# NR 302 Health Assessment Final Examination
## Comprehensive Physical Assessment Review | 100 NCLEX-
Style Questions with Rationales
### Updated 2026 | Clinical Judgment & Examination Skills
Mastery
---
**Question 1**
A nurse is performing a comprehensive health history on a newly admitted patient. Which component is
considered subjective data?
A. Blood pressure reading
B. Patient's description of chest pain
C. Laboratory test results
D. Auscultated breath sounds
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Patient's description of chest pain
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Subjective data includes information reported by the patient, such as symptoms and
feelings.
---
**Question 2**
During a physical assessment, the nurse palpates an enlarged lymph node in the cervical region. Which
finding suggests malignancy?
A. Tender and mobile node
B. Firm, fixed, and non-tender node
C. Soft and fluctuant node
,D. Rubbery and movable node
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Firm, fixed, and non-tender node
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Malignant lymph nodes are typically firm, fixed, and non-tender.
---
**Question 3**
The nurse is assessing a patient's pupils. Which response indicates a normal accommodation reflex?
A. Pupils constrict when focusing on a distant object
B. Pupils dilate when focusing on a close object
C. Pupils constrict when focusing on a close object
D. Pupils remain unchanged when focusing on a close object
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Pupils constrict when focusing on a close object
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The accommodation reflex involves pupillary constriction when focusing on a near
object.
---
**Question 4**
The nurse is using the percussion technique during a physical examination. Which sound is expected
when percussing the lungs?
A. Dullness
B. Tympany
C. Resonance
D. Flatness
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Resonance
,💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Resonance is the normal percussion sound heard over healthy lung tissue.
---
**Question 5**
A nurse is assessing a patient's jugular venous pressure. The nurse should place the patient in which
position?
A. Supine position with head flat
B. Semi-Fowler's position at 45 degrees
C. Fowler's position at 90 degrees
D. Left lateral recumbent position
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Semi-Fowler's position at 45 degrees
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Semi-Fowler's position (45 degrees) provides optimal visualization of jugular venous
pulsations.
---
**Question 6**
The nurse is inspecting the oral cavity. Which finding is considered an abnormal variation?
A. Pink, moist buccal mucosa
B. 32 permanent teeth
C. White, irregular patches on the tongue
D. Uvula in midline position
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. White, irregular patches on the tongue
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: White patches on the tongue may indicate candidiasis or leukoplakia and require
further evaluation.
, ---
**Question 7**
During a cardiac assessment, the nurse auscultates a murmur. The nurse documents the murmur as
Grade III. Which description is correct?
A. Barely audible
B. Louder but without a thrill
C. Loud with a palpable thrill
D. Very loud with a thrill
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Louder but without a thrill
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Grade III murmurs are loud but without a palpable thrill.
---
**Question 8**
The nurse is assessing a patient's cranial nerve VII (facial nerve). Which action should the nurse ask the
patient to perform?
A. Identify different tastes on the tongue
B. Raise the eyebrows and smile
C. Shrug the shoulders
D. Swallow and say "ah"
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Raise the eyebrows and smile
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Cranial nerve VII controls facial muscle movement; assessing symmetry during
smiling and raising eyebrows evaluates this nerve.
---
**Question 9**
## Comprehensive Physical Assessment Review | 100 NCLEX-
Style Questions with Rationales
### Updated 2026 | Clinical Judgment & Examination Skills
Mastery
---
**Question 1**
A nurse is performing a comprehensive health history on a newly admitted patient. Which component is
considered subjective data?
A. Blood pressure reading
B. Patient's description of chest pain
C. Laboratory test results
D. Auscultated breath sounds
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Patient's description of chest pain
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Subjective data includes information reported by the patient, such as symptoms and
feelings.
---
**Question 2**
During a physical assessment, the nurse palpates an enlarged lymph node in the cervical region. Which
finding suggests malignancy?
A. Tender and mobile node
B. Firm, fixed, and non-tender node
C. Soft and fluctuant node
,D. Rubbery and movable node
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Firm, fixed, and non-tender node
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Malignant lymph nodes are typically firm, fixed, and non-tender.
---
**Question 3**
The nurse is assessing a patient's pupils. Which response indicates a normal accommodation reflex?
A. Pupils constrict when focusing on a distant object
B. Pupils dilate when focusing on a close object
C. Pupils constrict when focusing on a close object
D. Pupils remain unchanged when focusing on a close object
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Pupils constrict when focusing on a close object
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The accommodation reflex involves pupillary constriction when focusing on a near
object.
---
**Question 4**
The nurse is using the percussion technique during a physical examination. Which sound is expected
when percussing the lungs?
A. Dullness
B. Tympany
C. Resonance
D. Flatness
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Resonance
,💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Resonance is the normal percussion sound heard over healthy lung tissue.
---
**Question 5**
A nurse is assessing a patient's jugular venous pressure. The nurse should place the patient in which
position?
A. Supine position with head flat
B. Semi-Fowler's position at 45 degrees
C. Fowler's position at 90 degrees
D. Left lateral recumbent position
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Semi-Fowler's position at 45 degrees
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Semi-Fowler's position (45 degrees) provides optimal visualization of jugular venous
pulsations.
---
**Question 6**
The nurse is inspecting the oral cavity. Which finding is considered an abnormal variation?
A. Pink, moist buccal mucosa
B. 32 permanent teeth
C. White, irregular patches on the tongue
D. Uvula in midline position
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. White, irregular patches on the tongue
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: White patches on the tongue may indicate candidiasis or leukoplakia and require
further evaluation.
, ---
**Question 7**
During a cardiac assessment, the nurse auscultates a murmur. The nurse documents the murmur as
Grade III. Which description is correct?
A. Barely audible
B. Louder but without a thrill
C. Loud with a palpable thrill
D. Very loud with a thrill
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Louder but without a thrill
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Grade III murmurs are loud but without a palpable thrill.
---
**Question 8**
The nurse is assessing a patient's cranial nerve VII (facial nerve). Which action should the nurse ask the
patient to perform?
A. Identify different tastes on the tongue
B. Raise the eyebrows and smile
C. Shrug the shoulders
D. Swallow and say "ah"
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Raise the eyebrows and smile
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Cranial nerve VII controls facial muscle movement; assessing symmetry during
smiling and raising eyebrows evaluates this nerve.
---
**Question 9**
