Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive Prep Resource

The right atrium is the chamber of the heart responsible for initially receiving deoxygenated blood from the body through the venae cavae. The superior vena cava returns blood from the upper body, while the inferior vena cava returns blood from the lower body. Once the deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium, it then moves through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle, where it will subsequently be pumped to the lungs for oxygenation.

Understanding the function of the right atrium is crucial in grasping the overall circulation process. It plays a pivotal role in collecting blood that has circulated throughout the body and is low in oxygen, marking the first step in the flow of blood through the heart and into the pulmonary circuit for gas exchange.