COMMUNICATION EXAM 1 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026
Comprehensive Assessment - ANS -detailed health history and complete physical
examination, usually conducted when a patient first enters a health care setting
-used in hospital and long-term care facility
-encompasses health problems experienced by the patient: health promotion, disease
prevention, and assessment for problems with known risk factors
-provides a baseline for comparing later assessment
Problem-based/focused Assessment - ANS -involves a history and examination that are
limited to a specific problem or complaint
-used in walk-in clinic or ER
-Nurse collects data on specific problem AND considers potential impact on patient's underlying
health status
Episodic/follow-up Assessment - ANS -usually done when a patient is following up with a
health care provider for a previously identified problem
-patients with ongoing conditions (such as diabetes) will be asked to make regular visits to the
clinic for episodic assessment
-Example: a patient treated by a HCP for pneumonia might be asked to return for a follow-up
visit after completing antibiotics
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Shift assessment - ANS -RNs conduct assessments each shift. Purpose is to identify changes in
a patient's condition from baseline
-focus is largely based on the condition or problem the patient is experiencing
Screening Assessment/Examination - ANS -short examination focused on disease detection
-may be performed in a HCP's office or at a health fair
-Examples: blood pressure ______, glucose _________, cholesterol _______, colorectal
__________
Signs - ANS -objective data observed, felt, heard, or measured
-Examples: rash, enlarged lymph nodes, swelling of an extremity
Symptoms - ANS -subjective data perceived and reported by the patient
-Examples: pain, itching, nausea
Primary Prevention - ANS -protection to prevent occurrence of disease
-Examples: immunizations, pollution control. nutrition, exercise
Secondary Prevention - ANS -focuses on early identification of disease before it becomes
symptomatic to keep the disease from progressing
-Examples: screening examinations and self-examination practices (such as colorectal screening,
mammography, BP screening)
Tertiary Prevention - ANS -aims to prevent the long-term consequences of a chronic illness or
disability and to support optimal functioning
-Examples: diabetes mellitus management, cardiac rehab, hypertension management
Open-ended Questions - ANS -broadly stated questions that allow/encourage patients to
respond freely
-aim is to elicit responses that are more than one or two words
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, -begin interview with these questions
-"What brings you in today?"
Directive Questions - ANS -questions that lead patients to focus on one set of thoughts
-"Do you become short of breath when walking a flight of stairs?"
-can also be used to give patient options when answering questions
-"Is the pain in your stomach sharp, dull, or aching?"
Techniques that enhance interview - ANS -Active listening
-Facilitation
-Clarification
-Reflection
-Confrontation
-Interpretation
-Summarization
Active listening - ANS -concentrating on what the patient is saying and the purpose of the
spoken words, as well as noticing nonverbal behaviors
-the nurse purposefully listens to the patient answers and minimizes distractions
Facilitation - ANS -using phrases to encourage the patient to continue talking (verbal and
nonverbal)
-the patient pauses when answering a question and the nurse says "Go on"
Clarification - ANS -used to obtain more info about conflicting, vague, or ambiguous
statements
-Patient says "I was so angry I almost lost it," and the nurse responds "What do you mean by
'lost it'?"
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.