ATI RN
Assessing Vital Signs Questions
Question 1 of 5
Vital signs are measurements of...
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Vital signs measure essential physiological functionstemperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturationreflecting the body's basic operations . Urination frequency isn't a vital sign, though it's monitored in specific contexts. Weight and height are anthropometric, not vital signs. BMI is a calculated health indicator, not a direct measurement. Choice A is correct, aligning with nursing fundamentals defining vital signs as core indicators of life-sustaining processes, routinely assessed to evaluate health status and detect deviations requiring intervention.
Question 2 of 5
The patient is being admitted to the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident. His jaw is broken, and he has several broken teeth. He is ashen, and his skin is cool and diaphoretic. To obtain an accurate temperature, the nurse uses which of the following routes?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Jaw/teeth injuries rule out oral . Axillary is less accurate in shock (cool, diaphoretic). Temporal may be affected by sweat. Rectal ensures core accuracy. Choice C is correct, per emergency nursing standards.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse is assessing a client's radial pulse and finds it to be 50 beats per minute. What action should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A pulse of 50 can be normal, especially in fit individuals, and should be documented unless symptomatic. Monitoring is premature without distress. Tachycardia doesn't apply. Beta-blockers lower pulse, not needed here. Choice A is correct, per the explanation, reflecting nursing judgment based on context.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is assessing a client's vital signs. Which vital sign reflects the number of times the heart beats per minute?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Heart rate measures beats per minute, assessing cardiac function. Respiratory rate counts breaths. BP is pressure, not rate. O2 sat is oxygenation percentage. Choice C is correct, per the explanation, a basic nursing concept.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is assessing a patient who has a fever, has an infection of a flank incision, and is in severe pain. What type of pulse rate would be likely?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tachycardia is likely with fever, infection, and pain, per the answer key, as the heart speeds up to meet metabolic demands. Bradycardia contradicts this. Dysrhythmia or bigeminal suggest irregularity, not rate increase. Nurses expect this response in acute stress states.