75 Free NCLEX Questions - c/o BrilliantNurse.com

The nurse is taking the health history of a patient being treated for Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis. After being told the patient has been smoking cigarettes for 30 years, the nurse expects to note which assessment finding? 1. Increase in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) 2. A narrowed chest cavity 3. Clubbed fingers 4. An increased risk of cardiac failure - 1. Increase in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) Forced Vital Capacity is the volume of air exhaled from full inhalation to full exhalation. A patient with COPD would have a decrease in FVC. Incorrect. 2. A narrowed chest cavity A patient with COPD often presents with a 'barrel chest,' which is seen as a widened chest cavity. Incorrect. 3. Clubbed fingers - CORRECT Clubbed fingers are a sign of a long-term, or chronic, decrease in oxygen levels. 4. An increased risk of cardiac failure Although a patient with these conditions would indeed be at an increased risk for cardiac failure, this is a potential complication and not an assessment finding. Incorrect. The nurse is taking the health history of a 70-year-old patient being treated for a Duodenal Ulcer. After being told the patient is complaining of epigastric pain, the nurse expects to note which assessment finding? 1. Melena