NUR 502 – Exam 1 Study Guide Questions and Answers (2026/2027), Advanced
Pathophysiology Nursing Course, Comprehensive Practice Review Material
inaccurate bp reading false ELEVATED - correct answer ✔✔cuff elevated too slow, crossed legs,
pt is angry/anxious, arm below level of heart, cuff too tight
inaccurate bp reading false DECREASED - correct answer ✔✔cuff inflated too high, pushing
stethoscope too hard on the brachial artery, failing to palpate the radial artery before inflation,
arm above heart level, cuff too loose
Risk factors of HTN - correct answer ✔✔age, race (black community), sex (post-menopausal
women), stress, obesity, tobacco/alc use, diabetes
Bell of Stethoscope - correct answer ✔✔beLOW: low pitched sounds (heart murmurs, extra
heart sounds)
diaphram of stethoscope - correct answer ✔✔high pitched sounds (breath sounds, normal
heart sounds, abdominal sounds)
Bronchial location/heard - correct answer ✔✔tracheal or tubular
location: trachea and larynx
heard: high pitch, long amplitude, insp lower than exp, harsh/hallow tubular quality
bronchovesicular location/heard - correct answer ✔✔location: over major bronchi where fewer
alveoli, between scapulae, around upper sternum in 1st or 2ns intercostal spaces
heard: moderate pitch, moderate amplitude, insp=exp, mixed quality
vesicular location/heard - correct answer ✔✔location: over peripheral lung fields where air
flows through smaller bronchioles and alveoli
,heard: low pitch, soft amplitude, insp higher than exp, rustling (sound of wind in trees)
Wheezing ( what disease) - correct answer ✔✔COPD (sibilant, sonorous)
big cause is allergies/inflammation
last second of breathing out
Strider (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔Asthma, choking (huge gasp)
upper airway, super closed
Crackles (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔Pneumonia (fine or course, atelectatic crackles)
too much fluid
bronchi- bacterial/mucous build up -changes with cough
pleural rub (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔irritation/inflammation between organs
Hemoptysis (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔coughing up blood (frothy blood)
Resonance (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔air (lungs), medium to loud, clear/hallow sound
moderate in duration
hyperresonance
dullness (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔fluid or solid organs (liver)
soft, muffled, thud-like ton
bruit - correct answer ✔✔heard over blood vessels, abnormal sounds, indicates turbulent blood
flow
, wheezes - correct answer ✔✔obstruction in bronchioles/lower trachea, high pitch sounds heard
on expiration
tympanic (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔stomach, gastric bubble (air filled space)
high-pitched, drum like sound
crackles - correct answer ✔✔heard when airways open suddenly
discontinuous explosive sounds
pneumothorax - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- collection of air outside the lung but within the pleural cavity
- occurs when air accumulates between teh parietal and vis eral pleurae inside the chest
- air accumulation can apply pressure on the lung to make it collapse
pleural effusion - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
-accumulation of fluid in-between the parietal and visceral pleura of the pleural cavity
- can occur alone or can be result of surrounding parenchymal disease like infection,
malignancy, or inflammatory conditions
pneumonia - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs
- air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever,
chills, and difficulty breathing
- variety of organisms (including bacteria) viruses and fungi can cause pneumonia
atelectasis - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- collapse of part or all of lung
Pathophysiology Nursing Course, Comprehensive Practice Review Material
inaccurate bp reading false ELEVATED - correct answer ✔✔cuff elevated too slow, crossed legs,
pt is angry/anxious, arm below level of heart, cuff too tight
inaccurate bp reading false DECREASED - correct answer ✔✔cuff inflated too high, pushing
stethoscope too hard on the brachial artery, failing to palpate the radial artery before inflation,
arm above heart level, cuff too loose
Risk factors of HTN - correct answer ✔✔age, race (black community), sex (post-menopausal
women), stress, obesity, tobacco/alc use, diabetes
Bell of Stethoscope - correct answer ✔✔beLOW: low pitched sounds (heart murmurs, extra
heart sounds)
diaphram of stethoscope - correct answer ✔✔high pitched sounds (breath sounds, normal
heart sounds, abdominal sounds)
Bronchial location/heard - correct answer ✔✔tracheal or tubular
location: trachea and larynx
heard: high pitch, long amplitude, insp lower than exp, harsh/hallow tubular quality
bronchovesicular location/heard - correct answer ✔✔location: over major bronchi where fewer
alveoli, between scapulae, around upper sternum in 1st or 2ns intercostal spaces
heard: moderate pitch, moderate amplitude, insp=exp, mixed quality
vesicular location/heard - correct answer ✔✔location: over peripheral lung fields where air
flows through smaller bronchioles and alveoli
,heard: low pitch, soft amplitude, insp higher than exp, rustling (sound of wind in trees)
Wheezing ( what disease) - correct answer ✔✔COPD (sibilant, sonorous)
big cause is allergies/inflammation
last second of breathing out
Strider (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔Asthma, choking (huge gasp)
upper airway, super closed
Crackles (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔Pneumonia (fine or course, atelectatic crackles)
too much fluid
bronchi- bacterial/mucous build up -changes with cough
pleural rub (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔irritation/inflammation between organs
Hemoptysis (what disease) - correct answer ✔✔coughing up blood (frothy blood)
Resonance (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔air (lungs), medium to loud, clear/hallow sound
moderate in duration
hyperresonance
dullness (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔fluid or solid organs (liver)
soft, muffled, thud-like ton
bruit - correct answer ✔✔heard over blood vessels, abnormal sounds, indicates turbulent blood
flow
, wheezes - correct answer ✔✔obstruction in bronchioles/lower trachea, high pitch sounds heard
on expiration
tympanic (heard/where) - correct answer ✔✔stomach, gastric bubble (air filled space)
high-pitched, drum like sound
crackles - correct answer ✔✔heard when airways open suddenly
discontinuous explosive sounds
pneumothorax - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- collection of air outside the lung but within the pleural cavity
- occurs when air accumulates between teh parietal and vis eral pleurae inside the chest
- air accumulation can apply pressure on the lung to make it collapse
pleural effusion - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
-accumulation of fluid in-between the parietal and visceral pleura of the pleural cavity
- can occur alone or can be result of surrounding parenchymal disease like infection,
malignancy, or inflammatory conditions
pneumonia - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs
- air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever,
chills, and difficulty breathing
- variety of organisms (including bacteria) viruses and fungi can cause pneumonia
atelectasis - correct answer ✔✔(probs not on exam)
- collapse of part or all of lung
