A+ Health Assessment South University
1. For which of the following patients would a comprehensive health history be
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appropriate?
A) Anew patient with the chief complaint of ―I sprained my ankle‖
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B) An establishedpatientwith the chief complaint of ―I have an upper respiratory
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infection‖
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C) Anew patientwith the chiefcomplaint of ―I am here to establish care‖
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D) Anew patientwith the chiefcomplaint of ―I cut my hand‖
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Ans: C
Feedback:
This patient is here to establish care, and because she is new to you, a comprehensive
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health history is appropriate.
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2. The components of the health history include all of the following except which one?
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A) Review of systems 22 22
B) Thorax and lungs 22 22
C) Present illness 22
D) Personal and social items 22 22 22
Ans: B
Feedback:
The thorax and lungs are part of the physical examination, not part of the health history.
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The others answers are all part of a complete health history.
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3. Is the following information subjective or objective?
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Mr. M. has shortness of breath that has persisted for the past 10 days; it is worse with
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activity and relieved by rest.
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A) Subjective
B) Objective
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,Ans: A
Feedback:
This is information given by the patient about the circumstances of his chief complaint.
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2It does not represent an objective observation by the examiner.
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4. Is the following information subjective or objective?
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Mr. M. has a respiratory rate of 32 and a pulse rate of 120.
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A) Subjective
B) Objective
Ans: B
Feedback:
This is a measurement obtained by the examiner, so it is considered objective data.
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The patient is unlikely to be able to give this information to the examiner.
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5. The following information is recorded in the health history: ―The patient has had
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abdominal pain for 1 week. The pain lasts for 30 minutes at a time; it comes and
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goes. The severity is 7 to 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. It is accompanied by nausea and
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vomiting. It is located in the mid-epigastric area.‖
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Which of these categories does it belong to? 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
A) Chief complaint 22
B) Present illness 22
C) Personal and social history 22 22 22
D) Review of systems 22 22
Ans: B
Feedback:
This information describes the problem of abdominal pain, which is the present
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illness. The interviewer has obtained the location, timing, severity, and associated
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manifestations of the pain. The interviewer will still need to obtain information
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concerning the quality of the pain, the setting in which it occurred, and the factors
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that aggravate and alleviate the pain. You will notice that it does include portions of the
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pertinent review of systems, but because it relates directly to the complaint, it is
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included in the history of present illness. 22 22 22 22 22 22
6. The following information is recorded in the health history: ―The patient completed 8th
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grade. He currently lives with his wife and two children. He works on old cars on the
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weekend. He works in a glass factory during the week.‖
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Which category does it belong to? 22 22 22 22 22
A) Chief complaint 22
B) Present illness 22
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,C) Personal and social history 22 22 22
D) Review of systems 22 22
Ans: C
Feedback:
Personal and social history information includes educational level, family of origin,
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current household status, personal interests, employment, religious beliefs, military
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history, and lifestyle (including diet and exercise habits; use of alcohol, tobacco, and/ or
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drugs; and sexual preferences and history). All of this information is documented
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in this example.
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7. Thefollowing informationis recorded in the health history: ―I feel reallytired.‖
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Which category does it belong to? 22 22 22 22 22
A) Chief complaint 22
B) Present illness 22
C) Personal and social history 22 22 22
D) Review of systems 22 22
Ans: A
Feedback:
The chief complaint is an attempt to quote the patient's own words, as long as they are
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suitable to print. It is brief, like a headline, and further details should be sought in the
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present illness section. The above information is a chief complaint.
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8. The following information is recorded in the health history: ―Patient denies chest pain,
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palpitations, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.‖
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Which category does it belong to? 22 22 22 22 22
A) Chief complaint 22
B) Present illness 22
C) Personal and social history 22 22 22
D) Review of systems 22 22
Ans: D
Feedback:
Review of systems documents the presence or absence of common symptoms related to
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each major body system. The absence of cardiac symptoms is listed in the above
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example.
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9. The following information is best placed in which category?
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―The patient has had three cesarean sections.‖
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A) Adult illnesses 22
B) Surgeries
C) Obstetrics/gynecology
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, D) Psychiatric
Ans: B
Feedback:
Acesareansection is a surgical procedure.Approximate dates or the age of the patient
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at the time of the surgery should also be recorded.
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10. The following information is best placed in which category?
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―Thepatienthad a stent placed in the left anterior descending artery(LAD) in 1999.‖
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A) Adult illnesses 22
B) Surgeries
C) Obstetrics/gynecology
D) Psychiatric
Ans: A
Feedback:
The adult illnesses category is reserved for chronic illnesses, significant
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hospitalizations, significantinjuries, and significant procedures.A stent is a major
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procedure but does not involve a surgeon.
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11. The following information is best placed in which category?
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―Thepatientwas treated for an asthma exacerbationin the hospital last year;the
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patient has never been intubated.‖ 22 22 22 22
A) Adult illnesses 22
B) Surgeries
C) Obstetrics/gynecology
D) Psychiatric
Ans: A
Feedback:
This is information about a significant hospitalization and should be placed in the
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adult illnesses section. If the patient is being seen for an asthma exacerbation, you
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may consider placing this information in the present illness section, because it relates
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to the chief complaint at that visit.
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1. Apatient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with
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breathing. Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
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A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine
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