NSG-310 HEALTH ASSESSMENT & FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A GRADED WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK |CURRENTLY TESTING |NEW AND REVISED

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NSG-310 HEALTH ASSESSMENT & FUNDAMENTALS
OF NURSING ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026 ALL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A GRADED WITH
EXPERT FEEDBACK |CURRENTLY TESTING |NEW
AND REVISED




1. During a physical assessment, the nurse uses the dorsal surface of the
hand to assess which patient parameter?
A. Pulse rate
B. Temperature
C. Skin turgor
D. Edema
Rationale: The dorsal surface of the hand is more sensitive to
temperature changes and is used to assess skin temperature.
2. A patient is admitted with a fever of 102°F (38.9°C). The nurse
expects to find which associated vital sign change?
A. Decreased respiratory rate
B. Increased heart rate
C. Decreased blood pressure
D. Irregular pulse
Rationale: Fever increases metabolic demand, leading to tachycardia.
Each 1°C increase in temperature raises heart rate by approximately
10 bpm.
3. The nurse is assessing a patient’s abdomen. In which sequence should
the nurse perform the four physical assessment techniques?

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A. Palpation, percussion, auscultation, inspection
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
D. Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
Rationale: Inspection is always first; auscultation precedes percussion
and palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds.
4. A patient reports pain as “8 out of 10” on a numeric rating scale.
Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Document the pain level and reassess in 4 hours
B. Administer the prescribed PRN analgesic
C. Position the patient for comfort
D. Apply a cold compress to the painful area
Rationale: Severe pain (≥7) requires prompt pharmacological
intervention per pain management protocols.
5. The nurse is assessing a patient’s radial pulse and notes it is irregular.
The nurse should next:
A. Auscultate the apical pulse for 1 full minute
B. Document the finding as a normal variation
C. Palpate the brachial pulse bilaterally
D. Reassess the radial pulse in 15 minutes
Rationale: An irregular radial pulse requires apical auscultation to
accurately determine heart rate and rhythm.
6. A patient has an order for a “clean catch” midstream urine specimen.
The nurse should instruct the patient to:
A. Collect the first void of the morning
B. Void a small amount, then collect the specimen, then void the
remainder
C. Collect the entire void in a sterile container
D. Empty the bladder completely and then collect from the toilet
Rationale: The midstream technique minimizes contamination from
the distal urethra.

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7. The nurse is preparing to obtain a blood pressure using a manual
sphygmomanometer. The patient’s arm is positioned at heart level. The
nurse inflates the cuff to 180 mm Hg. The Korotkoff sound is first heard
at 140 mm Hg and disappears at 70 mm Hg. The nurse should record the
blood pressure as:
A. 180/70
B. 140/70
C. 140/0
D. 70/140
Rationale: Systolic pressure is the first Korotkoff sound; diastolic
pressure is the point at which sounds disappear.
8. Which nursing action is most appropriate when a patient’s oxygen
saturation by pulse oximetry is 88% on room air?
A. Reposition the patient and reassess in 30 minutes
B. Apply oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula
C. Obtain an order for a chest x-ray
D. Encourage the patient to take deep breaths
Rationale: SpO₂ <92% indicates hypoxemia; oxygen therapy should be
initiated immediately.
9. During a head-to-toe assessment, the nurse notes that a patient’s skin
is cool, pale, and moist. This finding is most consistent with:
A. Fever
B. Shock or anxiety
C. Hypothyroidism
D. Dehydration
Rationale: Cool, pale, moist skin indicates sympathetic nervous system
activation (vasoconstriction, diaphoresis) seen in shock or anxiety.
10. A patient with a tracheostomy tube has thick, dried secretions around
the stoma. The nurse should first:
A. Suction the tracheostomy using a sterile catheter
B. Cleanse the stoma with sterile normal saline and gauze

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C. Apply a humidified oxygen mask over the tracheostomy
D. Replace the inner cannula
Rationale: External crusting should be cleaned before proceeding with
deeper airway management.
11. The nurse is assessing a patient’s level of consciousness using the
Glasgow Coma Scale. The patient opens eyes to pain, makes
incomprehensible sounds, and withdraws from painful stimuli. The GCS
score is:
A. 6
B. 8 (E2, V2, M4)
C. 10
D. 12
*Rationale: Eye opening to pain = 2; Incomprehensible sounds = 2;
Withdrawal to pain = 4; total = 8.*
12. A patient’s apical pulse is auscultated as 110 bpm and irregular. The
nurse notes that the pulse rate taken at the radial site is 88 bpm. This
pulse deficit indicates:
A. Normal variation between apical and radial rates
B. Decreased cardiac output due to ineffective contractions
C. Improper technique during radial pulse assessment
D. A need to reposition the patient before reassessing
Rationale: A pulse deficit (apical > radial) occurs in atrial fibrillation
or premature beats when some cardiac contractions do not generate a
peripheral pulse.
13. The nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. Which technique
is appropriate for maintaining sterility?
A. Open the sterile kit and place it on the patient’s bed
B. Use a sterile drape and maintain a sterile field
C. Wear clean gloves for the entire procedure
D. Clean the meatus with an antiseptic solution using back-and-forth
strokes