ATI RN
EMT Vital Signs Assessment Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is listening to the breath sounds of a patient with severe asthma. Air passing through narrowed bronchioles would produce which of these adventitious sounds?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Wheezes. In severe asthma, narrowed bronchioles cause turbulent airflow, producing high-pitched wheezing sounds during expiration. These sounds are continuous, musical, and often heard without a stethoscope. Bronchial sounds (B) are normal breath sounds heard over the trachea, not indicative of asthma. Bronchophony (C) refers to increased vocal resonance and is not associated with bronchoconstriction. Whispered pectoriloquy (D) is a technique used to assess for consolidation in the lungs, not characteristic of asthma.
Question 2 of 5
The direction of blood flow through the heart is best described by which of these?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because it accurately describes the path of blood flow through the heart. Blood enters the right atrium from the vena cava, then goes to the right ventricle, gets pumped to the lungs through the pulmonary artery, returns to the heart from the lungs via the pulmonary vein, enters the left atrium, and finally flows to the left ventricle for systemic circulation. The other choices have inaccuracies in the sequence of chambers and blood vessels through which the blood flows, making them incorrect. Choice A has the pulmonary artery leading to the left atrium, which is incorrect. Choice C has the aorta before entering the right atrium, which is also incorrect. Choice D has the pulmonary vein leading to the pulmonary artery, which is incorrect.
Question 3 of 5
During the cardiac auscultation, the nurse hears a sound immediately occurring after the S2 at the second left intercostal space. To further assess this sound, what should the nurse do?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because watching the patient's respirations while listening for the effect on the sound can help differentiate between an S3 and an opening snap or ejection sound. Observing how the sound changes with the respiratory cycle can provide valuable information about the origin and nature of the sound. Choice A is incorrect because having the patient turn to the left side with the bell of the stethoscope is typically done to enhance the detection of a mitral murmur, not to assess a sound immediately after S2. Choice B is incorrect because asking the patient to hold their breath is more relevant in assessing for a pericardial friction rub, not in differentiating between heart sounds. Choice C is incorrect because assuming the sound is an S3 without further assessment can lead to a misdiagnosis. It is essential to confirm the nature of the sound through appropriate assessment techniques.
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following conditions involves a tight prepuce which, once retracted, cannot be returned?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Paraphimosis. This condition occurs when the foreskin is retracted behind the glans and becomes trapped, leading to swelling and an inability to return it to its original position. Phimosis (A) is the inability to retract the foreskin over the glans. Balanitis (C) is inflammation of the glans while Balanoposthitis (D) is inflammation of both the glans and foreskin. Paraphimosis specifically refers to the foreskin being stuck in a retracted position, making it the correct choice.
Question 5 of 5
A 67-year-old patient states that he recently began to have pain in his left calf when climbing the 10 stairs to his apartment. This pain is relieved by sitting for approximately 2 minutes; then he is able to resume his activities. The nurse interprets that this patient is most likely experiencing:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Claudication. This patient is likely experiencing intermittent claudication, which is pain or discomfort in the muscles of the leg, typically the calf, that occurs during physical activity and is relieved by rest. The key clues in the question are the pain in the left calf specifically with activity (climbing stairs), relief with rest, and the patient's age of 67 which is a risk factor for peripheral artery disease (PAD) leading to claudication. Sore muscles (B) and muscle cramps (C) do not typically present with this pattern of pain and relief. Venous insufficiency (D) usually manifests with swelling, skin changes, and may worsen with prolonged standing, not specifically with activity like in this case.