NURS6512 ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT FINAL EXAM
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (2026/2027)
1. How do you palpate the lymph nodes of the head and neck, and what is a
normal finding?
Palpate the preauricular, postauricular, occipital, tonsillar, submandibular,
submental, anterior cervical, posterior cervical, and supraclavicular nodes;
normal finding is no enlargements and equal bilaterally.
2. How is the motor and sensory function of Cranial Nerve 5 (Trigeminal)
assessed?
Motor is tested by palpating the masseter muscle while the patient clenches their
jaw; sensory is tested by light touch to the forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose with
the patient's eyes closed.
3. How do you inspect for Cranial Nerve 7 (Facial) intactness?
Inspect for facial symmetry while the patient smiles, frowns, raises eyebrows,
puffs cheeks, and puckers lips.
4. What is the procedure and normal finding for inspecting the auditory canal and
tympanic membrane?
Pull the pinna up and back and use an otoscope; normal finding is a clear canal
without swelling or drainage and a pearly gray tympanic membrane without
effusion.
5. How is Cranial Nerve 8 (Acoustic) tested?
Perform the Whisper Test by whispering three words out of the patient's sight in
one ear at a time.
6. How do you assess peripheral vision for Cranial Nerve 2 (Optic)?
Stand at eye level and move hands from beside, above, and below the patient
until they identify seeing them.
7. How is pupillary response (PERRL) assessed for Cranial Nerve 2?
, Use an ophthalmoscope or light source, have the patient stare at your nose, and
bring the light in from the side; normal pupils are 2–3mm and responsive.
8. How do you test Cranial Nerves 3 (Oculomotor), 4 (Trochlear), and 6
(Abducens)?
Test for conjugate gaze and extraocular movements (EOM) by having the
patient follow an "H" pattern with only their eyes.
9. What is the purpose and normal finding of a fundoscopic exam?
Assess the blood vessels of the eye; normal findings include round and sharp
disc margins with no AV nicking, exudate, or hemorrhages.
10.How are the nasal turbinates and septum assessed?
Lift the tip of the nose with a light source; normal findings are pink, moist
turbinates and a midline, straight septum.
11.How do you assess the frontal and maxillary sinuses?
Palpate the areas over the sinuses to check for tenderness.
12.What structures are inspected during the oral exam and what are the normal
findings?
Inspect lips, teeth, gums, mucosa, palate, tongue, floor of mouth, pharynx, and
tonsils; findings should be pink, moist, and free of decay or nodules, with
tonsils graded (e.g., Grade 1).
13.How are Cranial Nerves 9 (Glossopharyngeal) and 10 (Vagus) assessed?
Have the patient say "Ahh" to see if the uvula rises symmetrically (CN 10) and
verbalize the name of CN 9.
14.How do you test Cranial Nerve 12 (Hypoglossal)?
Have the patient stick out their tongue and move it from left to right.
15.How is the trachea assessed?
Palpate the trachea to ensure it is midline.
16.What is the procedure for palpating the thyroid gland?
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (2026/2027)
1. How do you palpate the lymph nodes of the head and neck, and what is a
normal finding?
Palpate the preauricular, postauricular, occipital, tonsillar, submandibular,
submental, anterior cervical, posterior cervical, and supraclavicular nodes;
normal finding is no enlargements and equal bilaterally.
2. How is the motor and sensory function of Cranial Nerve 5 (Trigeminal)
assessed?
Motor is tested by palpating the masseter muscle while the patient clenches their
jaw; sensory is tested by light touch to the forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose with
the patient's eyes closed.
3. How do you inspect for Cranial Nerve 7 (Facial) intactness?
Inspect for facial symmetry while the patient smiles, frowns, raises eyebrows,
puffs cheeks, and puckers lips.
4. What is the procedure and normal finding for inspecting the auditory canal and
tympanic membrane?
Pull the pinna up and back and use an otoscope; normal finding is a clear canal
without swelling or drainage and a pearly gray tympanic membrane without
effusion.
5. How is Cranial Nerve 8 (Acoustic) tested?
Perform the Whisper Test by whispering three words out of the patient's sight in
one ear at a time.
6. How do you assess peripheral vision for Cranial Nerve 2 (Optic)?
Stand at eye level and move hands from beside, above, and below the patient
until they identify seeing them.
7. How is pupillary response (PERRL) assessed for Cranial Nerve 2?
, Use an ophthalmoscope or light source, have the patient stare at your nose, and
bring the light in from the side; normal pupils are 2–3mm and responsive.
8. How do you test Cranial Nerves 3 (Oculomotor), 4 (Trochlear), and 6
(Abducens)?
Test for conjugate gaze and extraocular movements (EOM) by having the
patient follow an "H" pattern with only their eyes.
9. What is the purpose and normal finding of a fundoscopic exam?
Assess the blood vessels of the eye; normal findings include round and sharp
disc margins with no AV nicking, exudate, or hemorrhages.
10.How are the nasal turbinates and septum assessed?
Lift the tip of the nose with a light source; normal findings are pink, moist
turbinates and a midline, straight septum.
11.How do you assess the frontal and maxillary sinuses?
Palpate the areas over the sinuses to check for tenderness.
12.What structures are inspected during the oral exam and what are the normal
findings?
Inspect lips, teeth, gums, mucosa, palate, tongue, floor of mouth, pharynx, and
tonsils; findings should be pink, moist, and free of decay or nodules, with
tonsils graded (e.g., Grade 1).
13.How are Cranial Nerves 9 (Glossopharyngeal) and 10 (Vagus) assessed?
Have the patient say "Ahh" to see if the uvula rises symmetrically (CN 10) and
verbalize the name of CN 9.
14.How do you test Cranial Nerve 12 (Hypoglossal)?
Have the patient stick out their tongue and move it from left to right.
15.How is the trachea assessed?
Palpate the trachea to ensure it is midline.
16.What is the procedure for palpating the thyroid gland?
