NSG 300 Exam 3 (2026/2027) - Foundations of
Nursing - Grand Canyon University (GCU) 200
Multiple Choice Questions with Bold Italic
Answers and Explanations | Well Detailed
Answers | 2026/2027 |A+ Grade
SECTION 1: OXYGENATION & PERFUSION – RESPIRATORY (Questions 1-50)
1. Which of the following is NOT a step in the process of oxygenation?
A) Ventilation
B) Perfusion
C) Pinocytosis
D) Diffusion
Pinocytosis is a cellular process for engulfing extracellular fluid, unrelated to oxygenation.
The three steps of oxygenation are ventilation, perfusion, and diffusion .
2. A nurse is assessing a patient with COPD. The patient's clavicles elevate during
inhalation. This finding indicates:
A) Normal breathing
B) Ventilatory fatigue
C) Improved oxygenation
D) Decreased work of breathing
Elevation of the clavicles during inhalation indicates the use of accessory muscles
(intercostal and abdominal muscles), which suggests ventilatory fatigue, air hunger, or
decreased lung expansion. This is frequently seen in patients with COPD/emphysema who
need to increase lung volume [citation:1,5,6].
3. What are the three steps of oxygenation?
,A) Inspiration, Expiration, and Perfusion
B) Ventilation, Perfusion, and Diffusion
C) Oxygenation, Circulation, and Respiration
D) Inhalation, Exhalation, and Oxygenation
Ventilation is the movement of gases in and out of the lungs, perfusion is the ability of the
cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to tissues, and diffusion is the movement
of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane [citation:5,6].
4. What is ventilation?
A) The movement of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane
B) The process of moving gases into and out of the lungs via inhalation and
exhalation
C) The pumping of oxygenated blood to the tissues
D) The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at the cellular level
Ventilation is the movement of air in and out of the lungs. Inhalation is active (requires the
diaphragm), and exhalation is passive [citation:5,6].
5. What is perfusion?
A) The movement of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane
B) The process of moving gases into and out of the lungs
C) The ability of the cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to the tissues
and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs
D) The exchange of gases at the cellular level
Perfusion is the ability of the cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to the
tissues and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs [citation:5,6].
6. What is diffusion?
A) The movement of air in and out of the lungs
B) The pumping of oxygenated blood to tissues
C) The movement of gases from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower
,concentration across the alveolar-capillary membrane
D) The process of cellular respiration
Diffusion is responsible for moving gases from one area to another by concentration
gradients, occurring at the alveolar-capillary membrane. The thickness of the membrane
affects the rate of diffusion—increased thickness impedes diffusion because gases take
longer to transfer across the membrane [citation:5,6].
7. Which three factors influence the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen?
A) Heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature
B) Dissolved oxygen in plasma, amount of hemoglobin, and ability of hemoglobin to
bind with oxygen
C) White blood cell count, platelet count, and plasma volume
D) Age, gender, and activity level
The capacity of blood to carry oxygen is influenced by three things: the amount of dissolved
oxygen in the plasma, the amount of hemoglobin, and the ability of hemoglobin to bind with
oxygen. Clients with low hemoglobin have decreased ability to carry oxygen to the tissues
[citation:1,5,6].
8. A patient with anemia will likely experience which of the following due to
decreased oxygenation?
A) Increased activity tolerance
B) Fatigue, decreased activity tolerance, and increased shortness of breath
C) Decreased heart rate
D) Flushed skin
Anemic patients will have fatigue, decreased activity tolerance, increased shortness of
breath, increased heart rate, and pallor (especially of the conjunctiva). Low hemoglobin
decreases the ability to carry oxygen to the tissues .
9. What are accessory muscles involved in respiration?
A) Diaphragm and pectoralis major
B) Intercostal and abdominal muscles
, C) Trapezius and deltoid
D) Latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior
Accessory muscles involved in respiration include the intercostal and abdominal muscles.
They are frequently used by patients with COPD/emphysema to increase lung volume, but
prolonged use eventually leads to fatigue [citation:5,6].
10. A patient with an increased thickness of the alveolar-capillary membrane, such as
in pulmonary edema, would have:
A) Impaired diffusion because gases take longer to transfer
B) Enhanced diffusion because gases transfer faster
C) No change in diffusion
D) Increased ventilation
Increased thickness of the alveolar-capillary membrane impedes diffusion because gases
take longer to transfer across the membrane. This occurs in conditions such as pulmonary
edema, pulmonary effusion, emphysema, and pneumothorax .
11. Which of the following conditions can change the structure and function of the
pulmonary system?
A) Hypertension
B) COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis
C) Diabetes
D) Anemia
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis
are conditions that change the structure and function of the pulmonary system, potentially
causing increased respiratory rate, decreased oxygen saturation, or adventitious lung
sounds (crackles, rhonchi, wheezes) .
12. Which of the following is a physiological factor affecting oxygenation?
A) Smoking
B) Obesity
Nursing - Grand Canyon University (GCU) 200
Multiple Choice Questions with Bold Italic
Answers and Explanations | Well Detailed
Answers | 2026/2027 |A+ Grade
SECTION 1: OXYGENATION & PERFUSION – RESPIRATORY (Questions 1-50)
1. Which of the following is NOT a step in the process of oxygenation?
A) Ventilation
B) Perfusion
C) Pinocytosis
D) Diffusion
Pinocytosis is a cellular process for engulfing extracellular fluid, unrelated to oxygenation.
The three steps of oxygenation are ventilation, perfusion, and diffusion .
2. A nurse is assessing a patient with COPD. The patient's clavicles elevate during
inhalation. This finding indicates:
A) Normal breathing
B) Ventilatory fatigue
C) Improved oxygenation
D) Decreased work of breathing
Elevation of the clavicles during inhalation indicates the use of accessory muscles
(intercostal and abdominal muscles), which suggests ventilatory fatigue, air hunger, or
decreased lung expansion. This is frequently seen in patients with COPD/emphysema who
need to increase lung volume [citation:1,5,6].
3. What are the three steps of oxygenation?
,A) Inspiration, Expiration, and Perfusion
B) Ventilation, Perfusion, and Diffusion
C) Oxygenation, Circulation, and Respiration
D) Inhalation, Exhalation, and Oxygenation
Ventilation is the movement of gases in and out of the lungs, perfusion is the ability of the
cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to tissues, and diffusion is the movement
of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane [citation:5,6].
4. What is ventilation?
A) The movement of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane
B) The process of moving gases into and out of the lungs via inhalation and
exhalation
C) The pumping of oxygenated blood to the tissues
D) The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at the cellular level
Ventilation is the movement of air in and out of the lungs. Inhalation is active (requires the
diaphragm), and exhalation is passive [citation:5,6].
5. What is perfusion?
A) The movement of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane
B) The process of moving gases into and out of the lungs
C) The ability of the cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to the tissues
and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs
D) The exchange of gases at the cellular level
Perfusion is the ability of the cardiovascular system to pump oxygenated blood to the
tissues and return deoxygenated blood to the lungs [citation:5,6].
6. What is diffusion?
A) The movement of air in and out of the lungs
B) The pumping of oxygenated blood to tissues
C) The movement of gases from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower
,concentration across the alveolar-capillary membrane
D) The process of cellular respiration
Diffusion is responsible for moving gases from one area to another by concentration
gradients, occurring at the alveolar-capillary membrane. The thickness of the membrane
affects the rate of diffusion—increased thickness impedes diffusion because gases take
longer to transfer across the membrane [citation:5,6].
7. Which three factors influence the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen?
A) Heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature
B) Dissolved oxygen in plasma, amount of hemoglobin, and ability of hemoglobin to
bind with oxygen
C) White blood cell count, platelet count, and plasma volume
D) Age, gender, and activity level
The capacity of blood to carry oxygen is influenced by three things: the amount of dissolved
oxygen in the plasma, the amount of hemoglobin, and the ability of hemoglobin to bind with
oxygen. Clients with low hemoglobin have decreased ability to carry oxygen to the tissues
[citation:1,5,6].
8. A patient with anemia will likely experience which of the following due to
decreased oxygenation?
A) Increased activity tolerance
B) Fatigue, decreased activity tolerance, and increased shortness of breath
C) Decreased heart rate
D) Flushed skin
Anemic patients will have fatigue, decreased activity tolerance, increased shortness of
breath, increased heart rate, and pallor (especially of the conjunctiva). Low hemoglobin
decreases the ability to carry oxygen to the tissues .
9. What are accessory muscles involved in respiration?
A) Diaphragm and pectoralis major
B) Intercostal and abdominal muscles
, C) Trapezius and deltoid
D) Latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior
Accessory muscles involved in respiration include the intercostal and abdominal muscles.
They are frequently used by patients with COPD/emphysema to increase lung volume, but
prolonged use eventually leads to fatigue [citation:5,6].
10. A patient with an increased thickness of the alveolar-capillary membrane, such as
in pulmonary edema, would have:
A) Impaired diffusion because gases take longer to transfer
B) Enhanced diffusion because gases transfer faster
C) No change in diffusion
D) Increased ventilation
Increased thickness of the alveolar-capillary membrane impedes diffusion because gases
take longer to transfer across the membrane. This occurs in conditions such as pulmonary
edema, pulmonary effusion, emphysema, and pneumothorax .
11. Which of the following conditions can change the structure and function of the
pulmonary system?
A) Hypertension
B) COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis
C) Diabetes
D) Anemia
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis
are conditions that change the structure and function of the pulmonary system, potentially
causing increased respiratory rate, decreased oxygen saturation, or adventitious lung
sounds (crackles, rhonchi, wheezes) .
12. Which of the following is a physiological factor affecting oxygenation?
A) Smoking
B) Obesity
