Chapter 7

Question 1

An infant or small child’s airway can be occluded if it is overextended or overflexed because:
the tongue is proportionately small and can fall back into the throat.
he or she has a long neck, which makes the trachea prone to collapse.
the back of the head is flat, which prevents a neutral position.
the occiput is proportionately large, and the trachea is flexible.

Answer 1

“the occiput is proportionately large

Question 2

An infant’s blood pressure typically increases with age because:
as the infant gets older, his or her blood vessels dilate.
the infant’s total blood volume decreases with age.
blood pressure directly corresponds to body weight.
his or her normal heart rate usually increases with age.

Answer 2

“blood pressure directly corresponds to body weight.”

Question 3

Breathing is often more difficult in older adults because the:
overall size of the airway decreases.
surface area of the alveoli increases.
elasticity of the lungs decreases.
diaphragm and intercostal muscles enlarge.

Answer 3

“elasticity of the lungs decreases.”

Question 4

Factors that contribute to a decline in the vital capacity of an elderly patient include all of the following, except:
decreased residual volume.
increased stiffness of the thoracic cage.
increased surface area available for air exchange.
a loss of respiratory muscle mass.

Answer 4

“increased surface area available for air exchange.”

Question 5

Infants are often referred to as ‘belly breathers’ because:
their diaphragm does not receive impulses from the brain.
their intercostal muscles are not functional.
their rib cage is less rigid, and the ribs sit horizontally.
an infant’s ribs are brittle and are less able to expand.

Answer 5

“their rib cage is less rigid

Question 6

In late adults, the amount of air left in the lungs after expiration of the maximum amount of air:
increases, which hampers diffusion of gases because of the stagnant air that remains in the alveoli.
decreases, resulting in widespread collapsing of the alveoli and impaired diffusion of gases.
remains unchanged because the lungs have become accustomed to years of breathing pollution.
decreases, which increases diffusion in the lungs and causes an accumulation of carbon dioxide.

Answer 6

“increases

Question 7

The anterior fontanelle fuses together between the ages of:
7 and 14 months.
6 and 8 months.
3 and 4 months.
9 and 18 months.

Answer 7

“9 and 18 months.”

Question 8

The average pulse rate of persons between 19 and 40 years of age is typically:
70 beats/min.
80 beats/min.
90 beats/min.
60 beats/min.

Answer 8

“70 beats/min.”

Question 9

The pulse rate of a child from ages 6 to 12 years is approximately:
90 to 140 beats/min.
70 to 120 beats/min.
60 to 100 beats/min.
100 to 150 beats/min.

Answer 9

“70 to 120 beats/min.”

Question 10

When assessing an 80-year-old patient in shock, it is important to remember that:
the patient’s cardiac output is able to increase by nearly 200% in response to the decrease in perfusion.
in older adults, it is especially common to observe a significant decrease in heart rate in response to shock.
it is common to see a more significant increase in heart rate than what would be expected in younger adults.
age-related changes in the cardiovascular system might make the patient less able to compensate for decreased perfusion.

Answer 10

“age-related changes in the cardiovascular system might make the patient less able to compensate for decreased perfusion.”

Question 11

Which of the following are noticeable characteristics of a 9-month-old infant?
Places objects in the mouth, pulls himself or herself up
Walks without help, becomes frustrated with restrictions
Knows his or her name, can walk without any assistance
Responds to his or her name, crawls around efficiently

Answer 11

“Places objects in the mouth

Question 12

Which of the following is not a common factor that would affect a 75-year-old patient’s vital signs?
Medications
Increased weight
Overall health
Medical conditions

Answer 12

“Increased weight”

Question 13

Which of the following statements regarding an infant’s vital signs is correct?
An infant’s normal body temperature is typically higher than a preschooler’s normal body temperature.
An infant’s normal heart rate increases by 10 beats/min each month.
An infant’s heart rate generally ranges between 70 and 110 beats/min.
By six months of age, an infant’s normal tidal volume is 2 to 4 mL/kg.

Answer 13

“An infant’s normal body temperature is typically higher than a preschooler’s normal body temperature.”

Question 14

Which of the following statements regarding toddlers and preschoolers is correct?
Toddlers and preschoolers commonly experience upper respiratory infections because of the loss of passive immunity.
The normal respiratory rate in toddlers and preschoolers is between 12 and 20 breaths/min.
Toddlers and preschoolers have well-developed lung musculature, even though they have less lung tissue.
Muscle mass and bone density decrease in toddlers and preschoolers because of increased physical activity.

Answer 14

“Toddlers and preschoolers commonly experience upper respiratory infections because of the loss of passive immunity.”

Question 15

Why does the incidence of diabetes mellitus increase with age?
Increased physical activity, increased food intake, and increased insulin production
Decreased physical activity, increased weight gain, and decreased blood sugar levels
Decreased food intake, decreased weight gain, and decreased blood sugar levels
Decreased physical activity, increased weight gain, and decreased insulin production

Answer 15

“Decreased physical activity

Question 16

Why do middle adults commonly experience financial concerns?
Most people in the middle adult age group have chronic illnesses and cannot work.
They are typically receiving social security and must budget with a fixed income.
The majority of middle adults still have small children who live at home with them.
They are preparing for retirement but must still manage everyday financial demands.

Answer 16

“They are preparing for retirement but must still manage everyday financial demands.”

Question 17

With increasing age, the heart must work harder to move the blood effectively because:
the blood thickens as a person ages.
diastolic blood pressure decreases.
the blood vessels become stiff.
the arteries dilate significantly.

Answer 17

“the blood vessels become stiff.”

Question 18

You are assessing a 13-month-old female who is running a fever and has been vomiting. While you are performing your physical examination on this child, you will most likely find that she:
will readily allow you to separate her from her mother.
is unable to track your movements with her eyes.
has bulging fontanelles secondary to severe dehydration.
responds to her name but is fearful of your presence.

Answer 18

“responds to her name but is fearful of your presence.”

Question 19

You are dispatched to a call for a 4-month-old infant with respiratory distress. While you prepare to take care of this child, you must remember that:
assisted ventilations in infants often need to be forceful to inflate their lungs.
the infant’s proportionately small tongue often causes an airway obstruction.
small infants are nose breathers and require clear nasal passages at all times.
an infant’s head should be placed in a flexed position to prevent obstruction.

Answer 19

“small infants are nose breathers and require clear nasal passages at all times.”

Question 20

You suspect that a 75-year-old man has internal injuries after he fell and struck his ribs and abdomen on the corner of a table. When assessing and treating an injured patient of this age, you must recall that:
his ability to physiologically compensate for his injury might be impaired due to an inability to increase cardiac output.
functional blood volume in patients of this age steadily increases due to increased production of red blood cells.
blood pressure is usually adequately maintained because the blood vessels of older people can contract easily.
it is not uncommon to observe heart rates in excess of 150 beats/min in elderly patients with internal injuries.

Answer 20

“his ability to physiologically compensate for his injury might be impaired due to an inability to increase cardiac output.”