Vital Signs Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
The patient is brought to the emergency department complaining
of severe shortness of breath. She is cyanotic and her extremities
are cold. In an attempt to quickly assess the patient's respiratory
status, the nurse should:
a. remove the patient's nail polish to get a pulse oximetry reading.
b. use a forehead probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
c. use a finger probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
d. check the color of the patient's nail polish before attempting a
reading. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
B. use a forehead probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
A person's core temperature is considered the most accurate since
it is:
a. reflective of the surrounding environment.
b. the same for everyone.
c. controlled by the hypothalamus.
,Vital Signs Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
d. independent of external influences. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
C. controlled by the hypothalamus.
The nurse takes the patient's temperature using a tympanic
electronic thermometer. The temperature reading is 36.5° C (97.7°
F). The nurse knows that this correlates with:
a. 37.0° C (98.6° F) rectally.
b. 37.0° C (98.6° F) orally.
c. 36.0° C (97.7° F) axillary.
d. 36.0° C (97.7° F) orally. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
B. 37.0° C (98.6° F) orally.
The patient has an order to be off the floor for 15 minutes every 2
hours to smoke a cigarette. The patient has just returned from his
cigarette break. The nurse is about to take the patient's
temperature orally and should:
, Vital Signs Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
a. wait about 20 minutes before taking his temperature.
b. give him oral fluids to rinse the nicotine away before taking his
temperature.
c. give him a stick of chewing gum to chew and then take his
temperature.
d. take his oral temperature and record the findings. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
A. wait about 20 minutes before taking his temperature.
When evaluating the patient's temperature levels, the nurse
expects the patient's temperature to be lower:
a. in the morning.
b. after exercising.
c. during periods of stress.
d. during the postoperative period. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
A. in the morning.
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
The patient is brought to the emergency department complaining
of severe shortness of breath. She is cyanotic and her extremities
are cold. In an attempt to quickly assess the patient's respiratory
status, the nurse should:
a. remove the patient's nail polish to get a pulse oximetry reading.
b. use a forehead probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
c. use a finger probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
d. check the color of the patient's nail polish before attempting a
reading. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
B. use a forehead probe to get a pulse oximetry reading.
A person's core temperature is considered the most accurate since
it is:
a. reflective of the surrounding environment.
b. the same for everyone.
c. controlled by the hypothalamus.
,Vital Signs Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
d. independent of external influences. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
C. controlled by the hypothalamus.
The nurse takes the patient's temperature using a tympanic
electronic thermometer. The temperature reading is 36.5° C (97.7°
F). The nurse knows that this correlates with:
a. 37.0° C (98.6° F) rectally.
b. 37.0° C (98.6° F) orally.
c. 36.0° C (97.7° F) axillary.
d. 36.0° C (97.7° F) orally. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
B. 37.0° C (98.6° F) orally.
The patient has an order to be off the floor for 15 minutes every 2
hours to smoke a cigarette. The patient has just returned from his
cigarette break. The nurse is about to take the patient's
temperature orally and should:
, Vital Signs Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing
Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition Chapter
05 Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
a. wait about 20 minutes before taking his temperature.
b. give him oral fluids to rinse the nicotine away before taking his
temperature.
c. give him a stick of chewing gum to chew and then take his
temperature.
d. take his oral temperature and record the findings. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
A. wait about 20 minutes before taking his temperature.
When evaluating the patient's temperature levels, the nurse
expects the patient's temperature to be lower:
a. in the morning.
b. after exercising.
c. during periods of stress.
d. during the postoperative period. -
correct answer ✅ANS:
A. in the morning.
