NUR 1060 ADULT HEALTH ASSESSMENT 508
EXAM PREP 2026 PRACTICE SOLUTION STUDY
GUIDE
◉ What should be done during the "inspection" portion of the
physical assessment? Answer: look carefully and thoroughly at the
patient; this offers an overall impression of the patient and severity
of the situation
- most revealing and provides a LOT of info
- note symmetry b/w right and left side, skin characteristics, shape
of chest, facial features, patient mood
◉ what should be done during the "Palpation" portion of the
physical assessment? Answer: touch to assess for findings such as
texture, temperature, moisture, tenderness, and edema
◉ what are the finger pads used to palpate for? Answer: - pulses,
lymph nodes, small lumps, skin texture, edema
◉ what are the palmar surfaces of the fingers and finger joints used
to palpate for? Answer: firmness, contour, position size, paint and
tenderness
,◉ what is the douse (back side) of the hand used to palpate for?
Answer: temperature
◉ what is the ulnar (outside) surface of the hand used to palpate
for? Answer: vibratory tremors
◉ light palpation Answer: assessment of skin characteristics
◉ deep palpation Answer: firmer, deeper pressure; used to confirm
superficial findings and to assess size, shape, and consistency od
deep organs
◉ What should be done during the "percussion" step of the physical
assessment? Answer: vibrations are produced through tapping of
the skin with short, sharp strokes
◉ what does dense tissue vibrations percussions sound like?
Answer: quiet, flat
◉ what does air/fluid sound like when percussed? Answer: loud
tones
,◉ what are the different types of sounds used to describe when
percussing? Answer: resonance, hyperresonance, dull, flat, or
tympanic
◉ resonance Answer: loud, hollow, air filled tones heard over
healthy lung tissue
◉ hyper-resonance Answer: very loud, almost "booming" sounds
heard over lung tissue that has too much air present
◉ dull tones Answer: heard over dense organs such as spleen or
liver
◉ flat tones Answer: when no air is present; muscle, bone, or tumor
◉ tympanic Answer: loud, drum like sounds heard over air-filled
areas of the stomach or intestines
◉ What happens during the "Auscultation" stage of the physical
assessment? Answer: the nurse listens to the sounds of the heart,
lungs, stomach, intestines, and arteries; most common assessment
technique in healthcare
◉ diaphragm of stethoscope Answer: the flat end
, ◉ bell of the stethoscope Answer: cup-shaped endpiece used for
soft, low-pitched heart sounds
◉ What does written documentation entail? Answer: it involves
entering patient information into the written or computerized
patient medical record, which serves as a health database of
recorded info from all health care encounters
◉ What is documentation? Answer: anything written or printed on
which you rely as record or proof of patient actions and activities
◉ What are Electronic Health Records? (EHR) Answer: provides an
integrated, real-time method of informing the healthcare team about
the patient status
◉ What are the purposes of the Medical Record? Answer:
Communication with Other Professionals
Credentialing and Quality Assurance
Legal Document
Regulation and Legislation
Financial Reimbursement
Research
Quality Precess and Performance Improvement
EXAM PREP 2026 PRACTICE SOLUTION STUDY
GUIDE
◉ What should be done during the "inspection" portion of the
physical assessment? Answer: look carefully and thoroughly at the
patient; this offers an overall impression of the patient and severity
of the situation
- most revealing and provides a LOT of info
- note symmetry b/w right and left side, skin characteristics, shape
of chest, facial features, patient mood
◉ what should be done during the "Palpation" portion of the
physical assessment? Answer: touch to assess for findings such as
texture, temperature, moisture, tenderness, and edema
◉ what are the finger pads used to palpate for? Answer: - pulses,
lymph nodes, small lumps, skin texture, edema
◉ what are the palmar surfaces of the fingers and finger joints used
to palpate for? Answer: firmness, contour, position size, paint and
tenderness
,◉ what is the douse (back side) of the hand used to palpate for?
Answer: temperature
◉ what is the ulnar (outside) surface of the hand used to palpate
for? Answer: vibratory tremors
◉ light palpation Answer: assessment of skin characteristics
◉ deep palpation Answer: firmer, deeper pressure; used to confirm
superficial findings and to assess size, shape, and consistency od
deep organs
◉ What should be done during the "percussion" step of the physical
assessment? Answer: vibrations are produced through tapping of
the skin with short, sharp strokes
◉ what does dense tissue vibrations percussions sound like?
Answer: quiet, flat
◉ what does air/fluid sound like when percussed? Answer: loud
tones
,◉ what are the different types of sounds used to describe when
percussing? Answer: resonance, hyperresonance, dull, flat, or
tympanic
◉ resonance Answer: loud, hollow, air filled tones heard over
healthy lung tissue
◉ hyper-resonance Answer: very loud, almost "booming" sounds
heard over lung tissue that has too much air present
◉ dull tones Answer: heard over dense organs such as spleen or
liver
◉ flat tones Answer: when no air is present; muscle, bone, or tumor
◉ tympanic Answer: loud, drum like sounds heard over air-filled
areas of the stomach or intestines
◉ What happens during the "Auscultation" stage of the physical
assessment? Answer: the nurse listens to the sounds of the heart,
lungs, stomach, intestines, and arteries; most common assessment
technique in healthcare
◉ diaphragm of stethoscope Answer: the flat end
, ◉ bell of the stethoscope Answer: cup-shaped endpiece used for
soft, low-pitched heart sounds
◉ What does written documentation entail? Answer: it involves
entering patient information into the written or computerized
patient medical record, which serves as a health database of
recorded info from all health care encounters
◉ What is documentation? Answer: anything written or printed on
which you rely as record or proof of patient actions and activities
◉ What are Electronic Health Records? (EHR) Answer: provides an
integrated, real-time method of informing the healthcare team about
the patient status
◉ What are the purposes of the Medical Record? Answer:
Communication with Other Professionals
Credentialing and Quality Assurance
Legal Document
Regulation and Legislation
Financial Reimbursement
Research
Quality Precess and Performance Improvement
