HESI Health Assessment Practice Test 2026 – All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

The correct indication of normal voice sounds during a respiratory assessment is the faint, muffled sounds when whispering. In a healthy individual, when whispers are transmitted through the lung fields, they should be soft and not clearly audible. This diminishes the clarity of spoken words, which reflects normal lung function and the presence of normal, healthy lung tissue.

When the spoken sounds are clearly transmitted, as would be identified in other options, it could indicate an underlying pathology, such as consolidation, which can occur in conditions like pneumonia where lung tissue becomes denser. Similarly, increased sound volume when saying "ninety-nine" suggests abnormal findings, as it leads to a better transmission of sound where lung abnormalities may be present. The distinction of various tones when saying "ee-ee-ee" pertains to auscultation findings that signify abnormal lung conditions when the expected sound should be uniformly muffled. Therefore, the muffled nature of whispers is what signifies healthy lung tissue and normal voice sounds.