A nurse is assessing a client who has chronic bronchitis. Which of the following percussion sounds should the nurse expect?
Dullness
Tympany
Resonance
Flatness
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Dullness on percussion typically indicates increased lung density, such as in conditions where lung tissue is consolidated or fluid-filled. This sound is heard in cases of: Pneumonia (due to alveolar consolidation) Pleural effusion (fluid in the pleural space) Lung tumors (solid masses in lung tissue) Since chronic bronchitis is primarily an airway disease characterized by inflammation and mucus production rather than lung consolidation or fluid accumulation, dullness is not an expected finding..
Choice B reason: Tympany is usually heard over air-filled structures and is not a percussion sound typically associated with chronic bronchitis.
Choice C reason:
Resonance is the normal percussion sound heard over healthy lung fields, indicating air-filled alveoli. Since chronic bronchitis does not cause significant air trapping or lung consolidation, percussion remains resonant rather than hyperresonant (as in emphysema) or dull (as in pneumonia). Thus, resonance is the expected finding in chronic bronchitis because the lung parenchyma remains relatively unaffected despite the chronic airway inflammation.
Choice D reason: Flatness is heard over very dense tissue, such as muscle or bone, and is not characteristic of chronic bronchitis.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Ménière's disease typically presents with vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, not sudden resolution of ear pain with otorrhea.
Choice B reason: Mastoiditis may cause ear pain and drainage, but it is usually accompanied by fever and tenderness over the mastoid bone, not sudden pain resolution.
Choice C reason: A perforated tympanic membrane can lead to the sudden resolution of ear pain followed by drainage, as the pressure causing the pain is relieved when the eardrum ruptures.
Choice D reason: Acoustic neuroma typically presents with progressive hearing loss and tinnitus, not ear pain or otorrhea.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: A rosebud like stoma orifice is a normal appearance for a new colostomy, indicating that the stoma is healthy and not in distress.
Choice B reason: Red drainage from a stoma can be normal, especially in the early postoperative period, as the stoma may ooze a small amount of blood. However, if the drainage is excessive or persistent, it should be reported.
Choice C reason: A shiny, moist stoma is also a sign of a healthy stoma. The stoma should be moist and have a pink or red color, similar to the inside of the mouth.
Choice D reason: A purplish colored stoma indicates compromised blood flow and is a sign of ischemia. This is a serious complication that requires immediate medical attention to prevent tissue death.
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