NR 224 Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 7 Practice Questions 2026
|Chamberlain College
1. Which assessment finding is considered the earliest sign of hypoxia?
A. Cyanosis
B. Decreased respiratory rate
C. Bradycardia
D. Restlessness
Answer: D
Rationale: Restlessness and apprehension are the earliest clinical signs of hypoxia as the
brain is sensitive to low oxygen levels.
2. When performing oropharyngeal suctioning, what is the maximum amount of
time the nurse should apply suction?
A. 5 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 20 to 30 seconds
D. 10 to 15 seconds
Answer: D
Rationale: Suctioning should be limited to 10-15 seconds to prevent significant oxygen
desaturation.
,3. A nurse is teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer. Which
instruction is correct?
A. Exhale forcefully into the device.
B. Use the device once every 4 hours.
C. Inhale slowly and deeply through the mouthpiece.
D. Hold your breath for 30 seconds after inhalation.
Answer: C
Rationale: Incentive spirometry requires slow, deep inhalations to expand the alveoli and
prevent atelectasis.
4. Which oxygen delivery device provides the most precise concentration of
oxygen?
A. Nasal cannula
B. Venturi mask
C. Simple face mask
D. Partial rebreather mask
Answer: B
Rationale: The Venturi mask is designed to deliver a specific, precise Fio2 by using
different sized adaptors.
5. A patient with a chest tube has continuous bubbling in the water-seal
chamber. What does this indicate?
A. The system is functioning normally.
B. There is an air leak in the system.
C. The lung has fully re-expanded.
D. The suction pressure is too high.
Answer: B
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates a leak in the chest
tube system or the pleural space.
, 6. What is the primary goal of nursing care for a patient with an indwelling
urinary catheter?
A. To ensure the patient remains bedbound.
B. To prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).
C. To measure urine output once per shift.
D. To keep the drainage bag above the level of the bladder.
Answer: B
Rationale: Preventing CAUTI is a top priority for patients with indwelling catheters
through sterile technique and proper maintenance.
7. When collecting a 24-hour urine specimen, what should the nurse do with the
very first void?
A. Include it in the collection container.
B. Wait two hours before starting the collection.
C. Discard it and then start the clock.
D. Test it for pH and then discard it.
Answer: C
Rationale: The start of a 24-hour urine collection begins by having the patient void and
discarding that first specimen to ensure the period starts with an empty bladder.
8. Which laboratory value is the most sensitive indicator of a patient’s renal
function?
A. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
B. Urine specific gravity
C. Serum creatinine
D. Serum sodium
Answer: C
Rationale: Creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism and is excreted almost entirely
by the kidneys, making it a reliable indicator of renal function.
|Chamberlain College
1. Which assessment finding is considered the earliest sign of hypoxia?
A. Cyanosis
B. Decreased respiratory rate
C. Bradycardia
D. Restlessness
Answer: D
Rationale: Restlessness and apprehension are the earliest clinical signs of hypoxia as the
brain is sensitive to low oxygen levels.
2. When performing oropharyngeal suctioning, what is the maximum amount of
time the nurse should apply suction?
A. 5 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 20 to 30 seconds
D. 10 to 15 seconds
Answer: D
Rationale: Suctioning should be limited to 10-15 seconds to prevent significant oxygen
desaturation.
,3. A nurse is teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer. Which
instruction is correct?
A. Exhale forcefully into the device.
B. Use the device once every 4 hours.
C. Inhale slowly and deeply through the mouthpiece.
D. Hold your breath for 30 seconds after inhalation.
Answer: C
Rationale: Incentive spirometry requires slow, deep inhalations to expand the alveoli and
prevent atelectasis.
4. Which oxygen delivery device provides the most precise concentration of
oxygen?
A. Nasal cannula
B. Venturi mask
C. Simple face mask
D. Partial rebreather mask
Answer: B
Rationale: The Venturi mask is designed to deliver a specific, precise Fio2 by using
different sized adaptors.
5. A patient with a chest tube has continuous bubbling in the water-seal
chamber. What does this indicate?
A. The system is functioning normally.
B. There is an air leak in the system.
C. The lung has fully re-expanded.
D. The suction pressure is too high.
Answer: B
Rationale: Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates a leak in the chest
tube system or the pleural space.
, 6. What is the primary goal of nursing care for a patient with an indwelling
urinary catheter?
A. To ensure the patient remains bedbound.
B. To prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).
C. To measure urine output once per shift.
D. To keep the drainage bag above the level of the bladder.
Answer: B
Rationale: Preventing CAUTI is a top priority for patients with indwelling catheters
through sterile technique and proper maintenance.
7. When collecting a 24-hour urine specimen, what should the nurse do with the
very first void?
A. Include it in the collection container.
B. Wait two hours before starting the collection.
C. Discard it and then start the clock.
D. Test it for pH and then discard it.
Answer: C
Rationale: The start of a 24-hour urine collection begins by having the patient void and
discarding that first specimen to ensure the period starts with an empty bladder.
8. Which laboratory value is the most sensitive indicator of a patient’s renal
function?
A. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
B. Urine specific gravity
C. Serum creatinine
D. Serum sodium
Answer: C
Rationale: Creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism and is excreted almost entirely
by the kidneys, making it a reliable indicator of renal function.
