Advanced Health Assessment Exam
A) JM is a 59-year-old male here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
Chief Complaint(s) The one or more symptoms or concerns causing the patient to seek care. Make
every effort to quote the patient's own words. - CORRECT ANSWER - A 59-year-old patients tells the
nurse practitioner that he thinks he must have ulcerative colitis. He has been having "black stools"
for the last 24 hours. How would the nurse practitioner best document THE FACTS for his reason for
seeking care?
A) JM is a 59-year-old male here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
B) JM came into the clinic complaining of black stools for the past 24 hours.
C) JM is a 59-year-old male here for "ulcerative colitis."
D) JM, a 59-year-old male, states he has ulcerative colitis and wants it checked.
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized, with descriptions of location; along with the
other seven attributes. Location: Ask the patient to point to the pain because lay terms may not be
specific enough to localize the site of origin. - CORRECT ANSWER - A patient tells the nurse
practitioner that she has had abdominal pain for the past week. What would be the best response by
the nurse practitioner?
A) We'll talk more about that later in the interview."
B) "Have you ever had any children?"
C) "What have you had to eat in the last 4 hours?"
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your daily activities?"
Inquire about the effects of pain on the patient's daily activities, mood, sleep, work, and sexual
activity. - CORRECT ANSWER - A 29-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has "excruciating pain"
in her back. Which of the following would be an appropriate response by the nurse to her
statement?
A) "How does your family react to your pain?"
B) "That must be terrible. You probably pinched a nerve."
C) "I've had back pain myself and it can be excruciating."
,D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your daily activities?"
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
Childhood illnesses include measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, rheumatic fever, scarlet
fever, and polio. They are included in the past history. - CORRECT ANSWER - In recording the
childhood illnesses of a patient who denies having had any, which of the following notes by the
nurse would be most accurate?
A) Patient denies usual childhood illnesses.
B) Patient states he was a "very healthy" child.
C) Patient states sister had measles, but he didn't.
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take penicillin."
Allergies, including specific reactions to each medication, such as rash or nausea, must be recorded. -
CORRECT ANSWER - A patient tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. What would be the
nurse's best response to this information?
A) "Are you allergic to any other drugs?"
B) "How often have you received penicillin?"
C) "I'll write your allergy on your chart so you won't receive any."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take penicillin."
C) mental illness.
Specifically ask for any family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity,
blood disorders, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, arthritis, allergies, alcohol or drug
addiction, mental illness, suicide, seizure disorder, kidney disease, and tuberculosis. The other
answers are acquired. - CORRECT ANSWER - The nurse is taking a family history. Important diseases
or problems to ask the patient about include:
A) emphysema.
B) head trauma.
C) mental illness.
D) fractured bones.
,D) Review of systems
Most review of systems questions pertain to systems. You may also draw on Review of Systems
questions related to the Chief Complaint to establish positives and negatives that help clarify the
diagnosis. - CORRECT ANSWER - The following information is recorded in the health history: "Patient
denies chest pain, palpitations, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea." Which category
does it belong to?
A) Chief complaint
B) Present illness
C) Personal and social history
D) Review of systems
C) Denies color change
Remember that the history (from the chief complaint through review of systems) should be limited
to patient statements or subjective data—factors that the person says were or were not present.
Subjective data is what the patient tells you. - CORRECT ANSWER - Which of the following
statements represents subjective data obtained from the patient regarding his skin?
A) Skin appears dry.
B) No obvious lesions
C) Denies color change
D) Lesion noted lateral aspect right arm
B) Surgical
Provide information relative to Adult Illnesses in each of four areas: Medical, Surgical,
Obstetric/Gynecologic, and Psychiatric. - CORRECT ANSWER - The following information is best
placed in which category? "The patient had a stent placed in the left anterior descending artery
(LAD) in 1999."
A) Medical
B) Surgical
C) Obstetrics/gynecology
D) Psychiatric
, A) pigmentation
Hair undergoes a series of changes. Scalp hair loses its pigment (functioning of melanocytes) so the
hair looks gray or white and feels thin and fine. The other options are not correct. - CORRECT
ANSWER - During the aging process, the hair can look gray or white and begin to feel thin and fine.
The nurse practitioner knows that this occurs because of a decrease in:
A) pigmentation
B) thyroid stimulating hormone
C) phagocytes
D) fungacytes
B) A = asymmetry; B = irregular borders; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E =
evolution - CORRECT ANSWER - You are speaking to an 8th grade class about health prevention and
are preparing to discuss the ABCDEs of melanoma. Which of the following descriptions correctly
defines the ABCDEs?
A) A = actinic; B = basal cell; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E = evolution
B) A = asymmetry; B = irregular borders; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E =
evolution
C) A = actinic; B = irregular borders; C = keratoses; D = dystrophic nails; E = evolution
D) A = asymmetry; B = regular borders; C = color changes, especially orange; D = diameter >6 mm; E
= evolution
C) vesicle
Vesicle - up to 1.0 cm filled with serous fluid - CORRECT ANSWER - You are examining the skin on a
22 year old female when you notice a circumscribed superficial lesion that is elevated approximately
0.5cm in diameter, filled with serous fluid. What type of lesion is this?
A) macule
B) papule
C) vesicle
D) spider angioma
C) Stage 3
A) JM is a 59-year-old male here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
Chief Complaint(s) The one or more symptoms or concerns causing the patient to seek care. Make
every effort to quote the patient's own words. - CORRECT ANSWER - A 59-year-old patients tells the
nurse practitioner that he thinks he must have ulcerative colitis. He has been having "black stools"
for the last 24 hours. How would the nurse practitioner best document THE FACTS for his reason for
seeking care?
A) JM is a 59-year-old male here for having "black stools" for the past 24 hours.
B) JM came into the clinic complaining of black stools for the past 24 hours.
C) JM is a 59-year-old male here for "ulcerative colitis."
D) JM, a 59-year-old male, states he has ulcerative colitis and wants it checked.
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized, with descriptions of location; along with the
other seven attributes. Location: Ask the patient to point to the pain because lay terms may not be
specific enough to localize the site of origin. - CORRECT ANSWER - A patient tells the nurse
practitioner that she has had abdominal pain for the past week. What would be the best response by
the nurse practitioner?
A) We'll talk more about that later in the interview."
B) "Have you ever had any children?"
C) "What have you had to eat in the last 4 hours?"
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your daily activities?"
Inquire about the effects of pain on the patient's daily activities, mood, sleep, work, and sexual
activity. - CORRECT ANSWER - A 29-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has "excruciating pain"
in her back. Which of the following would be an appropriate response by the nurse to her
statement?
A) "How does your family react to your pain?"
B) "That must be terrible. You probably pinched a nerve."
C) "I've had back pain myself and it can be excruciating."
,D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your daily activities?"
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
Childhood illnesses include measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, rheumatic fever, scarlet
fever, and polio. They are included in the past history. - CORRECT ANSWER - In recording the
childhood illnesses of a patient who denies having had any, which of the following notes by the
nurse would be most accurate?
A) Patient denies usual childhood illnesses.
B) Patient states he was a "very healthy" child.
C) Patient states sister had measles, but he didn't.
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take penicillin."
Allergies, including specific reactions to each medication, such as rash or nausea, must be recorded. -
CORRECT ANSWER - A patient tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. What would be the
nurse's best response to this information?
A) "Are you allergic to any other drugs?"
B) "How often have you received penicillin?"
C) "I'll write your allergy on your chart so you won't receive any."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take penicillin."
C) mental illness.
Specifically ask for any family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity,
blood disorders, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, arthritis, allergies, alcohol or drug
addiction, mental illness, suicide, seizure disorder, kidney disease, and tuberculosis. The other
answers are acquired. - CORRECT ANSWER - The nurse is taking a family history. Important diseases
or problems to ask the patient about include:
A) emphysema.
B) head trauma.
C) mental illness.
D) fractured bones.
,D) Review of systems
Most review of systems questions pertain to systems. You may also draw on Review of Systems
questions related to the Chief Complaint to establish positives and negatives that help clarify the
diagnosis. - CORRECT ANSWER - The following information is recorded in the health history: "Patient
denies chest pain, palpitations, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea." Which category
does it belong to?
A) Chief complaint
B) Present illness
C) Personal and social history
D) Review of systems
C) Denies color change
Remember that the history (from the chief complaint through review of systems) should be limited
to patient statements or subjective data—factors that the person says were or were not present.
Subjective data is what the patient tells you. - CORRECT ANSWER - Which of the following
statements represents subjective data obtained from the patient regarding his skin?
A) Skin appears dry.
B) No obvious lesions
C) Denies color change
D) Lesion noted lateral aspect right arm
B) Surgical
Provide information relative to Adult Illnesses in each of four areas: Medical, Surgical,
Obstetric/Gynecologic, and Psychiatric. - CORRECT ANSWER - The following information is best
placed in which category? "The patient had a stent placed in the left anterior descending artery
(LAD) in 1999."
A) Medical
B) Surgical
C) Obstetrics/gynecology
D) Psychiatric
, A) pigmentation
Hair undergoes a series of changes. Scalp hair loses its pigment (functioning of melanocytes) so the
hair looks gray or white and feels thin and fine. The other options are not correct. - CORRECT
ANSWER - During the aging process, the hair can look gray or white and begin to feel thin and fine.
The nurse practitioner knows that this occurs because of a decrease in:
A) pigmentation
B) thyroid stimulating hormone
C) phagocytes
D) fungacytes
B) A = asymmetry; B = irregular borders; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E =
evolution - CORRECT ANSWER - You are speaking to an 8th grade class about health prevention and
are preparing to discuss the ABCDEs of melanoma. Which of the following descriptions correctly
defines the ABCDEs?
A) A = actinic; B = basal cell; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E = evolution
B) A = asymmetry; B = irregular borders; C = color changes, especially blue; D = diameter >6 mm; E =
evolution
C) A = actinic; B = irregular borders; C = keratoses; D = dystrophic nails; E = evolution
D) A = asymmetry; B = regular borders; C = color changes, especially orange; D = diameter >6 mm; E
= evolution
C) vesicle
Vesicle - up to 1.0 cm filled with serous fluid - CORRECT ANSWER - You are examining the skin on a
22 year old female when you notice a circumscribed superficial lesion that is elevated approximately
0.5cm in diameter, filled with serous fluid. What type of lesion is this?
A) macule
B) papule
C) vesicle
D) spider angioma
C) Stage 3
