Ball: Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which question would be considered a “leading question?”
a. “Please describe any associated symptoms with your headaches?”
b. “You don't get headaches often, do you?”
c. “What activities affect the severity of your headaches?”
d. “What times of the day are your headaches the most severe?”
e. “What worries you most about your headache?”
ANS: B
This question would limit the information in the patient's answer. The other choices
allow the
patient more discretion about the extent of an answer.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
2. Which action would best promote accurate translations as well as confidentiality when
the
caregiver does not speak the patient's language?
a. Ask a person unfamiliar with the patient to translate.
b. Have a friend of the patient translate.
c. Ask simple leading questions that the patient may understand.
d. Use a neighbor as translator.
e. Involve the family with the translation.
ANS: A
When you do not speak the patient's language, family members or friends may
pose a communication barrier and may have issues of confidentiality; a stranger as
an interpreter isless biased.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
3. Periods of silence during the interview can serve important purposes, such as:
a. allowing the clinician to catch up on documentation.
b. giving you a clue that you should speed up the interview.
c. providing time for reflection.
d. increasing the length of the visit.
e. promoting a calm environment.
ANS: C
Silence is a useful tool during interviews for the purposes of reflection, summoning
of courage, and displaying compassion. It is usually a clue for you to go slower and
not to pushtoo hard.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
4. Which technique is most likely to result in the patient's understanding of questions?
a. Use phrases that are commonly used by other patients in the area.
b. Use the patient's own terms if possible.
c. Use language that keeps the patient from being expansive in his or her answer.
d. Use proper medical and technical terminology.
e. Use the simplest language possible.
, ANS: B
To ensure that your questions have been correctly understood, be clear, and explicit
while
using the patient's idiom and level of understanding.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
5. A patient becomes restless during the history and says, “I don't have time for all of this
conversation. I've got to get back to work.” Your most appropriate response would be
to:
a. stop using open-ended questions and become more direct.
b. ask another open-ended question and insist on an answer.
c. ask questions about his anger and move closer to him.
d. acknowledge his anger and proceed with the history and examination.
e. ignore his displeasure and become more assertive about getting answers.
ANS: D
This is the only answer that resists the tendency for patient manipulation, pursues the
information, and confronts the patient's anger.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
6. When questioning a patient regarding alcohol intake, she tells you that she is
“only a socialdrinker.” Which initial response is appropriate?
a. “I'm glad that you are a responsible drinker.”
b. “Many people who are reN
SRalc
U ally N oI T
hoG
lic sB
ay.tC
O heyMare social drinkers.”
c. “What amount and what kind of alcohol do you drink in a week?”
d. “If you only drink socially, you won't need to worry about always
having adesignated driver.”
e. “Do the other people in your household consume alcohol?”
ANS: C
This answer clarifies the patient's own term without asking a leading question or
being
judgmental.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
7. A 50-year-old man comes to the primary care clinic. He tells you he is worried
because he hashad severe chest pains for the past 2 weeks. Which initial history
interview question is most appropriate?
a. “Can you describe the pain?”
b. “The pain doesn't radiate to your arm, does it?”
c. “Have you been treated for anxiety before?”
d. “Does your father have heart disease?”
e. “Are the pains worse after you eat?”
ANS: A
Initially, an open-ended question is a more appropriate response. “Can you describe
the pain?”
is an open-ended question that offers clues to the chief concern.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
8. Ms. A. states, “My life is just too painful. It isn't worth it.” She appears depressed.
Which one
, of the following statements is the most appropriate caregiver response?
a. “Try to think about the good things in life.”
b. “You shouldn't feel that way; look at all the good things in your life.”
c. “You can't mean what you're saying.”
d. “If you think about it, nothing is worth getting this upset about.”
e. “What in life is causing you such pain?”
ANS: E
Specific yet open-ended questions are best used when the patient has feelings
of loss ofself-worth and depression. The other responses hurry the patient and
offer superficial assurance.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
9. During an interview, you have the impression that a patient may be
considering suicide.Which action is essential?
a. Immediately begin proceedings for an involuntary commitment.
b. Ask whether the patient has considered self-harm.
c. Ask whether the patient would like to visit a psychiatrist.
d. Record the impression in the patient's chart and refer the patient for
hospitalization.
e. Avoid directly confronting the patient regarding your impression.
ANS: B
If you think the patient may bNeUcR
onSsiIdeNrG gB
inT su.icC e,Mhe or she probably is.
idO
Mentioning it gives permission to talk about it.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
10. You are collecting a history from an 11-year-old girl. Her mother is sitting next to
her in theexamination room. When collecting history from older children or
adolescents, they should:
a. never be interviewed alone because this may alienate the parent.
b. be mailed a questionnaire in advance to avoid the need for her to talk.
c. be given the opportunity to be interviewed without the parent at some point.
d. be allowed to direct the flow of the interview.
e. be ignored while you address all questions to the parent.
ANS: C
An older child should be given the opportunity to give information directly. This
enhances theprobability that the child will follow your advice.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
11. When communicating with older children and teenagers, you should be sensitive to
their:
a. parent's needs.
b. natural urge to communicate.
c. need for verbal instructions.
d. typical reluctance to talk.
e. desire for adult companionship.
ANS: D
Adolescents are usually reluctant to talk; therefore, the provider should clearly
communicate arespect for their confidentiality.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
, 12. When you suspect that your 81-year-old patient has short-term memory loss
because hecannot remember what he had for breakfast, you should:
a. order a neurology consult.
b. stop all of his medications.
c. continue to press the patient for appropriate answers.
d. validate the concern with his family or caregivers.
e. dismiss the finding as a normal age-related change.
ANS: D
When older adults experience memory loss for recent events, consult other family
members toclarify discrepancies or to fill in the gaps.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
13. To what extent should the patient with a physical disability or emotional disorder be
involvedin providing health history information to the health professional?
a. All information should be obtained from family members.
b. All information should be collected from past records while the
patient is inanother room.
c. The patient should be invN
may feel ignored.
S RdNoInTlyGwheB
U olve On.yC
ou sMense that he or she
d. The patient should be fully involved to the limit of his or her ability.
e. The patient should be present during information collection but
should not beaddressed directly.
ANS: D
Patients with disabilities may not give an effective history, but they must be respected,
and the history must be obtained from them to the greatest extent possible. Family
members may helpprovide a more complete history but not at the exclusion of the
patient.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
14. When taking a history, you should:
a. ask patients to give you any information they can recall about their health.
b. start the interview with the patient's family history.
c. use a chronologic and sequential framework.
d. use a holistic and eclectic structure.
e. start the interview with the social history.
ANS: C
To give structure to the present problem or chief concern, the provider should proceed
in a chronologic and sequential framework. Asking patients to give you any
information they can recall about their health and using a holistic and eclectic structure
do not provide for structure.Starting the interview with the patient's family history
and with the social history are incorrectbecause gathering data about the chief concern
is the initial step.
TOP: Discipline: Behavioral Science MSC: Organ System: General
15. When questioning the patient regarding his or her sexual history, which question
should beasked initially?
a. “Do you have any particular sexual likes or dislikes?”
b. “Do you have any worries or concerns regarding your sex life?”