PCHA FINAL EXAM 2025 NEWEST
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED CORRECT
ANSWERS | A+ GRADE 2025-2026
The patient is admitted to the hospital after a three day
history of severe vomiting and diarrhea secondary to a
bacterial infection of the colon. The patient is otherwise in
good health with no chronic illnesses. The baseline blood
pressure is 130/84, pulse 78. During the admission
assessment, what might the nurse expect the patient's
vital signs to be based on the illness? (All blood pressures
taken in the supine (lying) position). Correct Answer Pulse:
130, Blood Pressure: 90/50, Resp: 24, Temp: 102°F
The nurse is observing a student who is listening to a
patient's lungs. Which action by the student indicates a
need to review respiratory assessment skills? Correct
Answer The student auscultates over the scapulae.
Mrs. M. is admitted for pneumonia in her right middle lobe.
Where would the practitioner expect to auscultate
decreased or adventitious breath sounds? Correct Answer
On the anterior and lateral chest, between the 4th and 6th
ribs approximately, starting from the midaxillary line to the
right sternal border.
Your client has a long history of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Which of the following are you most
likely to observe? Correct Answer all of the above
,- an anterior-posterior (AP) : transverse diameter ratio of
1:1.
- pursed lip breathing
- tripod position when sitting
A 25-year-old female college student comes to the
Emergency Department after she has fallen down the
stairs. She has sudden, sharp pain on the right side of her
chest with shortness of breath. Thoracic expansion is
asymmetrical, with little movement of her right side. Her
trachea is deviated toward the left side. She has
hyperresonant percussion sounds on the right chest and
resonant sounds on the left chest. There are no breath
sounds heard on the right. This description is most
consistent with: Correct Answer pneumothorax
Expected assessment findings in the normal adult lung
include the presence of: Correct Answer resonant
percussion tones over lung tissue and symmetrical
thoracic expansion.
When auscultating the posterior lower lung lobes of the
adult client, the practitioner notes low pitched, soft breath
sounds with inspiration being longer than expiration. The
practitioner knows that these are: Correct Answer
vesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location
Which of the following techniques is appropriate during
auscultation of breath sounds? Correct Answer Listen to at
least one full respiration (inspiration and expiration) in
each location.
,The angle of Louis: Correct Answer is a landmark used to
mark tracheal bifurcation anteriorly.
When inspecting the anterior chest of an adult, the nurse
should assess for: (choose all that apply)
1. diaphragmatic excursion.
2. symmetric chest expansion.
3. the presence of breath sounds.
4. the shape and configuration of the chest wall.
5. retractions or bulging
6. skin temperature
7. use of accessory muscles Correct Answer 2, 4, 5, 7
The nurse has noted unequal chest expansion and
recognizes that this occurs when: Correct Answer part of
the lung is obstructed or collapsed
When listening to heart sounds, the nurse knows that
which of the following statements concerning S1 is true?
Correct Answer S1 is caused by closure of the mitral and
tricuspid valves.
Ms. Key has a visible apical impulse in the seventh to
eighth left intercostal space lateral to the midclavicular
line. Upon palpation, the impulse, which feels like a short
'tap', is approximately 5 cm in diameter and feels more
forceful than usual. These physical finding indicate:
Correct Answer left ventricular enlargement
, Which of the following is true regarding an S3 heart
sound? Correct Answer S3 occurs early in diastole.
Normal physiologic splitting of S2 occurs due to: Correct
Answer early aortic valve closure and late pulmonic valve
closure.
When listening to heart sounds, the nurse knows that the
valve closures that can be heard best at the base of the
heart are: Correct Answer aortic; pulmonic
During the precordial assessment on an 8-month pregnant
patient, the nurse palpates the apical impulse at the third
to fourth left intercostal space lateral to the midclavicular
line. This would indicate: Correct Answer displacement of
the heart from elevation of the diaphragm.
A heart murmur: Correct Answer all of the above
- may be innocent and occur without evidence of structural
abnormalities
- can be caused by a structural abnormality of a heart
valve.
- may be caused by increased blood flow across a normal
valve.
In your assessment of a 68-year-old male with recent
onset of right-sided weakness, you hear a blowing,
swishing sound with the bell of the stethoscope over the
left carotid artery. This would best be described as a:
Correct Answer bruit
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED CORRECT
ANSWERS | A+ GRADE 2025-2026
The patient is admitted to the hospital after a three day
history of severe vomiting and diarrhea secondary to a
bacterial infection of the colon. The patient is otherwise in
good health with no chronic illnesses. The baseline blood
pressure is 130/84, pulse 78. During the admission
assessment, what might the nurse expect the patient's
vital signs to be based on the illness? (All blood pressures
taken in the supine (lying) position). Correct Answer Pulse:
130, Blood Pressure: 90/50, Resp: 24, Temp: 102°F
The nurse is observing a student who is listening to a
patient's lungs. Which action by the student indicates a
need to review respiratory assessment skills? Correct
Answer The student auscultates over the scapulae.
Mrs. M. is admitted for pneumonia in her right middle lobe.
Where would the practitioner expect to auscultate
decreased or adventitious breath sounds? Correct Answer
On the anterior and lateral chest, between the 4th and 6th
ribs approximately, starting from the midaxillary line to the
right sternal border.
Your client has a long history of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Which of the following are you most
likely to observe? Correct Answer all of the above
,- an anterior-posterior (AP) : transverse diameter ratio of
1:1.
- pursed lip breathing
- tripod position when sitting
A 25-year-old female college student comes to the
Emergency Department after she has fallen down the
stairs. She has sudden, sharp pain on the right side of her
chest with shortness of breath. Thoracic expansion is
asymmetrical, with little movement of her right side. Her
trachea is deviated toward the left side. She has
hyperresonant percussion sounds on the right chest and
resonant sounds on the left chest. There are no breath
sounds heard on the right. This description is most
consistent with: Correct Answer pneumothorax
Expected assessment findings in the normal adult lung
include the presence of: Correct Answer resonant
percussion tones over lung tissue and symmetrical
thoracic expansion.
When auscultating the posterior lower lung lobes of the
adult client, the practitioner notes low pitched, soft breath
sounds with inspiration being longer than expiration. The
practitioner knows that these are: Correct Answer
vesicular breath sounds and are normal in that location
Which of the following techniques is appropriate during
auscultation of breath sounds? Correct Answer Listen to at
least one full respiration (inspiration and expiration) in
each location.
,The angle of Louis: Correct Answer is a landmark used to
mark tracheal bifurcation anteriorly.
When inspecting the anterior chest of an adult, the nurse
should assess for: (choose all that apply)
1. diaphragmatic excursion.
2. symmetric chest expansion.
3. the presence of breath sounds.
4. the shape and configuration of the chest wall.
5. retractions or bulging
6. skin temperature
7. use of accessory muscles Correct Answer 2, 4, 5, 7
The nurse has noted unequal chest expansion and
recognizes that this occurs when: Correct Answer part of
the lung is obstructed or collapsed
When listening to heart sounds, the nurse knows that
which of the following statements concerning S1 is true?
Correct Answer S1 is caused by closure of the mitral and
tricuspid valves.
Ms. Key has a visible apical impulse in the seventh to
eighth left intercostal space lateral to the midclavicular
line. Upon palpation, the impulse, which feels like a short
'tap', is approximately 5 cm in diameter and feels more
forceful than usual. These physical finding indicate:
Correct Answer left ventricular enlargement
, Which of the following is true regarding an S3 heart
sound? Correct Answer S3 occurs early in diastole.
Normal physiologic splitting of S2 occurs due to: Correct
Answer early aortic valve closure and late pulmonic valve
closure.
When listening to heart sounds, the nurse knows that the
valve closures that can be heard best at the base of the
heart are: Correct Answer aortic; pulmonic
During the precordial assessment on an 8-month pregnant
patient, the nurse palpates the apical impulse at the third
to fourth left intercostal space lateral to the midclavicular
line. This would indicate: Correct Answer displacement of
the heart from elevation of the diaphragm.
A heart murmur: Correct Answer all of the above
- may be innocent and occur without evidence of structural
abnormalities
- can be caused by a structural abnormality of a heart
valve.
- may be caused by increased blood flow across a normal
valve.
In your assessment of a 68-year-old male with recent
onset of right-sided weakness, you hear a blowing,
swishing sound with the bell of the stethoscope over the
left carotid artery. This would best be described as a:
Correct Answer bruit
