Question 1

A 52-year-old presents with chronic bronchitis. Tests reveal closure of the airway during expiration. What does this condition involve?

Accepted Answer

A)  The production of thick mucus from hypertrophied glands 
B)  A ventilation-perfusion mismatch 
C)  Hyperventilation 
D)  Thinning smooth muscle in the bronchioles

Question 2

What is the organism that causes tuberculosis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Bacterium 
B)  Fungus 
C)  Virus 
D)  Parasite

Question 3

A 30-year-old is diagnosed with emphysema. What might the changes in this patient's lungs be caused by?

Accepted Answer

A)  Viral infections 
B)  Destruction of alveolar macrophages 
C)  .$\alpha$1-antitrypsin deficiency 
D)  Fibrotic lung disease

Question 4

A 57-year-old presents with cough, sputum production, dyspnea, and decreased lung volume and is diagnosed with pneumoconiosis. When taking the patient's history, which finding is the most probable cause of the illness?

Accepted Answer

A)  Inhalation of silica 
B)  Autoimmune disease 
C)  Allergic reactions 
D)  Flail chest

Question 5

A 50-year-old is diagnosed with lung cancer. The health history includes a 30-year history of smoking, exposure to air pollution, asbestos, and radiation. What had the greatest impact on the development of his cancer?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radiation 
B)  Cigarette smoke 
C)  Asbestos 
D)  Air pollution

Question 6

A 10-year-old develops pneumonia. Physical examination reveals subcostal and intercostal retractions. The child reports that breathing is difficult with feelings that, "I cannot get enough air." What term should the nurse use to document this condition?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cyanosis 
B)  Dyspnea 
C)  Hyperpnea 
D)  Orthopnea

Question 7

Which organism does the nurse suspect is the most likely cause of empyema?

Accepted Answer

A)  Virus 
B)  Staphylococcus aureus 
C)  Fungus 
D)  Moraxella catarrhalis

Question 8

Which of the following laboratory values would the nurse expect in a patient who has sustained trauma to the lungs and chest wall and is experiencing respiratory failure?

Accepted Answer

A)  Electrolyte imbalances 
B)  Elevated PaCO2 
C)  Low hematocrit 
D)  Elevated pH

Question 9

Which of the following patients is at highest risk for developing pulmonary embolism (PE)?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 21-year-old male with a hemophilia bleeding disorder 
B)  A 28-year-old woman who had a baby 6 months earlier 
C)  A 36-year-old woman with a history of alcohol abuse who is recovering from a gastric ulcer 
D)  A 72-year-old male who is recovering from hip replacement surgery in the hospital

Question 10

Which assessment findings will the nurse observe in a patient diagnosed with severe pulmonary edema?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thick mucous secretions 
B)  Pink, frothy sputum 
C)  Hypocapnia 
D)  Wheezing

Question 11

What is asthma thought to be caused by?

Accepted Answer

A)  An autosomal recessive trait 
B)  Autoimmunity 
C)  Excessive use of antibiotics as a young child 
D)  Interactions between genetic and environmental factors

Question 12

What is the most likely cause of chronic bronchitis in a 25-year-old?

Accepted Answer

A)  Chronic asthma 
B)  Air pollution 
C)  Cigarette smoke 
D)  Recurrent pneumonias

Question 13

As a result of a severe head injury, a patient is now experiencing respiratory abnormalities characterized by alternating periods of deep and shallow breathing with periods of apnea. What term should the nurse use when charting this condition?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cheyne-Stokes 
B)  Frank-Starling 
C)  Apnea 
D)  Orthopnea

Question 14

What is the most common cause of pulmonary edema?

Accepted Answer

A)  Right heart failure 
B)  Left heart failure 
C)  Asthma 
D)  Lung cancer

Question 15

Individuals with a recent diagnosis of emphysema should be assessed for which most common presenting factor?

Accepted Answer

A)  A productive cough 
B)  Cyanosis 
C)  Dyspnea 
D)  Cor pulmonale

Question 16

Which is a characteristic of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH)? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Male gender 
B)  Fatigue 
C)  Dyspnea 
D)  Jugular vein distension 
E)  Weight gain

Question 17

What type of breathing will the nurse observe while assessing a patient experiencing both metabolic acidosis and Kussmaul respirations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Audible wheezing or stridor 
B)  Increased rate, large tidal volumes, and no expiratory pause 
C)  Rapid respirations with periods of apnea 
D)  Very slow inhalations and rapid expirations

Question 18

What phrase describes the condition in which a series of alveoli in the left lower lobe receive adequate ventilation but lack adequate perfusion?

Accepted Answer

A)  A right-to-left shunt 
B)  Alveolar dead space 
C)  A low ventilation-perfusion ratio 
D)  Pulmonary hypotension

Question 19

The patient diagnosed with tuberculosis can transmit this disease through:

Accepted Answer

A)  skin contact. 
B)  fecal-oral contact. 
C)  airborne droplets. 
D)  blood transfusions.

Question 20

A 60-year-old with a history of cardiovascular disease presents with dyspnea, impaired ventilation, and pleural pain. A diagnosis of pleural effusion is made, and a watery fluid is drained. How might this fluid be described?

Accepted Answer

A)  Exudative 
B)  Purulent 
C)  Infected 
D)  Transudative

Exam 27: Alterations of Pulmonary Function