Quiz Questions
Question 1.
What is the primary purpose of initially assessing an apical pulse?
Your Answer: B
Establishment of a baseline as part of the patient’s vital signs
Question 2.
What instruction should the nurse give nursing assistive personnel (NAP) regarding the appropriate
technique when measuring the adult patient’s apical pulse?
Your Answer: D
Place your stethoscope at the fifth intercostal space over the left midclavicular line.
Question 3.
Which action would take priority if a patient’s apical pulse has an irregular rhythm?
Your Answer: A
Reassess the pulse for 1 full minute.
Question 4.
Which statement demonstrates an understanding of the importance of communicatingchanges in the
patient’s apical pulse rate?
Your Answer: D
“The apical pulse increased from 78 to 110, but the patient had just returned from the bathroom.”
Question 5.
The nurse can best determine the effect of crying on a patient’s apical pulse by doing what?
Your Answer: C
Comparing the patient’s post-crying apical pulse rate with her baseline or previous rate.
Question 1.
What is the major health problem resulting from a pulse deficit?
, Your Answer: C Decreased
cardiac output
Question 2.
What should the nurse do when a pulse deficit is suspected?
Your Answer: D
Ask another health care provider to count the radial pulse while the nurse counts the apicalpulse.
Question 3.
Which action should the nurse perform after identifying a pulse deficit?
Your Answer: B
Assess the patient for signs of decreased cardiac output.
Question 4.
You have the following information:
Oral temperature–36.8°C. Radial
Pulse–112 weak, threadyApical
pulse–117 regular Respirations–24
regular
Blood Pressure–104/56 right arm
–102/50 left arm
What is the pulse deficit?
Your Answer: B
5
Question 5.
Which of the following is an early manifestation of decreased cardiac output?
Your Answer: A
Fatigue
Question 1.
, A nurse is caring for a patient who has just had major abdominal surgery to resect a portion ofhis colon.
What is the most reliable sign that the patient has significant postoperative pain?
Your Answer: A
The patient rates his pain a 7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
Question 2.
What will the nurse instruct nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to do regarding the managementof a
patient’s pain?
Your Answer: A
“Let me know at least 30 minutes before you transport her so I can administer her analgesics.”
Question 3.
Which observation indicates that a patient’s analgesic has been effective in managing pain that she rated a
6 out of 10 on a pain rating scale before the intervention?
Your Answer: B
The patient rates her current pain as 3 out of 10 on the pain rating scale.
Question 4.
A patient with a herniated disk is scheduled for surgery to fuse two vertebrae in her cervicalspine. Which
activity is most likely to be a palliative factor for this patient?
Your Answer: C
Performing neck, back, and shoulder exercises prescribed by a physical therapist
Question 5.
The nurse notices that his patient has none of the signs and symptoms normally associatedwith pain,
such as diaphoresis, tachycardia, and hypertension. The patient does, however, seem moody and a bit
uncooperative. What conclusion does the nurse draw?
Your Answer: C
The absence of physiological signs and symptoms is associated with chronic pain.
Question 1.
During the admissions process, the nurse initially assesses the patient’s radial pulse primarily for what
purpose?
Your Answer: B
, Establishment of a baseline as part of the patient’s vital signs
Question 2.
What will the nurse instruct nursing assistive personal (NAP) to do when measuring an adultpatient’s radial
pulse?
Your Answer: D
Palpate the patient’s inner wrist on the thumb side with the fingertips of your two middle fingers.
Question 3.
What is the nurse’s priority action if a patient’s radial pulse has an irregular rhythm?
Your Answer: B
Assess the patient for a pulse deficit.
Question 4.
Inadequate oxygenation to the body will cause the radial pulse to become:
Your Answer: A
Tachycardic
Question 5.
Which action would best assess the effect of exercise on a patient’s radial pulse measurement?
Your Answer: A
Measuring the patient’s radial pulse before and after exercise.
Question 1.
Which action can the nurse take to keep a patient from consciously controlling his or herbreathing during
an assessment?
Your Answer: B
Assess respiration after measuring the pulse.
Question 2.
Question 1.
What is the primary purpose of initially assessing an apical pulse?
Your Answer: B
Establishment of a baseline as part of the patient’s vital signs
Question 2.
What instruction should the nurse give nursing assistive personnel (NAP) regarding the appropriate
technique when measuring the adult patient’s apical pulse?
Your Answer: D
Place your stethoscope at the fifth intercostal space over the left midclavicular line.
Question 3.
Which action would take priority if a patient’s apical pulse has an irregular rhythm?
Your Answer: A
Reassess the pulse for 1 full minute.
Question 4.
Which statement demonstrates an understanding of the importance of communicatingchanges in the
patient’s apical pulse rate?
Your Answer: D
“The apical pulse increased from 78 to 110, but the patient had just returned from the bathroom.”
Question 5.
The nurse can best determine the effect of crying on a patient’s apical pulse by doing what?
Your Answer: C
Comparing the patient’s post-crying apical pulse rate with her baseline or previous rate.
Question 1.
What is the major health problem resulting from a pulse deficit?
, Your Answer: C Decreased
cardiac output
Question 2.
What should the nurse do when a pulse deficit is suspected?
Your Answer: D
Ask another health care provider to count the radial pulse while the nurse counts the apicalpulse.
Question 3.
Which action should the nurse perform after identifying a pulse deficit?
Your Answer: B
Assess the patient for signs of decreased cardiac output.
Question 4.
You have the following information:
Oral temperature–36.8°C. Radial
Pulse–112 weak, threadyApical
pulse–117 regular Respirations–24
regular
Blood Pressure–104/56 right arm
–102/50 left arm
What is the pulse deficit?
Your Answer: B
5
Question 5.
Which of the following is an early manifestation of decreased cardiac output?
Your Answer: A
Fatigue
Question 1.
, A nurse is caring for a patient who has just had major abdominal surgery to resect a portion ofhis colon.
What is the most reliable sign that the patient has significant postoperative pain?
Your Answer: A
The patient rates his pain a 7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
Question 2.
What will the nurse instruct nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to do regarding the managementof a
patient’s pain?
Your Answer: A
“Let me know at least 30 minutes before you transport her so I can administer her analgesics.”
Question 3.
Which observation indicates that a patient’s analgesic has been effective in managing pain that she rated a
6 out of 10 on a pain rating scale before the intervention?
Your Answer: B
The patient rates her current pain as 3 out of 10 on the pain rating scale.
Question 4.
A patient with a herniated disk is scheduled for surgery to fuse two vertebrae in her cervicalspine. Which
activity is most likely to be a palliative factor for this patient?
Your Answer: C
Performing neck, back, and shoulder exercises prescribed by a physical therapist
Question 5.
The nurse notices that his patient has none of the signs and symptoms normally associatedwith pain,
such as diaphoresis, tachycardia, and hypertension. The patient does, however, seem moody and a bit
uncooperative. What conclusion does the nurse draw?
Your Answer: C
The absence of physiological signs and symptoms is associated with chronic pain.
Question 1.
During the admissions process, the nurse initially assesses the patient’s radial pulse primarily for what
purpose?
Your Answer: B
, Establishment of a baseline as part of the patient’s vital signs
Question 2.
What will the nurse instruct nursing assistive personal (NAP) to do when measuring an adultpatient’s radial
pulse?
Your Answer: D
Palpate the patient’s inner wrist on the thumb side with the fingertips of your two middle fingers.
Question 3.
What is the nurse’s priority action if a patient’s radial pulse has an irregular rhythm?
Your Answer: B
Assess the patient for a pulse deficit.
Question 4.
Inadequate oxygenation to the body will cause the radial pulse to become:
Your Answer: A
Tachycardic
Question 5.
Which action would best assess the effect of exercise on a patient’s radial pulse measurement?
Your Answer: A
Measuring the patient’s radial pulse before and after exercise.
Question 1.
Which action can the nurse take to keep a patient from consciously controlling his or herbreathing during
an assessment?
Your Answer: B
Assess respiration after measuring the pulse.
Question 2.
