Respiratory NCLEX Questions

Extract:

Question 1 of 5

The nurse is presenting a class on chest tubes. Which statement best describes a tension pneumothorax?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Tension pneumothorax traps air in the pleural space (
C), increasing pressure. Bleb rupture (
A) causes simple pneumothorax, free air movement (
B) is open pneumothorax, and central line (
D) is a cause, not definition.

Question 2 of 5

Which specimen collection technique should the nurse use to correctly obtain the throat culture from the client?

A. The nurse asks the client to expectorate sputum into a paper cup. B. The nurse wipes the inner mouth and tongue with gauze. C. The nurse swabs the throat with a sterile cotton applicator. D. The nurse collects saliva in a sterile culture cup.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: A throat culture requires swabbing the pharynx with a sterile cotton applicator to collect a sample from the area most likely to harbor pathogens.

Question 3 of 5

The nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for a group of clients on a surgical floor. Which information provided by the UAP requires immediate intervention by the nurse?

A. There is a small, continuous amount of bright-red drainage coming out from under the dressing of the client who had a radical neck dissection. B. The client who has had a right upper lobectomy is complaining that the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump is not providing any relief. C. The client diagnosed with cancer of the lung is complaining of being tired and short of breath. D. The client admitted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is making a whistling sound with every breath.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Bright-red drainage post-neck dissection (
A) suggests hemorrhage, requiring immediate action. PCA failure (
B), fatigue/SOB (
C), and wheezing (
D) are expected or less urgent.

Question 4 of 5

After collecting the sputum specimen from the client, which nursing action is most appropriate?

A. Administer oxygen B. Provide mouth care C. Offer nourishment D. Encourage ambulation

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Providing mouth care after sputum collection improves client comfort and removes residual sputum from the mouth.

Question 5 of 5

The nurse is caring for a client on a ventilator and the alarm goes off. Which action should the nurse implement first?

A. Notify the respiratory therapist immediately. B. Check the ventilator to determine the cause. C. Elevate the head of the client's bed. D. Assess the client's oxygen saturation.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Checking the ventilator (
B) is the first action to identify the alarm’s cause (e.g., disconnection, obstruction), per the ABCs. Notifying the therapist (
A) delays intervention. Elevating the bed (
C) is irrelevant. Assessing oxygen saturation (
D) is secondary to addressing the ventilator issue.

Respiratory NCLEX Questions | Nurselytic

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