NSG 4100 (AH III) EXAM 3: ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2026/2027 (GRADED A+)
AT GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING
The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes
several disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. What would the
nurse recognize as a disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed
D
What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may
indicate a pt's need to have a tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis
B
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy.
When planning preoperative teaching, what info should the nurse
communicate to the pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction
B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will
require a water-sealed chest drainage system. What should the
,nurse tell the pt and the family that this drainage system is used
for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid
D
A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy.
The surgeon inserts a chest tube into the anterior chest wall. What
should the nurse tell the family is the primary purpose of this chest
tube?
a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation
A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should
the nurse perform when providing this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions
D
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the
water-seal chamber of the pt's closed chest-drinagae system. What
should the Nurs conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed
C
,The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic
resection. The nurse is providing preoperative teaching and is
discussing several diagnostic studies that will be required prior to
surgery. Which study will be performed to determine whether the
panned resection will leave sufficient functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray
A
The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is
postoperative following thoracotomy. What instructions should the
nurse give to the pt regarding activity immediately following
discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily
D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a
pt who has just had a thoracotomy. The nurse knows that the
amount of suction in the system is determined by the water level. At
what suction level should the nurse set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O
A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a
ventilator. When assessing the client, the nurse knows to maintain
what cuff pressure to maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal
wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
, c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg
B
A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage
systems w/ a group of medical nurses. What indications should the
nurses identify? Select all that apply.
a. post thoracotomy
b. spontaneous pneumothorax
c. need for postural drainage
d. chest trauma resulting in pneumothorax
e. pleurisy
A, B, D
The home care nurse is visiting a pt newly discharged home after a
lobectomy. What would be most important for the home care nurse
to assess?
a. resumption of the pt's ADLs
b. the family's willingness to care for the pt
c. nutritional status and fluid balance
d. s/s of respiratory complications
D
A pt is being admitted to the preoperative holding area for a
thoracotomy. Preoperative teaching includes what?
a. correct use of a ventilator
b. correct use of incentive spirometry
c. correct use of a mini-nebulizer
c. correct technique for rhythmic breathing
B
A nurse is teaching a pt how to perform flow type incentive
spirometry prior to his scheduled thoracic surgery. What instruction
should the nurse provide to the pt?
a. hold the spirometer at your lips and breathe in and out like you normally
would
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATED 2026/2027 (GRADED A+)
AT GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING
The nurse caring for a pt w/ and endotracheal tube recognizes
several disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. What would the
nurse recognize as a disadvantage?
a. cognition is decreased
b. Daily ABGs are necessary
c. slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
d. the cough reflex is depressed
D
What would the critical care nurse recognize as a condition that may
indicate a pt's need to have a tracheotomy?
a. a pt has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
b. a pt required permanent ventilation
c. a pt exhibits sx of dyspnea
d. a pt has respiratory acidosis
B
The nurse is caring for a pt who is scheduled to have a thoracotomy.
When planning preoperative teaching, what info should the nurse
communicate to the pt?
a. how to milk the chest tubing
b. how to splint the incision when coughing
c. how to take prophylactic antibiotics correctly
d. how to manage the need for fluid restriction
B
A nurse is educating a pt in anticipation of a procedure that will
require a water-sealed chest drainage system. What should the
,nurse tell the pt and the family that this drainage system is used
for?
a. maintaining a positive chest-wall pressure
b. monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
c. providing passive intrathoracic pressure
d. removing excess air and fluid
D
A pt is exhibiting signs of a pneumothorax following tracheostomy.
The surgeon inserts a chest tube into the anterior chest wall. What
should the nurse tell the family is the primary purpose of this chest
tube?
a. to remove air from the pleural space
b. to drain copious sputum secretions
c. to monitor bleeding around the lungs
d. to assist with mechanical ventilation
A
A pt's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should
the nurse perform when providing this noninvasive therapy?
a. administer the tx w/ the pt in a high Fowler's or semi-fowlers position
b. perform the procedure immediately following the pt's meals
c. apply percussion firmly to bare skin to facilitate drainage
d. assist the pt into a position that will allow gravity to move secretions
D
While assessing the pt, the nurse observes constant bubbling in the
water-seal chamber of the pt's closed chest-drinagae system. What
should the Nurs conclude?
a. the system is functioning normally
b. pt has a pneumothorax
c. system has a leak
d. chest tube is obstructed
C
,The nurse has admitted a pt who is scheduled for a thoracic
resection. The nurse is providing preoperative teaching and is
discussing several diagnostic studies that will be required prior to
surgery. Which study will be performed to determine whether the
panned resection will leave sufficient functioning lung tissue?
a. pulmonary function studies
b. exercise tolerance tests
c. arterial blood gas values
d. chest x-ray
A
The nurse is discussing activity management w/ a pt who is
postoperative following thoracotomy. What instructions should the
nurse give to the pt regarding activity immediately following
discharge?
a. walk 1 mile 3-4x a week
b. use wights daily to increase arm strength
c. walk on a treadmill 30min daily
d. perform shoulder exercises 5x daily
D
The OR nurse is setting up a water-seal chest drainage system for a
pt who has just had a thoracotomy. The nurse knows that the
amount of suction in the system is determined by the water level. At
what suction level should the nurse set the system?
a. 20 cm H2O
b. 15 cm H2O
c. 10 cm H2O
d. 5 cm H2O
A
The nurse is caring for a client w/ and endotracheal tube who is on a
ventilator. When assessing the client, the nurse knows to maintain
what cuff pressure to maintain appropriate pressure on the tracheal
wall?
a. between 10-15 mm Hg
b. between 15-20 mm Hg
, c. between 20-25 mm Hg
d. between 25-30 mm Hg
B
A nurse educator is reviewing the indications for chest drainage
systems w/ a group of medical nurses. What indications should the
nurses identify? Select all that apply.
a. post thoracotomy
b. spontaneous pneumothorax
c. need for postural drainage
d. chest trauma resulting in pneumothorax
e. pleurisy
A, B, D
The home care nurse is visiting a pt newly discharged home after a
lobectomy. What would be most important for the home care nurse
to assess?
a. resumption of the pt's ADLs
b. the family's willingness to care for the pt
c. nutritional status and fluid balance
d. s/s of respiratory complications
D
A pt is being admitted to the preoperative holding area for a
thoracotomy. Preoperative teaching includes what?
a. correct use of a ventilator
b. correct use of incentive spirometry
c. correct use of a mini-nebulizer
c. correct technique for rhythmic breathing
B
A nurse is teaching a pt how to perform flow type incentive
spirometry prior to his scheduled thoracic surgery. What instruction
should the nurse provide to the pt?
a. hold the spirometer at your lips and breathe in and out like you normally
would
