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NSG 200 FINAL EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
NSG 200 Final Exam
The nurse is conducting a health history interview. Which open-ended
question promotes further discussion?
A. "Do you smoke cigarettes?"
B. "Tell me about your typical daily routine."
C. "Have you been feeling depressed lately?"
D. "How many alcoholic drinks do you have per week?"
Correct Answer: B. "Tell me about your typical daily routine."
Rationale: Open-ended questions invite longer responses and more insight; "Tell me
about..." encourages the patient to elaborate, unlike yes/no questions.
During the physical examination of the lungs, the nurse should:
A. Inspect before palpating
B. Auscultate before percussing
C. Palpate before percussing
D. Both A and C
Correct Answer: D. Both A and C
Rationale: The correct sequence for lung exam is: inspect, palpate, percuss, and
auscultate. Inspection should always come first, and palpation before percussion is
typical in practice.
The nurse is assessing a patient's respiratory system. Which technique should
be used first?
A. Inspection
B. Palpation
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
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Correct Answer: A. Inspection
Rationale: In any physical assessment, inspection is the first step. The nurse
observes for signs like symmetry, use of accessory muscles, and respiratory effort.
When percussing the lung fields, the nurse expects to hear:
A. Resonance over healthy lung tissue
B. Dullness over healthy lung tissue
C. Hyperresonance over emphysematous lungs
D. Both A and C
Correct Answer: D. Both A and C
Rationale:
• A. Resonance is the expected percussion note over normal, air-filled lung tissue—
it's a low-pitched, hollow sound indicating healthy lungs.
• C. Hyperresonance may be heard in conditions such as emphysema or
pneumothorax, where there is increased air in the thoracic cavity.
The ability to distinguish between these sounds is essential for detecting pathological
changes in lung density.
The nurse is auscultating heart sounds. Which area is the aortic valve area?
A. Second intercostal space, right sternal border
B. Fifth intercostal space, midclavicular line
C. Second intercostal space, left sternal border
D. Fourth intercostal space, midclavicular line
Correct Answer: A. Second intercostal space, right sternal border
Rationale:
The heart is auscultated in five traditional areas. The aortic valve is best heard at the
2nd intercostal space, right sternal border. This is crucial in identifying murmurs such
as aortic stenosis or regurgitation. Proper anatomic landmarks must be memorized
for competent cardiovascular assessment.
When assessing the abdomen, the nurse should: Select All That Apply
A. Inspect before auscultating
B. Auscultate before percussing
C. Percuss before palpating
D. Palpate before percussing
Correct Answers: A, B, and C
Rationale:
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The correct sequence of abdominal examination is Inspection → Auscultation →
Percussion → Palpation.
• A. Inspect before auscultating - Always observe first for contour, symmetry, and
skin changes.
• B. Auscultate before percussing - This avoids altering bowel sounds that can occur
due to percussion or palpation.
• C. Percuss before palpating - Percussion assesses for tympany or dullness, which
helps determine organ size and the presence of fluid or masses.
D. Palpate before percussing is incorrect because palpation could interfere with
accurate percussion findings, especially in sensitive or distended abdomens.
The nurse is testing the patient's deep tendon reflexes. Which hammer should
be used?
A. Buck hammer
B. Percussion hammer
C. Reflex hammer
D. Any type of hammer is acceptable
Correct Answer: C. Reflex hammer
Rationale:
The reflex hammer is a specific neurological instrument designed to elicit deep
tendon reflexes (DTRs), such as the patellar or Achilles reflex. It provides the
appropriate weight and shape to stimulate the tendon and assess spinal cord
integrity and peripheral nerve function.
The nurse is assessing extraocular muscle function. Which cranial nerve is
being tested?
A. Cranial nerve II (Optic)
B. Cranial nerve III (Oculomotor)
C. Cranial nerve IV (Trochlear)
D. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens)
Correct Answer: D. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens)
Rationale:
CN VI (Abducens) controls the lateral rectus muscle, which abducts the eye. It is
assessed along with CN III (Oculomotor) and CN IV (Trochlear) during extraocular
movement tests.
NSG 200 FINAL EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
NSG 200 Final Exam
The nurse is conducting a health history interview. Which open-ended
question promotes further discussion?
A. "Do you smoke cigarettes?"
B. "Tell me about your typical daily routine."
C. "Have you been feeling depressed lately?"
D. "How many alcoholic drinks do you have per week?"
Correct Answer: B. "Tell me about your typical daily routine."
Rationale: Open-ended questions invite longer responses and more insight; "Tell me
about..." encourages the patient to elaborate, unlike yes/no questions.
During the physical examination of the lungs, the nurse should:
A. Inspect before palpating
B. Auscultate before percussing
C. Palpate before percussing
D. Both A and C
Correct Answer: D. Both A and C
Rationale: The correct sequence for lung exam is: inspect, palpate, percuss, and
auscultate. Inspection should always come first, and palpation before percussion is
typical in practice.
The nurse is assessing a patient's respiratory system. Which technique should
be used first?
A. Inspection
B. Palpation
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
, Page 2 of 30
Correct Answer: A. Inspection
Rationale: In any physical assessment, inspection is the first step. The nurse
observes for signs like symmetry, use of accessory muscles, and respiratory effort.
When percussing the lung fields, the nurse expects to hear:
A. Resonance over healthy lung tissue
B. Dullness over healthy lung tissue
C. Hyperresonance over emphysematous lungs
D. Both A and C
Correct Answer: D. Both A and C
Rationale:
• A. Resonance is the expected percussion note over normal, air-filled lung tissue—
it's a low-pitched, hollow sound indicating healthy lungs.
• C. Hyperresonance may be heard in conditions such as emphysema or
pneumothorax, where there is increased air in the thoracic cavity.
The ability to distinguish between these sounds is essential for detecting pathological
changes in lung density.
The nurse is auscultating heart sounds. Which area is the aortic valve area?
A. Second intercostal space, right sternal border
B. Fifth intercostal space, midclavicular line
C. Second intercostal space, left sternal border
D. Fourth intercostal space, midclavicular line
Correct Answer: A. Second intercostal space, right sternal border
Rationale:
The heart is auscultated in five traditional areas. The aortic valve is best heard at the
2nd intercostal space, right sternal border. This is crucial in identifying murmurs such
as aortic stenosis or regurgitation. Proper anatomic landmarks must be memorized
for competent cardiovascular assessment.
When assessing the abdomen, the nurse should: Select All That Apply
A. Inspect before auscultating
B. Auscultate before percussing
C. Percuss before palpating
D. Palpate before percussing
Correct Answers: A, B, and C
Rationale:
, Page 3 of 30
The correct sequence of abdominal examination is Inspection → Auscultation →
Percussion → Palpation.
• A. Inspect before auscultating - Always observe first for contour, symmetry, and
skin changes.
• B. Auscultate before percussing - This avoids altering bowel sounds that can occur
due to percussion or palpation.
• C. Percuss before palpating - Percussion assesses for tympany or dullness, which
helps determine organ size and the presence of fluid or masses.
D. Palpate before percussing is incorrect because palpation could interfere with
accurate percussion findings, especially in sensitive or distended abdomens.
The nurse is testing the patient's deep tendon reflexes. Which hammer should
be used?
A. Buck hammer
B. Percussion hammer
C. Reflex hammer
D. Any type of hammer is acceptable
Correct Answer: C. Reflex hammer
Rationale:
The reflex hammer is a specific neurological instrument designed to elicit deep
tendon reflexes (DTRs), such as the patellar or Achilles reflex. It provides the
appropriate weight and shape to stimulate the tendon and assess spinal cord
integrity and peripheral nerve function.
The nurse is assessing extraocular muscle function. Which cranial nerve is
being tested?
A. Cranial nerve II (Optic)
B. Cranial nerve III (Oculomotor)
C. Cranial nerve IV (Trochlear)
D. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens)
Correct Answer: D. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens)
Rationale:
CN VI (Abducens) controls the lateral rectus muscle, which abducts the eye. It is
assessed along with CN III (Oculomotor) and CN IV (Trochlear) during extraocular
movement tests.
