Practice Question
A nurse is having difficulty auscultating the apical pulse of a patient in the supine position. What is the best position to reposition the patient in order to better hear the apical pulse?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Left lateral position
Rationale:
🌟 The left lateral position brings the heart closer to the chest wall, improving sound transmission.
🌟 It enhances auscultation of S1, S2, and murmurs by reducing interference from lung tissue.
🌟 This is especially useful when the apical pulse is faint in the supine position.
🌟 It is the recommended position for difficult cardiac auscultation.
Incorrect Options (Emoji Eliminations)
❌ Right lateral: Moves the heart away from the wall.
❌ High Fowler’s: Improves lung expansion, not heart sound clarity.
❌ Prone: Not used for heart auscultation.
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This question is from RN Medsurg 2025 Exam which contains 42 questions.
More Questions from This Exam
A nurse is assessing a client's bowel sounds. At which of the following points in the assessment should the nurse auscultate the client's abdomen?
Answer Choices:
A. Prior to inspecting the abdomen
B. After assessing for kidney tenderness
C. After palpating the abdomen
D. Prior to percussing the abdomen
A nurse is auscultating a client's heart sounds and hears an extra heart sound before what should be considered the first heart sound S1. The nurse should document this finding as which of the following heart sounds?
Answer Choices:
A. The third heart sound (S3)
B. A split second heart sound S1
C. The fourth heart sound (S4)
D. A friction rub
While assessing an older adult the nurse hears a bruit over the carotid arteries. The nurse should explain to the client that this bruit is
Answer Choices:
A. Normal for the elderly
B. Associated with occlusive artery disease
C. Normal in the elderly but abnormal in younger adults
D. Client has bronchospasm
The nurse is assessing 2 patients in room 212-1 and 212-2 and obtain a heart rate of between 60 and 100 bpm for 212-1 and a heart rate of 40-60 bpm for 21.2-2. The nurse knows that bed 212-1 heart rate is being controlled by the and bed 212-2 by the Bundle of His
Answer Choices:
A. Room 21 by SA node natural pacemaker of the heart
B. Respiratory system in order to compensate
C. Right ventricular contractions
D. Room 212-2 AV node
A nurse is assessing a client who is 3 days postoperative following abdominal surgery and notes the absence of bowel sounds, abdominal distention, and the client passing no flatus. Which of the following conditions should the nurse suspect?
Answer Choices:
A. Paralytic ileus
B. Wound dehiscence
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D. Ulcerative colitis
Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI MedSurg
- Answer Choices: 4