NR 511
DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS AND
PRIMARY CARE-
2026/27 FINAL EXAM
REVIEW WITH
What’s inside;
Comprehensive collection of exam-style questions
and answers covering diagnostic reasoning,
evidence-based practice, and primary care decision-
making.
Organized in a simple question-and-answer format
for efficient revision and knowledge retention.
Excellent companion to lecture notes, textbooks,
and clinical practicum experiences.
Covers essential concepts frequently encountered in
primary care practice and NP coursework.
,1
Q: What is the sensitivity of the Prostate
Specific Antigen (PSA) for detecting prostate cancer?
Answer: The correct answer is 470/500.nSpecificity
is the proportion of patients who test negative out of
the total number of patients who do not have the
disease; it is the number of true negatives overall
negatives. In this example 500/1000 patients have the
disease. Of those 500 patients without the disease, 30
test positive and 470 tests negative.
Q: A diagnostic test is used in a sample of 1000
patients. 500 of these patients have the disease while
500 do not. Of those 500 patients without the disease
30 test positive and 470 test negatives. What is the
specificity of the test?
Answer: the proportion of patients with a positive
test who have the disease.
Q: The Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of a test
refers to which of the following?
Answer: positive predictive value. Predictive
values depend on the prevalence of disease in the
population whereas sensitivity and specificity are
intrinsic properties of the test. Reliability refers
to the consistency or stability of a measure.
Q: Which of the following depends on the
prevalence of the disease?
Answer: low positive predictive value and more
false-positive results. Positive predictive value
increases with prevalence; therefore, a low prevalence
value yields a low positive predictive value and
implies a high false-positive rate. Negative
predictive value decreases with prevalence and
sensitivity and specificity do not vary with
prevalence.
,2
Q: A low pretest probability of disease may lead
to which of the following?
Answer: false-negative test results due to a low
negative predictive value. Nat the individual level
your clinical suspicion is equivalent to pre-test
probability and high prevalence at the population
level. Negative predictive value is inversely
correlated with prevalence; therefore, your clinical
suspicion translates to a low negative predictive
value suggesting a false-negative test result.
Q: If you strongly suspect that a patient is
positive for a specific condition, but tests negative
the negative result may be:
Answer: CBC Check CBC with differential for
neutrophil shift in suspected infection
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Fever
Answer: CBC Check platelet count
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Unexplained bruising
Answer: Both CBC and CMP Check RBC Hgb and Hct for
anemia CMP for potential liver or kidney abnormalities
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Fatigue
Answer: CMP Monitor electrolytes for abnormalities
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Cardiac dysrhythmias
Answer: Both CBC and CMP Check WBC for
inflammation or possible cancer CMP for glucose liver
or kidney abnormalities
, 3
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Unexplained weight loss
Answer: CMP Check for kidney function
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Edema
Answer: Summarize the history and findings Narrow
the differential diagnosis to two or three
possibilities Analyze the differential by comparing
and contrasting the possibilities Probe the preceptor
by asking questions about alternative approaches or
uncertainties Plan the management of the client’s
health issues Select an issue from the case for self-
directed learning
Q: What is SNAPPS?
Answer: Refer to the ER
Q: a 13 year old presents to the clinic
complaining of severe left side sore throat and pain
with swallowing for 1\day. upon exam the patient
appears uncomfortable and febrile. Cervical adenopathy
is present on left side\difficulty opening and closing
mouth. What should you do?
Answer: After 2 days of no head lice her bedding
is lice free
Q: a 37 year old female presents for her annual
visit. She mentions that her 13 year old daughter has
had to\recent infestions of lice. She asks what she
can do to prevent this?
Answer: quin.hydr.
Q: Which of the following is the appropriate
treatment for giardia
DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS AND
PRIMARY CARE-
2026/27 FINAL EXAM
REVIEW WITH
What’s inside;
Comprehensive collection of exam-style questions
and answers covering diagnostic reasoning,
evidence-based practice, and primary care decision-
making.
Organized in a simple question-and-answer format
for efficient revision and knowledge retention.
Excellent companion to lecture notes, textbooks,
and clinical practicum experiences.
Covers essential concepts frequently encountered in
primary care practice and NP coursework.
,1
Q: What is the sensitivity of the Prostate
Specific Antigen (PSA) for detecting prostate cancer?
Answer: The correct answer is 470/500.nSpecificity
is the proportion of patients who test negative out of
the total number of patients who do not have the
disease; it is the number of true negatives overall
negatives. In this example 500/1000 patients have the
disease. Of those 500 patients without the disease, 30
test positive and 470 tests negative.
Q: A diagnostic test is used in a sample of 1000
patients. 500 of these patients have the disease while
500 do not. Of those 500 patients without the disease
30 test positive and 470 test negatives. What is the
specificity of the test?
Answer: the proportion of patients with a positive
test who have the disease.
Q: The Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of a test
refers to which of the following?
Answer: positive predictive value. Predictive
values depend on the prevalence of disease in the
population whereas sensitivity and specificity are
intrinsic properties of the test. Reliability refers
to the consistency or stability of a measure.
Q: Which of the following depends on the
prevalence of the disease?
Answer: low positive predictive value and more
false-positive results. Positive predictive value
increases with prevalence; therefore, a low prevalence
value yields a low positive predictive value and
implies a high false-positive rate. Negative
predictive value decreases with prevalence and
sensitivity and specificity do not vary with
prevalence.
,2
Q: A low pretest probability of disease may lead
to which of the following?
Answer: false-negative test results due to a low
negative predictive value. Nat the individual level
your clinical suspicion is equivalent to pre-test
probability and high prevalence at the population
level. Negative predictive value is inversely
correlated with prevalence; therefore, your clinical
suspicion translates to a low negative predictive
value suggesting a false-negative test result.
Q: If you strongly suspect that a patient is
positive for a specific condition, but tests negative
the negative result may be:
Answer: CBC Check CBC with differential for
neutrophil shift in suspected infection
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Fever
Answer: CBC Check platelet count
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Unexplained bruising
Answer: Both CBC and CMP Check RBC Hgb and Hct for
anemia CMP for potential liver or kidney abnormalities
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Fatigue
Answer: CMP Monitor electrolytes for abnormalities
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Cardiac dysrhythmias
Answer: Both CBC and CMP Check WBC for
inflammation or possible cancer CMP for glucose liver
or kidney abnormalities
, 3
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Unexplained weight loss
Answer: CMP Check for kidney function
Q: Which test(s) provide data relevant to the
chief complaint: Edema
Answer: Summarize the history and findings Narrow
the differential diagnosis to two or three
possibilities Analyze the differential by comparing
and contrasting the possibilities Probe the preceptor
by asking questions about alternative approaches or
uncertainties Plan the management of the client’s
health issues Select an issue from the case for self-
directed learning
Q: What is SNAPPS?
Answer: Refer to the ER
Q: a 13 year old presents to the clinic
complaining of severe left side sore throat and pain
with swallowing for 1\day. upon exam the patient
appears uncomfortable and febrile. Cervical adenopathy
is present on left side\difficulty opening and closing
mouth. What should you do?
Answer: After 2 days of no head lice her bedding
is lice free
Q: a 37 year old female presents for her annual
visit. She mentions that her 13 year old daughter has
had to\recent infestions of lice. She asks what she
can do to prevent this?
Answer: quin.hydr.
Q: Which of the following is the appropriate
treatment for giardia
