ATI LPN
Study Guide for Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections & Skills
Chapter 21 : Physical Assessment Questions
Question 1 of 5
During palpation of the patient's abdomen, he flinches and tightens the abdominal muscles where you are palpating. This tightening of abdominal muscles is known as
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Guarding refers to the involuntary tightening of abdominal muscles in response to pain or palpation, often indicating discomfort or pathology.
Question 2 of 5
What medical term would be appropriate to use when reporting that your patient is drowsy or mentally sluggish?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Lethargy is the appropriate term for a state of drowsiness or mental sluggishness.
Question 3 of 5
What type of assessment is performed on admission?
Correct Answer: B,C
Rationale: A comprehensive health assessment (
C) is typically performed on admission to gather baseline data, often including an initial head-to-toe shift assessment (
B) to evaluate all body systems.
Question 4 of 5
A patient was admitted yesterday with pneumonia. When auscultating his breath sounds you detect rales in the right lower lobe. How quickly should you reassess this abnormal finding?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rales (crackles) indicate fluid in the lungs, requiring reassessment within 2 hours to monitor for worsening pneumonia or respiratory distress.
Question 5 of 5
A 5-year-old child has a fever of 104.4°F axillary. When should you reassess the child's temperature?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A high fever in a child requires reassessment within 60 minutes to monitor response to interventions and prevent complications like febrile seizures.