Galen NSG 3160 Exam 3 – Health Assessment – (2026) Actual Questions &
Answers.
🫀 Cardiac & Vascular Assessment (Questions 1-35)
Q1. The nurse is assessing heart sounds and hears a murmur at the second
intercostal space, right sternal border during systole. Which heart valve is most
likely affected?
A. Mitral valve
B. Tricuspid valve
C. Aortic valve
D. Pulmonic valve
Answer: C. Aortic valve
Rationale: The aortic valve is best auscultated at the second intercostal space,
right sternal border. A systolic murmur in this area suggests aortic stenosis, where
the valve does not fully open, restricting blood flow from the left ventricle to the
aorta.
Q2. The nurse auscultates a high-pitched, blowing diastolic murmur at the left
sternal border (2nd intercostal space). Which valve disorder is most likely?
A. Aortic regurgitation
B. Pulmonic stenosis
,C. Mitral stenosis
D. Tricuspid stenosis
Answer: A. Aortic regurgitation
Rationale: Aortic regurgitation causes a diastolic murmur heard best at the
second intercostal space, left sternal border. This is due to the backflow of blood
from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole.
Q3. A patient with mitral valve stenosis is most likely to develop which
complication?
A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
B. Left ventricular hypertrophy
C. Pulmonary congestion
D. Decreased right atrial pressure
Answer: A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
Rationale: Mitral stenosis impedes blood flow from the left atrium to the left
ventricle, causing blood to back up into the pulmonary circulation. This increased
pressure leads to pulmonary hypertension and, eventually, right ventricular
hypertrophy as the right ventricle works harder to pump blood into the lungs.
,Q4. Which valve disorder is most commonly associated with rheumatic heart
disease?
A. Aortic stenosis
B. Mitral stenosis
C. Pulmonic regurgitation
D. Tricuspid regurgitation
Answer: B. Mitral stenosis
Rationale: Mitral stenosis is the most common valvular complication of rheumatic
heart disease. Rheumatic fever causes inflammation and scarring of the mitral
valve, leading to thickening and narrowing that impedes blood flow.
Q5. The nurse is assessing a patient with pulmonary valve stenosis. Which finding
would be expected?
A. Increased right atrial pressure
B. Bounding pulses
C. Hypertension
D. Widened pulse pressure
Answer: A. Increased right atrial pressure
, Rationale: Pulmonary stenosis causes obstruction of blood flow from the right
ventricle to the pulmonary artery. This leads to right ventricular hypertrophy and
increased right atrial pressure, manifesting as jugular vein distension (JVD),
hepatomegaly, and peripheral edema.
Q6. Where does the nurse auscultate for the aortic valve?
A. 2nd intercostal space, left sternal border
B. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
C. 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
D. 4th intercostal space, left sternal border
Answer: B. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
Rationale: The aortic valve is best heard at the 2nd intercostal space, right sternal
margin (aortic area).
Q7. Where does the nurse auscultate for the pulmonic valve?
A. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
B. 2nd intercostal space, left sternal margin
C. 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
D. 4th intercostal space, left sternal border
Answers.
🫀 Cardiac & Vascular Assessment (Questions 1-35)
Q1. The nurse is assessing heart sounds and hears a murmur at the second
intercostal space, right sternal border during systole. Which heart valve is most
likely affected?
A. Mitral valve
B. Tricuspid valve
C. Aortic valve
D. Pulmonic valve
Answer: C. Aortic valve
Rationale: The aortic valve is best auscultated at the second intercostal space,
right sternal border. A systolic murmur in this area suggests aortic stenosis, where
the valve does not fully open, restricting blood flow from the left ventricle to the
aorta.
Q2. The nurse auscultates a high-pitched, blowing diastolic murmur at the left
sternal border (2nd intercostal space). Which valve disorder is most likely?
A. Aortic regurgitation
B. Pulmonic stenosis
,C. Mitral stenosis
D. Tricuspid stenosis
Answer: A. Aortic regurgitation
Rationale: Aortic regurgitation causes a diastolic murmur heard best at the
second intercostal space, left sternal border. This is due to the backflow of blood
from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole.
Q3. A patient with mitral valve stenosis is most likely to develop which
complication?
A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
B. Left ventricular hypertrophy
C. Pulmonary congestion
D. Decreased right atrial pressure
Answer: A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
Rationale: Mitral stenosis impedes blood flow from the left atrium to the left
ventricle, causing blood to back up into the pulmonary circulation. This increased
pressure leads to pulmonary hypertension and, eventually, right ventricular
hypertrophy as the right ventricle works harder to pump blood into the lungs.
,Q4. Which valve disorder is most commonly associated with rheumatic heart
disease?
A. Aortic stenosis
B. Mitral stenosis
C. Pulmonic regurgitation
D. Tricuspid regurgitation
Answer: B. Mitral stenosis
Rationale: Mitral stenosis is the most common valvular complication of rheumatic
heart disease. Rheumatic fever causes inflammation and scarring of the mitral
valve, leading to thickening and narrowing that impedes blood flow.
Q5. The nurse is assessing a patient with pulmonary valve stenosis. Which finding
would be expected?
A. Increased right atrial pressure
B. Bounding pulses
C. Hypertension
D. Widened pulse pressure
Answer: A. Increased right atrial pressure
, Rationale: Pulmonary stenosis causes obstruction of blood flow from the right
ventricle to the pulmonary artery. This leads to right ventricular hypertrophy and
increased right atrial pressure, manifesting as jugular vein distension (JVD),
hepatomegaly, and peripheral edema.
Q6. Where does the nurse auscultate for the aortic valve?
A. 2nd intercostal space, left sternal border
B. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
C. 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
D. 4th intercostal space, left sternal border
Answer: B. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
Rationale: The aortic valve is best heard at the 2nd intercostal space, right sternal
margin (aortic area).
Q7. Where does the nurse auscultate for the pulmonic valve?
A. 2nd intercostal space, right sternal margin
B. 2nd intercostal space, left sternal margin
C. 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
D. 4th intercostal space, left sternal border
