NR 509 FINAL EXAM 2026
BATES' PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
INTERACTIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS|
ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT,
PATIENT INTERVIEW, PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION, CLINICAL REASONING
AND NURSING EXAM STUDY GUIDE |
GRADE A+ STUDY RESOURCE
During an evaluation of an athletic 30-year-old patient, the clinician
conducts an active range of motion evaluation at the neck. Which muscle is
being assessed when the patient is asked to flex the neck?
a. Splenius capitis
b. Trapezius
c. Splenius cervicis
d. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
e. Sacrospinalis
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -d. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
An obese 50-year-old patient presents with a long history of back trouble.
What structure in the spine supports the body's weight?
,a. Vertebral arch
b. Intervertebral disk
c. Transverse process
d. Vertebral body
e. Spinous process - CORRECT ANSWER -d. Vertebral body
A 31-year-old day care worker presents with a worsening stiff, painful neck.
On inspection, the patient's head is laterally deviated toward the shoulder
and rotated. At this point of the examination, what is the most likely
diagnosis?
a. Torticollis
b. Spondylolisthesis
c. Osteoarthritis (OA)
d. Thoracic kyphosis
e. Ankylosing spondylitis
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -a. Torticollis
A young adult patient presents to the clinic stating that something is wrong
as he looks in the mirror and sees that his shoulders are uneven. He
fractured his left arm 8 weeks ago and remains in a cast. He noticed the
uneven shoulders over the last week. Upon inspection, his shoulder heights
are unequal and there is winging of the scapula. As the examination
continues, which of the following maneuvers would confirm a likely
diagnosis?
,a. Assess his ability to touch his toes
b. Assess the lateral bending movement of his neck
c. Compare the strength of his trapezia muscles
d. Assess his ability to extend his back
e. Check for listing of his trunk
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -c. Compare the strength of his trapezia
muscles
During a musculoskeletal examination, the clinician instructs the patient to
look over one shoulder, and then the other shoulder. This action assesses
the movement of which muscle(s)?
a. Scalenes
b. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
c. Splenius capitis
d. Prevertebral muscles
e. Splenius cervicis - CORRECT ANSWER -b. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
During a musculoskeletal examination of the spine, what is the action(s) of
the erector spinae muscle group?
a. Rotation of the spine
b. Extension of the spine
c. Flexion of the spine
d. Lateral bending of the spine
, e. Rotation and lateral bending of the spine - CORRECT ANSWER -b.
Extension of the spine
The clinician is seeing a middle-aged patient who has a diagnosis of lumbar
spinal stenosis. The patient's history is consistent with this diagnosis as he
has pain in the back with walking that improves with rest. Which physical
sign(s) are most consistent with his diagnosis?
a. Hyperreflexia of the lower limb
b. Pelvic tilt or drop
c. Thoracic kyphosis
d. Positive straight-leg raise
e. Flexed forward posture with lower extremity weakness
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -e. Flexed forward posture with lower
extremity weakness
The clinician is seeing a 58-year-old patient with a diagnosis of arthritis.
The patient complains of pain in his knees, hips, hands, wrists, neck, and
low back. Based on which joints are involved, the patient most likely has
which joint problem?
a. Osteoarthritis (OA)
b. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
c. Psoriatic arthritis
d. Gout
e. Polymyalgia rheumatica - CORRECT ANSWER -a. Osteoarthritis (OA)
BATES' PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
INTERACTIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS|
ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT,
PATIENT INTERVIEW, PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION, CLINICAL REASONING
AND NURSING EXAM STUDY GUIDE |
GRADE A+ STUDY RESOURCE
During an evaluation of an athletic 30-year-old patient, the clinician
conducts an active range of motion evaluation at the neck. Which muscle is
being assessed when the patient is asked to flex the neck?
a. Splenius capitis
b. Trapezius
c. Splenius cervicis
d. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
e. Sacrospinalis
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -d. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
An obese 50-year-old patient presents with a long history of back trouble.
What structure in the spine supports the body's weight?
,a. Vertebral arch
b. Intervertebral disk
c. Transverse process
d. Vertebral body
e. Spinous process - CORRECT ANSWER -d. Vertebral body
A 31-year-old day care worker presents with a worsening stiff, painful neck.
On inspection, the patient's head is laterally deviated toward the shoulder
and rotated. At this point of the examination, what is the most likely
diagnosis?
a. Torticollis
b. Spondylolisthesis
c. Osteoarthritis (OA)
d. Thoracic kyphosis
e. Ankylosing spondylitis
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -a. Torticollis
A young adult patient presents to the clinic stating that something is wrong
as he looks in the mirror and sees that his shoulders are uneven. He
fractured his left arm 8 weeks ago and remains in a cast. He noticed the
uneven shoulders over the last week. Upon inspection, his shoulder heights
are unequal and there is winging of the scapula. As the examination
continues, which of the following maneuvers would confirm a likely
diagnosis?
,a. Assess his ability to touch his toes
b. Assess the lateral bending movement of his neck
c. Compare the strength of his trapezia muscles
d. Assess his ability to extend his back
e. Check for listing of his trunk
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -c. Compare the strength of his trapezia
muscles
During a musculoskeletal examination, the clinician instructs the patient to
look over one shoulder, and then the other shoulder. This action assesses
the movement of which muscle(s)?
a. Scalenes
b. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
c. Splenius capitis
d. Prevertebral muscles
e. Splenius cervicis - CORRECT ANSWER -b. Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
During a musculoskeletal examination of the spine, what is the action(s) of
the erector spinae muscle group?
a. Rotation of the spine
b. Extension of the spine
c. Flexion of the spine
d. Lateral bending of the spine
, e. Rotation and lateral bending of the spine - CORRECT ANSWER -b.
Extension of the spine
The clinician is seeing a middle-aged patient who has a diagnosis of lumbar
spinal stenosis. The patient's history is consistent with this diagnosis as he
has pain in the back with walking that improves with rest. Which physical
sign(s) are most consistent with his diagnosis?
a. Hyperreflexia of the lower limb
b. Pelvic tilt or drop
c. Thoracic kyphosis
d. Positive straight-leg raise
e. Flexed forward posture with lower extremity weakness
Submit - CORRECT ANSWER -e. Flexed forward posture with lower
extremity weakness
The clinician is seeing a 58-year-old patient with a diagnosis of arthritis.
The patient complains of pain in his knees, hips, hands, wrists, neck, and
low back. Based on which joints are involved, the patient most likely has
which joint problem?
a. Osteoarthritis (OA)
b. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
c. Psoriatic arthritis
d. Gout
e. Polymyalgia rheumatica - CORRECT ANSWER -a. Osteoarthritis (OA)
