ATI LPN
NCLEX PN Questions Respiratory System Questions
Question 1 of 5
Heart murmurs are often heard in individuals with abnormalities in the _____ of the heart.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Heart murmurs stem from valve abnormalities stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leakage) disrupting smooth blood flow, causing turbulence audible as whooshes. Myocardium issues (e.g., infarction) affect contraction, not murmurs directly. SA/AV node problems alter rhythm, not flow sounds. Valves (tricuspid, mitral, pulmonary, aortic) regulate direction; defects like mitral prolapse create murmurs, key in diagnosis via auscultation, distinguishing benign from pathological flow disruptions.
Question 2 of 5
The organ of the respiratory system that traps bacteria with a ring of tonsils is the:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The pharynx (B) traps bacteria with tonsils (e.g., palatine, adenoids), per the key lymphoid tissue filters pathogens (e.g., 10ⶠbacteria/day). The nose (A) uses mucus/hairs, not tonsils. The larynx (C) and trachea (D) lack tonsils mucus alone clears debris. Pharyngeal tonsils (Waldeyer's ring) produce lymphocytes, per immunology, guarding against inhaled/oral microbes unlike A's physical trap, C's vocal role, or D's conduit function, B's immune barrier is distinct.
Question 3 of 5
A client underwent a thoracentesis a few hours earlier. Which finding should the nurse report immediately to explain why dyspnea occurs?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Onset of crepitus (B) post-thoracentesis signals subcutaneous emphysema air in tissues (e.g., 50-100 mL) from pleural breach, causing dyspnea (RR >25), per document (2). Oozing (A) is minor, not dyspnea-linked. Diminished sounds (C) suggest pneumothorax, less urgent unless tension. Fever (D) is infection, not immediate. B's air trapping palpable crunch compromises breathing, distinguishing it from A's bleeding or C's collapse.
Question 4 of 5
If treatment for acute epiglottitis is effective, what should the nurse expect to record about the child?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clear bilateral breath sounds (D) show effective epiglottitis treatment, per document (4). Antibiotics (e.g., ceftriaxone) and steroids resolve swelling (e.g., 24-48 hr), restoring airflow (RR <30). Pale lips (A) or tripod (B) persist pre-treatment. Tachypnea (C) lingers if unresolved. D's clarity normal vesicular sounds confirms recovery, unlike A's hypoxia sign.
Question 5 of 5
The nose serves all the following functions EXCEPT:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nose warms, humidifies, and cleanses air turbinates and mucous membranes heat and moisten inhaled air, while hairs and mucus trap dust and microbes. It's a primary air passageway to the pharynx. However, it doesn't initiate the cough reflex that's triggered by irritants in the larynx, trachea, or lower airways, detected by sensory nerves (e.g., vagus), not nasal structures. Coughing expels debris from deeper airways, not the nose, which relies on sneezing or mucociliary clearance. This distinction highlights the nose's role in air conditioning and filtration, not reflex-driven expulsion, a key anatomical separation in respiratory defense mechanisms and clinical understanding of upper versus lower airway responses.