NCLEX HEALTH & ASSESSMENT -
EXAM 1 EXAM WITH CORRECT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
1. If the origin of a patient's pain was the muscles and joints, which pain source would
you expect?
A: Visceral pain
B: Deep somatic pain
C: Cutaneous pain
D: Referred pain - CORRECT-ANSWERSB: Deep somatic pain
Deep somatic pain comes from sources such as the blood vessels, joints, tendons,
muscles and bones. May result from pressure, trauma or ischemia. It is often described
as aching or throbbing. The pain is well localized and easy to pinpoint.
Visceral pain-originates from the larger internal organs. It is often described as dull,
deep, squeezing or cramping. It may result from direct injury to the organ or stretching
of the organ from tumor, ischemia, distension or severe contraction.
,Cutaneous pain-Derived from skin surface and subcutaneous tissues. Pain is often
described as superficial, sharp, or burning.
Referred pain-Pain that is felt at a particular site but originates from another location.
Both sites are innervated by the same spinal cord, and it is difficult for the brain to
differentiate the point of origin. Ex. Patient having myocardial infarction (MI) may have
left arm or neck pain.
Mrs. Casey is a 39-year-old patient with a herniated disk and neuropathic pain. Which is
a primary characteristic of neuropathic pain?
A: An abnormal degree of pain interpretation.
B: An abnormal processing of the pain sensation.
C: An abnormal transmission of pain signals.
D: An abnormal modulation of pain signals. - CORRECT-ANSWERSB: Neuropathic
pain is an abnormal processing of pain sensations or messages from an injury to nerve
fibers. This type of pain is the most difficult to assess and treat. It is often perceived long
after the site of injury heals, and evolves into a chronic condition.
When assessing the quality of a patient's pain, the nurse should ask which question?
A: "When did the pain start?"
B: "Is the pain a stabbing pain?"
,C: "Is it a sharp pain or dull pain?"
D: "What does your pain feel like?" - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: What does your pain feel
like
Remember PQRST
P=provocative or palliative
Q=quality or quantity
R=region or radiation
S=severity
T=timing
While completing a pain assessment, the patient tells you that her shoulder pain started
2 days ago after moving heavy boxes. Which type of pain is she describing?
A: Chronic pain
B: Referred pain
C: Nociceptive pain
D: Acute pain - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Acute pain
Acute pain lasts less than 6 months, is short term, self-limiting, often follows a
predictable trajectory and dissipates after an injury heals.
The nurse is assessing a patient's pain. The nurse knows that the most reliable indicator
of pain would be the:
, A: patient's vital signs.
B: physical examination.
C: results of a computerized axial tomography scan.
D:patient's subjective report - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Patient's subjective report
The patient serves as the most important and reliable indicator for pain.
True or False: Pain is whatever the person experiencing it, says it is.
A: True
B: False - CORRECT-ANSWERSA: True
Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever he says it does.
The nurse notices the patient is grimacing, guarding her abdomen, and crying. She
documents this as which type of pain behavior?
A: Verbal pain behaviors
B: Cutaneous pain
C:Visceral pain
D: Nonverbal pain behaviors - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Nonverbal pain behaviors
Nonverbal pain behaviors include
Grimacing
Guarding
Reduced activity
EXAM 1 EXAM WITH CORRECT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
1. If the origin of a patient's pain was the muscles and joints, which pain source would
you expect?
A: Visceral pain
B: Deep somatic pain
C: Cutaneous pain
D: Referred pain - CORRECT-ANSWERSB: Deep somatic pain
Deep somatic pain comes from sources such as the blood vessels, joints, tendons,
muscles and bones. May result from pressure, trauma or ischemia. It is often described
as aching or throbbing. The pain is well localized and easy to pinpoint.
Visceral pain-originates from the larger internal organs. It is often described as dull,
deep, squeezing or cramping. It may result from direct injury to the organ or stretching
of the organ from tumor, ischemia, distension or severe contraction.
,Cutaneous pain-Derived from skin surface and subcutaneous tissues. Pain is often
described as superficial, sharp, or burning.
Referred pain-Pain that is felt at a particular site but originates from another location.
Both sites are innervated by the same spinal cord, and it is difficult for the brain to
differentiate the point of origin. Ex. Patient having myocardial infarction (MI) may have
left arm or neck pain.
Mrs. Casey is a 39-year-old patient with a herniated disk and neuropathic pain. Which is
a primary characteristic of neuropathic pain?
A: An abnormal degree of pain interpretation.
B: An abnormal processing of the pain sensation.
C: An abnormal transmission of pain signals.
D: An abnormal modulation of pain signals. - CORRECT-ANSWERSB: Neuropathic
pain is an abnormal processing of pain sensations or messages from an injury to nerve
fibers. This type of pain is the most difficult to assess and treat. It is often perceived long
after the site of injury heals, and evolves into a chronic condition.
When assessing the quality of a patient's pain, the nurse should ask which question?
A: "When did the pain start?"
B: "Is the pain a stabbing pain?"
,C: "Is it a sharp pain or dull pain?"
D: "What does your pain feel like?" - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: What does your pain feel
like
Remember PQRST
P=provocative or palliative
Q=quality or quantity
R=region or radiation
S=severity
T=timing
While completing a pain assessment, the patient tells you that her shoulder pain started
2 days ago after moving heavy boxes. Which type of pain is she describing?
A: Chronic pain
B: Referred pain
C: Nociceptive pain
D: Acute pain - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Acute pain
Acute pain lasts less than 6 months, is short term, self-limiting, often follows a
predictable trajectory and dissipates after an injury heals.
The nurse is assessing a patient's pain. The nurse knows that the most reliable indicator
of pain would be the:
, A: patient's vital signs.
B: physical examination.
C: results of a computerized axial tomography scan.
D:patient's subjective report - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Patient's subjective report
The patient serves as the most important and reliable indicator for pain.
True or False: Pain is whatever the person experiencing it, says it is.
A: True
B: False - CORRECT-ANSWERSA: True
Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever he says it does.
The nurse notices the patient is grimacing, guarding her abdomen, and crying. She
documents this as which type of pain behavior?
A: Verbal pain behaviors
B: Cutaneous pain
C:Visceral pain
D: Nonverbal pain behaviors - CORRECT-ANSWERSD: Nonverbal pain behaviors
Nonverbal pain behaviors include
Grimacing
Guarding
Reduced activity
