EXAM 3 NSG4100 2026 ACTUAL EXAM
SCRIPT TESTED QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ 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. Answer: B
◉ 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. 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. 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. 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. Answer: D
,◉ 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Answer: B
◉ A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage
systems w/ a group of medical nurses. What indications should the
nurses identify? Select all that apply.
SCRIPT TESTED QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ 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. Answer: B
◉ 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. 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. 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. 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. Answer: D
,◉ 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Answer: B
◉ A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage
systems w/ a group of medical nurses. What indications should the
nurses identify? Select all that apply.
