Comprehensive Nursing
Readiness & Clinical
Competency
Assessment 2026/2027
**Question 1**
The nurse is performing a health assessment on a client. Which technique is used to assess the client's
abdominal aortic aneurysm?
A. Auscultation for bruits
B. Palpation for a pulsatile mass
,C. Percussion for dullness
D. Inspection for visible pulsations
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Auscultation for bruits over the abdominal aorta is the appropriate technique to
assess for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A bruit indicates turbulent blood flow, which can be a sign of
an aneurysm. Palpation is generally avoided to prevent rupture. Percussion and inspection are less
specific.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A. Auscultation for bruits
---
**Question 2**
A client is prescribed digoxin (Lanoxin) for heart failure. The nurse should assess the client for which
early sign of digoxin toxicity?
A. Visual disturbances
B. Anorexia and nausea
C. Bradycardia
D. Confusion
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting are among the earliest signs of digoxin toxicity.
Visual disturbances (yellow-green halos), bradycardia, and confusion can occur but typically develop
later. Recognizing early signs allows for prompt intervention and prevention of serious complications.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Anorexia and nausea
,---
**Question 3**
The nurse is assessing a client with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which
finding is most consistent with this diagnosis?
A. Barrel chest and pursed-lip breathing
B. Clubbing of the fingers
C. Diminished breath sounds
D. All of the above
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: All of these findings are characteristic of COPD. Barrel chest results from
hyperinflation, pursed-lip breathing helps prolong expiration and prevent airway collapse, clubbing is a
sign of chronic hypoxemia, and diminished breath sounds result from decreased airflow. These findings
collectively support a COPD diagnosis.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: D. All of the above
---
**Question 4**
The nurse is providing education to a client with a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. The client
asks, "Why do I need to take insulin?" Which response is most accurate?
A. "Your body does not produce enough insulin."
, B. "Your body is resistant to the insulin you produce."
C. "Your pancreas does not produce any insulin."
D. "Your body produces too much glucagon."
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Type 1 diabetes is characterized by absolute insulin deficiency due to
autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. The client's pancreas does not produce any insulin,
requiring exogenous insulin therapy. The other responses are more accurate for type 2 diabetes.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. "Your pancreas does not produce any insulin."
---
**Question 5**
The nurse is caring for a client who is 24 hours post-operative after an appendectomy. The client reports
nausea and has not passed flatus. Which nursing intervention is appropriate?
A. Encourage the client to drink clear liquids
B. Notify the healthcare provider immediately
C. Ambulate the client to promote bowel motility
D. Administer a suppository
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Ambulation stimulates peristalsis and can help pass flatus, which is an expected
post-operative finding. Nausea and absence of flatus are common initially. The client should not have
oral fluids until bowel sounds return. Notifying the provider is not necessary at this time.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Ambulate the client to promote bowel motility
Readiness & Clinical
Competency
Assessment 2026/2027
**Question 1**
The nurse is performing a health assessment on a client. Which technique is used to assess the client's
abdominal aortic aneurysm?
A. Auscultation for bruits
B. Palpation for a pulsatile mass
,C. Percussion for dullness
D. Inspection for visible pulsations
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Auscultation for bruits over the abdominal aorta is the appropriate technique to
assess for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A bruit indicates turbulent blood flow, which can be a sign of
an aneurysm. Palpation is generally avoided to prevent rupture. Percussion and inspection are less
specific.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A. Auscultation for bruits
---
**Question 2**
A client is prescribed digoxin (Lanoxin) for heart failure. The nurse should assess the client for which
early sign of digoxin toxicity?
A. Visual disturbances
B. Anorexia and nausea
C. Bradycardia
D. Confusion
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting are among the earliest signs of digoxin toxicity.
Visual disturbances (yellow-green halos), bradycardia, and confusion can occur but typically develop
later. Recognizing early signs allows for prompt intervention and prevention of serious complications.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Anorexia and nausea
,---
**Question 3**
The nurse is assessing a client with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which
finding is most consistent with this diagnosis?
A. Barrel chest and pursed-lip breathing
B. Clubbing of the fingers
C. Diminished breath sounds
D. All of the above
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: All of these findings are characteristic of COPD. Barrel chest results from
hyperinflation, pursed-lip breathing helps prolong expiration and prevent airway collapse, clubbing is a
sign of chronic hypoxemia, and diminished breath sounds result from decreased airflow. These findings
collectively support a COPD diagnosis.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: D. All of the above
---
**Question 4**
The nurse is providing education to a client with a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. The client
asks, "Why do I need to take insulin?" Which response is most accurate?
A. "Your body does not produce enough insulin."
, B. "Your body is resistant to the insulin you produce."
C. "Your pancreas does not produce any insulin."
D. "Your body produces too much glucagon."
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Type 1 diabetes is characterized by absolute insulin deficiency due to
autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. The client's pancreas does not produce any insulin,
requiring exogenous insulin therapy. The other responses are more accurate for type 2 diabetes.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. "Your pancreas does not produce any insulin."
---
**Question 5**
The nurse is caring for a client who is 24 hours post-operative after an appendectomy. The client reports
nausea and has not passed flatus. Which nursing intervention is appropriate?
A. Encourage the client to drink clear liquids
B. Notify the healthcare provider immediately
C. Ambulate the client to promote bowel motility
D. Administer a suppository
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Ambulation stimulates peristalsis and can help pass flatus, which is an expected
post-operative finding. Nausea and absence of flatus are common initially. The client should not have
oral fluids until bowel sounds return. Notifying the provider is not necessary at this time.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Ambulate the client to promote bowel motility
