, and tachycardia don't affect pulse oximetry values directly
The nurse is using an in-line suction kit to suction a patient who is intubated and on a
mechanical ventilator. What benefits does inline suction have for the patient? (Select all that
apply.)
NURS 611 ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
|REAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
(100% VERIFIED SOLUTIONS)
|ALREADY RATED A+.
A client with chronic bronchitis is admitted with an exacerbation of symptoms. During the
nursing assessment, the nurse will expect which of the following findings? Select all that
apply.
a) Use of accessory muscles to breathe
b) Tympany percussed bilaterally over the lung bases
c) Hypoventilatory breathing pattern
d) Respiratory rate of 10 breaths per minute
e) Purulent sputum with frequent coughing - CORRECT ✓✓ • Use of accessory muscles to
breathe
• Purulent sputum with frequent coughing
Explanation:
Chronic bronchitis increases airway resistance and can thicken bronchial mucosa during an
exacerbation. The client will have dyspnea requiring the use of accessory muscles to breathe,
along with tachypnea and sputum production. Bronchial irritation and the need to expectorate
mucus will lead to coughing. Percussion in this client would lead to resonant or
hyperresonant sounds.
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A student nurse is working with a client who is diagnosed with head trauma. The nurse has
documented Cheyne-Stokes respirations. The student would expect to see which of the
following?
a) Periods of normal breathing followed by periods of apnea
b) Regular breathing where the rate and depth increase, then decrease
c) Period of cessation of breathing
d) Irregular breathing at 14 to 18 breaths per minute - CORRECT ✓✓ Regular breathing
where the rate and depth increase, then decrease
Explanation:
Observing the rate and depth of respiration is an important aspect of the nursing assessment.
Certain patterns of breathing are characteristic of specific disease states or conditions. Head
trauma can cause damage to the respiratory center in the brain, thereby altering the rate and
depth of respirations. Cheyne-Stokes breathing is characterized by a regular cycle in which
the rate and depth of breathing increase, then decrease until apnea occurs.
A hospitalized client with terminal heart failure is nearing the end of life. The nurse observes
which of the following breathing patterns? - CORRECT ✓✓ Cheyne-Stokes breathing is
characterized by a regular cycle where the rate and depth of breathing increase, then decrease
until apnea occurs. The duration of apnea varies but progresses in length. This breathing
pattern is associated with heart failure, damage to the respiratory center in the brain, or both.
Which of the following ventilation-perfusion ratios is exhibited when a patient is diagnosed
with pulmonary emboli?
a) Normal perfusion to ventilation ratio
b) Silent unit
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c) Low ventilation-perfusion ratio
d) Dead space - CORRECT ✓✓ Dead space
Explanation:
When ventilation exceeds perfusion a dead space exists (high ventilation-perfusion ratios).
An example of a dead space is pulmonary emboli, pulmonary infarction, and cardiogenic
shock. A low ventilation-perfusion ratio exists in pneumonia or with a mucus plug. A silent
unit occurs in pneumothorax or ARDS.
On arrival at the intensive care unit, a critically ill client suffers respiratory arrest and is
placed on mechanical ventilation. The physician orders pulse oximetry to monitor the client's
arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) noninvasively. Which vital sign abnormality may alter
pulse oximetry values?
a) Tachypnea
b) Fever
c) Hypotension
d) Tachycardia - CORRECT ✓✓ Hypotension
Explanation:
Hypotension, hypothermia, and vasoconstriction may alter pulse oximetry values by reducing
arterial blood flow. Likewise, movement of the finger to which the oximeter is applied may
interfere with interpretation of SaO2. All of these conditions limit the usefulness of pulse
oximetry. Fever, tachypnea, and tachycardia don't affect pulse oximetry values directly
The nurse is using an in-line suction kit to suction a patient who is intubated and on a
mechanical ventilator. What benefits does inline suction have for the patient? (Select all that
apply.)
