NR 302 Health Assessment I - Week 10 Comprehensive Review 2026
|Chamberlain College
1. When performing a physical assessment, which sequence is correct for the
abdominal examination?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Answer: D
Rationale: For the abdomen, auscultation is performed before percussion and palpation to
avoid stimulating bowel sounds which could lead to inaccurate findings.
2. Which cranial nerve is being tested when the nurse asks the patient to smile,
frown, and puff out their cheeks?
A. CN V (Trigeminal)
B. CN XII (Hypoglossal)
C. CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
D. CN VII (Facial)
Answer: D
Rationale: Cranial Nerve VII (Facial) controls the muscles of facial expression and is tested
by observing symmetry during movements like smiling or puffing cheeks.
,3. A patient’s pulse is described as ‘normal.’ How should the nurse document
the pulse grade?
A. 2+
B. 1+
C. 3+
D. 4+
Answer: A
Rationale: In pulse grading, 0 is absent, 1+ is weak/thready, 2+ is normal, and 3+ or 4+
represents full or bounding pulses depending on the scale used.
4. The S1 heart sound is caused by the closure of which valves?
A. Mitral and Tricuspid
B. Aortic and Pulmonic
C. Mitral and Aortic
D. Tricuspid and Pulmonic
Answer: A
Rationale: S1 marks the beginning of systole and is produced by the closure of the
atrioventricular valves (mitral and tricuspid).
5. What does the ‘P’ in the PQRST mnemonic for pain assessment stand for?
A. Provocation/Palliation
B. Position
C. Priority
D. Progression
Answer: A
Rationale: P stands for Provocation or Palliation: what makes the pain worse or what
makes it better.
, 6. A nurse is assessing a patient for skin turgor. Which finding indicates
dehydration?
A. Skin returns to original position immediately
B. Moist mucous membranes
C. Presence of ‘tenting’ of the skin
D. Smooth skin texture
Answer: C
Rationale: Tenting, where the skin remains pinched or returns slowly to its original
position, is a clinical sign of dehydration.
7. What is the primary purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
A. To assess psychiatric disorders
B. To measure intellectual capacity
C. To assess level of consciousness and brain injury
D. To determine fine motor skills
Answer: C
Rationale: The GCS is a standardized tool used to objectively describe the extent of
impaired consciousness based on eye, verbal, and motor responses.
8. During a respiratory assessment, the nurse hears low-pitched, bubbling
sounds that clear with coughing. These are likely:
A. Coarse crackles
B. Stridor
C. Wheezes
D. Pleural friction rub
Answer: A
Rationale: Coarse crackles (formerly rhonchi) are loud, low-pitched bubbling sounds often
caused by mucus in the larger airways and may decrease after coughing.
|Chamberlain College
1. When performing a physical assessment, which sequence is correct for the
abdominal examination?
A. Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
B. Percussion, Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation
C. Auscultation, Inspection, Palpation, Percussion
D. Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation
Answer: D
Rationale: For the abdomen, auscultation is performed before percussion and palpation to
avoid stimulating bowel sounds which could lead to inaccurate findings.
2. Which cranial nerve is being tested when the nurse asks the patient to smile,
frown, and puff out their cheeks?
A. CN V (Trigeminal)
B. CN XII (Hypoglossal)
C. CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
D. CN VII (Facial)
Answer: D
Rationale: Cranial Nerve VII (Facial) controls the muscles of facial expression and is tested
by observing symmetry during movements like smiling or puffing cheeks.
,3. A patient’s pulse is described as ‘normal.’ How should the nurse document
the pulse grade?
A. 2+
B. 1+
C. 3+
D. 4+
Answer: A
Rationale: In pulse grading, 0 is absent, 1+ is weak/thready, 2+ is normal, and 3+ or 4+
represents full or bounding pulses depending on the scale used.
4. The S1 heart sound is caused by the closure of which valves?
A. Mitral and Tricuspid
B. Aortic and Pulmonic
C. Mitral and Aortic
D. Tricuspid and Pulmonic
Answer: A
Rationale: S1 marks the beginning of systole and is produced by the closure of the
atrioventricular valves (mitral and tricuspid).
5. What does the ‘P’ in the PQRST mnemonic for pain assessment stand for?
A. Provocation/Palliation
B. Position
C. Priority
D. Progression
Answer: A
Rationale: P stands for Provocation or Palliation: what makes the pain worse or what
makes it better.
, 6. A nurse is assessing a patient for skin turgor. Which finding indicates
dehydration?
A. Skin returns to original position immediately
B. Moist mucous membranes
C. Presence of ‘tenting’ of the skin
D. Smooth skin texture
Answer: C
Rationale: Tenting, where the skin remains pinched or returns slowly to its original
position, is a clinical sign of dehydration.
7. What is the primary purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
A. To assess psychiatric disorders
B. To measure intellectual capacity
C. To assess level of consciousness and brain injury
D. To determine fine motor skills
Answer: C
Rationale: The GCS is a standardized tool used to objectively describe the extent of
impaired consciousness based on eye, verbal, and motor responses.
8. During a respiratory assessment, the nurse hears low-pitched, bubbling
sounds that clear with coughing. These are likely:
A. Coarse crackles
B. Stridor
C. Wheezes
D. Pleural friction rub
Answer: A
Rationale: Coarse crackles (formerly rhonchi) are loud, low-pitched bubbling sounds often
caused by mucus in the larger airways and may decrease after coughing.
