ATI LPN
Respiratory System Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
In comparison to a sedentary individual, a well-trained athlete will usually have all the following characteristics EXCEPT
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A well-trained athlete has higher cardiac reserve (max CO increase), stroke volume (more blood per beat), and heart hypertrophy (thicker myocardium) due to endurance training, enhancing efficiency. Resting cardiac output (~5 L/min) remains similar to sedentary individuals athletes' lower resting heart rate (bradycardia, e.g., 40-60 bpm) offsets higher SV, balancing CO. Higher resting CO isn't typical; demand matches supply. This adaptation optimizes performance, key in sports physiology and assessing training effects.
Question 2 of 5
The lungs are covered by a two-layer membrane called the:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The pleura (A) is the two-layer membrane (visceral/parietal) covering the lungs, per the key reducing friction (15 mL fluid). The diaphragm (B) is a muscle, not a covering. The respiratory membrane (C) is the alveolar-capillary interface (0.2 μm). Intercostal muscles (D) aid breathing, not encasing lungs. Pleura's serous layers (5-10 μm thick) allow 6-8 L/min expansion, per anatomy unlike B's contraction, C's diffusion role, or D's support, A's protective sheath is the lung's hallmark.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse assisting the client with obstructive pulmonary disease would use which of the following statements to explain why dyspnea occurs?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Your airways open wider on inspiration, and trap air on expiration' (C) explains COPD dyspnea, per document (3). Emphysema's elasticity loss (elastase > AAT) and chronic bronchitis's mucus narrow airways, trapping air (RV >150%), reducing tidal volume (Vt <400 mL). Surfactant (A) is ARDS, not COPD. Difficulty inhaling (B) is vague. Compliance drop (D) fits fibrosis. C's air trapping FEVâ‚/FVC <70% drives dyspnea, unlike A's irrelevance.
Question 4 of 5
The parents of a child with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are receiving home instructions on tracheotomy care. With regards to suctioning, the nurse should advise the parents that each suction pass should take no longer than:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 5 seconds (B) is the advised suction time for BPD tracheotomy, per document (implied pediatric norm). Short passes (5-10 s) clear mucus (e.g., 5-10 mL) without hypoxia (SpOâ‚‚ drop <5%). 2 seconds (A) is too brief, 10-15 seconds (C, D) risk desaturation. B's balance per AAP protects fragile BPD lungs (Oâ‚‚ need 30%), unlike D's excess.
Question 5 of 5
Surface tension of the alveolar fluid is reduced by the presence of
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Surfactant, a lipoprotein mix from type II alveolar cells, reduces alveolar fluid's surface tension, preventing collapse (atelectasis) by lowering cohesive forces of water molecules lining alveoli. Mucus traps particles in airways, not affecting alveolar tension. Sebum, an oily skin secretion, is irrelevant here. Water increases tension surfactant counters this. By decreasing tension, surfactant stabilizes alveoli, especially smaller ones, easing inflation and preventing lung collapse post-exhalation. This is vital for efficient gas exchange, a cornerstone of lung mechanics, critical in conditions like respiratory distress syndrome where surfactant deficiency causes breathing difficulty, underscoring its role in pulmonary stability.