1
Respiratory 3.0 Health Assessment
Exam| Latest Version 2025/2026
| Approved 100%
A patient suddenly becomes anxious, has rapid breathing, and complains of chest pain.
Could be a pulmonary embolism — sudden symptoms like that are a red flag and need fast
evaluation.
The nurse notices the patient’s sputum is pink and frothy.
That’s usually from pulmonary edema — often linked to heart failure. Needs urgent care.
A nurse observes intercostal retractions in a young patient with respiratory distress.
That means they’re using extra effort to breathe — pulling in muscles between ribs. A sign of
serious breathing problems.
A patient’s voice sounds muffled and they’re drooling. The nurse avoids examining the throat.
That could be epiglottitis. Opening the airway could make it worse — it’s a medical
emergency.
A nurse hears low-pitched, snoring-like sounds during auscultation.
That’s rhonchi — usually from mucus or secretions in the larger airways, like in bronchitis.
, 2
The nurse hears fine crackles at the end of inspiration in the lower lungs.
That could mean early heart failure or pulmonary fibrosis. Fine crackles come from small
alveoli popping open.
A patient reports waking up suddenly at night feeling like they can’t breathe.
That’s paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea — often linked to heart failure. Fluid builds up while
lying down and makes breathing harder.
The nurse finds that the patient’s trachea is shifted to the right.
That could mean something is pushing or pulling the trachea — like a large pleural effusion
or a tension pneumothorax.
A patient says they feel chest tightness and are coughing after using a new cleaning spray.
Likely an irritant-induced bronchospasm or asthma flare — the spray triggered inflammation
in their airways.
A patient with COPD has a PaCO₂ of 55 mmHg and looks drowsy.
That’s hypercapnia — too much CO₂, which can happen in COPD. The drowsiness means
it’s affecting their brain — needs intervention.
A nurse notes paradoxical chest movement when the patient breathes.
That means part of the chest wall moves the opposite way during breathing — could be from
flail chest after trauma.
Respiratory 3.0 Health Assessment
Exam| Latest Version 2025/2026
| Approved 100%
A patient suddenly becomes anxious, has rapid breathing, and complains of chest pain.
Could be a pulmonary embolism — sudden symptoms like that are a red flag and need fast
evaluation.
The nurse notices the patient’s sputum is pink and frothy.
That’s usually from pulmonary edema — often linked to heart failure. Needs urgent care.
A nurse observes intercostal retractions in a young patient with respiratory distress.
That means they’re using extra effort to breathe — pulling in muscles between ribs. A sign of
serious breathing problems.
A patient’s voice sounds muffled and they’re drooling. The nurse avoids examining the throat.
That could be epiglottitis. Opening the airway could make it worse — it’s a medical
emergency.
A nurse hears low-pitched, snoring-like sounds during auscultation.
That’s rhonchi — usually from mucus or secretions in the larger airways, like in bronchitis.
, 2
The nurse hears fine crackles at the end of inspiration in the lower lungs.
That could mean early heart failure or pulmonary fibrosis. Fine crackles come from small
alveoli popping open.
A patient reports waking up suddenly at night feeling like they can’t breathe.
That’s paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea — often linked to heart failure. Fluid builds up while
lying down and makes breathing harder.
The nurse finds that the patient’s trachea is shifted to the right.
That could mean something is pushing or pulling the trachea — like a large pleural effusion
or a tension pneumothorax.
A patient says they feel chest tightness and are coughing after using a new cleaning spray.
Likely an irritant-induced bronchospasm or asthma flare — the spray triggered inflammation
in their airways.
A patient with COPD has a PaCO₂ of 55 mmHg and looks drowsy.
That’s hypercapnia — too much CO₂, which can happen in COPD. The drowsiness means
it’s affecting their brain — needs intervention.
A nurse notes paradoxical chest movement when the patient breathes.
That means part of the chest wall moves the opposite way during breathing — could be from
flail chest after trauma.
