ATI RN
Physical Exam Cardiovascular System
1. What is the condition where a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs, causing shortness of breath, chest pain, and other symptoms?
- A. Pulmonary embolism
- B. Pneumothorax
- C. Pleural effusion
- D. Aneurysm
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain. This condition is life-threatening and requires prompt treatment. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they refer to different medical conditions: Pneumothorax is a collapsed lung, Pleural effusion is an abnormal accumulation of fluid around the lungs, and an Aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel.
2. The nurse is monitoring a client on dobutamine. What adverse effect should the nurse watch for?
- A. Tachycardia
- B. Bradycardia
- C. Hypertension
- D. Respiratory distress
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Tachycardia. Dobutamine is a medication that stimulates beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart, leading to increased heart rate. Therefore, tachycardia is a common adverse effect that the nurse should monitor for. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because dobutamine typically does not cause bradycardia, hypertension, or respiratory distress as its primary adverse effects.
3. What is a condition where the heart's mitral valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak backward into the left atrium?
- A. Mitral valve prolapse
- B. Aortic stenosis
- C. Mitral stenosis
- D. Tricuspid regurgitation
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Mitral valve prolapse is the correct answer. It occurs when the mitral valve does not close properly, leading to blood leaking backward into the left atrium. This condition can manifest with symptoms such as palpitations and chest pain. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because aortic stenosis involves narrowing of the aortic valve, mitral stenosis is the narrowing of the mitral valve, and tricuspid regurgitation is when blood leaks backward through the tricuspid valve.
4. The nurse is administering nitroglycerin IV to a client with chest pain. What is the most important parameter to monitor?
- A. Blood pressure
- B. Heart rate
- C. Oxygen saturation
- D. Respiratory rate
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Blood pressure. When administering nitroglycerin IV to a client with chest pain, monitoring blood pressure is crucial as nitroglycerin can cause significant hypotension. While heart rate, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate are important parameters to assess, blood pressure takes precedence in this scenario due to the potential hypotensive effects of nitroglycerin.
5. The client is on warfarin and has an INR of 1.5. What is the nurse’s priority action?
- A. Increase the dose of warfarin.
- B. Hold the next dose of warfarin.
- C. Continue the current dose of warfarin.
- D. Monitor the client’s INR closely.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: An INR of 1.5 is below the therapeutic range for a client on warfarin, indicating that the client may be at risk of clot formation. The nurse's priority action should be to hold the next dose of warfarin to prevent further reduction of the INR. Increasing the dose could potentially lead to an increased risk of bleeding, and continuing the current dose may not be sufficient to bring the INR within the therapeutic range. Monitoring the client's INR closely is important but not the priority action in this scenario.
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