NURS 190 EXAM / ACTUAL NURS 190 PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
(PA) MIDTERM EXAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE 100 APPROVED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES (100% CORRECT VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) LATEST
UPDATED VERSION 2026 EDITION |GUARANTEED PASS A+
|BRAND NEW! |INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF|WCU
NURS 190 – Physical Assessment Midterm Examination
West Coast University – 2026\2027
Total Questions: 100
Instructions: Select the best answer. Each question has one correct response.
A nurse is preparing to assess a patient’s peripheral pulses. Which technique should the nurse use to
assess the dorsalis pedals pulse?
A) Use the bell of the stethoscope to auscultate the pulse.
B) Palpate the medial malleolus of the ankle.
C) Palpate the lateral side of the ankle.
D) Palpate the dorsum of the foot between the extensor tendons of the great toe.
CORRECT ANSWER: D – Rationale: The dorsalis pedals pulse is located on the dorsum of the foot,
typically between the first and second metatarsals, lateral to the extensor halluces longus tendon.
Options A, B, and C describe incorrect locations or methods.
During a health history interview, a patient reports chest pain that worsens with deep breathing. This
finding is most consistent with which condition?
A) Pericarditis
B) Myocardial infarction
C) Pneumonia
D) Gastroesophageal reflux
CORRECT ANSWER: A – Rationale: Pleuritic chest pain (worse with inspiration) is characteristic of
pericarditis or pleurisy. MI pain is often crushing and constant, pneumonia includes fever/cough, GERD
is burning and postprandial.
,A nurse auscultates a high-pitched, musical sound during expiration in a child with respiratory distress.
How should this finding be documented?
A) Stridor
B) Rhonchi
C) Wheezes
D) Crackles
CORRECT ANSWER: C – Rationale: Wheezes are high-pitched, continuous musical sounds during
expiration (or inspiration) from narrowed airways. Stridor is inspiratory, rhonchi are low-pitched snoring,
crackles are discontinuous.
When performing an abdominal assessment, what is the correct order of techniques?
A) Palpation, percussion, auscultation, inspection
B) Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C) Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D) Percussion, palpation, inspection, auscultation
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: Inspection first (visual observation), then auscultation (bowel sounds),
then percussion (dullness/tympani), then palpation (last to avoid altering bowel sounds).
A patient has a blood pressure reading of 148/92 mm Hg on two separate occasions. This finding is
classified as which stage of hypertension?
A) Elevated
B) Stage 1 hypertension
C) Stage 2 hypertension
D) Hypertensive crisis
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: According to ACC/AHA guidelines, Stage 1 HTN is systolic 130-139 or
diastolic 80-89. 148/92 meets this. Stage 2 is ≥140/90, but note: JNC 8 different; 2026 WCU uses
ACC/AHA: 148/92 = Stage 1 (if confirmed).
Which cranial nerve is assessed by having the patient shrug their shoulders against resistance?
A) CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
, B) CN XI (Spinal accessory)
C) CN X (Valgus)
D) CN XII (Hypoglossal)
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: CN XI innervates trapezius and sternocleidomastoid – shoulder shrug
and head rotation. CN IX for gag, X for speech, XII for tongue movement.
A nurse notes a bluish discoloration of the patient’s nail beds. What is the appropriate term for this
finding?
A) Clubbing
B) Pallor
C) Cyanosis
D) Jaundice
CORRECT ANSWER: C – Rationale: Cyanosis is blue/purple discoloration from reduced hemoglobin.
Clubbing is bulbous fingertips, pallor is pale, jaundice is yellow.
During a respiratory assessment, the nurse identifies decreased tactile fremitus over the right lower
lobe. This finding is most consistent with which condition?
A) Lobar pneumonia
B) Pleural effusion
C) Pulmonary fibrosis
D) Asthma
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: Decreased fremitus occurs when fluid (effusion), air (pneumothorax),
or thickness separates the lung from the chest wall. Pneumonia increases fremitus (consolidation).
A patient’s pupillary light reflex shows constriction of the left pupil when light is shone into the right
eye. How should this be interpreted?
A) Consensual reflex intact
B) Left optic nerve damage
C) Right oculomotor nerve palsy
D) Fixed and dilated pupils
(PA) MIDTERM EXAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE 100 APPROVED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES (100% CORRECT VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) LATEST
UPDATED VERSION 2026 EDITION |GUARANTEED PASS A+
|BRAND NEW! |INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF|WCU
NURS 190 – Physical Assessment Midterm Examination
West Coast University – 2026\2027
Total Questions: 100
Instructions: Select the best answer. Each question has one correct response.
A nurse is preparing to assess a patient’s peripheral pulses. Which technique should the nurse use to
assess the dorsalis pedals pulse?
A) Use the bell of the stethoscope to auscultate the pulse.
B) Palpate the medial malleolus of the ankle.
C) Palpate the lateral side of the ankle.
D) Palpate the dorsum of the foot between the extensor tendons of the great toe.
CORRECT ANSWER: D – Rationale: The dorsalis pedals pulse is located on the dorsum of the foot,
typically between the first and second metatarsals, lateral to the extensor halluces longus tendon.
Options A, B, and C describe incorrect locations or methods.
During a health history interview, a patient reports chest pain that worsens with deep breathing. This
finding is most consistent with which condition?
A) Pericarditis
B) Myocardial infarction
C) Pneumonia
D) Gastroesophageal reflux
CORRECT ANSWER: A – Rationale: Pleuritic chest pain (worse with inspiration) is characteristic of
pericarditis or pleurisy. MI pain is often crushing and constant, pneumonia includes fever/cough, GERD
is burning and postprandial.
,A nurse auscultates a high-pitched, musical sound during expiration in a child with respiratory distress.
How should this finding be documented?
A) Stridor
B) Rhonchi
C) Wheezes
D) Crackles
CORRECT ANSWER: C – Rationale: Wheezes are high-pitched, continuous musical sounds during
expiration (or inspiration) from narrowed airways. Stridor is inspiratory, rhonchi are low-pitched snoring,
crackles are discontinuous.
When performing an abdominal assessment, what is the correct order of techniques?
A) Palpation, percussion, auscultation, inspection
B) Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C) Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D) Percussion, palpation, inspection, auscultation
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: Inspection first (visual observation), then auscultation (bowel sounds),
then percussion (dullness/tympani), then palpation (last to avoid altering bowel sounds).
A patient has a blood pressure reading of 148/92 mm Hg on two separate occasions. This finding is
classified as which stage of hypertension?
A) Elevated
B) Stage 1 hypertension
C) Stage 2 hypertension
D) Hypertensive crisis
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: According to ACC/AHA guidelines, Stage 1 HTN is systolic 130-139 or
diastolic 80-89. 148/92 meets this. Stage 2 is ≥140/90, but note: JNC 8 different; 2026 WCU uses
ACC/AHA: 148/92 = Stage 1 (if confirmed).
Which cranial nerve is assessed by having the patient shrug their shoulders against resistance?
A) CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
, B) CN XI (Spinal accessory)
C) CN X (Valgus)
D) CN XII (Hypoglossal)
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: CN XI innervates trapezius and sternocleidomastoid – shoulder shrug
and head rotation. CN IX for gag, X for speech, XII for tongue movement.
A nurse notes a bluish discoloration of the patient’s nail beds. What is the appropriate term for this
finding?
A) Clubbing
B) Pallor
C) Cyanosis
D) Jaundice
CORRECT ANSWER: C – Rationale: Cyanosis is blue/purple discoloration from reduced hemoglobin.
Clubbing is bulbous fingertips, pallor is pale, jaundice is yellow.
During a respiratory assessment, the nurse identifies decreased tactile fremitus over the right lower
lobe. This finding is most consistent with which condition?
A) Lobar pneumonia
B) Pleural effusion
C) Pulmonary fibrosis
D) Asthma
CORRECT ANSWER: B – Rationale: Decreased fremitus occurs when fluid (effusion), air (pneumothorax),
or thickness separates the lung from the chest wall. Pneumonia increases fremitus (consolidation).
A patient’s pupillary light reflex shows constriction of the left pupil when light is shone into the right
eye. How should this be interpreted?
A) Consensual reflex intact
B) Left optic nerve damage
C) Right oculomotor nerve palsy
D) Fixed and dilated pupils
