1
ATI OXYGENATION PRACTICE KEY EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GUARANTEED PASS 2025/2026
1. A nurse is caring for a client who has acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS), and requires mechanical ventilation. The client receives a prescription
for pancuronium. The nurse recognizes that this medication is for which of the
following purposes?
A. Decrease chest wall compliance
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis by relaxing skeletal muscles, which improves chest wall
compliance.
B. Suppress respiratory effort
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis and suppress the client's respiratory efforts to the point
of apnea, allowing the mechanical ventilator to take over the
work of breathing for the client. This therapy is especially helpful
for a client who has ARDS and poor lung compliance.
C. Induce sedation
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis and have no sedative effect at all. A sedative or
analgesic should be prescribed as an adjunct to the pancuronium.
D. Decrease respiratory secretions
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Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis. An adverse effect of this medication is increased
production of respiratory secretions.
2. A nurse is caring for a client who experienced a lacerated spleen and has been
on bedrest for several days. The nurse auscultates decreased breath sounds in
the lower lobes of both lungs. The nurse should realize that this finding is most
likely an indication of which of the following conditions?
A. An upper respiratory infection
Rationale: Although the spleen plays a role in immunity against
bacterial infections, the nurse would be more concerned about
the risk of an upper respiratory infection in a client who has
undergone splenectomy, or removal of the spleen.
B. Pulmonary edema
Rationale: Pulmonary edema may develop in a client who is on bedrest
following trauma, but this is not the most likely cause of
decreased breath sounds in this client.
C. Atelectasis
Rationale: Atelectasis is the collapse of part or all of a lung by blockage
of the air passages (bronchus or bronchioles) or by
hypoventilation. Prolonged bedrest with few changes in position,
ineffective coughing, and underlying lung disease are risk factors
for the development of atelectasis.
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D. Delayed gastric emptying
Rationale: Although delayed gastric emptying may result in ineffective
coughing, this is not the most likely cause of decreased breath
sounds in this client.
3. A nurse is observing the closed chest drainage system of a client who is 24 hr
post thoracotomy. The nurse notes slow, steady bubbling in the suction
control chamber. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? A.
Check the tubing connections for leaks.
Rationale: This action is used to determine why a water seal chamber
has continuous bubbling, not slow, steady bubbling.
B. Check the suction control outlet on the wall.
Rationale: This action is used to determine why a suction control
chamber that is hooked to wall suction has little or no bubbling.
C. Clamp the chest tube.
Rationale: The nurse should briefly clamp the chest tube to check for air
leaks or to change the drainage
system. This is not an appropriate action for the nurse to take at this time. D.
Continue to monitor the client's respiratory status.
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Rationale: Slow, steady bubbling in the suction control chamber is an
expected finding. Therefore, the nurse should continue to
monitor the client's respiratory status.
4. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory findings for a client who developed fat
embolism syndrome (FES) following a fracture. Which of the following
laboratory findings should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased serum calcium level
Rationale: A decreased serum calcium level is an expected finding for
FES, although the reason for this finding is unknown.
B. Decreased level of serum lipids
Rationale: An increase serum lipid level is an expected finding for FES,
although the reason for this finding is unknown.
C. Decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Rationale: An increased ESR is an expected finding for FES, although the
reason for this finding is unknown.
D. Increased platelet count
Rationale: A decreased platelet count is an expected finding for FES,
although the reason for this finding is unknown.
Created on:08/03/2018 Page 4
ATI OXYGENATION PRACTICE KEY EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GUARANTEED PASS 2025/2026
1. A nurse is caring for a client who has acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS), and requires mechanical ventilation. The client receives a prescription
for pancuronium. The nurse recognizes that this medication is for which of the
following purposes?
A. Decrease chest wall compliance
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis by relaxing skeletal muscles, which improves chest wall
compliance.
B. Suppress respiratory effort
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis and suppress the client's respiratory efforts to the point
of apnea, allowing the mechanical ventilator to take over the
work of breathing for the client. This therapy is especially helpful
for a client who has ARDS and poor lung compliance.
C. Induce sedation
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis and have no sedative effect at all. A sedative or
analgesic should be prescribed as an adjunct to the pancuronium.
D. Decrease respiratory secretions
Created on:08/03/2018 Page 1
, NUR
n 293 ATI_OXYGENATION_PRACTICE_9.KEY
2
Rationale: Neuromuscular blocking agents, such as pancuronium, induce
paralysis. An adverse effect of this medication is increased
production of respiratory secretions.
2. A nurse is caring for a client who experienced a lacerated spleen and has been
on bedrest for several days. The nurse auscultates decreased breath sounds in
the lower lobes of both lungs. The nurse should realize that this finding is most
likely an indication of which of the following conditions?
A. An upper respiratory infection
Rationale: Although the spleen plays a role in immunity against
bacterial infections, the nurse would be more concerned about
the risk of an upper respiratory infection in a client who has
undergone splenectomy, or removal of the spleen.
B. Pulmonary edema
Rationale: Pulmonary edema may develop in a client who is on bedrest
following trauma, but this is not the most likely cause of
decreased breath sounds in this client.
C. Atelectasis
Rationale: Atelectasis is the collapse of part or all of a lung by blockage
of the air passages (bronchus or bronchioles) or by
hypoventilation. Prolonged bedrest with few changes in position,
ineffective coughing, and underlying lung disease are risk factors
for the development of atelectasis.
Created on:08/03/2018 Page 2
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n 293 ATI_OXYGENATION_PRACTICE_9.KEY
3
D. Delayed gastric emptying
Rationale: Although delayed gastric emptying may result in ineffective
coughing, this is not the most likely cause of decreased breath
sounds in this client.
3. A nurse is observing the closed chest drainage system of a client who is 24 hr
post thoracotomy. The nurse notes slow, steady bubbling in the suction
control chamber. Which of the following actions should the nurse take? A.
Check the tubing connections for leaks.
Rationale: This action is used to determine why a water seal chamber
has continuous bubbling, not slow, steady bubbling.
B. Check the suction control outlet on the wall.
Rationale: This action is used to determine why a suction control
chamber that is hooked to wall suction has little or no bubbling.
C. Clamp the chest tube.
Rationale: The nurse should briefly clamp the chest tube to check for air
leaks or to change the drainage
system. This is not an appropriate action for the nurse to take at this time. D.
Continue to monitor the client's respiratory status.
Created on:08/03/2018 Page 3
, NUR
n 293 ATI_OXYGENATION_PRACTICE_9.KEY
4
Rationale: Slow, steady bubbling in the suction control chamber is an
expected finding. Therefore, the nurse should continue to
monitor the client's respiratory status.
4. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory findings for a client who developed fat
embolism syndrome (FES) following a fracture. Which of the following
laboratory findings should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased serum calcium level
Rationale: A decreased serum calcium level is an expected finding for
FES, although the reason for this finding is unknown.
B. Decreased level of serum lipids
Rationale: An increase serum lipid level is an expected finding for FES,
although the reason for this finding is unknown.
C. Decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Rationale: An increased ESR is an expected finding for FES, although the
reason for this finding is unknown.
D. Increased platelet count
Rationale: A decreased platelet count is an expected finding for FES,
although the reason for this finding is unknown.
Created on:08/03/2018 Page 4
