NUR 632 Advanced Health Assessment Exam
1: Complete Walden University Study Guide
with Correct Answers and Rationales ||
Latest Update 2026/2027 – Rated A+
Question 1
A professor has taught the students about the pathogenesis of abdominal pain. Which
statement by a student indicates the professor needs to review the material?
Answer: Low concentrations of anaerobes, such as Streptococci, Lactobacilli,
Staphylococcus, Enterobacteria, and Bacteroides, produce abdominal pain. ✔✔
Rationale: Low concentrations of these microorganisms are typically found in the
stomach and do not produce pain. High concentrations of anaerobes and other bacteria
in the intestines can lead to infections and abdominal pain.
Question 2
Which cardiac chambers have the thinnest wall and why?
Answer: The right and left atria; they are low-pressure chambers that serve as storage
units and conduits for blood. ✔✔
Rationale: The atria have thinner walls than the ventricles because they only need to
generate enough pressure to pump blood into the ventricles, whereas the ventricles
must generate higher pressures to pump blood to the lungs and systemic circulation.
Question 3
A healthcare provider notes that tapping the patient's facial nerve leads to lip twitching.
What electrolyte value is correlated with this finding?
Answer: Ca++: 8.2 mg/dL ✔✔
Rationale: Facial nerve twitching (Chvostek sign) is associated with hypocalcemia. The
normal serum calcium level is 8.5-10.5 mg/dL. A level of 8.2 mg/dL is slightly below
normal and can cause neuromuscular irritability.
pg. 1
,Question 4
What is the cause of functional dysphagia?
Answer: Neural or muscular disorders. ✔✔
Rationale: Functional dysphagia occurs when there is a problem with the neural or
muscular coordination of swallowing, rather than a structural obstruction. Conditions
such as achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, and scleroderma can cause this.
Question 5
Which gastric hormone inhibits acid and pepsinogen secretion, as well as decreases the
release of gastrin?
Answer: Somatostatin. ✔✔
Rationale: Somatostatin is a regulatory hormone that inhibits the secretion of gastrin,
gastric acid, and pepsinogen. It also decreases gastrointestinal motility and blood flow.
Question 6
What is one function of the tumor cell marker?
Answer: To screen individuals at high risk for cancer. ✔✔
Rationale: Tumor cell markers are substances produced by cancer cells or by the body
in response to cancer. They can be used to screen high-risk populations, aid in
diagnosis, monitor treatment response, and detect recurrence.
Question 7
Why is leakage of lysosomal enzymes during chemical injuries significant?
Answer: Enzymatic digestion of the nucleus and nucleolus occurs, halting DNA
synthesis. ✔✔
Rationale: Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that can digest cellular components.
When released during injury, these enzymes can cause autodigestion of the cell,
including damage to the nucleus and nucleolus, which prevents DNA synthesis and can
lead to cell death.
Question 8
The student wants information about a patient's renal function. What test does the
healthcare professional tell the student to evaluate?
Answer: Glomerular filtration rate. ✔✔
pg. 2
, Rationale: GFR is the best overall indicator of renal function. It measures the volume
of blood filtered by the glomeruli per minute and reflects the number of functioning
nephrons.
Question 9
A student is preparing to irrigate a patient's wound and gathers supplies, including
hydrogen peroxide. What response by the health care professional is best?
Answer: Tell the student to get some normal saline instead. ✔✔
Rationale: Hydrogen peroxide can be cytotoxic to healthy tissue and impair wound
healing. Normal saline is the preferred solution for wound irrigation as it is isotonic and
does not damage tissue.
Question 10
A patient suffered multiple traumatic injuries and received many blood transfusions
within a few days of the injuries. For which medical condition should the healthcare
professional monitor the patient for?
Answer: Hemosiderosis. ✔✔
Rationale: Hemosiderosis is the accumulation of iron in tissues due to multiple blood
transfusions. Excess iron can deposit in organs such as the liver, heart, and pancreas,
leading to organ dysfunction.
Question 11
The data reporting that sickle cell disease affects approximately 1 in 600 American
blacks is an example of which concept?
Answer: Prevalence. ✔✔
Rationale: Prevalence measures the total number of cases of a disease in a population
at a specific point in time. It includes both new and existing cases.
Question 12
A patient has a history of excessive use of magnesium-containing antacids and
aluminum-containing antacids. What lab value does the healthcare professional
correlate to this behavior?
Answer: Serum phosphorus of 1.8 mg/dL ✔✔
pg. 3
1: Complete Walden University Study Guide
with Correct Answers and Rationales ||
Latest Update 2026/2027 – Rated A+
Question 1
A professor has taught the students about the pathogenesis of abdominal pain. Which
statement by a student indicates the professor needs to review the material?
Answer: Low concentrations of anaerobes, such as Streptococci, Lactobacilli,
Staphylococcus, Enterobacteria, and Bacteroides, produce abdominal pain. ✔✔
Rationale: Low concentrations of these microorganisms are typically found in the
stomach and do not produce pain. High concentrations of anaerobes and other bacteria
in the intestines can lead to infections and abdominal pain.
Question 2
Which cardiac chambers have the thinnest wall and why?
Answer: The right and left atria; they are low-pressure chambers that serve as storage
units and conduits for blood. ✔✔
Rationale: The atria have thinner walls than the ventricles because they only need to
generate enough pressure to pump blood into the ventricles, whereas the ventricles
must generate higher pressures to pump blood to the lungs and systemic circulation.
Question 3
A healthcare provider notes that tapping the patient's facial nerve leads to lip twitching.
What electrolyte value is correlated with this finding?
Answer: Ca++: 8.2 mg/dL ✔✔
Rationale: Facial nerve twitching (Chvostek sign) is associated with hypocalcemia. The
normal serum calcium level is 8.5-10.5 mg/dL. A level of 8.2 mg/dL is slightly below
normal and can cause neuromuscular irritability.
pg. 1
,Question 4
What is the cause of functional dysphagia?
Answer: Neural or muscular disorders. ✔✔
Rationale: Functional dysphagia occurs when there is a problem with the neural or
muscular coordination of swallowing, rather than a structural obstruction. Conditions
such as achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, and scleroderma can cause this.
Question 5
Which gastric hormone inhibits acid and pepsinogen secretion, as well as decreases the
release of gastrin?
Answer: Somatostatin. ✔✔
Rationale: Somatostatin is a regulatory hormone that inhibits the secretion of gastrin,
gastric acid, and pepsinogen. It also decreases gastrointestinal motility and blood flow.
Question 6
What is one function of the tumor cell marker?
Answer: To screen individuals at high risk for cancer. ✔✔
Rationale: Tumor cell markers are substances produced by cancer cells or by the body
in response to cancer. They can be used to screen high-risk populations, aid in
diagnosis, monitor treatment response, and detect recurrence.
Question 7
Why is leakage of lysosomal enzymes during chemical injuries significant?
Answer: Enzymatic digestion of the nucleus and nucleolus occurs, halting DNA
synthesis. ✔✔
Rationale: Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that can digest cellular components.
When released during injury, these enzymes can cause autodigestion of the cell,
including damage to the nucleus and nucleolus, which prevents DNA synthesis and can
lead to cell death.
Question 8
The student wants information about a patient's renal function. What test does the
healthcare professional tell the student to evaluate?
Answer: Glomerular filtration rate. ✔✔
pg. 2
, Rationale: GFR is the best overall indicator of renal function. It measures the volume
of blood filtered by the glomeruli per minute and reflects the number of functioning
nephrons.
Question 9
A student is preparing to irrigate a patient's wound and gathers supplies, including
hydrogen peroxide. What response by the health care professional is best?
Answer: Tell the student to get some normal saline instead. ✔✔
Rationale: Hydrogen peroxide can be cytotoxic to healthy tissue and impair wound
healing. Normal saline is the preferred solution for wound irrigation as it is isotonic and
does not damage tissue.
Question 10
A patient suffered multiple traumatic injuries and received many blood transfusions
within a few days of the injuries. For which medical condition should the healthcare
professional monitor the patient for?
Answer: Hemosiderosis. ✔✔
Rationale: Hemosiderosis is the accumulation of iron in tissues due to multiple blood
transfusions. Excess iron can deposit in organs such as the liver, heart, and pancreas,
leading to organ dysfunction.
Question 11
The data reporting that sickle cell disease affects approximately 1 in 600 American
blacks is an example of which concept?
Answer: Prevalence. ✔✔
Rationale: Prevalence measures the total number of cases of a disease in a population
at a specific point in time. It includes both new and existing cases.
Question 12
A patient has a history of excessive use of magnesium-containing antacids and
aluminum-containing antacids. What lab value does the healthcare professional
correlate to this behavior?
Answer: Serum phosphorus of 1.8 mg/dL ✔✔
pg. 3
