1. Which of these clients will the charge D) A nurse working in the PACU would be fa-
nurse on the medical unit assign to an miliar with assessing vital signs and respiratory
RN who has floated from the postanes- status after procedures such as thoracentesis.
thesia care unit (PACU)?
A. Client with allergic rhinitis scheduled
for skin testing
B. Client with emphysema who needs
teaching about pulmonary function
testing
C. Client with pancreatitis who needs a
preoperative chest x-ray
D. Client with pleural effusion who has
had 1200 mL removed by thoracentesis
2. An RN and an LPN/LVN are working to- D) Developing the teaching plan is the most
gether to provide care for a client hos- complex of the skills listed and requires RN
pitalized with dyspnea who requires all education and licensure.
of these nursing actions. Which of these
actions is best accomplished by the RN?
A. Administer the purified protein deriv-
ative (PPD) for tuberculosis testing.
B. Assess vital signs and the puncture
site after thoracentesis.
C. Monitor oxygen saturation using
pulse oximetry every 4 hours.
D. Plan client and family teaching re-
garding upcoming pulmonary function
testing.
3. A client has returned to the postanes- D) A nursing assistant working in the PACU
thesia care unit (PACU) after a bron- would have experience in taking client vital
choscopy. Which of these nursing tasks
, Respiratory NCLEX E X A M Questions
is best for the charge nurse to dele- signs after the client has had conscious seda-
gate to the experienced nursing assis- tion or anesthesia.
tant working in PACU?
A. Assess breath sounds.
B. Check gag reflex.
C. Determine level of consciousness.
D. Monitor blood pressure and pulse.
4. The RN has received report about all A) An oxygen saturation level less than 91%
of these clients. Which client needs the indicates hypoxemia and requires immediate
most immediate assessment? assessment and intervention to improve blood
A. Client with acute asthma who has and tissue oxygenation.
an oxygen saturation of 89% by pulse
oximetry
B. Client admitted 3 hours ago for a
scheduled thoracentesis in 30 minutes
C. Client with bronchogenic lung can-
cer who returned from bronchoscopy 3
hours ago
D. Client with pleural effusion who has
decreased breath sounds at the right
base
5. The home health nurse is assigned to A) This client has an appropriate Spo2 for home
visit all of these clients when a change oxygen use.
in agency staffing requires that one of
the clients should be rescheduled for a
visit on the following day. Which of these
clients would be best to reschedule?
A. Client with emphysema who has been
on home oxygen for a month and has
SPO2 levels of 91% to 93%
, Respiratory NCLEX E X A M Questions
B. Client with history of a cough, weight
loss, and night sweats who has just had
a positive Mantoux test
C. Client with newly diagnosed pleural
effusion who needs an admission visit
and an initial intake assessment
D. Client with percutaneous lung biop-
sy yesterday who called in to report in-
creased dyspnea
6. Which of these assessment findings will B) Bronchial breath sounds are not normally
be of greatest concern when the nurse heard in the periphery and may indicate in-
is assessing a client with emphysema? creased lung density, as in a tumor or an infec-
A. Barrel-shaped chest tive process such as pneumonia.
B. Bronchial breath sounds heard at the
bases
C. Hyperresonance to percussion of the
chest
D. Ribs lying horizontal
7. People involved in which occupations or Bakers
activities are encouraged to wear masks Coal miners
and to have adequate ventilations? Se- Furniture refinishers
lect all that apply. Potters
A. Bakers
B. Coal miners A) Being exposed to flour as a baker for pro-
C. Electricians longed periods of time may cause a condition
D. Furniture refinishers called occupational asthma.
E. Plumbers B) Coal miners are at risk to develop pneumo-
F. Potters coniosis as the result of inhalation of coal dust.
D) Owing to the chemicals used to refinish
furniture (paint strippers, solvents), masks and
, Respiratory NCLEX E X A M Questions
adequate ventilation are essential for furniture
refinishers. One of the main solvents involved
will metabolize in the body to carbon monoxide
and will impair the ability of the tissue to extract
oxygen.
F) Silicosis or inhalation of silica dust is a hazard
for professional and recreational potters.
8. Which nursing intervention is the priori- C) If the client has been smoking, this may alter
ty in preparing the client for pulmonary parts of the PFT (dittusing capacity [DlCO]),
function testing (PFT)? yielding inaccurate results.
A. Administer bronchodilator medica-
tion on call.
B. Encourage clear fluid intake 12 hours
before the procedure.
C. Ensure no smoking 6 hours before
the test.
D. Provide supplemental oxygen as test-
ing begins.
9. The nurse is performing a client assess- B) This client is dyspneic when climbing stairs
ment for the client's potential employer. or walking on an incline but not on level walk-
The client reports dyspnea when climb- ing. Therefore, this client is employable only for
ing stairs but is not dyspneic at rest. a sedentary job or under special circumstances.
Which dyspnea classification does the
nurse assign to this client in the report
to the employer?
A. Class I, can perform perform manual
labor
B. Class II, can perform desk job
C. Class III, minimally employable
D. Class IV, must remain at home