Week 2

Question 1

A patient is having her tonsils removed.
The patient asks the nurse what function the tonsils serve. Which of the following would be the most accurate response?
a. The tonsils aid digestion
b. The tonsils help to guard the body from invasion of organisms.
c. The tonsils contain nerves that provoke sneezing
d. The tonsils regulate the airflow to the bronchi
e. The tonsils serve no known physiological purpose

Answer 1

b. The tonsils help to guard the body from invasion of organisms.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient who has just returned to the unit after an operation.
The patient is showing signs of hypoxia. The nurse knows that this is probably caused by what?
a. Diffusion
b. Interbalance
c. Perfusion
d. Shunting
e. Incorrect application of the oxygen saturation probe.

Answer 2

d. Shunting

Question 3

What is ventilation?

Answer 3

Inspiration & expiration

Question 4

What is diffusion?

Answer 4

Exchange of O2 & CO2 at the alveolar-capillary membrane.

Question 5

What is perfusion?

Answer 5

Blood flow through the pulmonary circulator

Question 6

What is the normal partial pressure of oxygen?

Answer 6

80 -100 mm Hg

Question 7

What is atelectasis?

Answer 7

Collapse or airless condition of the alveoli.

Question 8

What is pneumonia?

Answer 8

Acute inflammation of the lung by an infection (bacterial/viral/fungal/mycobacterial)
Resulting in alveoli & surrounding tissues becoming oedematous, alveoli fill with exudate and consolidate. Affects ventilation & diffusion.

Question 9

Care of the patient with pneumonia - interventions:

Answer 9

• Humidification by face mask or O2
• Deep breathing & coughing (chest physiotherapy)
• Position changes
• O2 therapy
• Antibiotics (as ordered)

Question 10

What is a pulmonary emboli?

Answer 10

An obstruction of pulmonary vascular system

• by blood clot/air/fat/amniotic fluid or septic thrombus
• Most are thrombi from DVTs

Question 11

Prevention of pulmonary emboli

Answer 11

• Exercise to avoid venous stasis
• Early ambulation • Anticoag therapy
• Sequential compression devices
• Stockings

Question 12

What is the oxygen cascade?

Answer 12

The oxygen cascade describes the process of declining oxygen tension from atmosphere to mitochondria.
If there is any interference to the delivery of oxygen at any point in the cascade, significant injury can occur further downstream. 4 factors influence O2 transmission:
1. Ventilation perfusion mismatch, 2. Right to left shunt,
3. Diffusion defects, 4. Cardiac output.