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ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
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
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.
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
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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.
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.
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) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized,
with descriptions of location; along with the other seven
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attributes. Location: Ask the patient to point to the pain
because lay terms may not be specific enough to localize
the site of origin.
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) "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.
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.
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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) 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.
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."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
penicillin."
ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
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
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.
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
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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.
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.
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) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized,
with descriptions of location; along with the other seven
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attributes. Location: Ask the patient to point to the pain
because lay terms may not be specific enough to localize
the site of origin.
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) "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.
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.
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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) 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.
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."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
penicillin."
