1
CH. 30 Vital Signs Practice Questions
and Answers (100% Correct Answers)
Already Graded A+
A patient has a head injury and damages the hypothalamus. Which vital
sign will the nurse monitor most closely?
a. Pulse
© 2026 Assignment
b. Respirations
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c. Temperature
Expert
d. Blood pressure
Ans: Answer: C
Disease or trauma to the hypothalamus or the spinal cord, which carries
hypothalamic messages, causes serious alterations in temperature
control. The hypothalamus does not control pulse, respirations, or blood
pressure
A patient presents with heatstroke. The nurse uses cool packs, cooling
blanket, and a fan. Which technique is the nurse using when the fan
produces heat loss?
a. Radiation
b. Conduction
c. Convection
d. Evaporation
Ans:
ANS: C
, 2
Convection is the transfer of heat away from the body by air movement.
Conduction is the transfer of heat from one object to another with direct
contact. Radiation is the transfer of heat from the surface of one object
to the surface of another without direct contact between the two.
Evaporation is the transfer of heat energy when a liquid is changed to a
gas.
3. The patient has a temperature of 105.2° F. The nurse is attempting to
lower temperature by providing tepid sponge baths and placing cool
compresses in strategic body locations. Which technique is the nurse
using to lower the patient's temperature?
© 2026 Assignment
a.Radiation
b. Conduction
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Expert
c. Convection
d. Evaporation
Ans:
Ans: B
Applying an ice pack or bathing a patient with a cool cloth increases
conductive heat loss because of the direct contact.
4. A nurse is focusing on temperature regulation of newborns and
infants. Which action will the nurse take?
a.
Apply just a diaper.
b.
Double the clothing.
c.
, 3
Place a cap on their heads.
d.
Increase room temperature to 90 degrees.
Ans:
ANS: C
A newborn loses up to 30% of body heat through the head and therefore
needs to wear a cap to prevent heat loss. Temperature control
mechanisms in newborns are immature and respond drastically to
© 2026 Assignment
changes in the environment; do not increase the room temperature to 90
degrees. Take extra care to protect newborns from environmental
temperatures. Provide adequate clothing; do not double the clothing or
apply just a diaper.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Expert
5. The nurse is working the night shift on a surgical unit and is making
4:00 AM rounds. The nurse notices that the patient's temperature is 96.8°
F (36° C), whereas at 4:00 PM the preceding day, it was 98.6° F (37° C).
What should the nurse do?
a.
Call the health care provider immediately to report a possible infection.
b.
Administer medication to lower the temperature further.
c.
Provide another blanket to conserve body temperature.
d.
Realize that this is a normal temperature variation.
Ans:
ANS: D
, 4
Body temperature normally changes 0.5° to 1° C (0.9° to 1.8° F) during a
24-hour period and is usually lowest between 1:00 and 4:00 AM, with a
maximum temperature at 4:00 PM, making this variation normal for the
time of day. Unless the patient reports being cold, there is no
physiological need for providing an extra blanket or medication to lower
the body temperature further. There is also no need to call a health care
provider to report a normal temperature variation.
6. The nurse is caring for a patient who has a temperature reading of
100.4° F (38° C). The patient's last two temperature readings were 98.6° F
(37° C) and 96.8° F (36° C). Which action will the nurse take?
© 2026 Assignment
a.
Wait 30 minutes and recheck the patient's temperature.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Expert
b.
Assume that the patient has an infection and order blood cultures.
c.
Encourage the patient to move around to increase muscular activity.
d.
Be aware that temperatures this high are harmful and affect patient
safety.
Ans:
ANS: A
Waiting 30 minutes and rechecking the patient's temperature would be
the most appropriate action in this case. A fever is usually not harmful if
it stays below 102.2° F (39° C), and a single temperature reading does not
always indicate a fever. In addition to physical signs and symptoms of
infection, a fever determination is based on several temperature readings
at different times of the day compared with the usual value for that
person at that time. Nurses should base actions on knowledge, not on
assumptions. Encouraging the patient to increase muscular activity will
CH. 30 Vital Signs Practice Questions
and Answers (100% Correct Answers)
Already Graded A+
A patient has a head injury and damages the hypothalamus. Which vital
sign will the nurse monitor most closely?
a. Pulse
© 2026 Assignment
b. Respirations
Guru01 - Stuvia
c. Temperature
Expert
d. Blood pressure
Ans: Answer: C
Disease or trauma to the hypothalamus or the spinal cord, which carries
hypothalamic messages, causes serious alterations in temperature
control. The hypothalamus does not control pulse, respirations, or blood
pressure
A patient presents with heatstroke. The nurse uses cool packs, cooling
blanket, and a fan. Which technique is the nurse using when the fan
produces heat loss?
a. Radiation
b. Conduction
c. Convection
d. Evaporation
Ans:
ANS: C
, 2
Convection is the transfer of heat away from the body by air movement.
Conduction is the transfer of heat from one object to another with direct
contact. Radiation is the transfer of heat from the surface of one object
to the surface of another without direct contact between the two.
Evaporation is the transfer of heat energy when a liquid is changed to a
gas.
3. The patient has a temperature of 105.2° F. The nurse is attempting to
lower temperature by providing tepid sponge baths and placing cool
compresses in strategic body locations. Which technique is the nurse
using to lower the patient's temperature?
© 2026 Assignment
a.Radiation
b. Conduction
Guru01 - Stuvia
Expert
c. Convection
d. Evaporation
Ans:
Ans: B
Applying an ice pack or bathing a patient with a cool cloth increases
conductive heat loss because of the direct contact.
4. A nurse is focusing on temperature regulation of newborns and
infants. Which action will the nurse take?
a.
Apply just a diaper.
b.
Double the clothing.
c.
, 3
Place a cap on their heads.
d.
Increase room temperature to 90 degrees.
Ans:
ANS: C
A newborn loses up to 30% of body heat through the head and therefore
needs to wear a cap to prevent heat loss. Temperature control
mechanisms in newborns are immature and respond drastically to
© 2026 Assignment
changes in the environment; do not increase the room temperature to 90
degrees. Take extra care to protect newborns from environmental
temperatures. Provide adequate clothing; do not double the clothing or
apply just a diaper.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Expert
5. The nurse is working the night shift on a surgical unit and is making
4:00 AM rounds. The nurse notices that the patient's temperature is 96.8°
F (36° C), whereas at 4:00 PM the preceding day, it was 98.6° F (37° C).
What should the nurse do?
a.
Call the health care provider immediately to report a possible infection.
b.
Administer medication to lower the temperature further.
c.
Provide another blanket to conserve body temperature.
d.
Realize that this is a normal temperature variation.
Ans:
ANS: D
, 4
Body temperature normally changes 0.5° to 1° C (0.9° to 1.8° F) during a
24-hour period and is usually lowest between 1:00 and 4:00 AM, with a
maximum temperature at 4:00 PM, making this variation normal for the
time of day. Unless the patient reports being cold, there is no
physiological need for providing an extra blanket or medication to lower
the body temperature further. There is also no need to call a health care
provider to report a normal temperature variation.
6. The nurse is caring for a patient who has a temperature reading of
100.4° F (38° C). The patient's last two temperature readings were 98.6° F
(37° C) and 96.8° F (36° C). Which action will the nurse take?
© 2026 Assignment
a.
Wait 30 minutes and recheck the patient's temperature.
Guru01 - Stuvia
Expert
b.
Assume that the patient has an infection and order blood cultures.
c.
Encourage the patient to move around to increase muscular activity.
d.
Be aware that temperatures this high are harmful and affect patient
safety.
Ans:
ANS: A
Waiting 30 minutes and rechecking the patient's temperature would be
the most appropriate action in this case. A fever is usually not harmful if
it stays below 102.2° F (39° C), and a single temperature reading does not
always indicate a fever. In addition to physical signs and symptoms of
infection, a fever determination is based on several temperature readings
at different times of the day compared with the usual value for that
person at that time. Nurses should base actions on knowledge, not on
assumptions. Encouraging the patient to increase muscular activity will
