The nurse is palpating a client's anterior chest wall and notices a course, crackling sensation over the skin surface. Which of the following should the nurse suspect from her findings?
Friction rub
Tactile fremitus
Crepitus
Adventitious sounds
The Correct Answer is C
A. Friction rub:
A friction rub is a grating or rubbing sound or sensation heard or felt during auscultation or palpation. It occurs when inflamed pleural or pericardial surfaces rub against each other during breathing or heartbeats, respectively.
B. Tactile fremitus:
Tactile fremitus refers to the palpable vibrations transmitted through the bronchopulmonary tree to the chest wall as the patient speaks. It is assessed by placing hands on the patient's back while the patient speaks certain words. Increased tactile fremitus can occur in conditions with lung consolidation, such as pneumonia.
C. Crepitus:
Crepitus is a crackling or grating sensation felt under the skin or heard when the ends of a broken bone rub against each other. It can also occur when air leaks into subcutaneous tissue, leading to a crackling sensation upon palpation.
D. Adventitious sounds:
Adventitious sounds refer to abnormal lung sounds heard during auscultation. These sounds include crackles (rales), wheezes, rhonchi, and pleural friction rubs. Adventitious sounds can indicate various respiratory conditions, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or asthma.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Simultaneously palpating both arteries to compare amplitude: While comparing amplitudes is important, using the diaphragm of the stethoscope to listen for bruits (abnormal whooshing sounds indicating turbulent blood flow) is a more specific and accurate method for assessing the carotid arteries for potential vascular issues.
B. Listening with the diaphragm of the stethoscope to assess for bruits: This technique allows the nurse to detect abnormal sounds (bruits) that could indicate partial blockages or stenosis in the carotid arteries, suggesting a risk of stroke or transient ischemic attack.
C. Instructing the patient to take slow deep breaths during auscultation: Deep breaths are more relevant during lung auscultation. Carotid artery assessment focuses on detecting abnormal sounds and assessing blood flow rather than respiratory patterns.
D. Palpating the artery at the base of the neck: Palpation alone does not provide enough information about potential blockages or abnormalities in the carotid arteries. Listening with a stethoscope allows for a more detailed assessment of blood flow and the presence of bruits.f the nurse hears a bruit during auscultation, they shouldnotpalpate the carotid artery. A bruit suggests partial obstruction (carotid stenosis), and compressing the artery further could worsen blood flow.
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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