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Chapter 14: Musculoskeletal System Questions
and Answers (100% Correct Answers)
Which description of pain from the patient makes a nurse suspect the patient's pain
is originating from a muscle?
a. "Crampy"
b. "Dull and deep"
c. "Boring and intense"
d. "Sharp upon movement"
Ans: A Muscle pain is often described as "crampy."
A nurse asks a patient to describe his new onset of leg pain. He slept well through
the night, but this morning he suddenly developed pain in his left lower leg that is
red and too painful to touch. Nothing relieves the pain. Based on these data, the
nurse suspects which disorder is causing this pain?
a. Rheumatoid arthritis
b. Osteoarthritis
c. Gout
d. Tendonitis
Ans: C Sudden onset of pain and erythema in the great toe, ankle, and lower leg
suggests gout (also called gouty arthritis).
During a history, the patient reports having gout. Based on this information, what
findings does the nurse anticipate during a focused assessment?
a. Warm, tender, and deformed wrists and peripheral interphalangeal (PIP) joints
bilaterally
b. Edema, warmth, and redness of one great toe and pea-like nodules in the ear lobes
c. Enlarged and tender PIP or distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints on one or several
fingers
d. Tenderness with pronation and supination of the elbow and point tenderness on
the lateral epicondyle
Ans: B This is a description of gout. The pealike nodules are tophi, collections of
uric acid in subcutaneous tissue.
, 2 Inquire through: | Professional | Confidential Support
A patient reports joint pain interfering with sleep and morning joint stiffness for the
first hour after getting out of bed. Considering this report, what abnormal findings
does the nurse anticipate during the examination?
a. Abrupt onset of local tenderness, edema, and decreased range of motion of the
shoulder and hip bilaterally
b. Decreased range of motion of one hip and knee with pain on flexion and crepitus
during movement of these joints
c. Erythema in one great toe, ankle, and lower leg that is painful to the touch
d. Hot, painful, deformed, and edematous wrists and peripheral interphalangeal
joints bilaterally
Ans: D The history and these examination findings are consistent with rheumatoid
arthritis. Joints are involved bilaterally in rheumatoid arthritis because it is a
systemic autoimmune disorder.
In assessing a patient with a history of poliomyelitis, the nurse suspects the right leg
muscles are smaller than the left leg. What is the best approach for the nurse to
confirm or reject this suspicion?
a. Palpating both legs using the pads of the thumb and index fingers and comparing
one side with another
b. Using a tape to measure each leg's circumference at the same location, above or
below the nearest joint
c. Using a goniometer to measure the upper and lower legs with the patient in supine
and standing positions
d. Palpating the legs using the tips of the thumb and index fingers, and comparing
the findings with the Lovett scale
Ans: B This technique is correct, provides a baseline for future comparisons, and
provides measurements for side-to-side comparisons.
In assessing the joint range of motion of a patient's knees, the nurse notices the
flexion is less than expected in both knees. What is the next appropriate action for
the nurse?
a. Documenting this finding as expected for this patient because it occurs in both
knees
b. Palpating the suprapatellar pouch on each side of the quadriceps for contour,
tenderness, and edema
Chapter 14: Musculoskeletal System Questions
and Answers (100% Correct Answers)
Which description of pain from the patient makes a nurse suspect the patient's pain
is originating from a muscle?
a. "Crampy"
b. "Dull and deep"
c. "Boring and intense"
d. "Sharp upon movement"
Ans: A Muscle pain is often described as "crampy."
A nurse asks a patient to describe his new onset of leg pain. He slept well through
the night, but this morning he suddenly developed pain in his left lower leg that is
red and too painful to touch. Nothing relieves the pain. Based on these data, the
nurse suspects which disorder is causing this pain?
a. Rheumatoid arthritis
b. Osteoarthritis
c. Gout
d. Tendonitis
Ans: C Sudden onset of pain and erythema in the great toe, ankle, and lower leg
suggests gout (also called gouty arthritis).
During a history, the patient reports having gout. Based on this information, what
findings does the nurse anticipate during a focused assessment?
a. Warm, tender, and deformed wrists and peripheral interphalangeal (PIP) joints
bilaterally
b. Edema, warmth, and redness of one great toe and pea-like nodules in the ear lobes
c. Enlarged and tender PIP or distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints on one or several
fingers
d. Tenderness with pronation and supination of the elbow and point tenderness on
the lateral epicondyle
Ans: B This is a description of gout. The pealike nodules are tophi, collections of
uric acid in subcutaneous tissue.
, 2 Inquire through: | Professional | Confidential Support
A patient reports joint pain interfering with sleep and morning joint stiffness for the
first hour after getting out of bed. Considering this report, what abnormal findings
does the nurse anticipate during the examination?
a. Abrupt onset of local tenderness, edema, and decreased range of motion of the
shoulder and hip bilaterally
b. Decreased range of motion of one hip and knee with pain on flexion and crepitus
during movement of these joints
c. Erythema in one great toe, ankle, and lower leg that is painful to the touch
d. Hot, painful, deformed, and edematous wrists and peripheral interphalangeal
joints bilaterally
Ans: D The history and these examination findings are consistent with rheumatoid
arthritis. Joints are involved bilaterally in rheumatoid arthritis because it is a
systemic autoimmune disorder.
In assessing a patient with a history of poliomyelitis, the nurse suspects the right leg
muscles are smaller than the left leg. What is the best approach for the nurse to
confirm or reject this suspicion?
a. Palpating both legs using the pads of the thumb and index fingers and comparing
one side with another
b. Using a tape to measure each leg's circumference at the same location, above or
below the nearest joint
c. Using a goniometer to measure the upper and lower legs with the patient in supine
and standing positions
d. Palpating the legs using the tips of the thumb and index fingers, and comparing
the findings with the Lovett scale
Ans: B This technique is correct, provides a baseline for future comparisons, and
provides measurements for side-to-side comparisons.
In assessing the joint range of motion of a patient's knees, the nurse notices the
flexion is less than expected in both knees. What is the next appropriate action for
the nurse?
a. Documenting this finding as expected for this patient because it occurs in both
knees
b. Palpating the suprapatellar pouch on each side of the quadriceps for contour,
tenderness, and edema
