A client diagnosed with pleuritis has been admitted to the hospital and complains of pain with breathing. Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse expect when auscultating a client with pleuritis?
Wheezing
Friction rub
Stridor
Crackles
The Correct Answer is B
A. Wheezing: Wheezing is a continuous, high-pitched whistling sound usually heard during expiration. It is often associated with narrowed airways, such as in asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Wheezing occurs due to the turbulent airflow through narrowed bronchi or bronchioles and is not typically associated with pleuritis.
B. Friction rub: Pleuritis, or inflammation of the pleura, can cause a friction rub. This sound occurs when the inflamed pleural layers rub against each other during breathing. It's a grating or rubbing sound heard on auscultation and is a hallmark sign of pleuritis.
C. Stridor: Stridor is a high-pitched, harsh sound heard during inspiration and sometimes expiration. It is often a sign of upper airway obstruction, such as in croup or anaphylaxis. Stridor results from turbulent airflow through a partially obstructed or narrowed larynx or trachea.
D. Crackles: Crackles, also known as rales, are brief, discontinuous, popping sounds heard on inspiration. They can be fine or coarse and are often associated with conditions that cause fluid or secretions in the alveoli or small airways, such as pneumonia or heart failure. Crackles are not typically associated with pleuritis.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Percussion of the posterior chest: Percussion helps assess the underlying structures of the chest but does not directly confirm symmetric chest expansion.
B. Inspection of the shape and configuration of the chest wall: Inspection is a crucial part of assessing chest symmetry. Any deformities, asymmetry, or abnormalities in the shape and configuration of the chest wall can be visually identified.
C. Placing the palmar surface of the fingers of one hand against the chest and having the client repeat "ninety-nine": This technique, known as tactile fremitus, involves feeling for vibrations or tremors while the client repeats a phrase. While it can provide information about underlying lung conditions, it's not primarily used to confirm symmetric chest expansion.
D. Placing hands sideways on the posterolateral chest wall with thumbs pointing together at the level of T9 or T10: This technique, known as chest expansion measurement, is used to assess symmetric chest expansion. Placing hands in this manner allows the nurse to feel for bilateral chest expansion during inspiration, ensuring that both sides of the chest expand symmetrically.

Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Maxillary sinusitis:
Explanation: The client's symptoms of facial pain, fever, malaise, swollen turbinates, purulent nasal discharge, and dull, throbbing pain in the cheeks and teeth on the right side, especially when palpated, are indicative of maxillary sinusitis. Maxillary sinusitis refers to the inflammation of the maxillary sinuses, which are located in the cheek area. The symptoms described align with a bacterial infection in this sinus.
B. Nasal polyps:
Explanation: Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths on the lining of the nasal passages or sinuses. While they can cause nasal congestion and a runny nose, they do not typically present with the specific symptoms mentioned in the scenario, such as facial pain, fever, and purulent discharge.
C. Frontal sinusitis:
Explanation: Frontal sinusitis involves inflammation of the frontal sinuses located in the forehead area. Symptoms may include forehead pain, headache, and nasal discharge. However, the described symptoms in the scenario (dull, throbbing pain in the cheeks and teeth on the right side) are more characteristic of maxillary sinusitis.
D. Posterior epistaxis:
Explanation: Posterior epistaxis refers to a nosebleed that originates from the back of the nose, often due to bleeding from the sphenopalatine artery. While nosebleeds can cause blood drainage into the throat and result in a metallic taste, the other symptoms described in the scenario, such as facial pain, fever, and purulent discharge, are not indicative of posterior epistaxis.
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