ATI Respiratory Learning Systems Assessment 3.0| Questions and Verified Answers| Fully Updated 2025

ATI Respiratory Learning Systems Assessment 3.0| Questions and Verified Answers| Fully Updated 2025 The nurse is assisting a patient with a thoracentesis. What’s the best position for the patient during the procedure? Sitting upright and leaning over a table. That helps open up the space between the ribs where the needle goes. A patient with TB is being discharged on rifampin. What side effect should the nurse teach them about? Orange pee, sweat, tears—you name it. It’s harmless but surprising if you don’t expect it. A nurse sees a patient with O2 sat of 85%, but they say they feel fine. What should the nurse do? Trust the reading, not just the symptoms. Some people are used to low oxygen (like in COPD), but 85% is still low. A post-op patient is reluctant to move or breathe deeply because of pain. Why is early ambulation and deep breathing important? It helps prevent clots and keeps the lungs open. Not moving = more risk for pneumonia and DVTs. A nurse walks into a room and sees a patient using accessory muscles to breathe, with nasal 2 flaring and cyanosis around the lips. What should the nurse do first? Raise the head of the bed and apply oxygen. The patient’s signs show they’re working hard to breathe, so getting their oxygen up and helping them breathe easier is a priority. A patient with pneumonia suddenly becomes restless and confused. Why is this a concern? It could mean hypoxia is getting worse. The brain's sensitive to low oxygen, so changes in mental status can be an early sign things are going downhill. A nurse is teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer after abdominal surgery. What should the nurse say to help the patient use it right? "Inhale slowly and deeply, like you're sucking through a straw." You want them to expand their lungs—not blow into it, which is a common mistake. A patient is receiving albuterol via nebulizer. After treatment, the patient says they feel shaky and their heart is racing. What should the nurse do? Let the provider know, but this is a common side effect. Albuterol is a beta-agonist, so it can cause jitteriness and a fast heart rate. Monitor, but don’t panic. The nurse hears wheezing when auscultating a patient with asthma. 3 What does wheezing usually mean? Narrowed airways. It’s like air trying to squeak through a tight space—pretty classic for asthma or bronchospasm. A COPD patient on 2 L/min oxygen by nasal cannula has an O2 sat of 89%. The provider orders to increase the O2 to 4 L/min. Why might the nurse question this order? Too much oxygen can mess with their drive to breathe. COPD patients sometimes rely on low oxygen to keep breathing, so bumping it too high could be risky.