ATI RN
Assess Vital Signs Rationale Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is performing a musculoskeletal assessment and notes that the patient has a limited range of motion in the shoulder. What is the next step in the assessment?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct next step in assessing a limited range of motion in the shoulder is to palpate the shoulder for tenderness. This is important to identify any underlying causes of the limited range of motion, such as inflammation or injury. Palpation helps the nurse determine if there is any pain or tenderness in the shoulder joint, which can provide valuable information for further assessment and treatment planning. Performing passive range of motion (choice B) would be inappropriate without first assessing for tenderness. Auscultation for crepitus (choice C) is not typically indicated for assessing limited range of motion in the shoulder. Measuring the angle of motion (choice D) is not as relevant in this context as assessing for tenderness.
Question 2 of 5
During a respiratory assessment, the nurse notes that the patient has a prolonged inspiratory phase. What condition is most likely associated with this finding?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Upper airway obstruction. A prolonged inspiratory phase suggests difficulty with air intake, which is commonly seen in upper airway obstructions such as foreign body aspiration, croup, or epiglottitis. Asthma (A) typically presents with prolonged expiratory phase, COPD (B) with decreased expiratory phase, and pulmonary fibrosis (C) with decreased lung compliance and restrictive pattern, not affecting inspiratory phase.
Question 3 of 5
Regulator of body temperature:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The hypothalamus is the primary regulator of body temperature, making Choice C correct. Located in the brain, the hypothalamus acts as the bodys thermostat, receiving input from thermoreceptors and initiating responses like sweating or shivering to maintain a stable core temperature around 98.6°F (37°C). Medulla, is incorrect because the medulla oblongata primarily controls autonomic functions like heart rate and breathing, not temperature regulation. Sebaceous glands, refers to oil-producing skin glands with no role in temperature control. Wernickes area, is a brain region involved in language comprehension, unrelated to thermoregulation. The hypothalamus integrates signals from the body and environment, adjusting heat production and loss via mechanisms like vasodilation or muscle activity. Its critical role in homeostasis distinguishes it from the other options, confirming C as the correct answer supported by physiological evidence.
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following controls the opening and closing of the arteriovenous shunts in response to changes in core body temperature and in environmental temperature?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Sympathetic nervous system, is correct as it regulates arteriovenous shuntsvessels linking arteries and veinsto control heat exchange. When cold, it constricts shunts, retaining heat; when hot, it dilates them, releasing heat. Autonomic nervous system, is broader (includes sympathetic and parasympathetic), but only sympathetic handles this. Parasympathetic, focuses on rest (e.g., digestion), not thermoregulation. All of the above, overextends. The sympathetic system, via norepinephrine, adjusts blood flow to skin, balancing core temperature (e.g., 98.6°F). Nursing notes this in pallor (cold) or flushing (heat). Thus, C is accurate per autonomic physiology.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse teaching a student nurse how to take temperatures with a nonmercury glass thermometer would be correct in stating the following:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Teaching nonmercury glass thermometer use involves technique precision. Wiping from fingers to bulb ensures cleanliness but risks contamination downward. Shaking to 92°F is incorrect; it should reset below 96°F. Reading horizontally at eye level with rotation is accurate for visibility, making it correct. Leaving it for 3 minutes varies by site (oral 3, rectal 2-3, axillary 5-10) and protocol, so it's imprecise. Choice C is best as it details a universal, correct reading method, critical for student learning and accurate temperature assessment in clinical practice.