Vital Signs and Monitoring MCQs

Question 1

A patient with a respiratory rate of 28 per minute is anxious but has clear speech and an oxygen saturation of 98% on room air. Which assessment is most appropriate next?

Accepted Answer

Assess pain, anxiety and recent activity

Answer

Apply oxygen immediately at a high flow rate

Answer

Ask the patient to hold the breath briefly

Answer

Document tachypnoea without reassessment

Question 2

A patient’s oxygen saturation is 93% on room air, down from 98% yesterday, but the patient is comfortable and speaking normally. What should the nurse do first?

Accepted Answer

Check the probe position and repeat the reading

Answer

Start emergency resuscitation measures

Answer

Document the lower value without comparison

Answer

Ask the patient to breathe into a paper bag

Question 3

A patient with severe abdominal pain rates the pain as 9 out of 10 but has a normal blood pressure and pulse. Which nursing principle should guide the assessment?

Accepted Answer

The patient’s self-report is the primary pain measure

Answer

Pain is present only when vital signs change

Answer

A normal pulse rules out serious pain

Answer

The nurse should use facial expression instead of the rating

Question 4

A patient with suspected dengue has a blood pressure of 100/86 mmHg, pulse 118 beats per minute, cool skin and increasing weakness. Which action is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Report possible circulatory compromise immediately

Answer

Encourage the patient to walk to reduce weakness

Answer

Reassess later because the systolic pressure is above 90

Answer

Give an oral antipyretic and wait for the next observation

Question 5

Which blood pressure reading is within the commonly expected range for a resting healthy adult?

Accepted Answer

118/76 mmHg

Answer

138/88 mmHg

Answer

156/94 mmHg

Answer

sitio 176/102 mmHg

Question 6

Where should the nurse place the stethoscope to assess an adult patient’s apical pulse?

Accepted Answer

Over the fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line

Answer

Over the second intercostal space at the right sternal border

Answer

Over the sixth intercostal space at the midaxillary line

Answer

Over the third intercostal space at the left sternal border

Question 7

Which technique is correct when measuring tympanic temperature in a cooperative adult?

Accepted Answer

Pull the pinna upward and backward before inserting the probe

Answer

Pull the pinna downward and backward before inserting the probe

Answer

Place the probe under the tongue and ask the patient to close the mouth

Answer

Place the probe against the centre of the forehead for several seconds

Question 8

A postoperative patient is awake but cannot speak because of an endotracheal tube. Which method is most appropriate for assessing pain?

Accepted Answer

Use a validated behavioural pain assessment scale

Answer

Assume the patient has no pain because vital signs are stable

Answer

Ask the family to estimate the patient’s pain score

Answer

Wait until the patient can speak before giving prescribed analgesia

Question 9

A patient who received an opioid is difficult to arouse and has a respiratory rate of 8 per minute. What is the nurse’s priority action?

Accepted Answer

Assess the airway and breathing while calling for urgent help

Answer

Allow the patient to sleep and reassess after one hour

Answer

Give the next prescribed opioid dose to prevent withdrawal

Answer

Offer oral fluids and place the patient in a sitting position

Question 10

A patient’s oxygen saturation falls to 82% while the patient is repeatedly moving the hand with the probe. The patient is pink and speaking comfortably. What should the nurse do first?

Accepted Answer

Support the hand, check probe placement and repeat the reading

Answer

Immediately document severe hypoxaemia without further assessment

Answer

Increase oxygen to a high flow rate without checking the reading

Answer

Remove the probe permanently because movement makes it unreliable

Question 11

A patient returns from vigorous exercise and needs an oral temperature measurement. How should the nurse obtain the most reliable reading?

Accepted Answer

Allow the patient to rest and cool before measuring orally

Answer

Measure immediately because exercise does not affect temperature

Answer

Give a hot drink before measuring to stabilise the reading

Answer

Place the thermometer in the axilla while the patient is exercising

Question 12

A patient’s pulse is 130 beats per minute immediately after walking to the bathroom and returns to 94 after five minutes of rest. The patient denies chest pain or breathlessness. What is the most appropriate nursing action?

Accepted Answer

Record the response to activity and continue routine observation

Answer

Report an emergency tachycardia despite the normal resting pulse

Answer

Administer a prescribed cardiac drug without reassessing the patient

Answer

Restrict all movement because any exertional pulse rise is abnormal

Question 13

The nurse suspects a pulse deficit in a patient with an irregular heartbeat. Which assessment provides the most accurate information?

Accepted Answer

Count the apical and radial pulses simultaneously for one full minute

Answer

Count the radial pulse for 15 seconds and multiply the result by four

Answer

Count the carotid pulse for 30 seconds while the patient talks

Answer

Estimate the heart rate from the patient’s blood pressure monitor

Question 14

While auscultating an adult blood pressure, the first clear tapping sound is heard at 142 mmHg and the sounds disappear at 86 mmHg. How should the nurse record the pressure?

Accepted Answer

142/86 mmHg

Answer

86/142 mmHg

Answer

142/142 mmHg

Answer

86/86 mmHg

Question 15

Which oral temperature is generally within the expected range for a healthy adult at rest?

Accepted Answer

36.8°C

Answer

35.2°C

Answer

38.4°C

Answer

39.1°C

Question 16

When measuring an adult patient’s axillary temperature, which technique is correct?

Accepted Answer

Place the probe in a dry axilla and hold the arm against the chest

Answer

Place the probe over clothing and hold the arm loosely

Answer

Place the probe on the centre of the upper arm and support the elbow

Answer

Place the probe below the shoulder blade and ask the patient to lie still

Question 17

A patient has a pulse oximeter reading of 91% on a finger with dark nail polish. The patient is alert and breathing comfortably. Which action should the nurse take first?

Accepted Answer

Warm the hand and repeat the reading on a suitable site

Answer

Document the reading as severe hypoxaemia

Answer

Remove the sensor and stop monitoring the patient

Answer

Administer a sedative to reduce possible anxiety

Question 18

A patient’s respiratory rate changes from 16 regular breaths per minute to 25 shallow breaths per minute over three hours. Oxygen saturation remains 97% on room air. Which action is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Reassess the patient and report the concerning trend

Answer

Wait until oxygen saturation falls before taking action

Answer

Record the new rate as expected after routine activity

Answer

Ask the patient to hold the breath during reassessment

Question 19

Which factor can cause a temporary rise in an adult’s blood pressure without representing chronic hypertension?

Accepted Answer

Recent strenuous exercise

Answer

Recent quiet sleep

Answer

Correctly sized cuff placement

Answer

Supported arm at heart level

Question 20

A patient has a blood pressure of 150/88 mmHg after talking continuously during the measurement. The patient feels well. What should the nurse do next?

Accepted Answer

Repeat the measurement after quiet rest

Answer

Diagnose hypertension from this single reading

Answer

Give an antihypertensive medicine immediately

Answer

Measure the pressure over the patient’s clothing

Free Vital Signs and Monitoring MCQs with Answers