ATI LPN
Introduction of Respiratory System NCLEX Questions PN Questions
Question 1 of 5
Which are the most important for minute-by-minute control of ventilation?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: central chemoreceptors (medulla) dominate minute-by-minute ventilation, sensing CSF pH (CO₂-driven, 70-80% of response). Choice B (carotid) and C (aortic) contribute <20% (O₂, CO₂, pH), critical in hypoxia. Choice D (stretch) fine-tunes via Hering-Breuer reflex. Central receptors adjust breathing rate/depth to maintain PaCO₂ ≈ 40 mmHg, responding within seconds to CO₂ shifts, making A the primary controller.
Question 2 of 5
Fick's law states that:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Fick's law states gas diffusion rate (V) = (A · D · (P1-P2)) / T, where A is area, D is diffusion constant, P1-P2 is pressure gradient, and T is thickness. Choice A is the alveolar ventilation equation, not Fick's. Choice C is the pH definition, unrelated. Choice D is Boyle's law (gas volume-pressure). Choice E is a temperature ratio misstep. Fick's law governs O₂ and CO₂ transfer across the alveolar-capillary membrane, emphasizing area and gradient (e.g., DₗO₂ ≈ 25 mL/min/mmHg), inversely proportional to thickness. B accurately captures this principle, critical for lung gas exchange calculations.
Question 3 of 5
Which of the following DOES NOT constrict pulmonary arterioles?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: isoproterenol (β₂-agonist) dilates pulmonary arterioles, not constricts. Choice A (adrenaline) constricts via α-receptors (β₂ dilates, but α dominates in lung). Choice B (thromboxane B₂) constricts (stable metabolite). Choice C (noradrenaline) constricts (α-effect). Choice D (prostaglandin F2α) constricts. Isoproterenol's β₂-stimulation reduces resistance, aiding flow, distinguishing E as the non-constrictor.
Question 4 of 5
The pediatric nurse is talking to a young child's grandmother, who cares for the child during the work week. The grandmother can't remember whether she gave aspirin or acetaminophen when the child had a fever. What is the best advice the pediatric nurse can give the grandmother for the future?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Aspirin is contraindicated in children with fever, especially during viral illnesses like the flu, due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but severe condition affecting the liver and brain. Acetaminophen is a safer choice for fever reduction in children, widely recommended by healthcare providers. Advising the grandmother to avoid aspirin protects the child from this potentially fatal complication, which is linked to aspirin use in viral infections. Keeping a record of medications is helpful but secondary to ensuring safety by avoiding harmful drugs. Telling the grandmother not to use acetaminophen would be incorrect, as it's effective and safe when dosed properly. Claiming aspirin and acetaminophen are equally suitable ignores the significant risks associated with aspirin in this context. The nurse's primary responsibility is to prevent harm, making the advice to avoid aspirin the most critical and evidence-based recommendation for future fever management in the child.
Question 5 of 5
A 67-year-old client is seen in the health clinic for influenza. The nurse knows that influenza markedly increases the client's risk of developing which condition?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Influenza in a 67-year-old increases the risk of sinusitis and otitis media, secondary infections stemming from viral irritation of the upper respiratory tract. Sinusitis arises when flu causes sinus inflammation, trapping bacteria, while otitis media follows eustachian tube dysfunction from nasal congestion, common in older adults with weakened immunity. Arthritis and Cushing's syndrome are unrelated flu doesn't affect joints or cortisol long-term. Aortic valve prolapse involves heart structure, not infection risk. Gastritis and goiter concern the stomach and thyroid, not respiratory complications. The nurse recognizes sinusitis and otitis media as frequent flu sequelae in seniors, whose immune response and mucosal clearance decline with age, necessitating monitoring for symptoms like ear pain or sinus pressure to prevent untreated bacterial superinfections that could worsen the client's condition.