NR 304 Health Assessment II Exam 1
Assessment 1| Chamberlain University
Verified Questions & Answers, with rationales
2026/2027 Latest Update | Newly Released
Q1: A nurse is collecting a health history from a new patient. Which question best utilizes open-
ended questioning to encourage the patient to describe their present illness?
A: "Do you have pain in your chest?"
B: "Have you taken any medication for this?"
C: "Can you tell me more about what brought you to the hospital today?" [CORRECT]
D: "Is the pain sharp or dull?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to elaborate on their experience without
restricting them to a "yes" or "no" answer, providing richer data for the history of present illness
(HPI).
Q2: When documenting the review of systems (ROS), the nurse notes that the patient reports "no
chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations." In which section of the chart should this
information be recorded?
A: History of Present Illness (HPI)
B: Past Medical History (PMH)
C: Review of Systems (ROS) [CORRECT]
D: Social History
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ROS is a systematic review of symptoms organized by body system.
Documenting the absence of specific symptoms is a standard part of the ROS.
,Q3: A nurse is assessing a patient from a different cultural background who avoids eye contact
during the interview. What is the most appropriate nursing action?
A: Ask the patient why they will not look at the nurse.
B: Gently instruct the patient that eye contact is necessary for communication.
C: Respect the cultural difference and proceed with the interview. [CORRECT]
D: Document that the patient appears deceptive.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In many cultures, avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect, not dishonesty or
disinterest. The nurse must demonstrate cultural competence and respect these norms.
Q4: Which component of the health history focuses on the patient's lifestyle habits, such as
smoking, alcohol use, and exercise?
A: Past Medical History
B: Family History
C: Social History [CORRECT]
D: Functional Assessment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Social History includes information about the patient's lifestyle, occupation,
hobbies, and habits (smoking, alcohol, substance use), which significantly impact health risks.
Q5: A nurse is using the "OLD CARTS" mnemonic to assess a patient's pain. What does the "T"
stand for?
A: Temperature
B: Timing [CORRECT]
C: Tenderness
D: Texture
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: OLD CARTS stands for Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, and Severity. Timing refers to when the pain
occurs (e.g., constant, intermittent).
Q6: During a physical examination, the nurse notices a discrepancy between what the patient
says and what the medical records state. What is the best action to validate this data?
A: Ignore the discrepancy and document the patient's current statement.
B: Ask the patient, "I noticed some information differs from your previous records; can we
clarify this?" [CORRECT]
C: Assume the medical records are correct.
D: Confront the patient about lying.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Validation involves confirming data accuracy. Asking the patient in a non-judgmental
way clarifies the discrepancy and ensures the history is accurate.
Q7: When performing a general survey, which assessment technique does the nurse use first?
A: Palpation
B: Inspection [CORRECT]
C: Percussion
D: Auscultation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Inspection is always the first technique used in physical assessment, followed by
palpation, percussion, and auscultation (except for the abdomen, where inspection, auscultation,
percussion, palpation is the sequence).
Q8: A nurse is preparing to measure orthostatic vital signs. What is the correct sequence of
measurements?
A: Lying, Sitting, Standing
B: Sitting, Lying, Standing
C: Standing, Sitting, Lying
D: Lying, Standing, Sitting
Assessment 1| Chamberlain University
Verified Questions & Answers, with rationales
2026/2027 Latest Update | Newly Released
Q1: A nurse is collecting a health history from a new patient. Which question best utilizes open-
ended questioning to encourage the patient to describe their present illness?
A: "Do you have pain in your chest?"
B: "Have you taken any medication for this?"
C: "Can you tell me more about what brought you to the hospital today?" [CORRECT]
D: "Is the pain sharp or dull?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to elaborate on their experience without
restricting them to a "yes" or "no" answer, providing richer data for the history of present illness
(HPI).
Q2: When documenting the review of systems (ROS), the nurse notes that the patient reports "no
chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations." In which section of the chart should this
information be recorded?
A: History of Present Illness (HPI)
B: Past Medical History (PMH)
C: Review of Systems (ROS) [CORRECT]
D: Social History
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ROS is a systematic review of symptoms organized by body system.
Documenting the absence of specific symptoms is a standard part of the ROS.
,Q3: A nurse is assessing a patient from a different cultural background who avoids eye contact
during the interview. What is the most appropriate nursing action?
A: Ask the patient why they will not look at the nurse.
B: Gently instruct the patient that eye contact is necessary for communication.
C: Respect the cultural difference and proceed with the interview. [CORRECT]
D: Document that the patient appears deceptive.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In many cultures, avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect, not dishonesty or
disinterest. The nurse must demonstrate cultural competence and respect these norms.
Q4: Which component of the health history focuses on the patient's lifestyle habits, such as
smoking, alcohol use, and exercise?
A: Past Medical History
B: Family History
C: Social History [CORRECT]
D: Functional Assessment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Social History includes information about the patient's lifestyle, occupation,
hobbies, and habits (smoking, alcohol, substance use), which significantly impact health risks.
Q5: A nurse is using the "OLD CARTS" mnemonic to assess a patient's pain. What does the "T"
stand for?
A: Temperature
B: Timing [CORRECT]
C: Tenderness
D: Texture
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: OLD CARTS stands for Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, and Severity. Timing refers to when the pain
occurs (e.g., constant, intermittent).
Q6: During a physical examination, the nurse notices a discrepancy between what the patient
says and what the medical records state. What is the best action to validate this data?
A: Ignore the discrepancy and document the patient's current statement.
B: Ask the patient, "I noticed some information differs from your previous records; can we
clarify this?" [CORRECT]
C: Assume the medical records are correct.
D: Confront the patient about lying.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Validation involves confirming data accuracy. Asking the patient in a non-judgmental
way clarifies the discrepancy and ensures the history is accurate.
Q7: When performing a general survey, which assessment technique does the nurse use first?
A: Palpation
B: Inspection [CORRECT]
C: Percussion
D: Auscultation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Inspection is always the first technique used in physical assessment, followed by
palpation, percussion, and auscultation (except for the abdomen, where inspection, auscultation,
percussion, palpation is the sequence).
Q8: A nurse is preparing to measure orthostatic vital signs. What is the correct sequence of
measurements?
A: Lying, Sitting, Standing
B: Sitting, Lying, Standing
C: Standing, Sitting, Lying
D: Lying, Standing, Sitting
