ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT 2026
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT FULL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
◉All of the following are a common or concerning symptom in a
health history for a respiratory assessment EXCEPT?
A) palpitations
B) blood-streaked sputum
C) chest pain
D) snoring. Answer: A) palpitations
Chest pain, blood-streaked sputum, and snoring are all common or
concerning symptoms in a health history for respiratory assessment.
◉A 29-year-old physical therapist presents for evaluation of an
eyelid problem. On observation, the right eyeball appears to be
protruding forward. Based on this description, what is the most
likely diagnosis?
A) Epicanthus
B) Ptosis
C) Exophthalmos
,D) Ectropion. Answer: C) Exophthalmos
Eye protrusion (proptosis or exophthalmos)
◉The nurse practitioner is performing an eye examination using the
ophthalmoscope. Which component is NOT part of the
ophthalmoscope?
A) lens disc
B) aperature
C) indicator of diopters
D) speculum. Answer: D) speculum
See picture of ophthalmoscope (Bates p 238)
◉A 15-year-old high school sophomore presents to the emergency
room with his mother for evaluation of an area of blood in the left
eye. He denies trauma or injury but has been coughing forcefully
with a recent cold. He denies visual disturbances, eye pain, or
discharge from the eye. On physical examination, the pupils are
equal, round, and reactive to light, with a visual acuity of 20/20 in
each eye and 20/20 bilaterally. There is a homogeneous, sharply
demarcated area at the lateral aspect of the base of the left eye. The
cornea is clear. Based on this description, what is the most likely
diagnosis?
A) Conjunctivitis
,B) Acute iritis
C) Corneal abrasion
D) Subconjunctival hemorrhage. Answer: D) Subconjunctival
hemorrhage
Leakage of blood outside of the vessels, producing a homogenous,
sharply demarcated, red area. The pupil is not affected, vision is not
affected and the cornea is clear. May result from trauma, bleeding
disorders, or sudden increase in venous pressure, as from a cough.
◉The nurse practitioner is reviewing for a class in age-related
changes in the eye. Which of these physiological changes is
responsible for presbyopia?
A) degeneration of the cornea
B) decreased adaptation to darkness
C) decreased distance vision abilities
D) loss of lens elasticity. Answer: D) loss of lens elasticity
The lens gradually loses its elasticity, and the eye grows
progressively less able to accommodate and focus on nearby objects.
Ensuing presbyopia usually becomes noticeable during the fifth
decade. (Bates, p 959, 991)
, ◉Mr. Q. is a 45-year-old salesman who comes to your office for
evaluation of fatigue. He has come to the office many times in the
past with a variety of injuries, and you suspect that he has a problem
with alcohol. Which one of the following questions will be most
helpful in diagnosing this problem?
A) You are an alcoholic, aren't you?
B) When was your last drink?
C) Do you drink 2 to 3 beers every weekend?
D) Do you drink alcohol when you are supposed to be working?.
Answer: B) When was your last drink?
Positive answers to two additional questions are highly suspicious
for problem drinking: "Have you every had a drinking problem?" and
"When was your last drink?" especially if the night before (Bates, p
96-97)
◉A patient's vision is recorded as 20/30 when the Snellen eye chart
is used. The nurse interprets these results to indicate that:
A) the patient can read at 20 feet what a person with normal vision
can read at 30 feet.
B) at 30 feet the patient can read the entire chart.
C) the patient can read the chart from 20 feet in the left eye and 30
feet in the right eye,
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT FULL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
◉All of the following are a common or concerning symptom in a
health history for a respiratory assessment EXCEPT?
A) palpitations
B) blood-streaked sputum
C) chest pain
D) snoring. Answer: A) palpitations
Chest pain, blood-streaked sputum, and snoring are all common or
concerning symptoms in a health history for respiratory assessment.
◉A 29-year-old physical therapist presents for evaluation of an
eyelid problem. On observation, the right eyeball appears to be
protruding forward. Based on this description, what is the most
likely diagnosis?
A) Epicanthus
B) Ptosis
C) Exophthalmos
,D) Ectropion. Answer: C) Exophthalmos
Eye protrusion (proptosis or exophthalmos)
◉The nurse practitioner is performing an eye examination using the
ophthalmoscope. Which component is NOT part of the
ophthalmoscope?
A) lens disc
B) aperature
C) indicator of diopters
D) speculum. Answer: D) speculum
See picture of ophthalmoscope (Bates p 238)
◉A 15-year-old high school sophomore presents to the emergency
room with his mother for evaluation of an area of blood in the left
eye. He denies trauma or injury but has been coughing forcefully
with a recent cold. He denies visual disturbances, eye pain, or
discharge from the eye. On physical examination, the pupils are
equal, round, and reactive to light, with a visual acuity of 20/20 in
each eye and 20/20 bilaterally. There is a homogeneous, sharply
demarcated area at the lateral aspect of the base of the left eye. The
cornea is clear. Based on this description, what is the most likely
diagnosis?
A) Conjunctivitis
,B) Acute iritis
C) Corneal abrasion
D) Subconjunctival hemorrhage. Answer: D) Subconjunctival
hemorrhage
Leakage of blood outside of the vessels, producing a homogenous,
sharply demarcated, red area. The pupil is not affected, vision is not
affected and the cornea is clear. May result from trauma, bleeding
disorders, or sudden increase in venous pressure, as from a cough.
◉The nurse practitioner is reviewing for a class in age-related
changes in the eye. Which of these physiological changes is
responsible for presbyopia?
A) degeneration of the cornea
B) decreased adaptation to darkness
C) decreased distance vision abilities
D) loss of lens elasticity. Answer: D) loss of lens elasticity
The lens gradually loses its elasticity, and the eye grows
progressively less able to accommodate and focus on nearby objects.
Ensuing presbyopia usually becomes noticeable during the fifth
decade. (Bates, p 959, 991)
, ◉Mr. Q. is a 45-year-old salesman who comes to your office for
evaluation of fatigue. He has come to the office many times in the
past with a variety of injuries, and you suspect that he has a problem
with alcohol. Which one of the following questions will be most
helpful in diagnosing this problem?
A) You are an alcoholic, aren't you?
B) When was your last drink?
C) Do you drink 2 to 3 beers every weekend?
D) Do you drink alcohol when you are supposed to be working?.
Answer: B) When was your last drink?
Positive answers to two additional questions are highly suspicious
for problem drinking: "Have you every had a drinking problem?" and
"When was your last drink?" especially if the night before (Bates, p
96-97)
◉A patient's vision is recorded as 20/30 when the Snellen eye chart
is used. The nurse interprets these results to indicate that:
A) the patient can read at 20 feet what a person with normal vision
can read at 30 feet.
B) at 30 feet the patient can read the entire chart.
C) the patient can read the chart from 20 feet in the left eye and 30
feet in the right eye,
