NR 511 CEA EXAM STUDY GUIDE & DIAGNOSTICS REVIEW
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026
Your 22 year old male pa ent states during his review of systems thathis scrotum is very
enlarged and feels like it is full a powerli er and works as a trash collector. You suspect the
pa ent likely has which of the following diagnoses?
A -Varicocele
B -Meningocele
C -Rectocele
D -Hydrocele - correct answers A -Varicocele
The point of maximum impulse (PMI) is MOST o en palpable in healthy adults when posi oned
in the supine or le lateral decubitus posi on. Which one of the following loca ons is most
commonly described as the PMI in a healthy adult?
A -Le 2nd intercostal space, midaxillary line
B -Le 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
C -Right 4th intercostal space, midaxillary line
D -Right 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line - correct answers B -Le 5th intercostal space,
midclavicular line
A40 year old, female, African American pa ent presents for history and physical. Upon your
ini al assessment, you no ce she has severe exophthalmos as pictured below. Which one of the
following diagnoses below would be the highest on your differen al diagnose of this physical
examina on finding?
A -Bilateral conjunc vi s
B -Hyperthyroidism
C -hypothyroidism
,D -Myexedma - correct answers B -Hyperthyroidism
Your pa ent with a suspected diagnosis of COPD has been seen by pulmonology and has
underwent a pulmonary func on test (PFT) with spirometry. As the pa ent's primary healthcare
provider, you have been asked to explain the findings of the PFT to the pa ent in afollow-up
visit at which me the pa ent asks what the study was evalua ng. To describe the PFT to the
pa ent in more useful terms, you state that the large inspira on of air to the furthest extent
they could reasonably accomplish followed by a full exhala on is referred to as which of the
following measurements during the PFT?
A -Forced Expiratory Volume over 1 second (FEV1)
B -Func onal Reserve Capacity
C -Inspiratory Reserve
D -Forced Vital Capacity - correct answers D -Forced vital capacity
Your pa ent has a diagnosis of Addison's disease. Which of the following might you expect to
find during examina on?
A -Abdominal striae
B -Dowager hump
C -Low body temperature
D -Moon face - correct answers B -Dowager hump
The nurse prac oner's evalua on of a pa ent with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 should include
which of the following while evalua ng for end organ dysfunc on of the disease?
A -Renal func on panel
B -Urinalysis
C -Non-dilated eye exam
D -All of these are appropriate op ons - correct answers D -All of these are appropriate op ons
,During your visit with a 19 year old pa ent for a college health physical, your health history
includes a diagnosis of angioedema. What of the following parts of the body are were likely
involved?
A -Isolated to the colon
B -Anywhere in the enteral tract
C -Chest
D -Face and Lips - correct answers D -Face and Lips
Which of the following dermatologic lesions is precancerous and likely due to prolonged
exposure to UV-B?
A -Ac nic Keratosis
B -Basal cell carcinoma
C -Verucca
D -Seborrheic derma s - correct answers A -Ac nic Keratosis
Based on your evalua on of ABCDE for melanoma, which of the following represents a
suspicous finding?
A -Irregular borders
B -Symmetrical nature
C -Brown color
D -Diameter of 0.4 cm - correct answers A -Irregular borders
Your pa ent is complaining of hypersomnia, lack of mo va on, weight gain, and anhedonia.
Suspec ng a diagnosis of clinical depression, you an cipate the pa ent will benefit from
trea ng their underlying deficit of which of the following neurotransmi ers?
A -GABA
B -Serotonin
C -Dobutamine
, D -Glutamate - correct answers B -Serotonin
As a prudent nurse prac oner, the diabe c, hypertensive pa ent you are seeing should be
evaluated for early evidence of renal damage from both diabetes and hypertension. Which of
the following assessment tools should the nurse prac oner order first for the evalua on of
early renal dysfunc on secondary to diabetes or hypertension?
A -BUN/crea nine ra o
B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
C -Renal biopsy
D -Urine sodium - correct answers B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
While evalua ng a pa ent in your clinic for a rou ne health visit, you auscultate crackles in the
poster le lower lobe, have the pa ent cough, with follow-up ausculta on revealing clear
breath sounds. Which one of the following would you suspect?
A -Conges ve heart failure
B -Atelectasis
C -Laryngospasm
D -Bronchiactasis. - correct answers B -Atelectasis
Your 39 year old pa ent who has recently been hospitalized for an appendectomy and is being
seen in your clinic for post-opera ve follow-up with primary care. On assessment, the pa ent
complains of some incisional pain and otherwise examina on is normal, with the excep on of
dull percussion sounds noted on the thorax over lung ssue. Which of the following diagnoses
would be explained by this finding in post-opera ve pa ent?
A -Le -sided heart failure
B -Chronic bronchi s
C -Atelectasis
D -Healthy pa ent with no coexising disease - correct answers C -Atelectasis
PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026
Your 22 year old male pa ent states during his review of systems thathis scrotum is very
enlarged and feels like it is full a powerli er and works as a trash collector. You suspect the
pa ent likely has which of the following diagnoses?
A -Varicocele
B -Meningocele
C -Rectocele
D -Hydrocele - correct answers A -Varicocele
The point of maximum impulse (PMI) is MOST o en palpable in healthy adults when posi oned
in the supine or le lateral decubitus posi on. Which one of the following loca ons is most
commonly described as the PMI in a healthy adult?
A -Le 2nd intercostal space, midaxillary line
B -Le 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
C -Right 4th intercostal space, midaxillary line
D -Right 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line - correct answers B -Le 5th intercostal space,
midclavicular line
A40 year old, female, African American pa ent presents for history and physical. Upon your
ini al assessment, you no ce she has severe exophthalmos as pictured below. Which one of the
following diagnoses below would be the highest on your differen al diagnose of this physical
examina on finding?
A -Bilateral conjunc vi s
B -Hyperthyroidism
C -hypothyroidism
,D -Myexedma - correct answers B -Hyperthyroidism
Your pa ent with a suspected diagnosis of COPD has been seen by pulmonology and has
underwent a pulmonary func on test (PFT) with spirometry. As the pa ent's primary healthcare
provider, you have been asked to explain the findings of the PFT to the pa ent in afollow-up
visit at which me the pa ent asks what the study was evalua ng. To describe the PFT to the
pa ent in more useful terms, you state that the large inspira on of air to the furthest extent
they could reasonably accomplish followed by a full exhala on is referred to as which of the
following measurements during the PFT?
A -Forced Expiratory Volume over 1 second (FEV1)
B -Func onal Reserve Capacity
C -Inspiratory Reserve
D -Forced Vital Capacity - correct answers D -Forced vital capacity
Your pa ent has a diagnosis of Addison's disease. Which of the following might you expect to
find during examina on?
A -Abdominal striae
B -Dowager hump
C -Low body temperature
D -Moon face - correct answers B -Dowager hump
The nurse prac oner's evalua on of a pa ent with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 should include
which of the following while evalua ng for end organ dysfunc on of the disease?
A -Renal func on panel
B -Urinalysis
C -Non-dilated eye exam
D -All of these are appropriate op ons - correct answers D -All of these are appropriate op ons
,During your visit with a 19 year old pa ent for a college health physical, your health history
includes a diagnosis of angioedema. What of the following parts of the body are were likely
involved?
A -Isolated to the colon
B -Anywhere in the enteral tract
C -Chest
D -Face and Lips - correct answers D -Face and Lips
Which of the following dermatologic lesions is precancerous and likely due to prolonged
exposure to UV-B?
A -Ac nic Keratosis
B -Basal cell carcinoma
C -Verucca
D -Seborrheic derma s - correct answers A -Ac nic Keratosis
Based on your evalua on of ABCDE for melanoma, which of the following represents a
suspicous finding?
A -Irregular borders
B -Symmetrical nature
C -Brown color
D -Diameter of 0.4 cm - correct answers A -Irregular borders
Your pa ent is complaining of hypersomnia, lack of mo va on, weight gain, and anhedonia.
Suspec ng a diagnosis of clinical depression, you an cipate the pa ent will benefit from
trea ng their underlying deficit of which of the following neurotransmi ers?
A -GABA
B -Serotonin
C -Dobutamine
, D -Glutamate - correct answers B -Serotonin
As a prudent nurse prac oner, the diabe c, hypertensive pa ent you are seeing should be
evaluated for early evidence of renal damage from both diabetes and hypertension. Which of
the following assessment tools should the nurse prac oner order first for the evalua on of
early renal dysfunc on secondary to diabetes or hypertension?
A -BUN/crea nine ra o
B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
C -Renal biopsy
D -Urine sodium - correct answers B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
While evalua ng a pa ent in your clinic for a rou ne health visit, you auscultate crackles in the
poster le lower lobe, have the pa ent cough, with follow-up ausculta on revealing clear
breath sounds. Which one of the following would you suspect?
A -Conges ve heart failure
B -Atelectasis
C -Laryngospasm
D -Bronchiactasis. - correct answers B -Atelectasis
Your 39 year old pa ent who has recently been hospitalized for an appendectomy and is being
seen in your clinic for post-opera ve follow-up with primary care. On assessment, the pa ent
complains of some incisional pain and otherwise examina on is normal, with the excep on of
dull percussion sounds noted on the thorax over lung ssue. Which of the following diagnoses
would be explained by this finding in post-opera ve pa ent?
A -Le -sided heart failure
B -Chronic bronchi s
C -Atelectasis
D -Healthy pa ent with no coexising disease - correct answers C -Atelectasis
