Exam 16: Bedside Assessment of the Patient

A 23-year-old patient enters the emergency room complaining of dyspnea. The RT places the patient on oxygen as per hospital protocol and begins to interview the patient about her symptoms. She states that she is having difficulty taking a breath with chest tightness. Patient has a respiratory rate of 28 breaths/min with a loose productive cough. During auscultation, the RT hears bilateral wheezing in the lungs. What is the most likely cause of the patient's symptoms?

In palpating a patient's feet and hands, you note extreme coolness to the touch. This finding is most consistent with which of the following?

Loud, tubular breath sounds with an expiratory component equal to the inspiratory component best describes which of the following breath sounds?

Why should the respiratory therapist perform a blood pressure assessment fairly quickly?

During examination of a patient's extremities, you press firmly for a brief period on a fingernail. You observe that it takes approximately 5 sec for the color to return to the nail bed. This finding is most consistent with which of the following?

Which of the following is true of peripheral cyanosis?

What is the technical term for secretions from the tracheobronchial tree that have not been contaminated by the mouth?

To minimize bony interference with percussion on the posterior chest wall, the practitioner should have the patient do which of the following?

Which of the following changes in the characteristics of wheezing indicate improvement in airway obstruction following bronchodilator therapy?

Which of the following are causes of hypotension? 1) Heart failure 2) Hypovolemia 3) Mild tachycardia 4) Peripheral vasoconstriction

Normal heart sounds are created primarily by which of the following?

Which of the following are potential causes of cardiac murmurs? 1) Backflow of blood through an incompetent valve 2) Forward flow through a stenotic valve 3) Rapid flow through a normal valve

What is the normal range for pulse pressure?

What term is used to describe shortness of breath in the upright position?

What artery is most often used to assess arterial blood pressure?

The first heart sound (S₁) is created primarily by which of the following?

Which of the following is an example of a leading question?

Right ventricular hypertrophy often produces a systolic thrust that can be felt and seen near which of the following?

In which of the following conditions would late-inspiratory crackles be most likely to occur? 1) Emphysema 2) Pulmonary fibrosis 3) Pneumonia 4) Pulmonary edema

An RT is examining a patient suspected to have a left-sided tension pneumothorax. During inspection and palpation, the RT notices the patient's trachea has shifted to the left. Is the patient's diagnosis correct?