A nurse is assessing a client for tactile fremitus. The nurse should recognize that it is normal to feel tactile fremitus most intensely over which location?
Fifth intercostal space, midaxillary line
Between the scapulae
Third intercostal space, midaxillary line
Over the lobes, posterior side
The Correct Answer is B
A) Fifth intercostal space, midaxillary line:
This is incorrect. The fifth intercostal space at the midaxillary line is a location that can be assessed for tactile fremitus, but it is not typically where fremitus is felt most intensely. Fremitus tends to be stronger near the midline structures, such as over the trachea, rather than at this lateral position, which is more peripheral.
B) Between the scapulae:
This is the correct answer. Tactile fremitus is usually most intense over the area between the scapulae and near the sternum. This is because the bronchi and trachea are located close to the chest wall in these regions, creating more intense vibrations that can be palpated during assessment. The fremitus is transmitted through the airways and is easiest to feel when the lung tissue is close to the chest wall, as in the area between the scapulae.
C) Third intercostal space, midaxillary line:
This is incorrect. The third intercostal space at the midaxillary line is not typically the site where tactile fremitus is most prominent. This area is more peripheral, and fremitus tends to be weaker here compared to regions closer to the sternum or between the scapulae where the lungs are nearer to the chest wall.
D) Over the lobes, posterior side:
This is incorrect. While tactile fremitus can be assessed over the posterior lobes of the lungs, it is not generally felt most intensely here. Fremitus is usually stronger near the midline of the chest (sternum) or between the scapulae, and tends to be weaker as you move laterally or toward the lower lobes of the lungs.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A) Use the Snellen chart positioned 20 feet away from the client:
This is the correct method for assessing visual acuity in adults. The Snellen chart is the standard tool used to measure visual acuity at a distance. The client is positioned 20 feet away from the chart, and they are asked to read the smallest line of letters they can clearly identify. The result is typically documented as a fraction (e.g., 20/20), where the numerator represents the distance from the chart, and the denominator represents the distance at which a person with normal vision can read the same line. This test assesses distance vision and is essential for checking overall visual sharpness.
B) Determine the client’s ability to read newsprint at a distance of 12 to 14 inches:
This is not used to assess visual acuity; it assesses near vision and can be part of the overall vision examination, but it is not the standard method for testing visual acuity. Typically, the near vision assessment is done with tools like a Jaeger chart or by asking the client to read newsprint at a standard reading distance (12 to 14 inches), but this is not the primary test for visual acuity. The Snellen chart is specifically for distance vision.
C) Perform the confrontation test:
The confrontation test is used to assess the visual fields, not visual acuity. It is a quick screening to determine if the client has any peripheral vision loss, where the nurse and the client compare their visual fields by covering one eye at a time and identifying moving fingers in the periphery. While important, this test does not assess the sharpness or clarity of central vision, which is the focus of a visual acuity test.
D) Ask the client to read the print on a handheld Jaeger card:
The Jaeger card is used to assess near vision, not visual acuity. It is used for clients who may have difficulty reading small print at a normal reading distance and helps assess presbyopia (difficulty focusing on near objects with age). However, this test is for near vision and is not the primary test for visual acuity, which typically focuses on distance vision.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A) A heart murmur is a high-pitched sound caused by a narrowing of a heart valve:
While it's true that a narrowing of a heart valve (stenosis) can cause a murmur, the description of a heart murmur as a "high-pitched sound" due to this narrowing is overly specific and does not fully explain what a murmur is. A murmur is not always high-pitched, and it is caused by turbulent blood flow, which may occur for various reasons beyond just valve stenosis.
B) A heart murmur is an extra sound heard from blood entering a rigid heart chamber:
This description is somewhat inaccurate. While murmurs can result from turbulent blood flow through the heart chambers or valves, the idea that murmurs are "extra sounds from blood entering a rigid heart chamber" is misleading. A murmur occurs when there is turbulent blood flow, which can happen in both rigid and non-rigid chambers. The key point is that it's the turbulent flow, not just rigidity, that causes the sound.
C) A heart murmur is a sound generated by inflammation around the heart muscle:
This is incorrect. Inflammation around the heart muscle, such as in pericarditis, can cause chest pain or other symptoms but does not generate a heart murmur. A murmur is caused by turbulent blood flow, which can result from various heart valve issues (e.g., stenosis, regurgitation) or defects in the heart's structure (e.g., septal defects), not from inflammation around the heart muscle.
D) A heart murmur indicates turbulent blood flow through a valve in the heart:
This is the most accurate description. A heart murmur is typically caused by turbulent or irregular blood flow through a heart valve. This can occur for several reasons, such as valve stenosis (narrowing), valve regurgitation (leakage), or congenital heart defects that cause abnormal flow patterns. The turbulent flow disrupts the normal laminar (smooth) blood flow, creating the characteristic sound that can be heard with a stethoscope. Murmurs can vary in timing, pitch, and intensity depending on the nature of the flow disturbance.
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