N125 Exam 3 Practice Q's With
Complete Solutions
The structure that is responsible for returning oxygenated blood to the heart is
the
a. Pulmonary artery.
b. Pulmonary vein.
c. Superior vena cava.
d. Inferior vena cava. - ANSWER ANS: B
The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the heart. The pulmonary artery
carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Both venae cavae
return blood to the right atrium of the heart.
Chemical receptors that stimulate inspiration are located in the
a. Brain.
b. Lungs.
c. Aorta.
d. Heart. - ANSWER ANS: C
Chemical receptors in the aorta send signals to begin the inspiration process.
The brain, lungs, and heart all are affected by this chemical reaction.
The nurse knows that the primary function of the alveoli is to
a. Carry out gas exchange.
b. Store oxygen.
c. Regulate tidal volume.
d. Produce hemoglobin. - ANSWER ANS: A
The alveolus is a capillary membrane that allows gas exchange of oxygen and
carbon dioxide during respiration. The alveoli do not store oxygen, regulate tidal
volume, or produce hemoglobin.
The nurse knows that anemia will result in
a. Hypoxemia.
b. Impaired ventilation.
c. Hypovolemia.
d. Decreased lung compliance. - ANSWER ANS: A
Patients who are anemic do not have the same level of oxygen-carrying
capacity. As a result, oxygen is unable to properly perfuse the tissues, resulting
in hypoxemia. Impaired ventilation occurs when oxygen/carbon dioxide
exchange occurs at the alveolar level. Hypovolemia is related to decreased
circulating blood volume. Lung compliance is related to the elasticity of the lung
tissue.
,The process of exchanging gases through the alveolar capillary membrane is
known as
a. Disassociation.
b. Diffusion.
c. Perfusion.
d. Ventilation. - ANSWER ANS: B
Diffusion is the process of gases exchanging across the alveoli and capillaries of
body tissues. Disassociation is not related to oxygenation. Perfusion is the
ability of the cardiovascular system to carry oxygenated blood to tissues and
return deoxygenated blood to the heart. Ventilation is the process of moving
gases into and out of the lungs.
A nurse caring for a patient who was in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in
trauma to C4 would expect to find
a. Decreased tidal volumes.
b. Increased perfusion.
c. Increased use of accessory muscles.
d. Decreased hemoglobin. - ANSWER ANS: A
A C4 injury would result in damage to the phrenic nerve and would cause a
decrease in inspiratory lung expansion. Accessory muscles will also be
damaged by a C4 injury. The patient may exhibit decreased perfusion and
increased hemoglobin to compensate for hypoxemia.
The nurse would expect to see increased ventilations if a patient exhibits
a. Increased oxygen saturation.
b. Decreased carbon dioxide levels.
c. Decreased pH.
d. Increased hemoglobin levels. - ANSWER ANS: C
Retained CÓ creates H+ byproducts that lower pH. This sends a chemical signal
to increase respiratory rate and would result in increased ventilation. All other
options would cause the ventilation rate to normalize or decrease to increase
carbon dioxide retention or as the result of delivery of higher levels of oxygen to
tissues.
The nurse recommends that a patient install a carbon monoxide detector in the
home because
a. It is required by law.
b. Carbon monoxide tightly bonds to hemoglobin, causing hypoxia.
c. Carbon monoxide signals the cerebral cortex to cease ventilations.
d. Carbon monoxide combines with oxygen in the body and produces a deadly
toxin. - ANSWER ANS: B
Carbon monoxide has a higher affinity for hemoglobin; therefore, oxygen is not
able to bond to hemoglobin and be transported to tissues. A carbon monoxide
detector is not required by law, does not signal the cerebral cortex to cease
ventilations, and does not combine with oxygen but with hemoglobin to produce
a toxin.
, While performing an assessment, the nurse hears crackles in the patients lung
fields. The nurse also learns that the patient is sleeping on three pillows. What
do these symptoms most likely indicate?
a. Left-sided heart failure
b. Right-sided heart failure
c. Atrial fibrillation
d. Myocardial ischemia - ANSWER ANS: A
Left-sided heart failure results in pulmonary congestion, the signs and
symptoms of which include shortness of breath, crackles, and discomfort when
lying supine. Right-sided heart failure is systemic and results in peripheral
edema and hepatojugular distention. Atrial fibrillation results in an irregular
heart rate. Myocardial ischemia most often results in chest pain, along with
shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue.
The nurse knows that a myocardial infarction is an occlusion of what blood
vessel?
a. Pulmonary artery
b. Ascending aorta
c. Coronary artery
d. Carotid artery - ANSWER ANS: C
A myocardial infarction is the lack of blood flow due to obstruction to the
coronary artery, which supplies the heart with blood. The ascending aorta is a
vessel that leads from the heart to perfuse the brain. The pulmonary artery
supplies blood to the lungs. The carotid artery supplies blood to the brain.
Myocardial blood flow is unidirectional; the nurse knows that the correct
pathway is which of the following?
a. Right atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle, left atrium
b. Right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle
c. Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle
d. Right atrium, left atrium, left ventricle, right ventricle - ANSWER ANS: C
Unoxygenated blood flows through the vena cava into the right atrium, where it
is pumped down to the right ventricle; the blood is then pumped out the
pulmonary artery and is returned oxygenated via the pulmonary vein to the left
atrium
The nurse caring for a patient with ischemia to the left coronary artery would
expect to find
a. Increased ventricular diastole.
b. Increased stroke volume.
c. Decreased preload.
d. Decreased afterload. - ANSWER ANS: D
The left coronary artery supplies the muscles of the left ventricle; the strength of
the muscle affects the contractility of the heart. The other options are not
impacted by the muscles of the left ventricle.
Complete Solutions
The structure that is responsible for returning oxygenated blood to the heart is
the
a. Pulmonary artery.
b. Pulmonary vein.
c. Superior vena cava.
d. Inferior vena cava. - ANSWER ANS: B
The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the heart. The pulmonary artery
carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Both venae cavae
return blood to the right atrium of the heart.
Chemical receptors that stimulate inspiration are located in the
a. Brain.
b. Lungs.
c. Aorta.
d. Heart. - ANSWER ANS: C
Chemical receptors in the aorta send signals to begin the inspiration process.
The brain, lungs, and heart all are affected by this chemical reaction.
The nurse knows that the primary function of the alveoli is to
a. Carry out gas exchange.
b. Store oxygen.
c. Regulate tidal volume.
d. Produce hemoglobin. - ANSWER ANS: A
The alveolus is a capillary membrane that allows gas exchange of oxygen and
carbon dioxide during respiration. The alveoli do not store oxygen, regulate tidal
volume, or produce hemoglobin.
The nurse knows that anemia will result in
a. Hypoxemia.
b. Impaired ventilation.
c. Hypovolemia.
d. Decreased lung compliance. - ANSWER ANS: A
Patients who are anemic do not have the same level of oxygen-carrying
capacity. As a result, oxygen is unable to properly perfuse the tissues, resulting
in hypoxemia. Impaired ventilation occurs when oxygen/carbon dioxide
exchange occurs at the alveolar level. Hypovolemia is related to decreased
circulating blood volume. Lung compliance is related to the elasticity of the lung
tissue.
,The process of exchanging gases through the alveolar capillary membrane is
known as
a. Disassociation.
b. Diffusion.
c. Perfusion.
d. Ventilation. - ANSWER ANS: B
Diffusion is the process of gases exchanging across the alveoli and capillaries of
body tissues. Disassociation is not related to oxygenation. Perfusion is the
ability of the cardiovascular system to carry oxygenated blood to tissues and
return deoxygenated blood to the heart. Ventilation is the process of moving
gases into and out of the lungs.
A nurse caring for a patient who was in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in
trauma to C4 would expect to find
a. Decreased tidal volumes.
b. Increased perfusion.
c. Increased use of accessory muscles.
d. Decreased hemoglobin. - ANSWER ANS: A
A C4 injury would result in damage to the phrenic nerve and would cause a
decrease in inspiratory lung expansion. Accessory muscles will also be
damaged by a C4 injury. The patient may exhibit decreased perfusion and
increased hemoglobin to compensate for hypoxemia.
The nurse would expect to see increased ventilations if a patient exhibits
a. Increased oxygen saturation.
b. Decreased carbon dioxide levels.
c. Decreased pH.
d. Increased hemoglobin levels. - ANSWER ANS: C
Retained CÓ creates H+ byproducts that lower pH. This sends a chemical signal
to increase respiratory rate and would result in increased ventilation. All other
options would cause the ventilation rate to normalize or decrease to increase
carbon dioxide retention or as the result of delivery of higher levels of oxygen to
tissues.
The nurse recommends that a patient install a carbon monoxide detector in the
home because
a. It is required by law.
b. Carbon monoxide tightly bonds to hemoglobin, causing hypoxia.
c. Carbon monoxide signals the cerebral cortex to cease ventilations.
d. Carbon monoxide combines with oxygen in the body and produces a deadly
toxin. - ANSWER ANS: B
Carbon monoxide has a higher affinity for hemoglobin; therefore, oxygen is not
able to bond to hemoglobin and be transported to tissues. A carbon monoxide
detector is not required by law, does not signal the cerebral cortex to cease
ventilations, and does not combine with oxygen but with hemoglobin to produce
a toxin.
, While performing an assessment, the nurse hears crackles in the patients lung
fields. The nurse also learns that the patient is sleeping on three pillows. What
do these symptoms most likely indicate?
a. Left-sided heart failure
b. Right-sided heart failure
c. Atrial fibrillation
d. Myocardial ischemia - ANSWER ANS: A
Left-sided heart failure results in pulmonary congestion, the signs and
symptoms of which include shortness of breath, crackles, and discomfort when
lying supine. Right-sided heart failure is systemic and results in peripheral
edema and hepatojugular distention. Atrial fibrillation results in an irregular
heart rate. Myocardial ischemia most often results in chest pain, along with
shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue.
The nurse knows that a myocardial infarction is an occlusion of what blood
vessel?
a. Pulmonary artery
b. Ascending aorta
c. Coronary artery
d. Carotid artery - ANSWER ANS: C
A myocardial infarction is the lack of blood flow due to obstruction to the
coronary artery, which supplies the heart with blood. The ascending aorta is a
vessel that leads from the heart to perfuse the brain. The pulmonary artery
supplies blood to the lungs. The carotid artery supplies blood to the brain.
Myocardial blood flow is unidirectional; the nurse knows that the correct
pathway is which of the following?
a. Right atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle, left atrium
b. Right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle
c. Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle
d. Right atrium, left atrium, left ventricle, right ventricle - ANSWER ANS: C
Unoxygenated blood flows through the vena cava into the right atrium, where it
is pumped down to the right ventricle; the blood is then pumped out the
pulmonary artery and is returned oxygenated via the pulmonary vein to the left
atrium
The nurse caring for a patient with ischemia to the left coronary artery would
expect to find
a. Increased ventricular diastole.
b. Increased stroke volume.
c. Decreased preload.
d. Decreased afterload. - ANSWER ANS: D
The left coronary artery supplies the muscles of the left ventricle; the strength of
the muscle affects the contractility of the heart. The other options are not
impacted by the muscles of the left ventricle.
