ATI RN
Rn Vital Signs Assessment ATI Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is assessing a patient with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Which test is most useful for confirming this diagnosis?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: D-dimer test. The D-dimer test is a blood test that measures the presence of a substance released when a blood clot dissolves. In patients with suspected DVT, an elevated D-dimer level suggests the presence of a blood clot. This test is non-invasive, easy to perform, and can help confirm the diagnosis of DVT. A: Homan's sign is not a reliable test for DVT as it lacks specificity and sensitivity. C: Ankle-brachial index is used to assess peripheral arterial disease, not DVT. D: Chest X-ray is not useful for diagnosing DVT as it primarily shows lung and heart abnormalities.
Question 2 of 5
Which of the following examples best represents information gathered during the 'history of present illness'?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because it provides specific information related to the patient's current condition. The 'history of present illness' focuses on the patient's chief complaint, including symptoms, duration, severity, and exacerbating factors. Choice A is about the patient's family history, not the current illness. Choice B refers to past medical history, not the current illness. Choice D is a vital sign measurement, which is important but not directly related to the patient's current symptoms. Therefore, choice C best represents information gathered during the 'history of present illness' as it describes the patient's current symptom pattern.
Question 3 of 5
During a musculoskeletal assessment, the nurse observes that a patient has joint redness, warmth, and swelling. What is the most likely cause of these findings?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Rheumatoid arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, joint redness, warmth, and swelling are common due to inflammation of the synovial membrane. This causes pain and stiffness in multiple joints. Osteoarthritis (A) typically presents with joint pain and stiffness but less inflammation. Gout (B) is characterized by sudden, severe pain, redness, and swelling in one joint, often the big toe. Bursitis (D) involves inflammation of the bursae causing localized pain and swelling, not typically seen with redness and warmth in multiple joints.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is auscultating heart sounds and notes a third heart sound (S3) in an adult. What condition is this most likely associated with?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The presence of a third heart sound (S3) in an adult is most commonly associated with heart failure. This sound occurs during early diastole when the ventricles are resistant to filling due to increased volume. In heart failure, the ventricles are often dilated and have impaired function, leading to the S3 sound. Aortic stenosis (B) typically presents with a systolic murmur, not an S3 sound. Mitral valve regurgitation (C) may present with a murmur but not typically an S3 sound. Pulmonary embolism (D) is associated with symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and tachycardia, not an S3 sound.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is assessing a patient's mental status and asks the patient to remember three words and repeat them after five minutes. Which aspect of memory is being tested?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Recent memory. This test assesses the ability to retain and recall information over a short period, typically within minutes. Immediate memory (choice C) refers to the ability to hold information briefly in the mind, but the question specifically mentions a delay of five minutes. Long-term memory (choice B) involves remembering information over a longer period. Remote memory (choice D) refers to the recall of information from the distant past, not recent events. By testing the patient's ability to remember and repeat three words after five minutes, the nurse is evaluating the patient's recent memory function.