PCHA Final Exam Latest Update 2025-2026 Exam
140 Questions with 100% Verified Correct
Answers Guaranteed A+
A 25-year-old female college student comes to the Emergency Department after she
has fallen down the stairs. She has sudden, sharp pain on the right side of her chest
with shortness of breath. Thoracic expansion is asymmetrical, with little movement of
her right side. Her trachea is deviated toward the left side. She has hyperresonant
percussion sounds on the right chest and resonant sounds on the left chest. There are
no breath sounds heard on the right. This description is most consistent with: -
CORRECT ANSWER: pneumothorax
A 50-year-old patient who is taking anti-hypertensive medications returns to the clinic to
have their blood pressure (BP) checked. The last BP was 146/88. The BP reported to
the nurse is 168/96. Both blood pressures were taken at the brachial site. Which of the
following is true regarding blood pressure assessment in this patient? Choose all that
apply:
1. The patient should be allowed to adequately rest prior to assessing the blood
pressure.
2. The width of the cuff should cover 40% of the circumference of the upper arm.
3. The position of the arm used for blood pressure assessment should be above the
level of the heart.
4. Goal blood pressure for this patient should be systolic less than 120 mm Hg and
diastolic less than 80 mmHg.
5. The last audible sound auscultated during blood pressure assessment should be
recorded for the systolic reading.
6. An unsupported arm may be used for an accurate blood pressure measure -
CORRECT ANSWER: 1, 2, 4
A 59-year-old patient is returning to the outpatient clinic for a follow up visit. The patient
has a history of ulcerative colitis. The patient states he has been having "black stools"
for the last 24 hours. Which of the following would be the most complete way for the
,nurse to document the patient's reason for seeking care? - CORRECT ANSWER: J.M.
is a 59-year-old patient here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
A heart murmur: - CORRECT ANSWER: all of the above
- may be innocent and occur without evidence of structural abnormalities
- can be caused by a structural abnormality of a heart valve.
- may be caused by increased blood flow across a normal valve.
A lesion involving the left half of the spinal cord segments C5-C8 would produce the
following sensory findings: - CORRECT ANSWER: contralateral loss of pain and
temperature, ipsilateral loss of proprioception, 2 point discrimination and vibration below
the level of the lesion.
A nurse is taking complete health histories on all the patients attending a wellness
workshop. While conducting an interview with a patient, the nurse asks, "Can you tell
me a little about yourself?" This question is an example of: - CORRECT ANSWER: an
open-ended question
A painful stimuli may be performed to assess level of consciousness. - CORRECT
ANSWER: true
A patient is at the clinic for a physical examination. He states that he is "very anxious"
about the physical exam. What steps can the examiner take to make the patient more
comfortable? - CORRECT ANSWER: Appear unhurried and confident when examining
the patient.
A patient is being seen in the clinic for "fainting episodes". The patient has a blood
pressure of 150/90 in a lying position, 120/80 in a sitting position, and 90/60 in a
standing position. How should the nurse interpret these findings? - CORRECT
ANSWER: The change in blood pressure readings is called orthostatic hypotension.
, A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse
knows that this symptom is most often indicative of: - CORRECT ANSWER: kidney
inflammation
A patient is unable to differentiate between sharp and dull stimulation to both sides of
the face. The nurse suspects: - CORRECT ANSWER: damage to the trigeminal nerve
(CN V)
A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, nauseated and that he "feels hot". This
type of data would be considered: - CORRECT ANSWER: subjective
According to the article by Kiekkas, et al., 'Physical Antipyresis in Critically Ill Adults',
what is the benefit of temperature elevation? - CORRECT ANSWER: inhibits bacterial
growth
Active range of motion should be performed before muscle strength testing because: -
CORRECT ANSWER: if muscle strength were tested before ROM, more marked
contraction of the muscle may cause pain in the client and therefore skew the ROM
findings.
Assessment findings which may indicate cardiac disease include: - CORRECT
ANSWER: pitting edema
Because the physical environment in which an interview takes place is an important
consideration for the success of an interview, the interviewer should: - CORRECT
ANSWER: reduce noise by turning off televisions and cell phones
During a discussion for a men's health group, the nurse relates that the group with the
highest incidence of prostate cancer is: - CORRECT ANSWER: African-American
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as
normal? - CORRECT ANSWER: Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
140 Questions with 100% Verified Correct
Answers Guaranteed A+
A 25-year-old female college student comes to the Emergency Department after she
has fallen down the stairs. She has sudden, sharp pain on the right side of her chest
with shortness of breath. Thoracic expansion is asymmetrical, with little movement of
her right side. Her trachea is deviated toward the left side. She has hyperresonant
percussion sounds on the right chest and resonant sounds on the left chest. There are
no breath sounds heard on the right. This description is most consistent with: -
CORRECT ANSWER: pneumothorax
A 50-year-old patient who is taking anti-hypertensive medications returns to the clinic to
have their blood pressure (BP) checked. The last BP was 146/88. The BP reported to
the nurse is 168/96. Both blood pressures were taken at the brachial site. Which of the
following is true regarding blood pressure assessment in this patient? Choose all that
apply:
1. The patient should be allowed to adequately rest prior to assessing the blood
pressure.
2. The width of the cuff should cover 40% of the circumference of the upper arm.
3. The position of the arm used for blood pressure assessment should be above the
level of the heart.
4. Goal blood pressure for this patient should be systolic less than 120 mm Hg and
diastolic less than 80 mmHg.
5. The last audible sound auscultated during blood pressure assessment should be
recorded for the systolic reading.
6. An unsupported arm may be used for an accurate blood pressure measure -
CORRECT ANSWER: 1, 2, 4
A 59-year-old patient is returning to the outpatient clinic for a follow up visit. The patient
has a history of ulcerative colitis. The patient states he has been having "black stools"
for the last 24 hours. Which of the following would be the most complete way for the
,nurse to document the patient's reason for seeking care? - CORRECT ANSWER: J.M.
is a 59-year-old patient here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
A heart murmur: - CORRECT ANSWER: all of the above
- may be innocent and occur without evidence of structural abnormalities
- can be caused by a structural abnormality of a heart valve.
- may be caused by increased blood flow across a normal valve.
A lesion involving the left half of the spinal cord segments C5-C8 would produce the
following sensory findings: - CORRECT ANSWER: contralateral loss of pain and
temperature, ipsilateral loss of proprioception, 2 point discrimination and vibration below
the level of the lesion.
A nurse is taking complete health histories on all the patients attending a wellness
workshop. While conducting an interview with a patient, the nurse asks, "Can you tell
me a little about yourself?" This question is an example of: - CORRECT ANSWER: an
open-ended question
A painful stimuli may be performed to assess level of consciousness. - CORRECT
ANSWER: true
A patient is at the clinic for a physical examination. He states that he is "very anxious"
about the physical exam. What steps can the examiner take to make the patient more
comfortable? - CORRECT ANSWER: Appear unhurried and confident when examining
the patient.
A patient is being seen in the clinic for "fainting episodes". The patient has a blood
pressure of 150/90 in a lying position, 120/80 in a sitting position, and 90/60 in a
standing position. How should the nurse interpret these findings? - CORRECT
ANSWER: The change in blood pressure readings is called orthostatic hypotension.
, A patient is complaining of a sharp pain along the costovertebral angles. The nurse
knows that this symptom is most often indicative of: - CORRECT ANSWER: kidney
inflammation
A patient is unable to differentiate between sharp and dull stimulation to both sides of
the face. The nurse suspects: - CORRECT ANSWER: damage to the trigeminal nerve
(CN V)
A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, nauseated and that he "feels hot". This
type of data would be considered: - CORRECT ANSWER: subjective
According to the article by Kiekkas, et al., 'Physical Antipyresis in Critically Ill Adults',
what is the benefit of temperature elevation? - CORRECT ANSWER: inhibits bacterial
growth
Active range of motion should be performed before muscle strength testing because: -
CORRECT ANSWER: if muscle strength were tested before ROM, more marked
contraction of the muscle may cause pain in the client and therefore skew the ROM
findings.
Assessment findings which may indicate cardiac disease include: - CORRECT
ANSWER: pitting edema
Because the physical environment in which an interview takes place is an important
consideration for the success of an interview, the interviewer should: - CORRECT
ANSWER: reduce noise by turning off televisions and cell phones
During a discussion for a men's health group, the nurse relates that the group with the
highest incidence of prostate cancer is: - CORRECT ANSWER: African-American
During an abdominal assessment, the nurse would consider which of these findings as
normal? - CORRECT ANSWER: Tympanic percussion note in the umbilical region
