NR 302 Health Assessment I Final Exam Practice Questions 2026
|Chamberlain College
1. When performing a physical assessment, what is the standard order of
examination techniques for most body systems?
A. Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection
B. Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
Answer: D
Rationale: The standard sequence for physical assessment is Inspection, Palpation,
Percussion, and Auscultation (IPPA). The exception is the abdominal assessment.
2. Which sequence is correct when assessing the abdomen?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
C. Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection
D. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
Answer: B
Rationale: For the abdomen, auscultation is performed before percussion and palpation to
avoid stimulating bowel sounds that were not originally present.
,3. The nurse is using the ‘PQRST’ mnemonic to assess a patient’s pain. What
does the ‘Q’ stand for?
A. Quantity of pain
B. Quelling factors
C. Quality of pain
D. Quickness of onset
Answer: C
Rationale: In the PQRST pain assessment mnemonic, Q stands for Quality or Quantity (e.g.,
sharp, dull, stabbing).
4. A patient’s pulse is described as ‘weak and thready.’ How would the nurse
document this on a 0 to 3+ scale?
A. 1+
B. 0
C. 2+
D. 3+
Answer: A
Rationale: On a standard scale: 0 is absent, 1+ is weak/thready, 2+ is normal, and 3+ is
full/bounding.
5. When assessing the skin of a dark-skinned patient for jaundice, where is the
best place to look?
A. The dorsal surface of the hand
B. Sclera and hard palate
C. The abdomen
D. The nail beds
Answer: B
Rationale: Jaundice in dark-skinned individuals is best observed in the sclera (near the
limbus) and the hard palate of the mouth.
, 6. What is the correct technique for using a stethoscope’s bell?
A. Press it firmly against the skin to hear high-pitched sounds
B. Apply heavy pressure to eliminate ambient noise
C. Hold it lightly against the skin to hear low-pitched sounds
D. Use it exclusively for lung sound assessment
Answer: C
Rationale: The bell is designed for low-pitched sounds (like murmurs or bruits) and
should be held lightly against the skin. Firm pressure turns the bell into a diaphragm.
7. A nurse finds a patient’s capillary refill to be 5 seconds. What does this finding
indicate?
A. Dehydration or poor peripheral perfusion
B. Adequate oxygen saturation
C. Normal peripheral circulation
D. High cardiac output
Answer: A
Rationale: Normal capillary refill is less than 2 to 3 seconds. A delay (5 seconds) suggests
poor perfusion or dehydration.
8. While assessing the lungs, the nurse hears high-pitched, musical sounds
primarily during expiration. These are documented as:
A. Crackles
B. Wheezes
C. Rhonchi
D. Pleural friction rub
Answer: B
Rationale: Wheezes are continuous, high-pitched musical sounds caused by air flowing
through narrowed passages, often heard in asthma.
|Chamberlain College
1. When performing a physical assessment, what is the standard order of
examination techniques for most body systems?
A. Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection
B. Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
Answer: D
Rationale: The standard sequence for physical assessment is Inspection, Palpation,
Percussion, and Auscultation (IPPA). The exception is the abdominal assessment.
2. Which sequence is correct when assessing the abdomen?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
C. Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection
D. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
Answer: B
Rationale: For the abdomen, auscultation is performed before percussion and palpation to
avoid stimulating bowel sounds that were not originally present.
,3. The nurse is using the ‘PQRST’ mnemonic to assess a patient’s pain. What
does the ‘Q’ stand for?
A. Quantity of pain
B. Quelling factors
C. Quality of pain
D. Quickness of onset
Answer: C
Rationale: In the PQRST pain assessment mnemonic, Q stands for Quality or Quantity (e.g.,
sharp, dull, stabbing).
4. A patient’s pulse is described as ‘weak and thready.’ How would the nurse
document this on a 0 to 3+ scale?
A. 1+
B. 0
C. 2+
D. 3+
Answer: A
Rationale: On a standard scale: 0 is absent, 1+ is weak/thready, 2+ is normal, and 3+ is
full/bounding.
5. When assessing the skin of a dark-skinned patient for jaundice, where is the
best place to look?
A. The dorsal surface of the hand
B. Sclera and hard palate
C. The abdomen
D. The nail beds
Answer: B
Rationale: Jaundice in dark-skinned individuals is best observed in the sclera (near the
limbus) and the hard palate of the mouth.
, 6. What is the correct technique for using a stethoscope’s bell?
A. Press it firmly against the skin to hear high-pitched sounds
B. Apply heavy pressure to eliminate ambient noise
C. Hold it lightly against the skin to hear low-pitched sounds
D. Use it exclusively for lung sound assessment
Answer: C
Rationale: The bell is designed for low-pitched sounds (like murmurs or bruits) and
should be held lightly against the skin. Firm pressure turns the bell into a diaphragm.
7. A nurse finds a patient’s capillary refill to be 5 seconds. What does this finding
indicate?
A. Dehydration or poor peripheral perfusion
B. Adequate oxygen saturation
C. Normal peripheral circulation
D. High cardiac output
Answer: A
Rationale: Normal capillary refill is less than 2 to 3 seconds. A delay (5 seconds) suggests
poor perfusion or dehydration.
8. While assessing the lungs, the nurse hears high-pitched, musical sounds
primarily during expiration. These are documented as:
A. Crackles
B. Wheezes
C. Rhonchi
D. Pleural friction rub
Answer: B
Rationale: Wheezes are continuous, high-pitched musical sounds caused by air flowing
through narrowed passages, often heard in asthma.
