NSG 4100 (AH III)
Exam 3 Questions
with Correct Answers
User [Date] [Course title]
,The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes several disadvantages of an endotracheal
tube. What would the nurse recognize as a disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed - correct answer: D
What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may indicate a pt's need to have a
tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis - correct answer: B
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy. When planning preoperative
teaching, what info should the nurse communicate to the pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction - correct answer: B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-sealed chest drainage
system. What should the nurse tell the pt and the family that this drainage system is used for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid - correct answer: D
A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy. The surgeon inserts a chest tube into
the anterior chest wall. What should the nurse tell the family is the primary purpose of this chest tube?
,a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation - correct answer: A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse perform when providing
this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions - correct answer: D
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the water-seal chamber of the pt's
closed chest-drinagae system. What should the Nurs conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed - correct answer: C
The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic resection. The nurse is providing
preoperative teaching and is discussing several diagnostic studies that will be required prior to surgery.
Which study will be performed to determine whether the panned resection will leave sufficient
functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray - correct answer: A
The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is postoperative following thoracotomy. What
instructions should the nurse give to the pt regarding activity immediately following discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
, b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily - correct answer: D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a pt who has just had a thoracotomy.
The nurse knows that the amount of suction in the system is determined by the water level. At what
suction level should the nurse set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O - correct answer: A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a ventilator. When assessing the
client, the nurse knows to maintain what cuff pressure to maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal
wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg - correct answer: B
A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage systems w/ a group of medical nurses.
What indications should the nurses identify? Select all that apply.
a. post thoracotomy
b. spontaneous pneumothorax
c. need for postural drainage
d. chest trauma resulting in pneumothorax
e. pleurisy - correct answer: A, B, D
The home care nurse is visiting a pt newly discharged home after a lobectomy. What would be most
important for the home care nurse to assess?
a. resumption of the pt's ADLs
Exam 3 Questions
with Correct Answers
User [Date] [Course title]
,The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes several disadvantages of an endotracheal
tube. What would the nurse recognize as a disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed - correct answer: D
What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may indicate a pt's need to have a
tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis - correct answer: B
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy. When planning preoperative
teaching, what info should the nurse communicate to the pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction - correct answer: B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-sealed chest drainage
system. What should the nurse tell the pt and the family that this drainage system is used for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid - correct answer: D
A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy. The surgeon inserts a chest tube into
the anterior chest wall. What should the nurse tell the family is the primary purpose of this chest tube?
,a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation - correct answer: A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse perform when providing
this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions - correct answer: D
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the water-seal chamber of the pt's
closed chest-drinagae system. What should the Nurs conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed - correct answer: C
The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic resection. The nurse is providing
preoperative teaching and is discussing several diagnostic studies that will be required prior to surgery.
Which study will be performed to determine whether the panned resection will leave sufficient
functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray - correct answer: A
The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is postoperative following thoracotomy. What
instructions should the nurse give to the pt regarding activity immediately following discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
, b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily - correct answer: D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a pt who has just had a thoracotomy.
The nurse knows that the amount of suction in the system is determined by the water level. At what
suction level should the nurse set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O - correct answer: A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a ventilator. When assessing the
client, the nurse knows to maintain what cuff pressure to maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal
wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg - correct answer: B
A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage systems w/ a group of medical nurses.
What indications should the nurses identify? Select all that apply.
a. post thoracotomy
b. spontaneous pneumothorax
c. need for postural drainage
d. chest trauma resulting in pneumothorax
e. pleurisy - correct answer: A, B, D
The home care nurse is visiting a pt newly discharged home after a lobectomy. What would be most
important for the home care nurse to assess?
a. resumption of the pt's ADLs
