10 Respiratory NCLEX® Questions

The nurse is caring for a client with respiratory acidosis due to a benzodiazepine overdose. Which of the following nursing interventions are appropriate for this client? Select all that apply.

• Provide supplemental oxygen
• Administer flumazenil as ordered
• Administer alprazolam as ordered
• Insert a nasogastric tube
• Monitor respiratory status

A client is scheduled for a BAL, or bronchoalveolar lavage. What is the best description of this procedure?

• Washing out of the airways of the lungs
• Suctioning sputum from the nose
• Cleaning out the back of the throat
• Washing the skin over the chest

A nurse checks a client’s oxygen saturation by using a bedside sensory probe. The client has pneumonia that is currently being treated with antibiotics. When the nurse places the pulse oximeter probe on the client, the first reading she notes is 89 percent. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform first?

• Contact the provider for a chest x-ray
• Raise the head of the bed and ask the client to take a deep breath
• Administer 100 percent oxygen and monitor the pulse oximetry until it reaches 95 percent
• Assess the probe site to ensure an accurate reading

A nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of respiratory alkalosis. Which pH finding would be consistent with this diagnosis?

• 7.49
• 7.29
• 7.45
• 7.35

A nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from a chest injury. The provider orders arterial blood gases for the client. The results are pH 7.26, pCO2 52 mmHg, HCO3 25 mmHg, and oxygen saturation 92 percent. Which of the following best describes this client’s condition?

• Metabolic acidosis
• Respiratory alkalosis
• Metabolic alkalosis
• Respiratory acidosis

Which best describes the purpose of pursed-lip breathing in the client with COPD?

• To strengthen the muscles of the rib cage
• To exercise the muscles of the diaphragm
• To reduce the overall work of breathing
• To balance the effects of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the bloodstream

A client being treated for asthma needs to take the next dose of bronchodilator medication. After administering the drug, the nurse notes that the nursing assistant is passing out breakfast trays. Which of the following items on the breakfast tray should the nurse discuss with the client before the client consumes breakfast?

• Coffee
• Grapefruit juice
• Waffles
• Eggs

The nurse is caring for a client with tuberculosis and is giving report to the oncoming nurse. Which of the following statements is most appropriate?

• "The client is positive for TB and will require airborne precautions"
• "Since the client has started TB treatment, there are only 24 hours left for isolation precautions"
• "The client screened positive for TB so I have stocked surgical masks outside the room"
• "The client is positive for TB and will require enteric precautions"

A client is in need of an emergency tracheostomy. Which of the following scenarios does this involve?

• A surgical incision is made into the trachea
• A tube is passed through the nose and into the trachea
• A puncture is made through the cricothyroid cartilage
• A tube is passed into the mouth and through the larynx

A nurse walks into a client’s room and discovers that the client is in respiratory distress. The client has tracheal deviation to the right side. The nurse knows to prepare for which of the following emergent procedures?

• Chest tube insertion on the right side
• Tracheostomy
• Chest tube insertion on the left side
• Intubation