A patient who is actively bleeding is admitted to the emergency department. Which
approach is best for the nurse to use to obtain a health history?
a. Briefly interview the patient while obtaining vital signs.
b. Obtain subjective data about the patient from family members.
c. Omit subjective data collection and obtain the physical examination.
d. Use the health care provider's medical history to obtain subjective data. -
answerANS: A
In an emergency situation the nurse may need to ask only the most pertinent questions
for a specific problem and obtain more information later. A complete health history will
include subjective information that is not available in the health care provider's medical
history. Family members may be able to provide some subjective data, but only the
patient will be able to give subjective information about the bleeding. Because the
subjective data about the cause of the patient's bleeding will be essential, obtaining the
physical examination alone will not provide sufficient information.
Immediate surgery is planned for a patient with acute abdominal pain. Which question
by the nurse will elicit the most complete information about the patient's coping-stress
tolerance pattern?
a. "Can you rate your pain on a 0 to 10 scale?"
b. "What do you think caused this abdominal pain?"
c. "How do you feel about yourself and your hospitalization?"
d. "Are there other major problems that are a concern right now?" - answerANS: D
The coping-stress tolerance pattern includes information about other major stressors
confronting the patient. The health perception-health management pattern includes
information about the patient's ideas about risk factors. Feelings about self and the
hospitalization are assessed in the self-perception-self-concept pattern. Intensity of pain
is part of the cognitive-perceptual pattern.
During the health history interview, a patient tells the nurse about periodic fainting
spells. Which question by the nurse will best elicit any associated clinical
manifestations?
a. "How frequently do you have the fainting spells?"
b. "Where are you when you have the fainting spells?"
c. "Do the spells tend to occur at any special time of day?"
d. "Do you have any other symptoms along with the spells?" - answerANS: D
Asking about other associated symptoms will provide the nurse more information about
all the clinical manifestations related to the fainting spells. Information about the setting
is obtained by asking where the patient was and what the patient was doing when the
, symptom occurred. The other questions from the nurse are appropriate for obtaining
information about chronology and frequency.
The nurse records the following general survey of a patient: "The patient is a 50-year-
old Asian female attended by her husband and two daughters. Alert and oriented. Does
not make eye contact with the nurse and responds slowly, but appropriately, to
questions. No apparent disabilities or distinguishing features." What additional
information should the nurse add to this general survey?
a. Nutritional status
b. Intake and output
c. Reasons for contact with the health care system
d. Comments of family members about his condition - answerANS: A
The general survey also describes the patient's general nutritional status. The other
information will be obtained when doing the complete nursing history and examination
but is not obtained through the initial scanning of a patient.
A nurse performs a health history and physical examination with a patient who has a
right leg fracture. Which assessment would be a pertinent negative finding?
a. Patient has several bruised and swollen areas on the right leg.
b. Patient states that there have been no other recent health problems.
c. Patient refuses to bend the right knee because of the associated pain.
d. Patient denies having pain when the area over the fracture is palpated. - answerANS:
D
The nurse expects that a patient with a leg fracture will have pain over the fractured
area. The bruising and swelling and pain with bending are positive findings. No other
recent health problems is neither a positive nor a negative finding with regard to a leg
fracture.
The nurse who is assessing an older adult with rectal bleeding asks, "Have you ever
had a colonoscopy?" The nurse is performing what type of assessment?
a. Focused assessment
b. Emergency assessment
c. Detailed health assessment
d. Comprehensive assessment - answerANS: A
A focused assessment is an abbreviated assessment used to evaluate the status of
previously identified problems and monitor for signs of new problems. It can be done
when a specific problem is identified. An emergency assessment is done when the
nurse needs to obtain information about life-threatening problems quickly while
simultaneously taking action to maintain vital function. A comprehensive assessment
includes a detailed health history and physical examination of one body system or many
body systems. It is typically done on admission to the hospital or onset of care in a
primary care setting.