Chapter 19: Assessing Thorax and Lungs PrepU

Upon inspection of a client's chest, a nurse observes an increase in the ratio of anteroposterior to transverse diameter. The nurse recognizes this as a finding in which disease process?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Explanation: An increase in the ratio of anteroposterior to transverse diameter is seen in clients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This occurs because of air trapped in the airways that causes hyperinflation and overdistention. Carcinoma of the lungs, pneumothorax, and tuberculosis do not change the chest diameter.

An adult client visits the clinic and tells the nurse that he has been "spitting up rust-colored sputum." The nurse should refer the client to the physician for possible

tuberculosis. Explanation: Rust-colored sputum is associated with tuberculosis or pneumococcal pneumonia.

The nurse documents vesicular lung sounds upon auscultation. The nurse heard what type of sound?

sound heard throughout inspiration and two thirds of expiration

The nurse is preparing to percuss a patient's anterior chest area. Which approach will the nurse use for this assessment?

Begin above the right clavicle and percuss each section comparing the right chest with the left chest. Explanation: When percussing a patient's anterior chest, the nurse should begin above the level of the clavicles to assess the lung apex. The nurse should assess the right lung area and then the left. The nurse should proceed in a methodical manner and assess each lung area, comparing right to left. The nurse should not percuss all areas on the right side of the chest before assessing the left chest. The nurse should not percuss all areas on the left side of the chest before assessing the right chest. The nurse should not complete the assessment of the left chest and then reverse the process, assessing upward from the liver.

Which of the following muscles is primarily responsible for thoracic cavity enlargement?

Diaphragm Explanation: The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration; when it contracts, its descent enlarges the thoracic cavity.

What would the nurse expect to hear when auscultating the lungs of a client diagnosed with pleuritis?

Friction rub Explanation: In pleuritis, inflamed pleural surfaces lose their normal lubrication and rub together during breathing. Reduced volume of pleural fluid increases the transmission of lung sounds and leads to a possible friction rub. Decreased breath sounds may indicate an obstruction due to little air moving in and out. Sibilant wheezes are often heard with bronchitis; stridor occurs with severe broncholaryngospasms, such as croup. Stridor is associated with a loud, high-pitched crowing that is characteristic of epiglottis or other conditions that partially obstruct the upper airway.

What should be the nurse's initial intervention when adventitious sounds are heard during auscultation of a client's lungs?

Have the client cough and then listen again. Explanation: If abnormalities are noted during lung auscultation, the nurse should have the client cough and then listen again, noting any change. Coughing may clear the lungs. If the sounds are still present after coughing, then the nurse would refer the client for further evaluation. Auscultating voice sounds (egophony and bronchophony) would be done as part of any assessment of the thorax.

A client who just underwent hip replacement surgery reports pain at a 10 on a scale of 0 to 10 and receives 4 mg of morphine. A nurse on the orthopedic unit enters the client's room and finds that the client has a respiratory rate of 7 breaths/min. The client is groggy and hard to arouse. What could be contributing to the client's findings?

Opiates, which may cause hypoventilation Explanation: Opiates may reduce the ability of the brain to trigger breathing, causing hypoventilation (slow breathing). This scenario does not describe a reaction to anesthesia, and it is not a normal finding following surgery.

A triage nurse is working in the emergency department of a busy hospital. Four patients have recently been admitted. Patient A has an arrhythmia diagnosed as atrial fibrillation; Patient B is in chronic congestive heart failure; Patient C is assessed and found to have a probable pulmonary embolism; Patient D complains of chest pain relieved by nitroglycerin and rest. Which patient would be the nurse's highest priority?

Patient C Explanation: Cardiac emergencies that necessitate rapid assessment and intervention include acute coronary syndromes, acute decompensated heart failure, hypertensive crisis, cardiac tamponade, unstable cardiac arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, systemic or pulmonary embolism, and aortic dissection.

When percussing the posterior lung fields, which of the following findings is expected?

Resonance over all lung fields Explanation: All lung tissue is expected to be resonant on percussion. Hyperresonance and tympany suggest a hyperinflated lung or pneumothorax. Dullness is expected in structures below the level of the diaphragm, but dullness in the bases of the lungs themselves would be considered pathological.

The staff educator from the hospital's respiratory unit is providing a public educational event. The educator is talking about health promotion activities for people with respiratory diseases or those who are at high risk for respiratory complications. What would the educator include in the presentation?

Teaching strategies to reduce complications of existing diagnoses Explanation: Health promotion activities focus on preventing disease from developing (primary prevention), screening to identify conditions at an early curable stage (secondary prevention), and reducing complications of existing or established medical diagnoses (tertiary prevention).

Which observation confirms to the nurse that the client is experiencing a normal inspiration?

The thoracic cavity enlarges. Explanation: The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration. When it contracts during inhalation, it descends in the chest and enlarges the thoracic cavity. At the same time, it compresses the abdominal contents, pushing the abdominal wall outward. Intrathoracic pressure decreases, drawing air through the tracheobronchial tree into the alveoli, or distal air sacs, and expanding the lungs. It is during expiration that the diaphragm relaxes.

The nurse is preparing to auscultate the lung sounds of a young adult. Which sound will the nurse expect to hear over most of the patient's lungs?

Vesicular Explanation: Vesicular breath sounds are normally heard over most of both lungs. In a young adult, this is the sound that the nurse will most likely hear when auscultating the patient's lungs. Bronchovesicular breath sounds are normally heard in the 1st and 2nd intercostal spaces anteriorly and between the scapulas posteriorly. Bronchial breath sounds are normally heard over the manubrium but may not be heard at all. Tracheal breath sounds are normally heard over the trachea in the neck.

The apex of each lung is located at the

area slightly above the clavicle. Explanation: The apex of each lung extends slightly above the clavicle.

The nurse obtains a flat sound when percussing the right lower lobe of a patient. What does this assessment finding indicate to the nurse?

Pleural effusion Explanation: When a flat sound is percussed over lung tissue, this is an indication of a pleural effusion. Resonance is the percussion sound of healthy lung tissue. The sound of a gastric air bubble is tympany. Hperresonance is the percussion sound associated with emphysema.

A young toddler is brought to the emergency room by his parents. The mother states that the child was playing on the floor with toys and suddenly began to wheeze. The mother reports no recent illnesses. The nurse suspects that the most likely cause of the wheezing is

foreign body obstruction

When assessing the breath sounds of a newly admitted patient, the nurse notes increased transmission of voice sounds over the right lung. What would this indicate to the nurse?

The lung has become airless Explanation: Increased transmission of voice sounds suggests that air-filled lung has become airless.

A client presents to the health care clinic and reports a recent onset of a persistent cough. The client denies any shortness of breath, change in activity level, or other findings of an acute upper respiratory tract illness. What question by the nurse is most appropriate to further assess the cause for the cough?

"Are you taking any medications on a regular basis?" Explanation: A persistent cough without any other respiratory symptoms could be related to new medications, especially beta blockers or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which are prescribed for hypertension. A change in diet and exercise are healthy behaviors that would not cause a persistent cough. Stress often causes shortness of breath.

When auscultating a client's lungs, the nurse hears a sound like Velcro being pulled apart over the client's right middle lobe. How should the nurse document this finding?

Coarse crackles Explanation: Coarse crackles are low-pitched bubbling moist sounds that are described as separating Velcro. Fine crackles are high-pitched, short, popping sounds heard during inspiration and not cleared with coughing. Sibilant wheezes are high-pitched musical sounds. Sonorous wheezes are low-pitched snoring or moaning sounds.

A 47-year-old receptionist comes to the office with fever, shortness of breath, and a productive cough with golden sputum. She says she had a cold last week and her symptoms have only worsened despite using over-the-counter cold remedies. She denies any weight gain, weight loss, or cardiac or gastrointestinal symptoms. Her past medical history includes type 2 diabetes for 5 years and high cholesterol level. She takes an oral medication for both diseases. She has had no surgeries. She denies tobacco, alcohol, or drug use. Her mother has diabetes and high blood pressure. Her father passed away from colon cancer. Examination reveals a middle-aged woman appearing her stated age. She looks ill and her temperature is elevated at 101 degrees Farenheit. Her blood pressure and pulse are unremarkable. Her head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat examination are unremarkable except for edema of the nasal turbinates. On auscultation she has decreased air movement and coarse crackles are heard over the left lower lobe. There is dullness on percussion, increased fremitus during palpation, and egophony and whispered pectoriloquy on auscultation. What disorder of the thorax or lung best describes her symptoms?

Pneumonia Explanation: Pneumonia is usually associated with dyspnea, cough, and fever. On auscultation there can be coarse or fine crackles heard over the affected lobe. Percussion over the affected area is dull, and there is often an increase in fremitus. Egophony and pectoriloquy are heard because of increased sound transmission of high-pitched components of sounds. The multiple air-filled chambers of the alveoli usually filter out these higher frequencies.