NYU HAP – Exam 1 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS | RATED
GRADE A+ | GUARANTEED PASS
The nurse notices a colleague is preparing to check the blood pressure of a
patient who is sitting with his legs crossed. The nurse knows that this will:
a. yield a falsely low blood pressure.
b. have no effect on the blood pressure reading.
c. produces an auscultatory gap.
d. yield a falsely high blood pressure.
Correct Answer: D
(Blood pressure increases when legs are crossed and care should be taken to
ensure that feet are flat on the floor to avoid a *false high blood pressure.)
Which activity illustrates the concept of primary prevention?
a. exercising three times a week
b. monthly breast self-examination
c. education about living with asthma
d. colonoscopy after age of 50
Correct Answer: A
(a primary prevention aimed at preventing the individual from developing an
illness.)
,A 75- y/o man reports he stopped playing cards with his friends because, over
time, he noticed their voices began to sound mumbled. How does the nurse
explain the possible cause of this change?
a. sudden low-frequency hearing loss
b. damage to the middle ear from ear infections
c. gradual high-frequency hearing loss
d. lack of earwax in the outer ear
Correct Answer: C
(High-frequency hearing loss, or presbycusis, can occur as we age. It involves
problems w] usually with discerning certain constant sounds like F, S, T and Z.
Vowels are easier to hear for a person with high-frequency loss. Not being able to
hear certain letter sounds may make speech sound mumbled. Older adults can
become disheartened or frustrated when not being able to make out speech
adequately and can become withdrawn. The issue is not related to a low-
frequency hearing loss, lack of earwax, or ear infections.)
In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid his or her
memory later. A competent nurse understands that note-taking:
a. allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient
b. may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal behaviors.
c. allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as the nurse records
everything that is said.
d. allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient, resulting in
increased comfort level.
Correct Answer: B
,The nurse is checking for mobility and turgor in a patient with severe, non-
pitting edema. The nurse will most likely note which finding?
a. decreased mobility
b. increased mobility
c. decreased turgor
d. increased turgor
Correct Answer: A
(Mobility relates to how well you can pinch and lift the skin. In a patient
with severe edema, it will be difficult to pinch and lift the skin, thus there is
decreased mobility. Turgor relates to how well skin goes back into place and
decreased turgor would be seen in someone with severe dehydration.)
Which of these responses might the nurse expect during a functional
assessment of the health history for a patient whose leg is in a cast?
a. "I'm able to transfer myself from the wheelchair to the bed without help."
b. "I check the color of my toes every evening just like I was taught."
c. "The pain is decreasing, but I still need to take acetaminophen."
d. "I broke my right leg in a car accident two weeks ago."
Correct Answer: A
(Functional assessment has to do with activities of daily living, such as
transferring, mobility, bathing, feeding, etc.)
A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of "awful" hip pain after suffering a
fracture and rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following
, physiologic signs may accompany acute pain? (Select all that apply)
a. depression
b. tachycardia
c. increased blood pressure
d. loss of weight and appetite
Correct Answer: C & B
(Tachycardia and increased bp are associated with the sympathetic nervous
system response that occurs in acute pain. Depression and loss of appetite are
more associated with chronic pain.)
A patient is describing his symptoms to the nurse. Which of these statements
reflects a description of the aggravating factors for his symptoms?
a. "It is a sharp, burning pain in my stomach."
b. "When I sit down to use the computer, it gets worse."
c. "I think this pain is telling me that something bad is wrong with me."
d. "I also have the sweats and nausea when I feel this pain."
Correct Answer: B
(Aggravating factors are things the patient does or that happen to the patient that
make the symptom worse or more pronounced. This answer is the only one that
was associated with a symptom.)
A patient drifts off to sleep when she is not being stimulated. The nurse can
arouse her easily when calling her name, but she remains drowsy during the
conversation. The best description of this patient's level of consciousness would
be:
a. semialert
b. obtunded
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS | RATED
GRADE A+ | GUARANTEED PASS
The nurse notices a colleague is preparing to check the blood pressure of a
patient who is sitting with his legs crossed. The nurse knows that this will:
a. yield a falsely low blood pressure.
b. have no effect on the blood pressure reading.
c. produces an auscultatory gap.
d. yield a falsely high blood pressure.
Correct Answer: D
(Blood pressure increases when legs are crossed and care should be taken to
ensure that feet are flat on the floor to avoid a *false high blood pressure.)
Which activity illustrates the concept of primary prevention?
a. exercising three times a week
b. monthly breast self-examination
c. education about living with asthma
d. colonoscopy after age of 50
Correct Answer: A
(a primary prevention aimed at preventing the individual from developing an
illness.)
,A 75- y/o man reports he stopped playing cards with his friends because, over
time, he noticed their voices began to sound mumbled. How does the nurse
explain the possible cause of this change?
a. sudden low-frequency hearing loss
b. damage to the middle ear from ear infections
c. gradual high-frequency hearing loss
d. lack of earwax in the outer ear
Correct Answer: C
(High-frequency hearing loss, or presbycusis, can occur as we age. It involves
problems w] usually with discerning certain constant sounds like F, S, T and Z.
Vowels are easier to hear for a person with high-frequency loss. Not being able to
hear certain letter sounds may make speech sound mumbled. Older adults can
become disheartened or frustrated when not being able to make out speech
adequately and can become withdrawn. The issue is not related to a low-
frequency hearing loss, lack of earwax, or ear infections.)
In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid his or her
memory later. A competent nurse understands that note-taking:
a. allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient
b. may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal behaviors.
c. allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as the nurse records
everything that is said.
d. allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient, resulting in
increased comfort level.
Correct Answer: B
,The nurse is checking for mobility and turgor in a patient with severe, non-
pitting edema. The nurse will most likely note which finding?
a. decreased mobility
b. increased mobility
c. decreased turgor
d. increased turgor
Correct Answer: A
(Mobility relates to how well you can pinch and lift the skin. In a patient
with severe edema, it will be difficult to pinch and lift the skin, thus there is
decreased mobility. Turgor relates to how well skin goes back into place and
decreased turgor would be seen in someone with severe dehydration.)
Which of these responses might the nurse expect during a functional
assessment of the health history for a patient whose leg is in a cast?
a. "I'm able to transfer myself from the wheelchair to the bed without help."
b. "I check the color of my toes every evening just like I was taught."
c. "The pain is decreasing, but I still need to take acetaminophen."
d. "I broke my right leg in a car accident two weeks ago."
Correct Answer: A
(Functional assessment has to do with activities of daily living, such as
transferring, mobility, bathing, feeding, etc.)
A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of "awful" hip pain after suffering a
fracture and rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following
, physiologic signs may accompany acute pain? (Select all that apply)
a. depression
b. tachycardia
c. increased blood pressure
d. loss of weight and appetite
Correct Answer: C & B
(Tachycardia and increased bp are associated with the sympathetic nervous
system response that occurs in acute pain. Depression and loss of appetite are
more associated with chronic pain.)
A patient is describing his symptoms to the nurse. Which of these statements
reflects a description of the aggravating factors for his symptoms?
a. "It is a sharp, burning pain in my stomach."
b. "When I sit down to use the computer, it gets worse."
c. "I think this pain is telling me that something bad is wrong with me."
d. "I also have the sweats and nausea when I feel this pain."
Correct Answer: B
(Aggravating factors are things the patient does or that happen to the patient that
make the symptom worse or more pronounced. This answer is the only one that
was associated with a symptom.)
A patient drifts off to sleep when she is not being stimulated. The nurse can
arouse her easily when calling her name, but she remains drowsy during the
conversation. The best description of this patient's level of consciousness would
be:
a. semialert
b. obtunded
