Respiratory NCLEX Test Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
Which of these clients will the charge nurse on the medical
unit assign to an RN who has floated from the postanes-
thesia care unit (PACU)?
A. Client with allergic rhinitis scheduled for skin testing
D) A nurse working in the PACU would be familiar with as-
B. Client with emphysema who needs teaching about pul-
sessing vital signs and respiratory status after procedures
monary function testing
such as thoracentesis.
C. Client with pancreatitis who needs a preoperative chest
x-ray
D. Client with pleural ettusion who has had 1200 mL
removed by thoracentesis
An RN and an LPN/LVN are working together to provide
care for a client hospitalized with dyspnea who requires
all of these nursing actions. Which of these actions is best
accomplished by the RN?
A. Administer the purified protein derivative (PPD) for
tuberculosis testing. D) Developing the teaching plan is the most complex of
B. Assess vital signs and the puncture site after thoracen- the skills listed and requires RN education and licensure.
tesis.
C. Monitor oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry every
4 hours.
D. Plan client and family teaching regarding upcoming
pulmonary function testing.
A client has returned to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU) after a bronchoscopy. Which of these nursing tasks
is best for the charge nurse to delegate to the experienced
D) A nursing assistant working in the PACU would have
nursing assistant working in PACU?
experience in taking client vital signs after the client has
A. Assess breath sounds.
had conscious sedation or anesthesia.
B. Check gag reflex.
C. Determine level of consciousness.
D. Monitor blood pressure and pulse.
,The RN has received report about all of these clients.
Which client needs the most immediate assessment?
A. Client with acute asthma who has an oxygen saturation
of 89% by pulse oximetry
A) An oxygen saturation level less than 91% indicates hy-
B. Client admitted 3 hours ago for a scheduled thoracen-
poxemia and requires immediate assessment and inter-
tesis in 30 minutes
vention to improve blood and tissue oxygenation.
C. Client with bronchogenic lung cancer who returned
from bronchoscopy 3 hours ago
D. Client with pleural ettusion who has decreased breath
sounds at the right base
The home health nurse is assigned to visit all of these
clients when a change in agency staflng requires that
one of the clients should be rescheduled for a visit on
the following day. Which of these clients would be best
to reschedule?
A. Client with emphysema who has been on home oxygen
A) This client has an appropriate Spo2 for home oxygen
for a month and has SPO2 levels of 91% to 93%
use.
B. Client with history of a cough, weight loss, and night
sweats who has just had a positive Mantoux test
C. Client with newly diagnosed pleural ettusion who needs
an admission visit and an initial intake assessment
D. Client with percutaneous lung biopsy yesterday who
called in to report increased dyspnea
Which of these assessment findings will be of greatest
concern when the nurse is assessing a client with emphy-
sema? B) Bronchial breath sounds are not normally heard in the
A. Barrel-shaped chest periphery and may indicate increased lung density, as in
B. Bronchial breath sounds heard at the bases a tumor or an infective process such as pneumonia.
C. Hyperresonance to percussion of the chest
D. Ribs lying horizontal
People involved in which occupations or activities are en-
couraged to wear masks and to have adequate ventila-
tions? Select all that apply.
,Bakers
Coal miners
Furniture refinishers
Potters
A) Being exposed to flour as a baker for prolonged pe-
riods of time may cause a condition called occupational
asthma.
B) Coal miners are at risk to develop pneumoconiosis as
the result of inhalation of coal dust.
D) Owing to the chemicals used to refinish furniture (paint
strippers, solvents), masks and adequate ventilation are
essential for furniture refinishers. One of the main solvents
involved will metabolize in the body to carbon monoxide
and will impair the ability of the tissue to extract oxygen.
F) Silicosis or inhalation of silica dust is a hazard for pro-
fessional and recreational potters.
Which nursing intervention is the priority in preparing the
client for pulmonary function testing (PFT)?
A. Administer bronchodilator medication on call. C) If the client has been smoking, this may alter parts
B. Encourage clear fluid intake 12 hours before the pro- of the PFT (dittusing capacity [DlCO]), yielding inaccurate
cedure. results.
C. Ensure no smoking 6 hours before the test.
D. Provide supplemental oxygen as testing begins.
The nurse is performing a client assessment for the
client's potential employer. The client reports dyspnea
B) This client is dyspneic when climbing stairs or walking
when climbing stairs but is not dyspneic at rest. Which
on an incline but not on level walking. Therefore, this client
dyspnea classification does the nurse assign to this client
is employable only for a sedentary job or under special
in the report to the employer?
circumstances.
A. Class I, can perform perform manual labor
B. Class II, can perform desk job
, C. Class III, minimally employable
D. Class IV, must remain at home
A client comes to the emergency department with a pro-
ductive cough. Which symptom does the nurse look for
that will require immediate attention? C) Pink frothy sputum is common with pulmonary edema
A. Blood in the sputum and requires immediate attention and intervention to pre-
B. Mucoid sputum vent the client's condition from getting worse.
C. Pink frothy sputum
D. Yellow sputum
A client with asthma reports shortness of breath. What is
the nurse assessing when auscultating this client's chest?
A) Adventitious sounds are additional breath sounds su-
A. Adventitious breath sounds
perimposed on normal sounds. They indicate pathologic
B. Fremitus
changes in the lung.
C. Oxygenation status
D. Respiratory excursion
Four clients are sent back to the emergency department
from triage at the same time. Which client requires the
nurse's immediate attention? A) An acute allergic reaction can lead to immediate respi-
A. Client with acute allergic reaction ratory distress. This is an emergent situation that requires
B. Client with dyspnea on exertion the immediate attention of the nurse.
C. Client with lung cancer with cough
D. Client with sinus infection with fever
The nurse auscultates popping, discontinuous sounds
over the client's anterior chest. How does the nurse clas- A) Crackles are described as a popping, discontinuous
sify these sounds? sound caused by air moving into previously deflated air-
A. Crackles ways. The airways have been deflated due to the presence
B. Rhonchi of fluids in the lungs, and crackles should be considered
C. Pleural friction rub to be a sign of fluid overload.
D. Wheeze
Which of these clients will the charge nurse on the medical
unit assign to an RN who has floated from the postanes-
thesia care unit (PACU)?
A. Client with allergic rhinitis scheduled for skin testing
D) A nurse working in the PACU would be familiar with as-
B. Client with emphysema who needs teaching about pul-
sessing vital signs and respiratory status after procedures
monary function testing
such as thoracentesis.
C. Client with pancreatitis who needs a preoperative chest
x-ray
D. Client with pleural ettusion who has had 1200 mL
removed by thoracentesis
An RN and an LPN/LVN are working together to provide
care for a client hospitalized with dyspnea who requires
all of these nursing actions. Which of these actions is best
accomplished by the RN?
A. Administer the purified protein derivative (PPD) for
tuberculosis testing. D) Developing the teaching plan is the most complex of
B. Assess vital signs and the puncture site after thoracen- the skills listed and requires RN education and licensure.
tesis.
C. Monitor oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry every
4 hours.
D. Plan client and family teaching regarding upcoming
pulmonary function testing.
A client has returned to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU) after a bronchoscopy. Which of these nursing tasks
is best for the charge nurse to delegate to the experienced
D) A nursing assistant working in the PACU would have
nursing assistant working in PACU?
experience in taking client vital signs after the client has
A. Assess breath sounds.
had conscious sedation or anesthesia.
B. Check gag reflex.
C. Determine level of consciousness.
D. Monitor blood pressure and pulse.
,The RN has received report about all of these clients.
Which client needs the most immediate assessment?
A. Client with acute asthma who has an oxygen saturation
of 89% by pulse oximetry
A) An oxygen saturation level less than 91% indicates hy-
B. Client admitted 3 hours ago for a scheduled thoracen-
poxemia and requires immediate assessment and inter-
tesis in 30 minutes
vention to improve blood and tissue oxygenation.
C. Client with bronchogenic lung cancer who returned
from bronchoscopy 3 hours ago
D. Client with pleural ettusion who has decreased breath
sounds at the right base
The home health nurse is assigned to visit all of these
clients when a change in agency staflng requires that
one of the clients should be rescheduled for a visit on
the following day. Which of these clients would be best
to reschedule?
A. Client with emphysema who has been on home oxygen
A) This client has an appropriate Spo2 for home oxygen
for a month and has SPO2 levels of 91% to 93%
use.
B. Client with history of a cough, weight loss, and night
sweats who has just had a positive Mantoux test
C. Client with newly diagnosed pleural ettusion who needs
an admission visit and an initial intake assessment
D. Client with percutaneous lung biopsy yesterday who
called in to report increased dyspnea
Which of these assessment findings will be of greatest
concern when the nurse is assessing a client with emphy-
sema? B) Bronchial breath sounds are not normally heard in the
A. Barrel-shaped chest periphery and may indicate increased lung density, as in
B. Bronchial breath sounds heard at the bases a tumor or an infective process such as pneumonia.
C. Hyperresonance to percussion of the chest
D. Ribs lying horizontal
People involved in which occupations or activities are en-
couraged to wear masks and to have adequate ventila-
tions? Select all that apply.
,Bakers
Coal miners
Furniture refinishers
Potters
A) Being exposed to flour as a baker for prolonged pe-
riods of time may cause a condition called occupational
asthma.
B) Coal miners are at risk to develop pneumoconiosis as
the result of inhalation of coal dust.
D) Owing to the chemicals used to refinish furniture (paint
strippers, solvents), masks and adequate ventilation are
essential for furniture refinishers. One of the main solvents
involved will metabolize in the body to carbon monoxide
and will impair the ability of the tissue to extract oxygen.
F) Silicosis or inhalation of silica dust is a hazard for pro-
fessional and recreational potters.
Which nursing intervention is the priority in preparing the
client for pulmonary function testing (PFT)?
A. Administer bronchodilator medication on call. C) If the client has been smoking, this may alter parts
B. Encourage clear fluid intake 12 hours before the pro- of the PFT (dittusing capacity [DlCO]), yielding inaccurate
cedure. results.
C. Ensure no smoking 6 hours before the test.
D. Provide supplemental oxygen as testing begins.
The nurse is performing a client assessment for the
client's potential employer. The client reports dyspnea
B) This client is dyspneic when climbing stairs or walking
when climbing stairs but is not dyspneic at rest. Which
on an incline but not on level walking. Therefore, this client
dyspnea classification does the nurse assign to this client
is employable only for a sedentary job or under special
in the report to the employer?
circumstances.
A. Class I, can perform perform manual labor
B. Class II, can perform desk job
, C. Class III, minimally employable
D. Class IV, must remain at home
A client comes to the emergency department with a pro-
ductive cough. Which symptom does the nurse look for
that will require immediate attention? C) Pink frothy sputum is common with pulmonary edema
A. Blood in the sputum and requires immediate attention and intervention to pre-
B. Mucoid sputum vent the client's condition from getting worse.
C. Pink frothy sputum
D. Yellow sputum
A client with asthma reports shortness of breath. What is
the nurse assessing when auscultating this client's chest?
A) Adventitious sounds are additional breath sounds su-
A. Adventitious breath sounds
perimposed on normal sounds. They indicate pathologic
B. Fremitus
changes in the lung.
C. Oxygenation status
D. Respiratory excursion
Four clients are sent back to the emergency department
from triage at the same time. Which client requires the
nurse's immediate attention? A) An acute allergic reaction can lead to immediate respi-
A. Client with acute allergic reaction ratory distress. This is an emergent situation that requires
B. Client with dyspnea on exertion the immediate attention of the nurse.
C. Client with lung cancer with cough
D. Client with sinus infection with fever
The nurse auscultates popping, discontinuous sounds
over the client's anterior chest. How does the nurse clas- A) Crackles are described as a popping, discontinuous
sify these sounds? sound caused by air moving into previously deflated air-
A. Crackles ways. The airways have been deflated due to the presence
B. Rhonchi of fluids in the lungs, and crackles should be considered
C. Pleural friction rub to be a sign of fluid overload.
D. Wheeze
