NUR 216 - Module 7 - Cardiovascular Assessment- Exam Questions with Verified Solutions Latest
Update 2025-2026 (100% Correct)
What is the function of the heart muscle? - Answers Delivers oxygenated blood throughout the body;
removes metabolic waste
What is the top part of the heart called? The bottom? - Answers Top - base, bottom - apex
What does PMI stand for? What is it and where is it? - Answers Point of maximum impulse
The area that has the strongest force of blood flow; lies right at the apex, 5th ICS at midclavicular line
What are the heart wall layers? - Answers Pericardium, myocardium, endocardium
Describe the pericardium. - Answers Tough, fibrous, double-walled sac that surrounds and protects the
heart
Describe the myocardium. - Answers Muscular wall of heart, does the pumping
Describe the endocardium. - Answers Thin layer of endothelial tissue that lines inner surface of the heart
chamber and vales.
What is an atrium? What is a ventricle? - Answers Atrium: thin-walled reservoir for holding blood
Ventricle: thick-walled, muscular pumping chamber
What are the four valves of the heart? - Answers Two AV valves: mitral and tricuspid
Two SL valves: pulmonic and aortic
What happens during diastole? - Answers Both AV valves open during heart's filling phase to allow
ventricles to fill with blood
What happens during systole? - Answers The pumping phase; AV valves close to prevent regurgitation of
blood back up into the atrium (SL valves are open)
Abnormally high pressure in left side of heart can cause what? - Answers Symptoms of pulmonary
congestion
Abnormally high pressure in the right side of the heart can cause what? - Answers Shows dissension in
neck veins and abdomen, edema, systemic signs/symptoms of blood flow back up
How does blood flow through the heart? - Answers Inferior and superior vena cava dump blood into the
right atrium which goes through triscuspid valve into right ventricle through pulmonic valve into
pulmonary arteries leading to the lungs where blood becomes oxygenated, then pulmonary veins bring
oxygenated blood back to the left atrium which goes through mitral valve then over to the left ventricle
which pumps blood through aortic valve into the aorta and it's then dispersed to the rest of the body
, What tools do you need for a cardiac assessment? - Answers Watch, stethoscope, pen light, Doppler,
blood pressure cuff
What is the difference between the bell vs diaphragm of the stethoscope? - Answers Bell: amplifies low-
pitched sounds (i.e. murmurs, bruits); hold lightly against skin
Diaphragm: amplifies high-pitched sounds (i.e. bowel, lung sounds); hold firmly against skin
***always put on bare skin, not over clothes
What assessments are done for cardiac? - Answers Inspection, palpation, auscultation
What are components of a cardiovascular exam? - Answers Review vital signs: BP, assess pulses
Look for findings of cardiovascular problems
Inspect and palpate the neck for carotid pulses
Auscultate the neck for bruits
Inspect and palpate the precordium for pulsations
Auscultate over the precordium at 5 auscultatory sites
What is orthostatic hypotension? - Answers Sudden drop in BP upon standing from a sitting or supine
position, also called postural hypotension
What is included in inspection for JVD? - Answers Note jugular veins and carotid arteries
HOB at 35-45 degree angle
Inspect for symmetry, veins and pulsations
What are the expected and unexpected findings of neck vessel inspection? - Answers Expected: No JVD,
carotid area with visible pulsations
Unexpected: Full, bulging and bounding jugulars on one of both sides of neck
What are expected and unexpected findings when palpating neck vessels? Expected variations? -
Answers Expected: carotid artery strength is moderate and equal bilaterally
Unexpected: Very strong or bounding pulse (3 or 4+), diminished or weak pulse (1+)
Expected variations: Use extra caution in older adults, underlying medical conditions can make them
more likely to experience syncope during palpation of the carotid arteries
How do you auscultate the neck vessels? - Answers Using the bell of stethoscope and light pressure,
listen over carotid arteries for bruits - might have to listen to 2-3 spots along carotid
Update 2025-2026 (100% Correct)
What is the function of the heart muscle? - Answers Delivers oxygenated blood throughout the body;
removes metabolic waste
What is the top part of the heart called? The bottom? - Answers Top - base, bottom - apex
What does PMI stand for? What is it and where is it? - Answers Point of maximum impulse
The area that has the strongest force of blood flow; lies right at the apex, 5th ICS at midclavicular line
What are the heart wall layers? - Answers Pericardium, myocardium, endocardium
Describe the pericardium. - Answers Tough, fibrous, double-walled sac that surrounds and protects the
heart
Describe the myocardium. - Answers Muscular wall of heart, does the pumping
Describe the endocardium. - Answers Thin layer of endothelial tissue that lines inner surface of the heart
chamber and vales.
What is an atrium? What is a ventricle? - Answers Atrium: thin-walled reservoir for holding blood
Ventricle: thick-walled, muscular pumping chamber
What are the four valves of the heart? - Answers Two AV valves: mitral and tricuspid
Two SL valves: pulmonic and aortic
What happens during diastole? - Answers Both AV valves open during heart's filling phase to allow
ventricles to fill with blood
What happens during systole? - Answers The pumping phase; AV valves close to prevent regurgitation of
blood back up into the atrium (SL valves are open)
Abnormally high pressure in left side of heart can cause what? - Answers Symptoms of pulmonary
congestion
Abnormally high pressure in the right side of the heart can cause what? - Answers Shows dissension in
neck veins and abdomen, edema, systemic signs/symptoms of blood flow back up
How does blood flow through the heart? - Answers Inferior and superior vena cava dump blood into the
right atrium which goes through triscuspid valve into right ventricle through pulmonic valve into
pulmonary arteries leading to the lungs where blood becomes oxygenated, then pulmonary veins bring
oxygenated blood back to the left atrium which goes through mitral valve then over to the left ventricle
which pumps blood through aortic valve into the aorta and it's then dispersed to the rest of the body
, What tools do you need for a cardiac assessment? - Answers Watch, stethoscope, pen light, Doppler,
blood pressure cuff
What is the difference between the bell vs diaphragm of the stethoscope? - Answers Bell: amplifies low-
pitched sounds (i.e. murmurs, bruits); hold lightly against skin
Diaphragm: amplifies high-pitched sounds (i.e. bowel, lung sounds); hold firmly against skin
***always put on bare skin, not over clothes
What assessments are done for cardiac? - Answers Inspection, palpation, auscultation
What are components of a cardiovascular exam? - Answers Review vital signs: BP, assess pulses
Look for findings of cardiovascular problems
Inspect and palpate the neck for carotid pulses
Auscultate the neck for bruits
Inspect and palpate the precordium for pulsations
Auscultate over the precordium at 5 auscultatory sites
What is orthostatic hypotension? - Answers Sudden drop in BP upon standing from a sitting or supine
position, also called postural hypotension
What is included in inspection for JVD? - Answers Note jugular veins and carotid arteries
HOB at 35-45 degree angle
Inspect for symmetry, veins and pulsations
What are the expected and unexpected findings of neck vessel inspection? - Answers Expected: No JVD,
carotid area with visible pulsations
Unexpected: Full, bulging and bounding jugulars on one of both sides of neck
What are expected and unexpected findings when palpating neck vessels? Expected variations? -
Answers Expected: carotid artery strength is moderate and equal bilaterally
Unexpected: Very strong or bounding pulse (3 or 4+), diminished or weak pulse (1+)
Expected variations: Use extra caution in older adults, underlying medical conditions can make them
more likely to experience syncope during palpation of the carotid arteries
How do you auscultate the neck vessels? - Answers Using the bell of stethoscope and light pressure,
listen over carotid arteries for bruits - might have to listen to 2-3 spots along carotid
