,NU 136/NU136 Exam 2 | Fundamentals of
Nursing (2026) Q&A | Galen College
1. A nurse is performing a physical assessment on an older adult. Which
technique should the nurse perform first?
A) Palpation
B) Percussion
C) Auscultation
D) Inspection
Correct Answer: Inspection
Rationale: Inspection is always the first step of the physical assessment. The
nurse observes the patient's appearance, gait, and skin before touching or
listening. Palpation, percussion, and auscultation follow in the appropriate
sequence.
2. The nurse is auscultating a patient's chest and needs to listen to high-pitched
breath sounds. Which part of the stethoscope should the nurse use?
A) Bell
B) Diaphragm
C) Tubing
D) Ear tips
Correct Answer: Diaphragm
,Rationale: The diaphragm is used to detect high-pitched sounds such as normal
breath sounds, bowel sounds, and normal heart sounds. The bell is used for low-
pitched sounds like abnormal heart sounds and bruits.
3. A nurse is preparing to palpate a patient's abdomen. Before beginning, the
nurse should:
A) Place the patient in a supine position with legs extended
B) Ask the patient to void
C) Apply firm, deep pressure immediately
D) Auscultate after palpation
Correct Answer: Ask the patient to void
Rationale: The patient should empty the bladder before abdominal palpation to
reduce discomfort and allow accurate assessment. The sequence is inspect,
auscultate, palpate, and then percuss.
4. The nurse is assessing a patient's level of consciousness using the Glasgow
Coma Scale. The patient opens eyes to pain, uses inappropriate words, and
withdraws from pain. What is the GCS score?
A) 8
B) 9
C) 10
D) 11
Correct Answer: 9
, Rationale: Eye opening to pain = 2, inappropriate words = 3, withdrawal to pain
= 4. Total = 9. A score of 8 or less indicates coma. The nurse must monitor for
changes.
5. A nurse is performing an otoscopic examination on an adult. To straighten the
ear canal, the nurse should pull the pinna:
A) Down and back
B) Up and back
C) Down and forward
D) Straight out
Correct Answer: Up and back
Rationale: For adults, pulling the pinna up and back straightens the ear canal for
visualization. For children under 3 years, the pinna is pulled down and back.
6. While assessing a patient's pupils, the nurse shines a light in the right eye and
observes constriction of the left pupil. This finding is documented as:
A) Direct pupillary reflex
B) Consensual pupillary reflex
C) Accommodation
D) Nystagmus
Correct Answer: Consensual pupillary reflex
Nursing (2026) Q&A | Galen College
1. A nurse is performing a physical assessment on an older adult. Which
technique should the nurse perform first?
A) Palpation
B) Percussion
C) Auscultation
D) Inspection
Correct Answer: Inspection
Rationale: Inspection is always the first step of the physical assessment. The
nurse observes the patient's appearance, gait, and skin before touching or
listening. Palpation, percussion, and auscultation follow in the appropriate
sequence.
2. The nurse is auscultating a patient's chest and needs to listen to high-pitched
breath sounds. Which part of the stethoscope should the nurse use?
A) Bell
B) Diaphragm
C) Tubing
D) Ear tips
Correct Answer: Diaphragm
,Rationale: The diaphragm is used to detect high-pitched sounds such as normal
breath sounds, bowel sounds, and normal heart sounds. The bell is used for low-
pitched sounds like abnormal heart sounds and bruits.
3. A nurse is preparing to palpate a patient's abdomen. Before beginning, the
nurse should:
A) Place the patient in a supine position with legs extended
B) Ask the patient to void
C) Apply firm, deep pressure immediately
D) Auscultate after palpation
Correct Answer: Ask the patient to void
Rationale: The patient should empty the bladder before abdominal palpation to
reduce discomfort and allow accurate assessment. The sequence is inspect,
auscultate, palpate, and then percuss.
4. The nurse is assessing a patient's level of consciousness using the Glasgow
Coma Scale. The patient opens eyes to pain, uses inappropriate words, and
withdraws from pain. What is the GCS score?
A) 8
B) 9
C) 10
D) 11
Correct Answer: 9
, Rationale: Eye opening to pain = 2, inappropriate words = 3, withdrawal to pain
= 4. Total = 9. A score of 8 or less indicates coma. The nurse must monitor for
changes.
5. A nurse is performing an otoscopic examination on an adult. To straighten the
ear canal, the nurse should pull the pinna:
A) Down and back
B) Up and back
C) Down and forward
D) Straight out
Correct Answer: Up and back
Rationale: For adults, pulling the pinna up and back straightens the ear canal for
visualization. For children under 3 years, the pinna is pulled down and back.
6. While assessing a patient's pupils, the nurse shines a light in the right eye and
observes constriction of the left pupil. This finding is documented as:
A) Direct pupillary reflex
B) Consensual pupillary reflex
C) Accommodation
D) Nystagmus
Correct Answer: Consensual pupillary reflex
