Basic Nursing Skills Vital Signs & Patient Monitoring 2

Question 1

A patient's oxygen saturation (SpO2) reads 91% on room air. The nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Apply supplemental oxygen immediately

Answer

SpO2 below 94% in most adults warrants supplemental oxygen and immediate nursing intervention.

Question 2

Which device is used to non-invasively measure oxygen saturation?

Accepted Answer

Pulse oximeter

Answer

A pulse oximeter clips onto a fingertip or earlobe to measure SpO2 non-invasively via light wavelengths.

Question 3

What does a widened pulse pressure (>40 mmHg) most commonly indicate?

Accepted Answer

Aortic regurgitation or increased intracranial pressure

Answer

A widened pulse pressure can indicate aortic regurgitation, elevated intracranial pressure, or other hemodynamic changes.

Question 4

Bradycardia in an adult is defined as a heart rate below:

Accepted Answer

60 bpm

Answer

Bradycardia is defined as a heart rate below 60 beats per minute in an adult.

Question 5

Which factor can cause a falsely low pulse oximetry reading?

Accepted Answer

Peripheral vasoconstriction

Answer

Peripheral vasoconstriction reduces blood flow to the fingertip, resulting in a falsely low SpO2 reading.

Basic Nursing Skills Practice Test