Page 1 of 80
2025/2026 NURS 271 EXAM 2 BANK COMPLETE
CURRENT TESTING QUESTION AND DETAILED
CORRECT (VERIFIED) ANSWER/GURANTEED
PASS/TOP-RATED A+.
NURS 271
Ace your NURS 271 Exam 2 with this targeted guide, designed to
master key concepts in health assessment, pharmacology, and
nursing interventions for common health conditions. This
resource delivers scenario-based practice questions and
detailed rationales covering patient safety, medication
administration, and clinical decision-making.
Explain the pathophysiology of desaturation. ...... ANSWER
....... < 90% SaO2
E) obstruction or bronchoconstriction (ex: bronchitis)
Pathogenesis) impaired gas exchange
S/Sx) incr RR & wheezing (whistling sounds in the lungs)
Tx) Albuterol (Proventil)
> Indication = emergency situations related to
bronchoconstriction (aka rescue drug)
, Page 2 of 80
> MOA = dilates bronchioles > improves gas exchanges >
improves airflow
> AEs = tachycardia, tremors, anxiety *all usually subside
within 30 mins of tx
> nursing considerations = after administration, auscultate
lungs for wheezing, monitor SaO2 for improvement, count
RR for normalization, & document effects of tx!
What factors affect the distribution of ventilation & perfusion
in the lungs? ...... ANSWER ....... = pt positioning & the
natural effect of ventilation perfusion mismatching
*fluid goes where gravity goes > lung fields sitting up will
receive most of the ventilation & the lung fields lying down
will receive most of the perfusion
Ex...
> If a pt is sitting upright...the base of their lungs will receive
the most perfusion
> If a pt is lying in bed...the posterior lung field will receive
the most perfusion & the anterior lung field will receive most
of the ventilation
> If a pt is R side-lying...the R lung will receive more
perfusion & less ventilation since the lung is down
, Page 3 of 80
> When drawing ABGs for pt's w pulmonary disorders...we
usually position the pt in high-fowler's *if we were to position
the pt with their healthy lung down it would receive better
perfusion & falsely reflect better oxygenation
Lung Volume Terminology ...... ANSWER ....... > Tidal
volume = a normal breath or amt of gas entering/leaving
the lung during normal breathing (approx 500 mL)
> Inspiratory reserve volume = amt of gas inspired beyond
tidal volume/maximal deep breath (approx 3 L)
> Expiratory reserve volume = amt of gas expired beyond
tidal volume/maximal expiration (approx 1.2 L)
> Residual volume = volume of gas left in lungs at the end of
a maximal expiration (approx 1.2 L)
What is total (physiologic) dead space? ...... ANSWER .......
= anatomic dead space of the bronchial tree & dead
space of unperfused alveoli
*approx ⅓ of each breath occupies areas of the lungs that do
not engage in gas exchange
, Page 4 of 80
T or F: Alveolar ventilation may be severely compromised in
persons w small tidal volumes or incr dead space. ......
ANSWER ....... T bc when tidal volume is not significant
greater than dead space, incr RR is not effective in
restoring alveolar minute ventilation
Explain the pathophysiology of bacterial pneumonia. ......
ANSWER ....... E) bacterial infection, inhalation of toxic
gases/smoke, aspiration (ex: GERD), vomiting
P) excess fluid/sputum in the lungs & inflammation of the
alveoli > impaired gas exchange > hypoxemia
S/Sx)
- extreme fatigue & weakness,
- coughing, wheezing & SOB = fluid in the bronchi & tracheal
receptors (impaired gas exchange)
- sputum production (purulent/yellow or blood-tinged) =
infectious process (yellow) or inflammatory (fluid from RBC
capillaries moves into the alveoli)
- fever = hypothalamus incr temp in response to infection &
incr WBC count (normal 5,000-10,000)
- hypoxemia = lack of O2 in the blood
2025/2026 NURS 271 EXAM 2 BANK COMPLETE
CURRENT TESTING QUESTION AND DETAILED
CORRECT (VERIFIED) ANSWER/GURANTEED
PASS/TOP-RATED A+.
NURS 271
Ace your NURS 271 Exam 2 with this targeted guide, designed to
master key concepts in health assessment, pharmacology, and
nursing interventions for common health conditions. This
resource delivers scenario-based practice questions and
detailed rationales covering patient safety, medication
administration, and clinical decision-making.
Explain the pathophysiology of desaturation. ...... ANSWER
....... < 90% SaO2
E) obstruction or bronchoconstriction (ex: bronchitis)
Pathogenesis) impaired gas exchange
S/Sx) incr RR & wheezing (whistling sounds in the lungs)
Tx) Albuterol (Proventil)
> Indication = emergency situations related to
bronchoconstriction (aka rescue drug)
, Page 2 of 80
> MOA = dilates bronchioles > improves gas exchanges >
improves airflow
> AEs = tachycardia, tremors, anxiety *all usually subside
within 30 mins of tx
> nursing considerations = after administration, auscultate
lungs for wheezing, monitor SaO2 for improvement, count
RR for normalization, & document effects of tx!
What factors affect the distribution of ventilation & perfusion
in the lungs? ...... ANSWER ....... = pt positioning & the
natural effect of ventilation perfusion mismatching
*fluid goes where gravity goes > lung fields sitting up will
receive most of the ventilation & the lung fields lying down
will receive most of the perfusion
Ex...
> If a pt is sitting upright...the base of their lungs will receive
the most perfusion
> If a pt is lying in bed...the posterior lung field will receive
the most perfusion & the anterior lung field will receive most
of the ventilation
> If a pt is R side-lying...the R lung will receive more
perfusion & less ventilation since the lung is down
, Page 3 of 80
> When drawing ABGs for pt's w pulmonary disorders...we
usually position the pt in high-fowler's *if we were to position
the pt with their healthy lung down it would receive better
perfusion & falsely reflect better oxygenation
Lung Volume Terminology ...... ANSWER ....... > Tidal
volume = a normal breath or amt of gas entering/leaving
the lung during normal breathing (approx 500 mL)
> Inspiratory reserve volume = amt of gas inspired beyond
tidal volume/maximal deep breath (approx 3 L)
> Expiratory reserve volume = amt of gas expired beyond
tidal volume/maximal expiration (approx 1.2 L)
> Residual volume = volume of gas left in lungs at the end of
a maximal expiration (approx 1.2 L)
What is total (physiologic) dead space? ...... ANSWER .......
= anatomic dead space of the bronchial tree & dead
space of unperfused alveoli
*approx ⅓ of each breath occupies areas of the lungs that do
not engage in gas exchange
, Page 4 of 80
T or F: Alveolar ventilation may be severely compromised in
persons w small tidal volumes or incr dead space. ......
ANSWER ....... T bc when tidal volume is not significant
greater than dead space, incr RR is not effective in
restoring alveolar minute ventilation
Explain the pathophysiology of bacterial pneumonia. ......
ANSWER ....... E) bacterial infection, inhalation of toxic
gases/smoke, aspiration (ex: GERD), vomiting
P) excess fluid/sputum in the lungs & inflammation of the
alveoli > impaired gas exchange > hypoxemia
S/Sx)
- extreme fatigue & weakness,
- coughing, wheezing & SOB = fluid in the bronchi & tracheal
receptors (impaired gas exchange)
- sputum production (purulent/yellow or blood-tinged) =
infectious process (yellow) or inflammatory (fluid from RBC
capillaries moves into the alveoli)
- fever = hypothalamus incr temp in response to infection &
incr WBC count (normal 5,000-10,000)
- hypoxemia = lack of O2 in the blood
