BSN 246 HESI HEALTH ASSESSMENT V1
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & VERIFIED
ANSWERS STUDY GUIDE (2026)
2 hour postprandial (post eating) blood glucose levels
- answer-should be less than 140 for young adults
A client comes to the clinic with a report of fever and a recent exposure to
someone who was diagnosed with meningitis. Which nursing assessment
should be completed during the initial examination of this client?
- answer-Level of consciousness.
A client has been diagnosed with bilateral lower lobe atelectasis. What
percussion sound should the nurse expect to hear when percussing over
the client's lower lobes?
- answer-Dull, thud-like.
A client has come to the clinic for a routine health assessment. What is the
best assessment question for the nurse to ask a client after observing
tophi on the client's ear cartilage?
- answer-Have you had sudden and severe pain in the toes or feet?
A client has just returned from the recovery room and asks to get out of
bed to go to the bathroom. The nurse decides to obtain orthostatic vital
signs first. How will the nurse position the client to begin this procedure?
- answer-Lying.
A client is being assessed upon admission to the medical-surgical unit. The
nurse is preparing to complete a head-to-toe assessment and will begin at
the head of the client. Which technique should the nurse use to begin the
assessment?
- answer-Inspect the hair and skin.
A client is in the clinic and is reporting lower abdominal pain and
constipation. Which information is of greatest concern to the nurse when
obtaining the health history from this client?
- answer-Family history of colon cancer on mother's side.
,A client is in the clinic for a routine health examination. The nurse notices
the client appears underweight. Which question is most important for the
nurse to ask when completing the health history of this client?
- answer-Have you experienced sudden weight loss?
A client is in the clinical for a yearly physical examination. Which action
should the nurse take when preparing to examine the client's abdomen?
- answer-Ask the client to urinate before beginning the examination.
A client is reporting chest pain. What statement made by the client, helps
the nurse to understand this client has a naturalistic belief in the cause of
illness?
- answer-"My life is really out of balance."
A client presents with a rash along the occipital area of the hairline and
reports intense itching. How should the nurse begin the objective part of
the examination?
- answer-Inspect the scalp looking for nits.
A client reports feeling increasingly fatigued for several months, and the
nurse observes that the client's lips are pale. Which additional data should
the nurse collect based on this presentation?
- answer-Use of vitamin and iron supplements.
A client reports lower abdominal pain and a feeling of pressure in the
bladder. Which assessment finding indicates acute urinary retention?
- answer-Dull sound percussed over bladder.
*Clients with acute urinary retention may present with lower abdominal pain
and bladder distension. Percussion (tapping on the body wall) is performed to
detect differences in pitch. A dull sound produced when percussing a
distended urinary bladder is an indication of urinary retention.
A client reports pain when taking a deep breath. Which lung auscultation
sound should the nurse anticipate hearing?
- answer-Pleural friction rub
A client states that she had a mastectomy of her left breast last year and
now experiences lymphedema. What should the nurse expect to find when
examining the client?
- answer-Swelling of the left arm and non-pitting edema.
, A client with dark skin is reporting a painful and itching area on the lower left
leg. What should the nurse look for when assessing this client's skin for
inflammation?
- answer-Change in consistency.
A client with progressive hearing loss appears distressed when the registered
nurse (RN) asks open-ended questions about the client's health history. Which
forms of communication should the RN use?
- answer-Face the client so the client can see the RN's
mouth. Check if the client's hearing aides are working
properly.
Reduce environmental noise surrounding the client.
A male executive is seen in the primary care clinic for a physical
examination. While obtaining the client's health history, the nurse inquires
about his drug and alcohol use. The executive denies drug use, but reports
that he has "two glasses of wine" per night. Which response is best for the
nurse to provide?
- answer-"What effect do you think your use of alcohol may have on you?"
A Muslim male client refuses to let the female registered nurse (RN) listen
to his breath sounds during the examination. How should the RN respond?
- answer-Request a male nurse or healthcare provider to perform the exam.
A nurse is completing a nutritional assessment with a client. What is the
easiest method for the nurse to use to get information about the client's
nutritional intake?
- answer-24-hour dietary recall
A nurse is working in a healthcare facility that serves a diverse
population. What action(s) by the nurse will allow the nurse to empathize
with and understand this population? (Select all that apply.)
- answer-Be open to people who are
different. Have a curiosity about people.
Become culturally competent.
A postmenopausal female client is undergoing a routine physical
examination. She has reported nothing out of the ordinary. When
performing the examination of the genitourinary system, the nurse finds an
irregularly enlarged uterus with firm, mobile, painless nodules in the
uterine wall. How should the nurse explain this finding to the client?
- answer-You have benign fibroid tumors, a common occurrence in
women your age.
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS & VERIFIED
ANSWERS STUDY GUIDE (2026)
2 hour postprandial (post eating) blood glucose levels
- answer-should be less than 140 for young adults
A client comes to the clinic with a report of fever and a recent exposure to
someone who was diagnosed with meningitis. Which nursing assessment
should be completed during the initial examination of this client?
- answer-Level of consciousness.
A client has been diagnosed with bilateral lower lobe atelectasis. What
percussion sound should the nurse expect to hear when percussing over
the client's lower lobes?
- answer-Dull, thud-like.
A client has come to the clinic for a routine health assessment. What is the
best assessment question for the nurse to ask a client after observing
tophi on the client's ear cartilage?
- answer-Have you had sudden and severe pain in the toes or feet?
A client has just returned from the recovery room and asks to get out of
bed to go to the bathroom. The nurse decides to obtain orthostatic vital
signs first. How will the nurse position the client to begin this procedure?
- answer-Lying.
A client is being assessed upon admission to the medical-surgical unit. The
nurse is preparing to complete a head-to-toe assessment and will begin at
the head of the client. Which technique should the nurse use to begin the
assessment?
- answer-Inspect the hair and skin.
A client is in the clinic and is reporting lower abdominal pain and
constipation. Which information is of greatest concern to the nurse when
obtaining the health history from this client?
- answer-Family history of colon cancer on mother's side.
,A client is in the clinic for a routine health examination. The nurse notices
the client appears underweight. Which question is most important for the
nurse to ask when completing the health history of this client?
- answer-Have you experienced sudden weight loss?
A client is in the clinical for a yearly physical examination. Which action
should the nurse take when preparing to examine the client's abdomen?
- answer-Ask the client to urinate before beginning the examination.
A client is reporting chest pain. What statement made by the client, helps
the nurse to understand this client has a naturalistic belief in the cause of
illness?
- answer-"My life is really out of balance."
A client presents with a rash along the occipital area of the hairline and
reports intense itching. How should the nurse begin the objective part of
the examination?
- answer-Inspect the scalp looking for nits.
A client reports feeling increasingly fatigued for several months, and the
nurse observes that the client's lips are pale. Which additional data should
the nurse collect based on this presentation?
- answer-Use of vitamin and iron supplements.
A client reports lower abdominal pain and a feeling of pressure in the
bladder. Which assessment finding indicates acute urinary retention?
- answer-Dull sound percussed over bladder.
*Clients with acute urinary retention may present with lower abdominal pain
and bladder distension. Percussion (tapping on the body wall) is performed to
detect differences in pitch. A dull sound produced when percussing a
distended urinary bladder is an indication of urinary retention.
A client reports pain when taking a deep breath. Which lung auscultation
sound should the nurse anticipate hearing?
- answer-Pleural friction rub
A client states that she had a mastectomy of her left breast last year and
now experiences lymphedema. What should the nurse expect to find when
examining the client?
- answer-Swelling of the left arm and non-pitting edema.
, A client with dark skin is reporting a painful and itching area on the lower left
leg. What should the nurse look for when assessing this client's skin for
inflammation?
- answer-Change in consistency.
A client with progressive hearing loss appears distressed when the registered
nurse (RN) asks open-ended questions about the client's health history. Which
forms of communication should the RN use?
- answer-Face the client so the client can see the RN's
mouth. Check if the client's hearing aides are working
properly.
Reduce environmental noise surrounding the client.
A male executive is seen in the primary care clinic for a physical
examination. While obtaining the client's health history, the nurse inquires
about his drug and alcohol use. The executive denies drug use, but reports
that he has "two glasses of wine" per night. Which response is best for the
nurse to provide?
- answer-"What effect do you think your use of alcohol may have on you?"
A Muslim male client refuses to let the female registered nurse (RN) listen
to his breath sounds during the examination. How should the RN respond?
- answer-Request a male nurse or healthcare provider to perform the exam.
A nurse is completing a nutritional assessment with a client. What is the
easiest method for the nurse to use to get information about the client's
nutritional intake?
- answer-24-hour dietary recall
A nurse is working in a healthcare facility that serves a diverse
population. What action(s) by the nurse will allow the nurse to empathize
with and understand this population? (Select all that apply.)
- answer-Be open to people who are
different. Have a curiosity about people.
Become culturally competent.
A postmenopausal female client is undergoing a routine physical
examination. She has reported nothing out of the ordinary. When
performing the examination of the genitourinary system, the nurse finds an
irregularly enlarged uterus with firm, mobile, painless nodules in the
uterine wall. How should the nurse explain this finding to the client?
- answer-You have benign fibroid tumors, a common occurrence in
women your age.
