Review QuestionsActivity Time: 17 min
If Tina had mentioned that she was just diagnosed with pneumonia, what would you have expected to find during percussion?
- Hyperresonance
- Tympany
- Resonant
- Dullness (Correct Response)
If the results of Tina’s pulse oximetry had been 97%, which of the following would have been true?
- Partial pressure O2 = 97%
- Unbound oxygen level = 97%
- PaO2 = 97%
- Arterial hemoglobin saturation = 97% (Correct Response)
Suppose that, during your lung exam on Tina, you had heard bronchial breath sounds in the left lower lung posteriorly. What would you have suspected based on this finding?
- Normal lung exam
- Atelectasis
- Fluid filled region of the lung (Correct Response)
- Narrowed upper airways secondary to asthma
Suppose that while auscultating, you assessed a few scattered expiratory wheezes. Why would this be an expected finding for a patient with Tina’s history?
Model Note: Scattered wheezes are to be expected because of Tina’s history of asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition in which hyperreactive airways become narrowed by recurring inflammation and excess mucus production which results in wheezing.
When you observe a patient like Tina throughout an exam, there are many ways to determine whether a patient is experiencing respiratory distress. Identify one indicator of respiratory distress that can be assessed through observation alone.
Model Note: Observable signs of respiratory distress include accessory muscle use, audible respirations, grunting or wheezing, increased respiratory rate, bluish coloration around the lips or fingernails, nasal flaring, chest retractions, sweating, tripod body positioning, and inability to speak in full sentences.
Describe how you would assess Tina for dyspnea.
Model Note: Dyspnea is a subjective complaint that must be elicited by asking the patient about her breathing. Ask your patient, “Do you ever have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?” If dyspnea is detected, be sure to ask about onset, environmental or physical factors related to exacerbations, duration, body positioning, sleep disturbances, and relieving factors.