ATI Med Surg Respiratory Proctored Exam Test
Bank 2026/2027 | 300 Verified Questions with
Detailed Answers & Rationales (Updated
Version) INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD
Master your upcoming nursing exam with this comprehensive test bank
featuring 300 highly curated multiple-choice questions with verified,
updated answers. Each high-yield question is paired immediately with a
detailed clinical rationale formatted in bold italics for maximum
readability and speed studying. Perfect for mastering advanced medical-
surgical nursing concepts, this premium resource guarantees deep
conceptual clarity and top-tier exam performance.
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a client who is 4 hr postoperative following a total
laryngectomy. Which of the following findings is the nurse's priority?
A. Decreased oxygen saturation
B. Moderate amount of serosanguineous drainage on the dressing
C. Client reporting a pain level of 6 on a 0-to-10 scale
D. Absence of bowel sounds upon auscultation
,Answer: A. Decreased oxygen saturation
Rationale: Using the airway-breathing-circulation (ABC) priority
framework, a decrease in oxygen saturation indicates potential
airway obstruction or respiratory distress. This requires immediate
nursing intervention to clear the airway and ensure adequate
oxygenation. Drainage, pain, and absent bowel sounds are expected
early postoperative findings that do not take precedence over an
altered airway or breathing pattern.
Question 2
A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for an albuterol
metered-dose inhaler. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse include?
A. Rinse your mouth with warm water before using the inhaler.
B. Hold your breath for 10 seconds after inhaling the medication.
C. Exhale quickly and forcefully immediately after inhaling the dose.
D. Wait 10 seconds between puffs if taking a second dose.
Answer: B. Hold your breath for 10 seconds after inhaling the
medication.
Rationale: Holding the breath for approximately 10 seconds allows
the aerosolized medication to settle deep into the airways and
alveoli, maximizing its bronchodilating effect. Mouth rinsing is done
after corticosteroid inhalers, not albuterol, to prevent thrush.
,Exhalation should be slow, and the client should wait 1 to 2 minutes
between puffs of the same medication.
Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who has a chest tube connected to a water-
seal drainage system. The nurse notes continuous, rapid bubbling in the
water-seal chamber. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
first?
A. Increase the suction wall pressure.
B. Check the system and tube connections for an air leak.
C. Clamp the chest tube close to the client's chest wall.
D. Document the finding as an expected indication of lung re-expansion.
Answer: B. Check the system and tube connections for an air leak.
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates
an air leak within the drainage system or at the insertion site. The
nurse's first action must be to locate and correct the leak by
checking the connection seals. Intermittent bubbling or tidaling is
normal; continuous bubbling is abnormal. Clamping a chest tube
without a specific provider prescription or short troubleshooting
assessment can cause a tension pneumothorax.
Question 4
, A nurse is preparing a client for a thoracentesis. In which of the following
positions should the nurse place the client?
A. Prone with the head turned to the side
B. Supine with the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees
C. Sitting upright on the side of the bed, leaning forward over a bedside
table
D. Left lateral recumbent with the right knee flexed
Answer: C. Sitting upright on the side of the bed, leaning forward
over a bedside table.
Rationale: Positioning the client upright and leaning forward widens
the intercostal spaces. This allows the provider easier access to the
pleural cavity to aspirate fluid safely while minimizing the risk of
puncturing the lung. The other positions do not optimize intercostal
space expansion for this specific procedure.
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a client who has a pulmonary embolism. Which of the
following clinical manifestations should the nurse expect?
A. Bradycardia
B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
C. Bradypnea
D. Flushed, dry skin
Bank 2026/2027 | 300 Verified Questions with
Detailed Answers & Rationales (Updated
Version) INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD
Master your upcoming nursing exam with this comprehensive test bank
featuring 300 highly curated multiple-choice questions with verified,
updated answers. Each high-yield question is paired immediately with a
detailed clinical rationale formatted in bold italics for maximum
readability and speed studying. Perfect for mastering advanced medical-
surgical nursing concepts, this premium resource guarantees deep
conceptual clarity and top-tier exam performance.
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a client who is 4 hr postoperative following a total
laryngectomy. Which of the following findings is the nurse's priority?
A. Decreased oxygen saturation
B. Moderate amount of serosanguineous drainage on the dressing
C. Client reporting a pain level of 6 on a 0-to-10 scale
D. Absence of bowel sounds upon auscultation
,Answer: A. Decreased oxygen saturation
Rationale: Using the airway-breathing-circulation (ABC) priority
framework, a decrease in oxygen saturation indicates potential
airway obstruction or respiratory distress. This requires immediate
nursing intervention to clear the airway and ensure adequate
oxygenation. Drainage, pain, and absent bowel sounds are expected
early postoperative findings that do not take precedence over an
altered airway or breathing pattern.
Question 2
A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for an albuterol
metered-dose inhaler. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse include?
A. Rinse your mouth with warm water before using the inhaler.
B. Hold your breath for 10 seconds after inhaling the medication.
C. Exhale quickly and forcefully immediately after inhaling the dose.
D. Wait 10 seconds between puffs if taking a second dose.
Answer: B. Hold your breath for 10 seconds after inhaling the
medication.
Rationale: Holding the breath for approximately 10 seconds allows
the aerosolized medication to settle deep into the airways and
alveoli, maximizing its bronchodilating effect. Mouth rinsing is done
after corticosteroid inhalers, not albuterol, to prevent thrush.
,Exhalation should be slow, and the client should wait 1 to 2 minutes
between puffs of the same medication.
Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who has a chest tube connected to a water-
seal drainage system. The nurse notes continuous, rapid bubbling in the
water-seal chamber. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
first?
A. Increase the suction wall pressure.
B. Check the system and tube connections for an air leak.
C. Clamp the chest tube close to the client's chest wall.
D. Document the finding as an expected indication of lung re-expansion.
Answer: B. Check the system and tube connections for an air leak.
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates
an air leak within the drainage system or at the insertion site. The
nurse's first action must be to locate and correct the leak by
checking the connection seals. Intermittent bubbling or tidaling is
normal; continuous bubbling is abnormal. Clamping a chest tube
without a specific provider prescription or short troubleshooting
assessment can cause a tension pneumothorax.
Question 4
, A nurse is preparing a client for a thoracentesis. In which of the following
positions should the nurse place the client?
A. Prone with the head turned to the side
B. Supine with the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees
C. Sitting upright on the side of the bed, leaning forward over a bedside
table
D. Left lateral recumbent with the right knee flexed
Answer: C. Sitting upright on the side of the bed, leaning forward
over a bedside table.
Rationale: Positioning the client upright and leaning forward widens
the intercostal spaces. This allows the provider easier access to the
pleural cavity to aspirate fluid safely while minimizing the risk of
puncturing the lung. The other positions do not optimize intercostal
space expansion for this specific procedure.
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a client who has a pulmonary embolism. Which of the
following clinical manifestations should the nurse expect?
A. Bradycardia
B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
C. Bradypnea
D. Flushed, dry skin
