Chapter 17: Nose, Mouth, and Throat
Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 8th Edition by
Carolyn Jarvis
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The primary purpose of the ciliated mucous membrane in the nose is to:
a. Warm the inhaled air.
b. Filter out dust and bacteria.
c. Filter coarse particles from inhaled air.
d. Facilitate the movement of air through the nares.
ANS: B
The nasal hairs filter the coarsest matter from inhaled air, whereas the mucous
blanket filters out dust and bacteria. The rich blood supply of the nasal mucosa
warms the inhaled air.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
2. The projections in the nasal cavity that increase the surface area are called the:
a. Meatus.
b. Septum.
c. Turbinates.
d. Kiesselbach plexus.
ANS: C
The lateral walls of each nasal cavity contain three parallel bony projections: the
superior, middle, and inferior turbinates. These increase the surface area, making
more blood vessels and mucous membrane available to warm, humidify, and filter
the inhaled air.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
3. The nurse is reviewing the development of the newborn infant. Regarding the sinuses,
which statement is true in relation to a newborn infant?
a. Sphenoid sinuses are full size at birth.
b. Maxillary sinuses reach full size after puberty.
c. Frontal sinuses are fairly well developed at birth.
d. Maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are the only sinuses present at birth.
ANS: D
Only the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are present at birth. The sphenoid sinuses
, are minute at birth and develop after puberty. The frontal sinuses are absent at
birth, are fairly well developed at age 7 to 8 years, and reach full size after
puberty.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
4. The tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth is the:
a. Uvula.
b. Palate.
c. Papillae.
d. Frenulum.
ANS: D
The frenulum is a midline fold of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the
mouth. The uvula is the free projection hanging down from the middle of the soft
palate. The palate is the arching roof of the mouth. Papillae are the rough, bumpy
elevations on the tongues dorsal surface.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
5. The salivary gland that is the largest and located in the cheek in front of the ear is the
gland.
a. Parotid
b. Stensens
c. Sublingual
d. Submandibular
ANS: A
The mouth contains three pairs of salivary glands. The largest, the parotid gland,
lies within the cheeks in front of the ear extending from the zygomatic arch down
to the angle of the jaw. The Stensens duct (not gland) drains the parotid gland onto
the buccal mucosa opposite the second molar. The sublingual gland is located
within the floor of the mouth under the tongue. The submandibular gland lies
beneath the mandible at the angle of the jaw.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
6. In assessing the tonsils of a 30 year old, the nurse notices that they are involuted, granular
in appearance, and appear to have deep crypts. What is correct response to these findings?
a. Refer the patient to a throat specialist.
b. No response is needed; this appearance is normal for the tonsils.
c. Continue with the assessment, looking for any other abnormalfindings.
d. Obtain a throat culture on the patient for possible streptococcal (strep) infection.
, ANS: B
The tonsils are the same color as the surrounding mucous membrane, although
they look more granular and their surface shows deep crypts. Tonsillar tissue
enlarges during childhood until puberty and then involutes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
7. The nurse is obtaining a health history on a 3-month-old infant. During the interview, the
mother states, I think she is getting her first tooth because she has started drooling a lot.
The nurses best response would be:
a. Youre right, drooling is usually a sign of the first tooth.
b. It would be unusual for a 3 month old to be getting her first tooth.
c. This could be the sign of a problem with the salivary glands.
d. She is just starting to salivate and hasnt learned to swallow the saliva.
ANS: D
In the infant, salivation starts at 3 months. The baby will drool for a few months
before learning to swallow the saliva. This drooling does not herald the eruption
of the first tooth, although many parents think it does.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
8. The nurse is assessing an 80-year-old patient. Which of these findings would be expected
for this patient?
a. Hypertrophy of the gums
b. Increased production of saliva
c. Decreased ability to identify odors
d. Finer and less prominent nasal hair
ANS: C
The sense of smell may be reduced because of a decrease in the number of
olfactory nerve fibers. Nasal hairs grow coarser and stiffer with aging. The gums
may recede with aging, not hypertrophy, and saliva production decreases.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
9. The nurse is performing an oral assessment on a 40-year-old Black patient and notices the
presence of a 1 cm, nontender, grayish-white lesion on the left buccal mucosa. Which one
of these statements is true? This lesion is:
a. Leukoedema and is common in dark-pigmented persons.
b. The result of hyperpigmentation and is normal.
c. Torus palatinus and would normally be found only in smokers.
d. Indicative of cancer and should be immediately tested.
Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 8th Edition by
Carolyn Jarvis
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The primary purpose of the ciliated mucous membrane in the nose is to:
a. Warm the inhaled air.
b. Filter out dust and bacteria.
c. Filter coarse particles from inhaled air.
d. Facilitate the movement of air through the nares.
ANS: B
The nasal hairs filter the coarsest matter from inhaled air, whereas the mucous
blanket filters out dust and bacteria. The rich blood supply of the nasal mucosa
warms the inhaled air.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
2. The projections in the nasal cavity that increase the surface area are called the:
a. Meatus.
b. Septum.
c. Turbinates.
d. Kiesselbach plexus.
ANS: C
The lateral walls of each nasal cavity contain three parallel bony projections: the
superior, middle, and inferior turbinates. These increase the surface area, making
more blood vessels and mucous membrane available to warm, humidify, and filter
the inhaled air.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
3. The nurse is reviewing the development of the newborn infant. Regarding the sinuses,
which statement is true in relation to a newborn infant?
a. Sphenoid sinuses are full size at birth.
b. Maxillary sinuses reach full size after puberty.
c. Frontal sinuses are fairly well developed at birth.
d. Maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are the only sinuses present at birth.
ANS: D
Only the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are present at birth. The sphenoid sinuses
, are minute at birth and develop after puberty. The frontal sinuses are absent at
birth, are fairly well developed at age 7 to 8 years, and reach full size after
puberty.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
4. The tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth is the:
a. Uvula.
b. Palate.
c. Papillae.
d. Frenulum.
ANS: D
The frenulum is a midline fold of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the
mouth. The uvula is the free projection hanging down from the middle of the soft
palate. The palate is the arching roof of the mouth. Papillae are the rough, bumpy
elevations on the tongues dorsal surface.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
5. The salivary gland that is the largest and located in the cheek in front of the ear is the
gland.
a. Parotid
b. Stensens
c. Sublingual
d. Submandibular
ANS: A
The mouth contains three pairs of salivary glands. The largest, the parotid gland,
lies within the cheeks in front of the ear extending from the zygomatic arch down
to the angle of the jaw. The Stensens duct (not gland) drains the parotid gland onto
the buccal mucosa opposite the second molar. The sublingual gland is located
within the floor of the mouth under the tongue. The submandibular gland lies
beneath the mandible at the angle of the jaw.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: General
6. In assessing the tonsils of a 30 year old, the nurse notices that they are involuted, granular
in appearance, and appear to have deep crypts. What is correct response to these findings?
a. Refer the patient to a throat specialist.
b. No response is needed; this appearance is normal for the tonsils.
c. Continue with the assessment, looking for any other abnormalfindings.
d. Obtain a throat culture on the patient for possible streptococcal (strep) infection.
, ANS: B
The tonsils are the same color as the surrounding mucous membrane, although
they look more granular and their surface shows deep crypts. Tonsillar tissue
enlarges during childhood until puberty and then involutes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
7. The nurse is obtaining a health history on a 3-month-old infant. During the interview, the
mother states, I think she is getting her first tooth because she has started drooling a lot.
The nurses best response would be:
a. Youre right, drooling is usually a sign of the first tooth.
b. It would be unusual for a 3 month old to be getting her first tooth.
c. This could be the sign of a problem with the salivary glands.
d. She is just starting to salivate and hasnt learned to swallow the saliva.
ANS: D
In the infant, salivation starts at 3 months. The baby will drool for a few months
before learning to swallow the saliva. This drooling does not herald the eruption
of the first tooth, although many parents think it does.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
8. The nurse is assessing an 80-year-old patient. Which of these findings would be expected
for this patient?
a. Hypertrophy of the gums
b. Increased production of saliva
c. Decreased ability to identify odors
d. Finer and less prominent nasal hair
ANS: C
The sense of smell may be reduced because of a decrease in the number of
olfactory nerve fibers. Nasal hairs grow coarser and stiffer with aging. The gums
may recede with aging, not hypertrophy, and saliva production decreases.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
9. The nurse is performing an oral assessment on a 40-year-old Black patient and notices the
presence of a 1 cm, nontender, grayish-white lesion on the left buccal mucosa. Which one
of these statements is true? This lesion is:
a. Leukoedema and is common in dark-pigmented persons.
b. The result of hyperpigmentation and is normal.
c. Torus palatinus and would normally be found only in smokers.
d. Indicative of cancer and should be immediately tested.
