Chapter 33 Physical Assessment of Children

Chapter 33  Physical Assessment of Children

Complete Chapter Questions And Answers
 

Sample Questions

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The nurse percussing over an empty stomach expects to hear which sound?

a. Tympany
b. Resonance
c. Flatness
d. Dullness

ANS: A
Tympany is a high-pitched, loud-intensity sound heard over air-filled body parts such as the
stomach and bowel. Resonance is a low-pitched, low-intensity sound elicited over hollow
organs such as the lungs. Flatness is a high-pitched, soft-intensity sound elicited by
percussing over solid masses such as bone or muscle. Dullness is a medium-pitched,
medium-intensity sound elicited when percussing over high-density structures such as the
liver.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge/Remembering
REF: p. 720 | Box 33.1 OBJ: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance

2. The nurse is admitting a toddler to the pediatric infectious disease unit. What is the single

most important component of the child’s physical examination?
a. Assessment of heart and lungs
b. Measurement of height and weight
c. Documentation of parental concerns
d. Obtaining an accurate history

ANS: D
An accurate history is most helpful in identifying problems and potential problems. Heart
and lung assessment is not as important as an accurate history. A single measurement of
height and weight is not as significant as determining growth over time. The child’s growth
pattern can be elicited from the history. Documentation of parental concerns is not as
relevant to the physical examination as an accurate history in this case.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension/Understanding
REF: p. 720 | Box 33.1 OBJ: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity

3. In which section of the health history should the nurse record that the parent brought the

infant to the clinic today because of frequent diarrhea?
a. Review of systems
b. Chief complaint
c. Lifestyle and life patterns
d. Health history

ANS: B

The chief complaint is documented using the child’s or parent’s words for the reason the
child was brought to the health care center. The review of systems includes health functions
of body systems. Lifestyle and life patterns include the child’s interaction with the social,
psychological, physical, and cultural environment. Health history includes birth history,
growth and development, common childhood illnesses, immunizations, hospitalizations,
injuries, and allergies.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge/Remembering
REF: p. 721 | Box 33.4 OBJ: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity

4. The nurse assesses a child’s oculomotor, trochlear, and abducent nerves by using which

technique?
a. Assessing the six cardinal gazes
b. Identification of common odors
c. Having child bite on a tongue blade
d. Ask child to shrug against resistance

ANS: A
Using the six cardinal gazes the nurse assesses the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducent
nerves. Odors are detected by the olfactory nerve. Biting on tongue blade assesses the
trigeminal nerve. Shrugging against resistance assesses the accessory nerve.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application/Applying
REF: p. 745 | Table 33.4 OBJ: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance

5. The nurse is performing a comprehensive physical examination on a young child in the

hospital. At what age can the nurse expect a child’s head and chest circumferences to be
almost equal?
a. Birth
b. 6 months
c. 1 year
d. 3 years

ANS: C
Head and chest measurements are almost equal at 1 year of age.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge/Remembering
REF: p. 724 OBJ: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance