NSG 4100 (AH III) Exam 3 2026 UPDATE COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS (complete solutions)
ASSURED SUCCESS/GRADED A+!!!
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy. When
planning preoperative teaching, what info should the nurse communicate to the
pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction - CORRECT ANSWER-B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-
sealed chest drainage system. What should the nurse tell the pt and the family
that this drainage system is used for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid - CORRECT ANSWER-D
,A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy. The surgeon
inserts a chest tube into the anterior chest wall. What should the nurse tell the
family is the primary purpose of this chest tube?
a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation - CORRECT ANSWER-A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse
perform when providing this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions -
CORRECT ANSWER-D
The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes several
disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. What would the nurse recognize as a
disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed - CORRECT ANSWER-D
,What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may indicate a
pt's need to have a tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis - CORRECT ANSWER-B
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the water-seal
chamber of the pt's closed chest-drinagae system. What should the Nurs
conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed - CORRECT ANSWER-C
The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic resection. The nurse
is providing preoperative teaching and is discussing several diagnostic studies that
will be required prior to surgery. Which study will be performed to determine
whether the panned resection will leave sufficient functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray - CORRECT ANSWER-A
, The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is postoperative
following thoracotomy. What instructions should the nurse give to the pt
regarding activity immediately following discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily - CORRECT ANSWER-D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a pt who has
just had a thoracotomy. The nurse knows that the amount of suction in the
system is determined by the water level. At what suction level should the nurse
set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O - CORRECT ANSWER-A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a ventilator.
When assessing the client, the nurse knows to maintain what cuff pressure to
maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWER-B
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS (complete solutions)
ASSURED SUCCESS/GRADED A+!!!
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy. When
planning preoperative teaching, what info should the nurse communicate to the
pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction - CORRECT ANSWER-B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-
sealed chest drainage system. What should the nurse tell the pt and the family
that this drainage system is used for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid - CORRECT ANSWER-D
,A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy. The surgeon
inserts a chest tube into the anterior chest wall. What should the nurse tell the
family is the primary purpose of this chest tube?
a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation - CORRECT ANSWER-A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse
perform when providing this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions -
CORRECT ANSWER-D
The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes several
disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. What would the nurse recognize as a
disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed - CORRECT ANSWER-D
,What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may indicate a
pt's need to have a tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis - CORRECT ANSWER-B
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the water-seal
chamber of the pt's closed chest-drinagae system. What should the Nurs
conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed - CORRECT ANSWER-C
The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic resection. The nurse
is providing preoperative teaching and is discussing several diagnostic studies that
will be required prior to surgery. Which study will be performed to determine
whether the panned resection will leave sufficient functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray - CORRECT ANSWER-A
, The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is postoperative
following thoracotomy. What instructions should the nurse give to the pt
regarding activity immediately following discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily - CORRECT ANSWER-D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a pt who has
just had a thoracotomy. The nurse knows that the amount of suction in the
system is determined by the water level. At what suction level should the nurse
set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O - CORRECT ANSWER-A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a ventilator.
When assessing the client, the nurse knows to maintain what cuff pressure to
maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWER-B
