Nurs 5220 Advanced Health Assessment Exam Comprehensive Exam Prep Q&A | Uta

NURS 5220 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT EXAM 2 2026-2027
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP Q&A |
UTA

1. A 45-year-old patient presents with complaints of anosmia
following a mild head trauma. Which cranial nerve (CN) should
be evaluated to assess this sensory loss? A. CN I
B. CN II
C. CN V
D. CN IX
Correct Answer: A. CN I
Rationale: Cranial nerve I (Olfactory) is strictly a sensory nerve
responsible for the sense of smell. Anosmia refers to the loss of
smell, indicating dysfunction or trauma affecting CN I.
2. During an eye exam, the clinician asks the patient to look
downward and inward toward the tip of their nose. Which
cranial nerve is primarily assessed with this specific ocular
movement? A. Oculomotor (CN III)
B. Trochlear (CN IV)
C. Abducens (CN VI)
D. Facial (CN VII)

,Correct Answer: B. Trochlear (CN IV)
Rationale: CN IV (Trochlear) innervates the superior oblique
muscle, which controls downward and inward eye movement.
This is routinely evaluated during the cardinal fields of gaze test.
3. An examiner tests a patient's facial sensation using a cotton
wisp and a sharp pin across three distinct dermatomal zones of
the face. To complete the assessment of this specific cranial
nerve, which motor action should the patient perform? A. Smile
and puff out cheeks
B. Shrug shoulders against resistance
C. Clench the teeth while masseter muscle strength is palpated
D. Stick out the tongue and move it side to side
Correct Answer: C. Clench the teeth while masseter muscle
strength is palpated
Rationale: CN V (Trigeminal) carries both sensory supply to
the face and motor supply to the muscles of mastication
(masseter and temporalis). Clenching the jaw tests its motor
function.
4. While evaluating extraocular movements, the clinician notes
that the patient's right eye cannot move laterally outward toward
the temple. Which nerve is dysfunctional? A. CN III
B. CN IV
C. CN VI

,D. CN VIII
Correct Answer: C. CN VI
Rationale: CN VI (Abducens) innervates the lateral rectus
muscle, which is responsible for lateral abduction of the eye.
5. A clinician evaluates extraocular muscles by guiding the
patient's gaze through the six cardinal positions. Which group of
cranial nerves is evaluated simultaneously during this
maneuver? A. CN I, II, and III
B. CN III, IV, and VI
C. CN V, VII, and VIII
D. CN IX, X, and XII
Correct Answer: B. CN III, IV, and VI
Rationale: Cranial nerves III (Oculomotor), IV (Trochlear), and
VI (Abducens) together innervate all six extraocular eye muscles
and are routinely tested as a group using extraocular movement
tracking.
6. Lightly touching a patient's cornea with a wisp of cotton
triggers an involuntary bilateral blink. Which two cranial nerves
form the afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) limbs of this
reflex loop? A. CN II afferent, CN III efferent
B. CN V afferent, CN VII efferent
C. CN VII afferent, CN V efferent
D. CN IX afferent, CN X efferent

, Correct Answer: B. CN V afferent, CN VII efferent
Rationale: The corneal reflex relies on the ophthalmic branch of
CN V (Trigeminal) for sensory detection across the cornea,
which signals CN VII (Facial) to contract the orbicularis oculi
muscle, causing a blink.
7. A patient exhibits asymmetric facial drooping, loss of taste on
the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and impaired tear
production. Which cranial nerve is compromised? A. CN V
B. CN VII
C. CN IX
D. CN X
Correct Answer: B. CN VII
Rationale: CN VII (Facial) controls facial expressions, taste
transmission on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and
parasympathetic lacrimal and salivary gland secretion.
8. A clinician performs Weber and Rinne tuning fork tests to
evaluate a patient presenting with unilateral hearing loss and
vertigo. Which cranial nerve is being tested? A. CN V
B. CN VII
C. CN VIII
D. CN IX
Correct Answer: C. CN VIII