NSG 214 FINAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026/2027 | STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
TEST, ANSWERS & EXAM REVIEW
Increased tactile fremitus would be evident in an individual who has which of the following conditions?
A) Crepitus
B) Emphysema
C) Pneumothorax
D) Pneumonia - correct answer ✔✔D) Pneumonia
Which of the following is a clinical manifestation in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD)?
A) Periodic breathing patterns
B) Prolonged expiration
C) Unequal chest expansion
D) Hyperventilation - correct answer ✔✔B) Prolonged expiration
When auscultating lung sounds, it is important for the nurse to do which of the following?
A) Anterior auscultation should include 9 spots on each side.
B) Quickly move through the assessment to decrease risk for fainting or hyperventilation.
C) Tell the patient to stop the assessment if he/she begins to feel dizzy.
D) Complete assessment of right lung fields then move to auscultate the left lung fields. - correct answer
✔✔C) Tell the patient to stop the assessment if he/she begins to feel dizzy.
Inspiration is primarily facilitated by which of the following muscles?
A) Internal intercostal and abdominis
B) Diaphragm and intercostal
C) Trapezius and sternomastoids
D) Diaphragm and rectus abdominis - correct answer ✔✔B) Diaphragm and intercostal
Which of the following voice sounds would be a normal finding?
A) Whispered "1-2-3" is audible and distinct.
B) The voice transmission is distinct and sounds close to the ear.
C) The whispered sound is transmitted clearly.
D) The "eeeee" sound is clear and sounds like "eeeee." - correct answer ✔✔D) The "eeeee" sound is
clear and sounds like "eeeee."
The gradual loss of intra-alveolar septa and a decreased number of alveoli in the lungs of older adults
cause
A) spontaneous atelectasis.
B) decreased dead space.
,C) hyperventilation.
D) decreased surface area for gas exchange. - correct answer ✔✔D) decreased surface area for gas
exchange.
Stridor is a high-pitched, inspiratory crowing sound commonly associated with
A) pneumothorax.
B) upper airway obstruction.
C) congestive heart failure.
D) atelectasis. - correct answer ✔✔B) upper airway obstruction.
Percussion of the chest is
A) is not influenced by the overlying chest muscle and fat tissue.
B) normal if a dull note is elicited.
C) a useful technique for identifying small lesions in lung tissue.
D) helpful only in identifying surface alterations of lung tissue - correct answer ✔✔D) helpful only in
identifying surface alterations of lung tissue
An increase in the transverse diameter of the chest cage in a pregnant woman is due to a(n)
A) increase in surfactant.
B) increase in estrogen.
C) increase in tidal volume.
D) compensatory increase in respiratory parenchyma. - correct answer ✔✔B) increase in estrogen.
When preparing to complete thorax and lung objective assessment of an infant or child, the nurse
should do which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
A) Allow the caregiver to hold the infant.
B) If infant is sleeping, perform auscultation before doing any other objective assessments.
C) There is no need to change the language you use when telling the young child to breathe in and out.
D) Warm the stethoscope between your hands before placing on the infant.
E) Document a barrel chest shape as expected findings for a 7-year-old child. - correct answer ✔✔A)
Allow the caregiver to hold the infant.
B) If infant is sleeping, perform auscultation before doing any other objective assessments.
D) Warm the stethoscope between your hands before placing on the infant.
The first heart sound (S1) is produced by the
A) closure of the semilunar valves.
B) opening of the semilunar valves.
C) opening of the AV valves.
D) closure of the AV valves. - correct answer ✔✔D) closure of the AV valves.
Which of the following guidelines may be used to identify which heart sound is S1?
A) S1 coincides with the carotid artery pulse.
, B) S1 coincides with the A wave of the jugular venous pulse wave.
C) S1 coincides with the Q wave of the QRS electrocardiogram complex.
D) S1 is louder than S2 at the base of the heart. - correct answer ✔✔A) S1 coincides with the carotid
artery pulse.
Which of the following cardiac alterations occurs during pregnancy?
A) An increased heart rate and increased blood pressure
B) An increased stroke volume and decreased cardiac output
C) An increase in cardiac volume and a decrease in blood pressure
D) An increase in cardiac output and blood pressure - correct answer ✔✔C) An increase in cardiac
volume and a decrease in blood pressure
Which of the following is an appropriate position to have the patient assume when auscultating for extra
heart sounds or murmurs?
A) Roll toward the left side
B) Recumbent position
C) Trendelenburg position
D) Roll toward the right side - correct answer ✔✔A) Roll toward the left side
The student nurse demonstrates correct technique in using the stethoscope to auscultate heart sounds
when he/she does which of the following?
A) Performs assessment while the patient is watching television.
B) Uses the bell to detect higher pitched sounds.
C) Auscultates in only 4 locations.
D) Makes sure earpieces fit snugly and are pointed to their nose. - correct answer ✔✔D) Makes sure
earpieces fit snugly and are pointed to their nose.
The ability of the heart to contract independently of any signals or stimulation is due to
A) automaticity.
B) conduction.
C) depolarization.
D) repolarization. - correct answer ✔✔A) automaticity.
When auscultating the heart of a newborn within 24 hours after birth, the examiner hears a continuous
sound that mimics the sound of a machine. This finding most likely indicates
A) a normal sound because of the thinner chest wall of the newborn.
B) the presence of congenital heart disease.
C) pathology only when accompanied by an increased heart rate.
D) an expected sound caused by nonclosure of the ductus arteriosus. - correct answer ✔✔D) an
expected sound caused by nonclosure of the ductus arteriosus.
A bruit heard while auscultating the carotid artery of a 65-year-old patient is caused by
TEST, ANSWERS & EXAM REVIEW
Increased tactile fremitus would be evident in an individual who has which of the following conditions?
A) Crepitus
B) Emphysema
C) Pneumothorax
D) Pneumonia - correct answer ✔✔D) Pneumonia
Which of the following is a clinical manifestation in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD)?
A) Periodic breathing patterns
B) Prolonged expiration
C) Unequal chest expansion
D) Hyperventilation - correct answer ✔✔B) Prolonged expiration
When auscultating lung sounds, it is important for the nurse to do which of the following?
A) Anterior auscultation should include 9 spots on each side.
B) Quickly move through the assessment to decrease risk for fainting or hyperventilation.
C) Tell the patient to stop the assessment if he/she begins to feel dizzy.
D) Complete assessment of right lung fields then move to auscultate the left lung fields. - correct answer
✔✔C) Tell the patient to stop the assessment if he/she begins to feel dizzy.
Inspiration is primarily facilitated by which of the following muscles?
A) Internal intercostal and abdominis
B) Diaphragm and intercostal
C) Trapezius and sternomastoids
D) Diaphragm and rectus abdominis - correct answer ✔✔B) Diaphragm and intercostal
Which of the following voice sounds would be a normal finding?
A) Whispered "1-2-3" is audible and distinct.
B) The voice transmission is distinct and sounds close to the ear.
C) The whispered sound is transmitted clearly.
D) The "eeeee" sound is clear and sounds like "eeeee." - correct answer ✔✔D) The "eeeee" sound is
clear and sounds like "eeeee."
The gradual loss of intra-alveolar septa and a decreased number of alveoli in the lungs of older adults
cause
A) spontaneous atelectasis.
B) decreased dead space.
,C) hyperventilation.
D) decreased surface area for gas exchange. - correct answer ✔✔D) decreased surface area for gas
exchange.
Stridor is a high-pitched, inspiratory crowing sound commonly associated with
A) pneumothorax.
B) upper airway obstruction.
C) congestive heart failure.
D) atelectasis. - correct answer ✔✔B) upper airway obstruction.
Percussion of the chest is
A) is not influenced by the overlying chest muscle and fat tissue.
B) normal if a dull note is elicited.
C) a useful technique for identifying small lesions in lung tissue.
D) helpful only in identifying surface alterations of lung tissue - correct answer ✔✔D) helpful only in
identifying surface alterations of lung tissue
An increase in the transverse diameter of the chest cage in a pregnant woman is due to a(n)
A) increase in surfactant.
B) increase in estrogen.
C) increase in tidal volume.
D) compensatory increase in respiratory parenchyma. - correct answer ✔✔B) increase in estrogen.
When preparing to complete thorax and lung objective assessment of an infant or child, the nurse
should do which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
A) Allow the caregiver to hold the infant.
B) If infant is sleeping, perform auscultation before doing any other objective assessments.
C) There is no need to change the language you use when telling the young child to breathe in and out.
D) Warm the stethoscope between your hands before placing on the infant.
E) Document a barrel chest shape as expected findings for a 7-year-old child. - correct answer ✔✔A)
Allow the caregiver to hold the infant.
B) If infant is sleeping, perform auscultation before doing any other objective assessments.
D) Warm the stethoscope between your hands before placing on the infant.
The first heart sound (S1) is produced by the
A) closure of the semilunar valves.
B) opening of the semilunar valves.
C) opening of the AV valves.
D) closure of the AV valves. - correct answer ✔✔D) closure of the AV valves.
Which of the following guidelines may be used to identify which heart sound is S1?
A) S1 coincides with the carotid artery pulse.
, B) S1 coincides with the A wave of the jugular venous pulse wave.
C) S1 coincides with the Q wave of the QRS electrocardiogram complex.
D) S1 is louder than S2 at the base of the heart. - correct answer ✔✔A) S1 coincides with the carotid
artery pulse.
Which of the following cardiac alterations occurs during pregnancy?
A) An increased heart rate and increased blood pressure
B) An increased stroke volume and decreased cardiac output
C) An increase in cardiac volume and a decrease in blood pressure
D) An increase in cardiac output and blood pressure - correct answer ✔✔C) An increase in cardiac
volume and a decrease in blood pressure
Which of the following is an appropriate position to have the patient assume when auscultating for extra
heart sounds or murmurs?
A) Roll toward the left side
B) Recumbent position
C) Trendelenburg position
D) Roll toward the right side - correct answer ✔✔A) Roll toward the left side
The student nurse demonstrates correct technique in using the stethoscope to auscultate heart sounds
when he/she does which of the following?
A) Performs assessment while the patient is watching television.
B) Uses the bell to detect higher pitched sounds.
C) Auscultates in only 4 locations.
D) Makes sure earpieces fit snugly and are pointed to their nose. - correct answer ✔✔D) Makes sure
earpieces fit snugly and are pointed to their nose.
The ability of the heart to contract independently of any signals or stimulation is due to
A) automaticity.
B) conduction.
C) depolarization.
D) repolarization. - correct answer ✔✔A) automaticity.
When auscultating the heart of a newborn within 24 hours after birth, the examiner hears a continuous
sound that mimics the sound of a machine. This finding most likely indicates
A) a normal sound because of the thinner chest wall of the newborn.
B) the presence of congenital heart disease.
C) pathology only when accompanied by an increased heart rate.
D) an expected sound caused by nonclosure of the ductus arteriosus. - correct answer ✔✔D) an
expected sound caused by nonclosure of the ductus arteriosus.
A bruit heard while auscultating the carotid artery of a 65-year-old patient is caused by
