NUR600/NUR 600 Exam 3 V1 | Advanced
Health Assess Q&A with Rationale |
William Paterson University
1. When assessing the abdomen, which of the following is the correct order of assessment
techniques?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
C. Percussion, Inspection, Auscultation, Palpation
D. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: The abdomen is always assessed in the order of inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and finally palpation. This specific sequence is used because
percussion and palpation can increase bowel motility and alter the frequency of bowel
sounds. By auscultating before physically manipulating the abdomen, the clinician ensures
a more accurate assessment of the patient’s baseline bowel activity.
2. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for the sensation of the face and the motor
function of the muscles of mastication?
A. Cranial Nerve VII (Facial)
B. Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal)
,C. Cranial Nerve III (Oculomotor)
D. Cranial Nerve IX (Glossopharyngeal)
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Cranial Nerve V, the trigeminal nerve, has three sensory branches
that cover the forehead, cheeks, and jaw. It also contains motor fibers that control the
muscles used for chewing, such as the masseter. Testing this nerve involves assessing light
touch sensation on the face and asking the patient to clench their teeth while palpating the
jaw muscles.
3. During a respiratory assessment, the clinician notes increased tactile fremitus over the
right lower lobe. What is the most likely cause of this finding?
A. Pneumothorax
B. Pleural effusion
C. Asthma attack
D. Lobar pneumonia
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Tactile fremitus is the vibration felt on the chest wall when a patient
speaks, and it increases in intensity when the lung tissue is consolidated. Conditions like
lobar pneumonia fill the alveoli with fluid or debris, which conducts sound vibrations more
effectively than air. Conversely, conditions that create a barrier between the lung and the
chest wall, like a pneumothorax or effusion, will decrease fremitus.
, 4. A 55-year-old patient presents with a positive Murphy’s sign. Which condition is most
strongly suggested by this finding?
A. Acute Appendicitis
B. Acute Cholecystitis
C. Splenomegaly
D. Renal Calculi
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Murphy’s sign is performed by asking the patient to inhale deeply
while the clinician applies pressure under the right costal margin. If the patient experiences
sharp pain and abruptly stops inhaling as the inflamed gallbladder descends onto the
examiner’s fingers, the test is positive. This sign is a classic indicator of acute cholecystitis,
though it may be less reliable in older populations.
5. Which heart sound is often referred to as a ventricular gallop and occurs early in diastole
during the rapid ventricular filling phase?
A. S1
B. S2
C. S3
D. S4
Correct Answer: C
Health Assess Q&A with Rationale |
William Paterson University
1. When assessing the abdomen, which of the following is the correct order of assessment
techniques?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
C. Percussion, Inspection, Auscultation, Palpation
D. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: The abdomen is always assessed in the order of inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and finally palpation. This specific sequence is used because
percussion and palpation can increase bowel motility and alter the frequency of bowel
sounds. By auscultating before physically manipulating the abdomen, the clinician ensures
a more accurate assessment of the patient’s baseline bowel activity.
2. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for the sensation of the face and the motor
function of the muscles of mastication?
A. Cranial Nerve VII (Facial)
B. Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal)
,C. Cranial Nerve III (Oculomotor)
D. Cranial Nerve IX (Glossopharyngeal)
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Cranial Nerve V, the trigeminal nerve, has three sensory branches
that cover the forehead, cheeks, and jaw. It also contains motor fibers that control the
muscles used for chewing, such as the masseter. Testing this nerve involves assessing light
touch sensation on the face and asking the patient to clench their teeth while palpating the
jaw muscles.
3. During a respiratory assessment, the clinician notes increased tactile fremitus over the
right lower lobe. What is the most likely cause of this finding?
A. Pneumothorax
B. Pleural effusion
C. Asthma attack
D. Lobar pneumonia
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Tactile fremitus is the vibration felt on the chest wall when a patient
speaks, and it increases in intensity when the lung tissue is consolidated. Conditions like
lobar pneumonia fill the alveoli with fluid or debris, which conducts sound vibrations more
effectively than air. Conversely, conditions that create a barrier between the lung and the
chest wall, like a pneumothorax or effusion, will decrease fremitus.
, 4. A 55-year-old patient presents with a positive Murphy’s sign. Which condition is most
strongly suggested by this finding?
A. Acute Appendicitis
B. Acute Cholecystitis
C. Splenomegaly
D. Renal Calculi
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Murphy’s sign is performed by asking the patient to inhale deeply
while the clinician applies pressure under the right costal margin. If the patient experiences
sharp pain and abruptly stops inhaling as the inflamed gallbladder descends onto the
examiner’s fingers, the test is positive. This sign is a classic indicator of acute cholecystitis,
though it may be less reliable in older populations.
5. Which heart sound is often referred to as a ventricular gallop and occurs early in diastole
during the rapid ventricular filling phase?
A. S1
B. S2
C. S3
D. S4
Correct Answer: C
