Ch 21. Physical Assessment

Question 1

accommodation response

Answer 1

a measure of eye muscles’s ability to focus on an image up close & in the distance

Question 2

adventitious breath sounds

Answer 2

abnormal breath sounds, including crackles, rhonchi, wheezes, pleural friction rub, & stridor

Question 3

atelectasis

Answer 3

severe pneumonia or lung collapse that causes a lack of or decreased excursion on one side of the chest

Question 4

auscultation

Answer 4

listening to the sounds produced by the body

Question 5

cheilitis

Answer 5

inflammation of the lips

Question 6

consensual reflex

Answer 6

rapid, equal, & simultaneous constriction of the pupils that results from stimulation of the optic nerve by shining light in either eye

Question 7

crackles

Answer 7

discontinuous breath sounds usually heard during inspiration that may be either fine or coarse

Question 8

dysphagia

Answer 8

difficulty swallowing

Question 9

dysphasia

Answer 9

difficulty coordinating & organizing the words correctly in a sentence

Question 10

eructation

Answer 10

belching (burping)

Question 11

excursion

Answer 11

equal chest expansion during respiration

Question 12

guarding

Answer 12

the defense mechanism of tightening the abdominal muscles to prevent further compression of tender or inflamed areas

Question 13

halitosis

Answer 13

bad breath

Question 14

jaundice

Answer 14

yellowing of the eyes or skin resulting from excessive blood levels of bilirubin

Question 15

lethargic

Answer 15

describes drowsiness or mental sluggishness

Question 16

ophthalmoscope

Answer 16

a lighted instrument used to assess & examine the internal structures of the eyes

Question 17

otoscope

Answer 17

light instrument used to assess/examine inside of the nose, the tympanic membranes, & the ear canals

Question 18

palpation

Answer 18

to examine by touch or feel

Question 19

percussion

Answer 19

striking body parts with the tips of the fingers to elicit sounds that can help locate & determine the size of structures beneath the surface, to identify whether the structure is solid or hollow, & to detect areas containing air or fluid

Question 20

peristalsis

Answer 20

rhythmic, wavelike movements that begin in the esophagus & continue to the rectum to propel a bolus of food through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract

Question 21

PERRLA

Answer 21

acronym used in documentation that stands for pupils equal and round and reactive to light and accommodation.
Used to document patient’s pupils that are bilaterally brisk and equally reactive to light & accommodation

Question 22

retractions

Answer 22

abnormal movements in which a patient’s chest wall appears depressed, or sunken in, b/w the ribs or under the xiphoid process when the patient inhales.
these movements indicate acute respiratory problems that need attention

Question 23

rhonchi

Answer 23

abnormal breath sounds, such as snoring, rattling, gurgling, squeaking, & low-pitched wheezes, caused by either secretions or partial occlusion of the airways.
- deeper and more rumbling sounds than crackles and usually heard during expiration

Question 24

ptosis

Answer 24

drooping of eyelids

Question 25

signs

Answer 25

evidence of illness or injury that are objective and measurable

Question 26

solar lentigines

Answer 26

numerous spots of yellowish-brown discoloration caused by years of sun exposure; often evident in older adults

Question 27

sordes

Answer 27

dried mucus or food caked on the lips & teeth that can be treated with good oral hygiene

Question 28

stridor

Answer 28

an audible, high-pitched crowing sound that results from partial obstruction of airways

Question 29

symptoms

Answer 29

evidence of illness or injury verbalized by patient that is subjective and not directly merasureable

Question 30

turgor

Answer 30

skin elasticity, which is an indicator of hydration level in all ages of patients except older adults.
- the skin of older patients loses its elasticity and is not a reliable assessment tool for hydration

Question 31

wheezes