NURS 535 Final Exam Questions and
All Correct Answers Graded A+.
What are s/s of pulmonary disease? - Answer • Dyspnea and cough
• Altered breathing
patterns
• Hyperventilation
• Hypoventilation
• Hemoptysis
• Abnormal sputum
• Cyanosis
• Chest pain
• Clubbing
What is dyspnea? - Answer Subjective sensation of uncomfortable breathing
How is severe dyspnea characterized? - Answer • Flaring of the nostrils
• Use of accessory muscles of respiration
• Retraction of the intercostal spaces
How is dyspnea on exertion characterized? - Answer Shortness of breath with activity
What is orthopnea? - Answer Dyspnea when lying down
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea? - Answer Awaking at night and gasping for air; must
sit up or stand up
How long is an acute cough? - Answer Resolves within 2 to 3 weeks
How long is a chronic cough? - Answer Lasts longer than 3 weeks
What is a cough? - Answer Protective reflex that helps clear the airways by an
explosive expiration
,How is abnormal sputum? - Answer Changes in amount, consistency, color, and odor provide
information about the progression of
disease and the effectiveness of therapy.
What is hemoptysis? - Answer Coughing up blood or bloody secretions
What is the benefit of abnormal breathing patterns? - Answer Adjustments made by the
body to minimize the work of the respiratory muscles
What are Kussmaul respirations? - Answer Slightly increased ventilatory rate, very large tidal
volume, and no expiratory pause
What is labored breathing? - Answer Increased work of breathing
What is restricted breathing? - Answer Disorders that stiffen the lungs or chest wall and
decrease compliance
What are Cheyne-Stokes respirations? - Answer Alternating periods of deep and shallow
breathing; apnea lasting 15 to 60 seconds, followed by
ventilations that increase in volume until a peak is reached, after which ventilation decreases
again to apnea
What is hypoventilation? - Answer Alveolar ventilation is
inadequate in relationship to the metabolic demands. Leads to respiratory acidosis from
hypercapnia.
What causes hypoventilation? - Answer airway obstruction,
chest wall restriction, or altered neurologic control of breathing
What is hyperventilation? - Answer Alveolar ventilation exceeds the metabolic demands.
Leads to respiratory alkalosis
from hypocapnia
What causes hyperventilation? - Answer anxiety, head injury, or severe hypoxemia
What is cyanosis? - Answer Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous
membranes
, When does cyanosis develop? - Answer when have five grams of desaturated
hemoglobin, regardless of concentration
What is peripheral cyanosis? - Answer poor circulation observed best in the nail beds
What is central cyanosis? - Answer decreased arterial oxygenation best observed in buccal
mucous membranes and lips
What is clubbing? - Answer the selective bulbous enlargement of the end (distal segment) of
a digit (finger or toe) whose severity can be graded from 1 to 5 based on the extent of nail bed
hypertrophy and the amount of changes in the nails themselves.
What is pleural pain? - Answer the most common pain caused by pulmonary diseases. Is
usually sharp or stabbing in character.
What causes parietal pleura pain? - Answer Infection and inflammation can cause pain when
the pleura stretch during inspiration and are accompanied by a pleural friction rub.
Where does chest wall pain originate? - Answer May be from the airways. May be from
muscle or rib pain.
What is hypercapnia? - Answer Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the arterial
blood
What causes hypercapnia? - Answer Occurs from decreased drive to breathe or an
inadequate ability to respond to ventilatory
stimulation
What causes hypoxemia? - Answer Ventilation-perfusion abnormalities: Shunting and
Alveolar dead space
What are characteristics of acute respiratory failure? - Answer • Gas exchange is inadequate
(hypoxemia).
• PaO2 is ≤50 mm Hg.
• Hypercapnia occurs, during which PaCO2 is ≥50 mm Hg
• pH is ≤7.25.
All Correct Answers Graded A+.
What are s/s of pulmonary disease? - Answer • Dyspnea and cough
• Altered breathing
patterns
• Hyperventilation
• Hypoventilation
• Hemoptysis
• Abnormal sputum
• Cyanosis
• Chest pain
• Clubbing
What is dyspnea? - Answer Subjective sensation of uncomfortable breathing
How is severe dyspnea characterized? - Answer • Flaring of the nostrils
• Use of accessory muscles of respiration
• Retraction of the intercostal spaces
How is dyspnea on exertion characterized? - Answer Shortness of breath with activity
What is orthopnea? - Answer Dyspnea when lying down
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea? - Answer Awaking at night and gasping for air; must
sit up or stand up
How long is an acute cough? - Answer Resolves within 2 to 3 weeks
How long is a chronic cough? - Answer Lasts longer than 3 weeks
What is a cough? - Answer Protective reflex that helps clear the airways by an
explosive expiration
,How is abnormal sputum? - Answer Changes in amount, consistency, color, and odor provide
information about the progression of
disease and the effectiveness of therapy.
What is hemoptysis? - Answer Coughing up blood or bloody secretions
What is the benefit of abnormal breathing patterns? - Answer Adjustments made by the
body to minimize the work of the respiratory muscles
What are Kussmaul respirations? - Answer Slightly increased ventilatory rate, very large tidal
volume, and no expiratory pause
What is labored breathing? - Answer Increased work of breathing
What is restricted breathing? - Answer Disorders that stiffen the lungs or chest wall and
decrease compliance
What are Cheyne-Stokes respirations? - Answer Alternating periods of deep and shallow
breathing; apnea lasting 15 to 60 seconds, followed by
ventilations that increase in volume until a peak is reached, after which ventilation decreases
again to apnea
What is hypoventilation? - Answer Alveolar ventilation is
inadequate in relationship to the metabolic demands. Leads to respiratory acidosis from
hypercapnia.
What causes hypoventilation? - Answer airway obstruction,
chest wall restriction, or altered neurologic control of breathing
What is hyperventilation? - Answer Alveolar ventilation exceeds the metabolic demands.
Leads to respiratory alkalosis
from hypocapnia
What causes hyperventilation? - Answer anxiety, head injury, or severe hypoxemia
What is cyanosis? - Answer Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous
membranes
, When does cyanosis develop? - Answer when have five grams of desaturated
hemoglobin, regardless of concentration
What is peripheral cyanosis? - Answer poor circulation observed best in the nail beds
What is central cyanosis? - Answer decreased arterial oxygenation best observed in buccal
mucous membranes and lips
What is clubbing? - Answer the selective bulbous enlargement of the end (distal segment) of
a digit (finger or toe) whose severity can be graded from 1 to 5 based on the extent of nail bed
hypertrophy and the amount of changes in the nails themselves.
What is pleural pain? - Answer the most common pain caused by pulmonary diseases. Is
usually sharp or stabbing in character.
What causes parietal pleura pain? - Answer Infection and inflammation can cause pain when
the pleura stretch during inspiration and are accompanied by a pleural friction rub.
Where does chest wall pain originate? - Answer May be from the airways. May be from
muscle or rib pain.
What is hypercapnia? - Answer Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the arterial
blood
What causes hypercapnia? - Answer Occurs from decreased drive to breathe or an
inadequate ability to respond to ventilatory
stimulation
What causes hypoxemia? - Answer Ventilation-perfusion abnormalities: Shunting and
Alveolar dead space
What are characteristics of acute respiratory failure? - Answer • Gas exchange is inadequate
(hypoxemia).
• PaO2 is ≤50 mm Hg.
• Hypercapnia occurs, during which PaCO2 is ≥50 mm Hg
• pH is ≤7.25.
