Health Assessment: Chapter 11 - Lungs and
Respiratory System Questions and Answers
(100% Correct Answers)
A patient tells the nurse that she has smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for 20
years. The nurse records this as how many pack-years?
a. 10
b. 20
c. 40
d. 60
Ans: c. 40
After taking a brief health history, a nurse needs to complete a focused assessment
on which patient?
a. A male who works as a painter
b. A male who plays basketball and hockey
c. A female who recently moved into a college dormitory
d. A female who has a history of gout
Ans: a. A male who works as a painter
During a symptom analysis, a patient describes his productive cough and states his
sputum is thick and yellow. Based on these data, the nurse suspects which factor as
the cause of these symptoms?
a. Virus
b. Allergy
c. Fungus
d. Bacteria
Ans: d. Bacteria
During the problem-based history, a patient reports coughing up sputum when lying
on the right side, but not when lying on the back or left side. The nurse suspects this
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patient may have a lung abscess. What additional question does the nurse ask to
gather more data?
a. "Does the sputum have an odor?"
b. "Do you have chest pain when you take a deep breath?"
c. "Have you also experienced tightness in your chest?"
d. "Have you coughed up any blood?"
Ans: a. "Does the sputum have an odor?"
Which question will give the nurse additional information about the nature of a
patient's dyspnea?
a. "How often do you see the physician?"
b. "How has this condition affected your day-to-day activities?"
c. "Do you have a cough that occurs with the dyspnea?"
d. "Does your heart rate increase when you are short of breath?"
Ans: b. "How has this condition affected your day-to-day activities?"
A patient complains of shortness of breath and having to sleep on three pillows to
breathe comfortably at night. During the nurse's examination, what findings will
suggest that the cause of this patient's dyspnea is due to heart disease rather than
respiratory disease?
a. Increased anteroposterior diameter
b. Clubbing of the fingers
c. Bilateral peripheral edema
d. Increased tactile fremitus
Ans: c. Bilateral peripheral edema
During a history, a nurse notices a patient is short of breath, is using pursed-lip
breathing, and maintains a tripod position. Based on these data, what abnormal
finding should the nurse expect to find during the examination?
a. Increased tactile fremitus
b. Inspiratory and expiratory wheezing