BSN 246 HESI Health Assessment Exam V1 Question Bank
(Latest 2026/2027 Edition) – Questions, Answers & Detailed
Rationales
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SECTION 1: HEALTH HISTORY & INTERVIEW
Questions 1-10
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Question 1
During a patient interview, the nurse asks, "Can you describe how your chest pain feels
when it occurs?" This is an example of which interviewing technique?
A. Open-ended question
B. Closed-ended question
C. Leading question
D. Confrontational question
Correct Answer:
A — Open-ended question
Rationale:
Open-ended questions encourage patients to elaborate in their own words, which is
essential for gathering comprehensive subjective data. Closed-ended questions (B)
typically elicit brief yes/no responses and are used later in the interview to clarify
specific details.
Question 2
A 34-year-old patient states, "I think I might have a problem with my drinking." Which
response by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
,A. "Don't worry, many people drink more than they should."
B. "Tell me more about what makes you think that."
C. "How many drinks do you have per day?"
D. "You should probably stop drinking immediately."
Correct Answer:
B — "Tell me more about what makes you think that."
Rationale:
This response invites the patient to share more information while demonstrating
empathy and active listening, which are core to therapeutic communication. Option D is
non-therapeutic because it gives premature advice, and option A minimizes the patient's
concern.
Question 3
When obtaining a health history, which component directly assesses the patient's
perception of their current illness?
A. Family history
B. Review of systems
C. History of present illness
D. Past medical history
Correct Answer:
C — History of present illness
Rationale:
The history of present illness (HPI) documents the patient's subjective description of
their current symptoms, including onset, duration, severity, and associated factors.
Family history (A) addresses hereditary conditions, while past medical history (D)
covers prior diagnoses and treatments.
,Question 4
A nurse is interviewing a patient who provides vague, tangential responses to questions.
Which strategy would best help the nurse gather focused information?
A. Continue with open-ended questions to allow the patient time to organize thoughts
B. Switch to closed-ended questions to direct the conversation
C. Ask the patient to write down their responses instead
D. End the interview and reschedule for another time
Correct Answer:
B — Switch to closed-ended questions to direct the conversation
Rationale:
When a patient provides tangential responses, closed-ended questions help focus the
interview and obtain specific, relevant information efficiently. Continuing with
open-ended questions (A) may prolong the interview without yielding useful data.
Question 5
Which source of health history data is considered secondary data?
A. The patient's description of their pain
B. Information obtained from the patient's spouse
C. The patient's blood pressure reading
D. The patient's reported medication allergies
Correct Answer:
B — Information obtained from the patient's spouse
Rationale:
Secondary data comes from sources other than the patient, such as family members,
medical records, or other healthcare providers. The patient's own reports (A, D) and
objective measurements (C) are considered primary data.
, Question 6
During a health history, a patient reveals they have been experiencing increasing
shortness of breath over the past three weeks. Which follow-up question best assesses
the severity of this symptom?
A. "When did you first notice the shortness of breath?"
B. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how severe is your shortness of breath?"
C. "Have you ever had shortness of breath before?"
D. "Does anything make the shortness of breath better?"
Correct Answer:
B — "On a scale of 0 to 10, how severe is your shortness of breath?"
Rationale:
Asking the patient to rate symptom severity on a standardized scale provides
quantifiable data that can be tracked over time and compared across assessments.
Option A assesses onset, option C assesses prior history, and option D assesses
relieving factors.
Question 7
A nurse is conducting a cultural assessment and learns that a patient's family makes all
healthcare decisions collectively. Which action by the nurse demonstrates cultural
sensitivity?
A. Insist on speaking with the patient alone to ensure privacy
B. Invite family members to participate in healthcare discussions
C. Explain that individual autonomy is required for informed consent
D. Document the family as interfering with patient care
Correct Answer:
B — Invite family members to participate in healthcare discussions
(Latest 2026/2027 Edition) – Questions, Answers & Detailed
Rationales
──────────────────────────────
SECTION 1: HEALTH HISTORY & INTERVIEW
Questions 1-10
──────────────────────────────
Question 1
During a patient interview, the nurse asks, "Can you describe how your chest pain feels
when it occurs?" This is an example of which interviewing technique?
A. Open-ended question
B. Closed-ended question
C. Leading question
D. Confrontational question
Correct Answer:
A — Open-ended question
Rationale:
Open-ended questions encourage patients to elaborate in their own words, which is
essential for gathering comprehensive subjective data. Closed-ended questions (B)
typically elicit brief yes/no responses and are used later in the interview to clarify
specific details.
Question 2
A 34-year-old patient states, "I think I might have a problem with my drinking." Which
response by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
,A. "Don't worry, many people drink more than they should."
B. "Tell me more about what makes you think that."
C. "How many drinks do you have per day?"
D. "You should probably stop drinking immediately."
Correct Answer:
B — "Tell me more about what makes you think that."
Rationale:
This response invites the patient to share more information while demonstrating
empathy and active listening, which are core to therapeutic communication. Option D is
non-therapeutic because it gives premature advice, and option A minimizes the patient's
concern.
Question 3
When obtaining a health history, which component directly assesses the patient's
perception of their current illness?
A. Family history
B. Review of systems
C. History of present illness
D. Past medical history
Correct Answer:
C — History of present illness
Rationale:
The history of present illness (HPI) documents the patient's subjective description of
their current symptoms, including onset, duration, severity, and associated factors.
Family history (A) addresses hereditary conditions, while past medical history (D)
covers prior diagnoses and treatments.
,Question 4
A nurse is interviewing a patient who provides vague, tangential responses to questions.
Which strategy would best help the nurse gather focused information?
A. Continue with open-ended questions to allow the patient time to organize thoughts
B. Switch to closed-ended questions to direct the conversation
C. Ask the patient to write down their responses instead
D. End the interview and reschedule for another time
Correct Answer:
B — Switch to closed-ended questions to direct the conversation
Rationale:
When a patient provides tangential responses, closed-ended questions help focus the
interview and obtain specific, relevant information efficiently. Continuing with
open-ended questions (A) may prolong the interview without yielding useful data.
Question 5
Which source of health history data is considered secondary data?
A. The patient's description of their pain
B. Information obtained from the patient's spouse
C. The patient's blood pressure reading
D. The patient's reported medication allergies
Correct Answer:
B — Information obtained from the patient's spouse
Rationale:
Secondary data comes from sources other than the patient, such as family members,
medical records, or other healthcare providers. The patient's own reports (A, D) and
objective measurements (C) are considered primary data.
, Question 6
During a health history, a patient reveals they have been experiencing increasing
shortness of breath over the past three weeks. Which follow-up question best assesses
the severity of this symptom?
A. "When did you first notice the shortness of breath?"
B. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how severe is your shortness of breath?"
C. "Have you ever had shortness of breath before?"
D. "Does anything make the shortness of breath better?"
Correct Answer:
B — "On a scale of 0 to 10, how severe is your shortness of breath?"
Rationale:
Asking the patient to rate symptom severity on a standardized scale provides
quantifiable data that can be tracked over time and compared across assessments.
Option A assesses onset, option C assesses prior history, and option D assesses
relieving factors.
Question 7
A nurse is conducting a cultural assessment and learns that a patient's family makes all
healthcare decisions collectively. Which action by the nurse demonstrates cultural
sensitivity?
A. Insist on speaking with the patient alone to ensure privacy
B. Invite family members to participate in healthcare discussions
C. Explain that individual autonomy is required for informed consent
D. Document the family as interfering with patient care
Correct Answer:
B — Invite family members to participate in healthcare discussions
