HA2 Exam 1

33. When using a Doppler ultrasonic stethoscope, the nurse recognizes venous flow when which sound is heard? a. Low humming sound b. Regular lub, dub pattern c. Swishing, whooshing sound d. Steady, even, flowing sound

ANS: C When using the Doppler ultrasonic stethoscope, the pulse site is found when one hears a swishing, whooshing sound.

29. Which of these percussion findings would the nurse expect to find in a patient with a large amount of ascites? a. Dullness across the abdomen b. Flatness in the right upper quadrant c. Hyperresonance in the left upper quadrant d. Tympany in the right and left lower quadrants

ANS: A A large amount of ascitic fluid produces a dull sound to percussion.

33. The nurse is reviewing statistics for lactose intolerance. In the United States, the incidence of lactose intolerance is higher in adults of which ethnic group? a. Blacks b. Hispanics c. Whites d. Asians

ANS: A A recent study found estimates of lactose-intolerance prevalence as follows: 19.5% for Blacks, 10% for Hispanics, and 7.72% for Whites.

19. A nurse notices that a patient has ascites, which indicates the presence of: a. Fluid. b. Feces. c. Flatus. d. Fibroid tumors.

ANS: A Ascites is free fluid in the peritoneal cavity and occurs with heart failure, portal hypertension, cirrhosis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and cancer.

28. Just before going home, a new mother asks the nurse about the infants umbilical cord. Which of these statements is correct? a. It should fall off in 10 to 14 days. b. It will soften before it falls off. c. It contains two veins and one artery. d. Skin will cover the area within 1 week.

ANS: A At birth, the umbilical cord is white and contains two umbilical arteries and one vein inside the Wharton jelly. The umbilical stump dries within a week, hardens, and falls off in 10 to 14 days. Skin will cover the area in 3 to 4 weeks.

5. The nurse is reviewing venous blood flow patterns. Which of these statements best describes the mechanism(s) by which venous blood returns to the heart? a. Intraluminal valves ensure unidirectional flow toward the heart. b. Contracting skeletal muscles milk blood distally toward the veins. c. High-pressure system of the heart helps facilitate venous return. d. Increased thoracic pressure and decreased abdominal pressure facilitate venous return to the heart.

ANS: A Blood moves through the veins by (1) contracting skeletal muscles that proximally milk the blood; (2) pressure gradients caused by breathing, during which inspiration makes the thoracic pressure decrease and the abdominal pressure increase; and (3) the intraluminal valves, which ensure unidirectional flow toward the heart.

25. How should the nurse document mild, slight pitting edema the ankles of a pregnant patient? a. 1+/0-4+ b. 3+/0-4+ c. 4+/0-4+ d. Brawny edema

ANS: A If pitting edema is present, then the nurse should grade it on a scale of 1+ (mild) to 4+ (severe). Brawny edema appears as nonpitting edema and feels hard to the touch.

14. 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: a. Claudication. b. Sore muscles. c. Muscle cramps. d. Venous insufficiency.

ANS: A Intermittent claudication feels like a cramp and is usually relieved by rest within 2 minutes. The other responses are not correct.

24. During an assessment of a newborn infant, the nurse recalls that pyloric stenosis would be exhibited by: a. Projectile vomiting. b. Hypoactive bowel activity. c. Palpable olive-sized mass in the right lower quadrant. d. Pronounced peristaltic waves crossing from right to left.

ANS: A Significant peristalsis, together with projectile vomiting, in the newborn suggests pyloric stenosis. After feeding, pronounced peristaltic waves cross from left to right, leading to projectile vomiting. One can also palpate an olive-sized mass in the right upper quadrant.

1. The nurse is percussing the seventh right intercostal space at the midclavicular line over the liver. Which sound should the nurse expect to hear? a. Dullness b. Tympany c. Resonance d. Hyperresonance

ANS: A The liver is located in the right upper quadrant and would elicit a dull percussion note.

20. The nurse knows that during an abdominal assessment, deep palpation is used to determine: a. Bowel motility. b. Enlarged organs. c. Superficial tenderness. d. Overall impression of skin surface and superficial musculature.

ANS: B With deep palpation, the nurse should notice the location, size, consistency, and mobility of any palpable organs and the presence of any abnormal enlargement, tenderness, or masses.

32. When palpating the abdomen of a 20-year-old patient, the nurse notices the presence of tenderness in the left upper quadrant with deep palpation. Which of these structures is most likely to be involved? a. Spleen b. Sigmoid colon c. Appendix d. Gallbladder

ANS: A The spleen is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The gallbladder is in the right upper quadrant, the sigmoid colon is in the left lower quadrant, and the appendix is in the right lower quadrant.

35. During reporting, the student nurse hears that a patient has hepatomegaly and recognizes that this term refers to: a. Enlarged liver. b. Enlarged spleen. c. Distended bowel. d. Excessive diarrhea.

ANS: A The term hepatomegaly refers to an enlarged liver. The term splenomegaly refers to an enlarged spleen. The other responses are not correct.

26. A patient has hard, nonpitting edema of the left lower leg and ankle. The right leg has no edema. Based on these findings, the nurse recalls that: a. Nonpitting, hard edema occurs with lymphatic obstruction. b. Alterations in arterial function will cause edema. c. Phlebitis of a superficial vein will cause bilateral edema. d. Long-standing arterial obstruction will cause pitting edema.

ANS: A Unilateral edema occurs with occlusion of a deep vein and with unilateral lymphatic obstruction. With these factors, the edema is nonpitting and feels hard to the touch (brawny edema).

1. A patient is recovering from several hours of orthopedic surgery. During an assessment of the patients lower legs, the nurse will monitor for signs of acute venous symptoms. Signs of acute venous symptoms include which of the following? Select all that apply. a. Intense, sharp pain, with the deep muscle tender to the touch b. Aching, tired pain, with a feeling of fullness c. Pain that is worse at the end of the day d. Sudden onset e. Warm, red, and swollen calf f. Pain that is relieved with elevation of the leg

ANS: A, D, E Signs and symptoms of acute venous problems include pain in the calf that has a sudden onset and that is intense and sharp with tenderness in the deep muscle when touched. The calf is warm, red, and swollen. The other options are symptoms of chronic venous problems.

26. During an abdominal assessment, the nurse is unable to hear bowel sounds in a patients abdomen. Before reporting this finding as silent bowel sounds, the nurse should listen for at least: a. 1 minute. b. 5 minutes. c. 10 minutes. d. 2 minutes in each quadrant.

ANS: B Absent bowel sounds are rare. The nurse must listen for 5 minutes before deciding that bowel sounds are completely absent.

11. The nurse is watching a new graduate nurse perform auscultation of a patients abdomen. Which statement by the new graduate shows a correct understanding of the reason auscultation precedes percussion and palpation of the abdomen? a. We need to determine the areas of tenderness before using percussion and palpation. b. Auscultation prevents distortion of bowel sounds that might occur after percussion and palpation. c. Auscultation allows the patient more time to relax and therefore be more comfortable with the physical examination. d. Auscultation prevents distortion of vascular sounds, such as bruits and hums, that might occur after percussion and palpation.

ANS: B Auscultation is performed first (after inspection) because percussion and palpation can increase peristalsis, which would give a false interpretation of bowel sounds.

12. The nurse is listening to bowel sounds. Which of these statements is true of bowel sounds? Bowel sounds: a. Are usually loud, high-pitched, rushing, and tinkling sounds. b. Are usually high-pitched, gurgling, and irregular sounds. c. Sound like two pieces of leather being rubbed together. d. Originate from the movement of air and fluid through the large intestine.

ANS: B Bowel sounds are high-pitched, gurgling, and cascading sounds that irregularly occur from 5 to 30 times per minute. They originate from the movement of air and fluid through the small intestine.

10. A patient has hypoactive bowel sounds. The nurse knows that a potential cause of hypoactive bowel sounds is: a. Diarrhea. b. Peritonitis. c. Laxative use. d. Gastroenteritis.

ANS: B Diminished or absent bowel sounds signal decreased motility from inflammation as exhibited with peritonitis, with paralytic ileus after abdominal surgery, or with late bowel obstruction.

17. An older patient has been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The nurse knows that this condition could be related to: a. Increased gastric acid secretion. b. Decreased gastric acid secretion. c. Delayed gastrointestinal emptying time. d. Increased gastrointestinal emptying time.

ANS: B Gastric acid secretion decreases with aging and may cause pernicious anemia (because it interferes with vitamin B12 absorption), iron-deficiency anemia, and malabsorption of calcium.

18. When assessing a patient, the nurse notes that the left femoral pulse as diminished, 1+/4+. What should the nurse do next? a. Document the finding. b. Auscultate the site for a bruit. c. Check for calf pain. d. Check capillary refill in the toes.

ANS: B If a pulse is weak or diminished at the femoral site, then the nurse should auscultate for a bruit. The presence of a bruit, or turbulent blood flow, indicates partial occlusion. The other responses are not correct.

23. The nurse is assessing the abdomen of an older adult. Which statement regarding the older adult and abdominal assessment is true? a. Abdominal tone is increased. b. Abdominal musculature is thinner. c. Abdominal rigidity with an acute abdominal condition is more common. d. The older adult with an acute abdominal condition complains more about pain than the younger person.

ANS: B In the older adult, the abdominal musculature is thinner and has less tone than that of the younger adult, and abdominal rigidity with an acute abdominal condition is less common in the aging person. The older adult with an acute abdominal condition often complains less about pain than the younger person.

28. During an assessment, the nurse has elevated a patients legs 12 inches off the table and has had him wag his feet to drain off venous blood. After helping him sit up and dangle his legs over the side of the table, the nurse should expect that a normal finding at this point would be: a. Significant elevational pallor. b. Venous filling within 15 seconds. c. No change in the coloration of the skin. d. Color returning to the feet within 20 seconds of assuming a sitting position.

ANS: B In this test, it normally takes 10 seconds or less for the color to return to the feet and 15 seconds for the veins of the feet to fill. Significant elevational pallor, as well as delayed venous filling, occurs with arterial insufficiency.

12. The nurse is examining the lymphatic system of a healthy 3-year-old child. Which finding should the nurse expect? a. Excessive swelling of the lymph nodes b. Presence of palpable lymph nodes c. No palpable nodes because of the immature immune system of a child d. Fewer numbers and a smaller size of lymph nodes compared with those of an adult

ANS: B Lymph nodes are relatively large in children, and the superficial ones are often palpable even when the child is healthy.

30. During an assessment, the nurse notices that a patients left arm is swollen from the shoulder down to the fingers, with nonpitting brawny edema. The right arm is normal. The patient had a left-sided mastectomy 1 year ago. The nurse suspects which problem? a. Venous stasis b. Lymphedema c. Arteriosclerosis d. Deep-vein thrombosis

ANS: B Lymphedema after breast cancer causes unilateral swelling and nonpitting brawny edema, with overlying skin indurated. It is caused by the removal of lymph nodes with breast surgery or damage to lymph nodes and channels with radiation therapy for breast cancer, and lymphedema can impede drainage of lymph. The other responses are not correct.

15. A patient complains of leg pain that wakes him at night. He states that he has been having problems with his legs. He has pain in his legs when they are elevated that disappears when he dangles them. He recently noticed a sore on the inner aspect of the right ankle. On the basis of this health history information, the nurse interprets that the patient is most likely experiencing: a. Pain related to lymphatic abnormalities. b. Problems related to arterial insufficiency. c. Problems related to venous insufficiency. d. Pain related to musculoskeletal abnormalities.

ANS: B Night leg pain is common in aging adults and may indicate the ischemic rest pain of peripheral vascular disease. Alterations in arterial circulation cause pain that becomes worse with leg elevation and is eased when the extremity is dangled.

27. A patient is suspected of having inflammation of the gallbladder, or cholecystitis. The nurse should conduct which of these techniques to assess for this condition? a. Obturator test b. Test for Murphy sign c. Assess for rebound tenderness d. Iliopsoas muscle test

ANS: B Normally, palpating the liver causes no pain. In a person with inflammation of the gallbladder, or cholecystitis, pain occurs as the descending liver pushes the inflamed gallbladder onto the examining hand during inspiration (Murphy test). The person feels sharp pain and abruptly stops midway during inspiration.

8. The nurse is reviewing the risk factors for venous disease. Which of these situations best describes a person at highest risk for the development of venous disease? a. Woman in her second month of pregnancy b. Person who has been on bed rest for 4 days c. Person with a 30-year, 1 pack per day smoking habit d. Older adult taking anticoagulant medication

ANS: B People who undergo prolonged standing, sitting, or bed rest are at risk for venous disease. Hypercoagulable (not anticoagulated) states and vein-wall trauma also place the person at risk for venous disease. Obesity and the late months of pregnancy are also risk factors.

15. The nurse is assessing the abdomen of a pregnant woman who is complaining of having acid indigestion all the time. The nurse knows that esophageal reflux during pregnancy can cause: a. Diarrhea. b. Pyrosis. c. Dysphagia. d. Constipation.

ANS: B Pyrosis, or heartburn, is caused by esophageal reflux during pregnancy. The other options are not correct

29. During a visit to the clinic, a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy complains that her legs feel heavy in the calf and that she often has foot cramps at night. The nurse notices that the patient has dilated, tortuous veins apparent in her lower legs. Which condition is reflected by these findings? a. Deep-vein thrombophlebitis b. Varicose veins c. Lymphedema d. Raynaud phenomenon

ANS: B Superficial varicose veins are caused by incompetent distant valves in the veins, which results in the reflux of blood, producing dilated, tortuous veins. Varicose veins are more common in women, and pregnancy can also be a cause. Symptoms include aching, heaviness in the calf, easy fatigability, and night leg or foot cramps. Dilated, tortuous veins are observed on assessment. (See Table 20-5 for the description of deep-vein thrombophlebitis. See Table 20-2 for descriptions of Raynaud phenomenon and lymphedema.)

35. During an assessment, a patient tells the nurse that her fingers often change color when she goes out in cold weather. She describes these episodes as her fingers first turning white, then blue, then red with a burning, throbbing pain. The nurse suspects that she is experiencing: a. Lymphedema. b. Raynaud disease. c. Deep-vein thrombosis. d. Chronic arterial insufficiency.

ANS: B The condition with episodes of abrupt, progressive tricolor changes of the fingers in response to cold, vibration, or stress is known as Raynaud disease. (Lymphedema is described in Table 20-2; deep-vein thrombosis is described in Table 20-5; and chronic arterial insufficiency is described in Table 20-4.)

9. The nurse is teaching a review class on the lymphatic system. A participant shows correct understanding of the material with which statement? a. Lymph flow is propelled by the contraction of the heart. b. The flow of lymph is slow, compared with that of the blood. c. One of the functions of the lymph is to absorb lipids from the biliary tract. d. Lymph vessels have no valves; therefore, lymph fluid flows freely from the tissue spaces into the bloodstream.

ANS: B The flow of lymph is slow, compared with flow of the blood. Lymph flow is not propelled by the heart but rather by contracting skeletal muscles, pressure changes secondary to breathing, and contraction of the vessel walls. Lymph does not absorb lipids from the biliary tract. The vessels do have valves; therefore, flow is one way from the tissue spaces to the bloodstream.

11. A 35-year-old man is seen in the clinic for an infection in his left foot. Which of these findings should the nurse expect to see during an assessment of this patient? a. Hard and fixed cervical nodes b. Enlarged and tender inguinal nodes c. Bilateral enlargement of the popliteal nodes d. Pelletlike nodes in the supraclavicular region

ANS: B The inguinal nodes in the groin drain most of the lymph of the lower extremities. With local inflammation, the nodes in that area become swollen and tender.

30. A 40-year-old man states that his physician told him that he has a hernia. He asks the nurse to explain what a hernia is. Which response by the nurse is appropriate? a. No need to worry. Most men your age develop hernias. b. A hernia is a loop of bowel protruding through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. c. A hernia is the result of prenatal growth abnormalities that are just now causing problems. d. Ill have to have your physician explain this to you.

ANS: B The nurse should explain that a hernia is a protrusion of the abdominal viscera through an abnormal opening in the muscle wall.

38. The nurse is preparing to examine a patient who has been complaining of right lower quadrant pain. Which technique is correct during the assessment? The nurse should: a. Examine the tender area first. b. Examine the tender area last. c. Avoid palpating the tender area. d. Palpate the tender area first, and then auscultate for bowel sounds.

ANS: B The nurse should save the examination of any identified tender areas until last. This method avoids pain and the resulting muscle rigidity that would obscure deep palpation later in the examination. Auscultation is performed before percussion and palpation because percussion and palpation can increase peristalsis, which would give a false interpretation of bowel sounds.

16. During an assessment, the nurse uses the profile sign to detect: a. Pitting edema. b. Early clubbing. c. Symmetry of the fingers. d. Insufficient capillary refill.

ANS: B The nurse should use the profile sign (viewing the finger from the side) to detect early clubbing.

1. Which statement is true regarding the arterial system? a. Arteries are large-diameter vessels. b. The arterial system is a high-pressure system. c. The walls of arteries are thinner than those of the veins. d. Arteries can greatly expand to accommodate a large blood volume increase.

ANS: B The pumping heart makes the arterial system a high-pressure system.

23. The nurse is attempting to assess the femoral pulse in a patient who is obese. Which of these actions would be most appropriate? a. The patient is asked to assume a prone position. b. The patient is asked to bend his or her knees to the side in a froglike position. c. The nurse firmly presses against the bone with the patient in a semi-Fowler position. d. The nurse listens with a stethoscope for pulsations; palpating the pulse in an obese person is extremely difficult.

ANS: B To help expose the femoral area, particularly in obese people, the nurse should ask the person to bend his or her knees to the side in a froglike position.

14. During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as normal? a. Presence of a bruit in the femoral area b. Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region c. Palpable spleen between the ninth and eleventh ribs in the left midaxillary line d. Dull percussion note in the left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line

ANS: B Tympany should predominate in all four quadrants of the abdomen because air in the intestines rises to the surface when the person is supine. Vascular bruits are not usually present. Normally, the spleen is not palpable. Dullness would not be found in the area of lung resonance (left upper quadrant at the midclavicular line).

37. The nurse is reviewing an assessment of a patients peripheral pulses and notices that the documentation states that the radial pulses are 2+. The nurse recognizes that this reading indicates what type of pulse? a. Bounding b. Normal c. Weak d. Absent

ANS: B When documenting the force, or amplitude, of pulses, 3+ indicates an increased, full, or bounding pulse, 2+ indicates a normal pulse, 1+ indicates a weak pulse, and 0 indicates an absent pulse.

1. The nurse suspects that a patient has appendicitis. Which of these procedures are appropriate for use when assessing for appendicitis or a perforated appendix? Select all that apply. a. Test for the Murphy sign b. Test for the Blumberg sign c. Test for shifting dullness d. Perform the iliopsoas muscle test e. Test for fluid wave

ANS: B, D Testing for the Blumberg sign (rebound tenderness) and performing the iliopsoas muscle test should be used when assessing for appendicitis. The Murphy sign is used when assessing for an inflamed gallbladder or cholecystitis. Testing for a fluid wave and shifting dullness is performed when assessing for ascites.

20. The nurse is assessing the pulses of a patient who has been admitted for untreated hyperthyroidism. The nurse should expect to find a(n) _______ pulse. a. Normal b. Absent c. Bounding d. Weak, thready

ANS: C A full, bounding pulse occurs with hyperkinetic states (e.g., exercise, anxiety, fever), anemia, and hyperthyroidism. An absent pulse occurs with occlusion. Weak, thready pulses occur with shock and peripheral artery disease.

21. The nurse is preparing to perform a modified Allen test. Which is an appropriate reason for this test? a. To measure the rate of lymphatic drainage b. To evaluate the adequacy of capillary patency before venous blood draws c. To evaluate the adequacy of collateral circulation before cannulating the radial artery d. To evaluate the venous refill rate that occurs after the ulnar and radial arteries are temporarily occluded

ANS: C A modified Allen test is used to evaluate the adequacy of collateral circulation before the radial artery is cannulated. The other responses are not reasons for a modified Allen test.

34. The nurse is describing a weak, thready pulse on the documentation flow sheet. Which statement is correct? a. Is easily palpable; pounds under the fingertips. b. Has greater than normal force, then suddenly collapses. c. Is hard to palpate, may fade in and out, and is easily obliterated by pressure. d. Rhythm is regular, but force varies with alternating beats of large and small amplitude.

ANS: C A weak, thready pulse is hard to palpate, may fade in and out, and is easily obliterated by pressure. It is associated with decreased cardiac output and peripheral arterial disease.

36. During a routine office visit, a patient takes off his shoes and shows the nurse this awful sore that wont heal. On inspection, the nurse notes a 3-cm round ulcer on the left great toe, with a pale ischemic base, well-defined edges, and no drainage. The nurse should assess for other signs and symptoms of: a. Varicosities. b. Venous stasis ulcer. c. Arterial ischemic ulcer. d. Deep-vein thrombophlebitis.

ANS: C Arterial ischemic ulcers occur at the toes, metatarsal heads, heels, and lateral ankle and are characterized by a pale ischemic base, well-defined edges, and no bleeding. (See Table 20-5 for a description of varicose veins and deep-vein thrombophlebitis. See Table 20-4 for a description of venous stasis ulcers.)

21. The nurse notices that a patient has had a black, tarry stool and recalls that a possible cause would be: a. Gallbladder disease. b. Overuse of laxatives. c. Gastrointestinal bleeding. d. Localized bleeding around the anus.

ANS: C Black stools may be tarry as a result of occult blood (melena) from gastrointestinal bleeding. Red blood in stools occurs with localized bleeding around the anus.

3. A patient is having difficulty swallowing medications and food. The nurse would document that this patient has: a. Aphasia. b. Dysphasia. c. Dysphagia. d. Anorexia.

ANS: C Dysphagia is a condition that occurs with disorders of the throat or esophagus and results in difficulty swallowing. Aphasia and dysphasia are speech disorders. Anorexia is a loss of appetite.

4. A 65-year-old patient is experiencing pain in his left calf when he exercises that disappears after resting for a few minutes. The nurse recognizes that this description is most consistent with _______ the left leg. a. Venous obstruction of b. Claudication due to venous abnormalities in c. Ischemia caused by a partial blockage of an artery supplying d. Ischemia caused by the complete blockage of an artery supplying

ANS: C Ischemia is a deficient supply of oxygenated arterial blood to a tissue. A partial blockage creates an insufficient supply, and the ischemia may be apparent only during exercise when oxygen needs increase.

25. The nurse is reviewing the assessment of an aortic aneurysm. Which of these statements is true regarding an aortic aneurysm? a. A bruit is absent. b. Femoral pulses are increased. c. A pulsating mass is usually present. d. Most are located below the umbilicus.

ANS: C Most aortic aneurysms are palpable during routine examination and feel like a pulsating mass. A bruit will be audible, and femoral pulses are present but decreased. Such aneurysms are located in the upper abdomen just to the left of midline.

17. The nurse is performing an assessment on an adult. The adults vital signs are normal, and capillary refill time is 5 seconds. What should the nurse do next? a. Ask the patient about a history of frostbite. b. Suspect that the patient has venous insufficiency. c. Consider this a delayed capillary refill time, and investigate further. d. Consider this a normal capillary refill time that requires no further assessment.

ANS: C Normal capillary refill time is less than 1 to 2 seconds. The following conditions can skew the findings: a cool room, decreased body temperature, cigarette smoking, peripheral edema, and anemia.

9. While examining a patient, the nurse observes abdominal pulsations between the xiphoid process and umbilicus. The nurse would suspect that these are: a. Pulsations of the renal arteries. b. Pulsations of the inferior vena cava. c. Normal abdominal aortic pulsations. d. Increased peristalsis from a bowel obstruction.

ANS: C Normally, the pulsations from the aorta are observed beneath the skin in the epigastric area, particularly in thin persons who have good muscle wall relaxation.

39. During a health history, the patient tells the nurse, I have pain all the time in my stomach. Its worse 2 hours after I eat, but it gets better if I eat again! Based on these symptoms, the nurse suspects that the patient has which condition? a. Appendicitis b. Gastric ulcer c. Duodenal ulcer d. Cholecystitis

ANS: C Pain associated with duodenal ulcers occurs 2 to 3 hours after a meal; it may relieved by more food. Chronic pain associated with gastric ulcers usually occurs on an empty stomach. Severe, acute pain would occur with appendicitis and cholecystitis.

32. The nurse is performing a well-child checkup on a 5-year-old boy. He has no current condition that would lead the nurse to suspect an illness. His health history is unremarkable, and he received immunizations 1 week ago. Which of these findings should be considered normal in this patient? a. Enlarged, warm, and tender nodes b. Lymphadenopathy of the cervical nodes c. Palpable firm, small, shotty, mobile, and nontender lymph nodes d. Firm, rubbery, and large nodes, somewhat fixed to the underlying tissue

ANS: C Palpable lymph nodes are often normal in children and infants. They are small, firm, shotty, mobile, and nontender. Vaccinations can produce lymphadenopathy. Enlarged, warm, and tender nodes indicate a current infection.

19. When performing a peripheral vascular assessment on a patient, the nurse is unable to palpate the ulnar pulses. The patients skin is warm and capillary refill time is normal. Next, the nurse should: a. Check for the presence of claudication. b. Refer the individual for further evaluation. c. Consider this finding as normal, and proceed with the peripheral vascular evaluation. d. Ask the patient if he or she has experienced any unusual cramping or tingling in the arm.

ANS: C Palpating the ulnar pulses is not usually necessary. The ulnar pulses are not often palpable in the normal person. The other responses are not correct.

16. The nurse is performing percussion during an abdominal assessment. Percussion notes heard during the abdominal assessment may include: a. Flatness, resonance, and dullness. b. Resonance, dullness, and tympany. c. Tympany, hyperresonance, and dullness. d. Resonance, hyperresonance, and flatness.

ANS: C Percussion notes normally heard during the abdominal assessment may include tympany, which should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface when the person is supine; hyperresonance, which may be present with gaseous distention; and dullness, which may be found over a distended bladder, adipose tissue, fluid, or a mass.

13. During an assessment of an older adult, the nurse should expect to notice which finding as a normal physiologic change associated with the aging process? a. Hormonal changes causing vasodilation and a resulting drop in blood pressure b. Progressive atrophy of the intramuscular calf veins, causing venous insufficiency c. Peripheral blood vessels growing more rigid with age, producing a rise in systolic blood pressure d. Narrowing of the inferior vena cava, causing low blood flow and increases in venous pressure resulting in varicosities

ANS: C Peripheral blood vessels grow more rigid with age, resulting in a rise in systolic blood pressure. Aging produces progressive enlargement of the intramuscular calf veins, not atrophy. The other options are not correct.

18. A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse is aware that this symptom is most often indicative of: a. Ovary infection. b. Liver enlargement. c. Kidney inflammation. d. Spleen enlargement.

ANS: C Sharp pain along the costovertebral angles occurs with inflammation of the kidney or paranephric area. The other options are not correct.

22. During an abdominal assessment, the nurse elicits tenderness on light palpation in the right lower quadrant. The nurse interprets that this finding could indicate a disorder of which of these structures? a. Spleen b. Sigmoid c. Appendix d. Gallbladder

ANS: C The appendix is located in the right lower quadrant. When the iliopsoas muscle is inflamed, which occurs with an inflamed or perforated appendix, pain is felt in the right lower quadrant.

2. The nurse is reviewing the blood supply to the arm. The major artery supplying the arm is the _____ artery. a. Ulnar b. Radial c. Brachial d. Deep palmar

ANS: C The major artery supplying the arm is the brachial artery. The brachial artery bifurcates into the ulnar and radial arteries immediately below the elbow. In the hand, the ulnar and radial arteries form two arches known as the superficial and deep palmar arches.

36. During an assessment, the nurse notices that a patients umbilicus is enlarged and everted. It is positioned midline with no change in skin color. The nurse recognizes that the patient may have which condition? a. Intra-abdominal bleeding b. Constipation c. Umbilical hernia d. Abdominal tumor

ANS: C The umbilicus is normally midline and inverted with no signs of discoloration. With an umbilical hernia, the mass is enlarged and everted. The other responses are incorrect.

22. A patient has been diagnosed with venous stasis. Which of these findings would the nurse most likely observe? a. Unilateral cool foot b. Thin, shiny, atrophic skin c. Pallor of the toes and cyanosis of the nail beds d. Brownish discoloration to the skin of the lower leg

ANS: D A brown discoloration occurs with chronic venous stasis as a result of hemosiderin deposits (a by-product of red blood cell degradation). Pallor, cyanosis, atrophic skin, and unilateral coolness are all signs associated with arterial problems.

24. When auscultating over a patients femoral arteries, the nurse notices the presence of a bruit on the left side. The nurse knows that bruits: a. Are often associated with venous disease. b. Occur in the presence of lymphadenopathy. c. In the femoral arteries are caused by hypermetabolic states. d. Occur with turbulent blood flow, indicating partial occlusion.

ANS: D A bruit occurs with turbulent blood flow and indicates partial occlusion of the artery. The other responses are not correct.

31. A 45-year-old man is in the clinic for a physical examination. During the abdominal assessment, the nurse percusses the abdomen and notices an area of dullness above the right costal margin of approximately 11 cm. The nurse should: a. Document the presence of hepatomegaly. b. Ask additional health history questions regarding his alcohol intake. c. Describe this dullness as indicative of an enlarged liver, and refer him to a physician. d. Consider this finding as normal, and proceed with the examination.

ANS: D A liver span of 10.5 cm is the mean for males and 7 cm for females. Men and taller individuals are at the upper end of this range. Women and shorter individuals are at the lower end of this range. A liver span of 11 cm is within normal limits for this individual.

7. A patients abdomen is bulging and stretched in appearance. The nurse should describe this finding as: a. Obese. b. Herniated. c. Scaphoid. d. Protuberant.

ANS: D A protuberant abdomen is rounded, bulging, and stretched (see Figure 21-7). A scaphoid abdomen caves inward.

7. A 70-year-old patient is scheduled for open-heart surgery. The surgeon plans to use the great saphenous vein for the coronary bypass grafts. The patient asks, What happens to my circulation when this vein is removed? The nurse should reply: a. Venous insufficiency is a common problem after this type of surgery. b. Oh, you have lots of veinsyou wont even notice that it has been removed. c. You will probably experience decreased circulation after the vein is removed. d. This vein can be removed without harming your circulation because the deeper veins in your leg are in good conditio

ANS: D As long as the femoral and popliteal veins remain intact, the superficial veins can be excised without harming circulation. The other responses are not correct.

13. The physician comments that a patient has abdominal borborygmi. The nurse knows that this term refers to: a. Loud continual hum. b. Peritoneal friction rub. c. Hypoactive bowel sounds. d. Hyperactive bowel sounds.

ANS: D Borborygmi is the term used for hyperperistalsis when the person actually feels his or her stomach growling.

8. The nurse is describing a scaphoid abdomen. To the horizontal plane, a scaphoid contour of the abdomen depicts a ______ profile. a. Flat b. Convex c. Bulging d. Concave

ANS: D Contour describes the profile of the abdomen from the rib margin to the pubic bone; a scaphoid contour is one that is concave from a horizontal plane (see Figure 21-7).

4. The nurse suspects that a patient has a distended bladder. How should the nurse assess for this condition? a. Percuss and palpate in the lumbar region. b. Inspect and palpate in the epigastric region. c. Auscultate and percuss in the inguinal region. d. Percuss and palpate the midline area above the suprapubic bone.

ANS: D Dull percussion sounds would be elicited over a distended bladder, and the hypogastric area would seem firm to palpation.

5. The nurse is aware that one change that may occur in the gastrointestinal system of an aging adult is: a. Increased salivation. b. Increased liver size. c. Increased esophageal emptying. d. Decreased gastric acid secretion

ANS: D Gastric acid secretion decreases with aging. As one ages, salivation decreases, esophageal emptying is delayed, and liver size decreases.

6. A 22-year-old man comes to the clinic for an examination after falling off his motorcycle and landing on his left side on the handle bars. The nurse suspects that he may have injured his spleen. Which of these statements is trueregarding assessment of the spleen in this situation? a. The spleen can be enlarged as a result of trauma. b. The spleen is normally felt on routine palpation. c. If an enlarged spleen is noted, then the nurse should thoroughly palpate to determine its size. d. An enlarged spleen should not be palpated because it can easily rupture.

ANS: D If an enlarged spleen is felt, then the nurse should refer the person and should not continue to palpate it. An enlarged spleen is friable and can easily rupture with overpalpation.

37. During an abdominal assessment, the nurse tests for a fluid wave. A positive fluid wave test occurs with: a. Splenomegaly. b. Distended bladder. c. Constipation. d. Ascites.

ANS: D If ascites (fluid in the abdomen) is present, then the examiner will feel a fluid wave when assessing the abdomen. A fluid wave is not present with splenomegaly, a distended bladder, or constipation.

27. When assessing a patients pulse, the nurse notes that the amplitude is weaker during inspiration and stronger during expiration. When the nurse measures the blood pressure, the reading decreases 20 mm Hg during inspiration and increases with expiration. This patient is experiencing pulsus: a. Alternans. b. Bisferiens. c. Bigeminus. d. Paradoxus.

ANS: D In pulsus paradoxus, beats have weaker amplitude with inspiration and stronger amplitude with expiration and is best determined during blood pressure measurement; reading decreases (>10 mm Hg) during inspiration and increases with expiration.

34. The nurse is assessing a patient for possible peptic ulcer disease. Which condition or history often causes this problem? a. Hypertension b. Streptococcal infections c. Recurrent constipation with frequent laxative use d. Frequent use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs

ANS: D Peptic ulcer disease occurs with the frequent use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, alcohol use, smoking, and Helicobacter pylori infection.

3. The nurse is preparing to assess the dorsalis pedis artery. Where is the correct location for palpation? a. Behind the knee b. Over the lateral malleolus c. In the groove behind the medial malleolus d. Lateral to the extensor tendon of the great toe

ANS: D The dorsalis pedis artery is located on the dorsum of the foot. The nurse should palpate just lateral to and parallel with the extensor tendon of the big toe. The popliteal artery is palpated behind the knee. The posterior tibial pulse is palpated in the groove between the malleolus and the Achilles tendon. No pulse is palpated at the lateral malleolus.

10. When performing an assessment of a patient, the nurse notices the presence of an enlarged right epitrochlear lymph node. What should the nurse do next? a. Assess the patients abdomen, and notice any tenderness. b. Carefully assess the cervical lymph nodes, and check for any enlargement. c. Ask additional health history questions regarding any recent ear infections or sore throats. d. Examine the patients lower arm and hand, and check for the presence of infection or lesions.

ANS: D The epitrochlear nodes are located in the antecubital fossa and drain the hand and lower arm. The other actions are not correct for this assessment finding.

2. Which structure is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen? a. Liver b. Duodenum c. Gallbladder d. Sigmoid colon

ANS: D The sigmoid colon is located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen.

6. Which vein(s) is(are) responsible for most of the venous return in the arm? a. Deep b. Ulnar c. Subclavian d. Superficial

ANS: D The superficial veins of the arms are in the subcutaneous tissue and are responsible for most of the venous return.

31. The nurse is preparing to assess the ankle-brachial index (ABI) of a patient. Which statement about the ABI is true? a. Normal ABI indices are from 0.5 to 1.0. b. Normal ankle pressure is slightly lower than the brachial pressure. c. The ABI is a reliable measurement of peripheral vascular disease in individuals with diabetes. d. An ABI of 0.9 to 0.7 indicates the presence of peripheral vascular disease and mild claudication.

ANS: D Use of the Doppler stethoscope is a noninvasive way to determine the extent of peripheral vascular disease. The normal ankle pressure is slightly greater than or equal to the brachial pressure. An ABI of 0.9 to 0.7 indicates the presence of peripheral vascular disease and mild claudication. The ABI is less reliable in patients with diabetes mellitus because of claudication, which makes the arteries noncompressible and may give a false high-ankle pressure.