HESI HEALTH ASSESSMENT (11 VERSIONS)
EXAM SOLUTIONS WITH EXPLANATIONS
• In the majority culture of America, coughing,
sweating, and diarrhea are symptoms of an illness.
For some individuals of Mexican-American origin,
however, these symptoms are a normal part of
living. The nurse recognizes that this is true,
probably because Mexican-Americans:
A) have less efficient immune systems and are often ill.
B) consider these symptoms a part of normal living, not
symptoms of ill health.
C) come from Mexico and coughing is normal and
healthy there.
D) are usually in a lower socioeconomic group and are
more likely to be sick. - answer-B) consider these
symptoms a part of normal living, not symptoms of ill
health.
EXPLANATION
The nurse needs to identify the meaning of health to the
patient, remembering that concepts are derived, in part,
from the way in which members of the cultural group
define health.
, • Among many Asians there is a belief in the
yin/yang theory, rooted in the ancient Chinese
philosophy of Tao. The nurse recognizes which
statement that most accurately reflects "health" in
an Asian with this belief?
A) A person is able to work and produce.
B) A person is happy, stable, and feels good.
C) All aspects of the person are in perfect balance.
D) A person is able to care for others and function
socially. - answer-C) All aspects of the person are in
perfect balance.
EXPLANATION
Many Asians believe in the yin/yang theory, in which
health is believed to exist when all aspects of the person
are in perfect balance. The other statements do not
describe this theory.
• An individual who takes the magicoreligious
perspective of illness and disease is likely to believe
that his or her illness was caused by:
A) germs and viruses.
B) supernatural forces.
C) eating imbalanced foods.
D) an imbalance within his or her spiritual nature. -
answer-B) supernatural forces.
,EXPLANATION
The basic premise of the magicoreligious perspective is
that the world is seen as an arena in which supernatural
forces dominate. The fate of the world and those in it
depends on the actions of supernatural forces for good or
evil. The other answers do not reflect the
magicoreligious perspective.
• If an American Indian has come to the clinic to seek
help with regulating her diabetes, the nurse can
expect that she:
A) will comply with the treatment prescribed.
B) has obviously given up her beliefs in naturalistic
causes of disease.
C) may also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or
medicine man.
D) will need extra help in dealing with her illness and
may be experiencing a crisis of faith. - answer-C) may
also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or medicine
man.
EXPLANATION
When self-treatment is unsuccessful, the individual may
turn to the lay or folk healing systems, to spiritual or
religious healing, or to scientific biomedicine. In addition
to seeking help from a biomedical or scientific health care
, provider, patients may also seek help from folk or
religious healers.
• An elderly Mexican-American woman with
traditional beliefs has been admitted to an inpatient
care unit. A culturally-sensitive nurse would:
A) contact the hospital administrator about the best
course of action.
B) automatically get a curandero for her because it is not
culturally appropriate for her to request one.
C) further assess the patient's cultural beliefs and offer
the patient assistance in contacting a curandero or priest
if she desires.
D) ask the family what they would like to do because
Mexican-Americans traditionally give control of
decisions to their families. - answer-C) further assess the
patient's cultural beliefs and offer the patient assistance
in contacting a curandero or priest if she desires.
EXPLANATION
In addition to seeking help from the biomedical/scientific
health care provider, patients may also seek help from
folk or religious healers. Some people, such as those of
Mexican-American or American Indian origins, may
believe that the cure is incomplete unless the body, mind,
and spirit are also healed (although the division of the
person into parts is a Western concept).
EXAM SOLUTIONS WITH EXPLANATIONS
• In the majority culture of America, coughing,
sweating, and diarrhea are symptoms of an illness.
For some individuals of Mexican-American origin,
however, these symptoms are a normal part of
living. The nurse recognizes that this is true,
probably because Mexican-Americans:
A) have less efficient immune systems and are often ill.
B) consider these symptoms a part of normal living, not
symptoms of ill health.
C) come from Mexico and coughing is normal and
healthy there.
D) are usually in a lower socioeconomic group and are
more likely to be sick. - answer-B) consider these
symptoms a part of normal living, not symptoms of ill
health.
EXPLANATION
The nurse needs to identify the meaning of health to the
patient, remembering that concepts are derived, in part,
from the way in which members of the cultural group
define health.
, • Among many Asians there is a belief in the
yin/yang theory, rooted in the ancient Chinese
philosophy of Tao. The nurse recognizes which
statement that most accurately reflects "health" in
an Asian with this belief?
A) A person is able to work and produce.
B) A person is happy, stable, and feels good.
C) All aspects of the person are in perfect balance.
D) A person is able to care for others and function
socially. - answer-C) All aspects of the person are in
perfect balance.
EXPLANATION
Many Asians believe in the yin/yang theory, in which
health is believed to exist when all aspects of the person
are in perfect balance. The other statements do not
describe this theory.
• An individual who takes the magicoreligious
perspective of illness and disease is likely to believe
that his or her illness was caused by:
A) germs and viruses.
B) supernatural forces.
C) eating imbalanced foods.
D) an imbalance within his or her spiritual nature. -
answer-B) supernatural forces.
,EXPLANATION
The basic premise of the magicoreligious perspective is
that the world is seen as an arena in which supernatural
forces dominate. The fate of the world and those in it
depends on the actions of supernatural forces for good or
evil. The other answers do not reflect the
magicoreligious perspective.
• If an American Indian has come to the clinic to seek
help with regulating her diabetes, the nurse can
expect that she:
A) will comply with the treatment prescribed.
B) has obviously given up her beliefs in naturalistic
causes of disease.
C) may also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or
medicine man.
D) will need extra help in dealing with her illness and
may be experiencing a crisis of faith. - answer-C) may
also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or medicine
man.
EXPLANATION
When self-treatment is unsuccessful, the individual may
turn to the lay or folk healing systems, to spiritual or
religious healing, or to scientific biomedicine. In addition
to seeking help from a biomedical or scientific health care
, provider, patients may also seek help from folk or
religious healers.
• An elderly Mexican-American woman with
traditional beliefs has been admitted to an inpatient
care unit. A culturally-sensitive nurse would:
A) contact the hospital administrator about the best
course of action.
B) automatically get a curandero for her because it is not
culturally appropriate for her to request one.
C) further assess the patient's cultural beliefs and offer
the patient assistance in contacting a curandero or priest
if she desires.
D) ask the family what they would like to do because
Mexican-Americans traditionally give control of
decisions to their families. - answer-C) further assess the
patient's cultural beliefs and offer the patient assistance
in contacting a curandero or priest if she desires.
EXPLANATION
In addition to seeking help from the biomedical/scientific
health care provider, patients may also seek help from
folk or religious healers. Some people, such as those of
Mexican-American or American Indian origins, may
believe that the cure is incomplete unless the body, mind,
and spirit are also healed (although the division of the
person into parts is a Western concept).
