Nursing Health Assessment Exam 1 Study
Guide | Physical Assessment, Health
History & Practice Questions
2026/2027
,Assessment Assessment is the collection of subjective and objective data about a patient's
health.
Subjective data Subjective data consist of information provided by the affected individual.
Objective data Objective data include information obtained by the health care provider through
physical assessment, the patient's record, and laboratory studies.
The database The database is the totality of information available about the patient. The purpose
of assessment is to make a judgment or diagnosis.
Diagnostic reasoning Diagnostic reasoning is the process of analyzing health data and drawing
conclusions to identify diagnoses.
Diagnostic reasoning has which four major components? Diagnostic reasoning has which four major components?
(1) Attending to initially available cues, which are pieces of information, signs,
symptoms, or laboratory data;
(2) Formulating diagnostic hypotheses, which are tentative explanations for a
cue or a set of cues and can serve as a basis for further investigation;
(3) Gathering data relative to the tentative hypotheses;
(4) evaluating each hypothesis with the new data collected, which leads to a final
diagnosis.
The nursing process includes which six phases? The nursing process includes which six phases?
(1) assessment,
(2) diagnosis,
(3) outcome identification,
(4) planning,
(5) implementation, and
(6) evaluation.
It is a dynamic, interactive process in which practitioners move back and forth within
the steps.
The novice nurse The novice nurse has no experience with specific patient populations and uses
rules to guide performance.
The experienced nurse The experienced nurse understands a patient situation as a whole rather than as a
list of tasks, attends to an assessment data pattern, and acts without consciously
labeling it.
Critical thinking Critical thinking is the multidimensional thinking process needed for sound
diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgment. Seventeen critical thinking skills have
been identified, including setting priorities.
First-level priority problems First-level priority problems are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate, such
as establishing an airway or supporting breathing.
Second-level priority problems Second-level priority problems are next in urgency. They require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration, and may include a mental status change or
acute pain.
Third-level priority problems Third-level priority problems are important to the patient's health, but can be
addressed after more urgent problems. Examples include lack of knowledge or
family coping.
, Evidence-based practice Evidence-based practice is a systematic approach to practice that uses the best
evidence, the clinician's experience, and the patient's preferences and
values to make decisions about care and treatment.
Every examiner needs to collect four kinds of Every examiner needs to collect four kinds of databases based on the situation.
databases based on the situation. What are the four kinds What are the four kinds of databases?
of databases? (1) A complete (or total health) database includes a complete health history and a
full physical examination.
(2) A focused (or problem-centered) database is used for a limited or short-term
problem. It is smaller in scope and more targeted than the complete database.
(3) A follow-up database evaluates the status of any identified problem at regular
intervals to follow up on short-term or chronic health problems.
(4) An emergency database calls for rapid collection of data, which commonly
occurs while performing lifesaving measures.
The biomedical model The biomedical model of Western medicine views health as the absence of
disease. It focuses on collecting data on biophysical signs and symptoms and on
curing disease.
The holistic health model The holistic health model assesses the whole person because it views the mind,
body, and spirit as interdependent and functioning as a whole within the
environment. Health depends on all these factors working together.
The concept of health also includes health promotion and ...
disease prevention.
Health assessment also should consider what two other Health assessment also should consider what two other factors?
factors?
(1) The usual and expected developmental tasks for each age group
(2) the cultural beliefs and practices of different people. Obtaining a heritage
assessment helps gather data that are accurate and meaningful and can guide
culturally sensitive and appropriate care.
According to the biomedical model, a narrow definition of According to the biomedical model, a narrow definition of health is:
health is:
A) an optimal functioning of mind, body, and spirit within the environment.
A) an optimal functioning of mind, body, and spirit within Feedback: INCORRECT
the environment. Nursing has an expanded concept of health; holistic health includes the mind, body,
B) the absence of disease. and spirit as interdependent and functioning as a whole within the environment.
C) the response of the whole person to actual or potential
problems. B) the absence of disease.
D) prevention of disease. Feedback: CORRECT
From a biomedical perspective, health is defined as the absence of disease or
elimination of symptoms and signs of disease.
C) the response of the whole person to actual or potential problems.
Feedback: INCORRECT
Nursing diagnoses are clinical judgments about a person's response to an actual or
potential health state.
D) prevention of disease.
Feedback: INCORRECT
Health promotion and disease prevention are important aspects of nursing's
concept of health.
Guide | Physical Assessment, Health
History & Practice Questions
2026/2027
,Assessment Assessment is the collection of subjective and objective data about a patient's
health.
Subjective data Subjective data consist of information provided by the affected individual.
Objective data Objective data include information obtained by the health care provider through
physical assessment, the patient's record, and laboratory studies.
The database The database is the totality of information available about the patient. The purpose
of assessment is to make a judgment or diagnosis.
Diagnostic reasoning Diagnostic reasoning is the process of analyzing health data and drawing
conclusions to identify diagnoses.
Diagnostic reasoning has which four major components? Diagnostic reasoning has which four major components?
(1) Attending to initially available cues, which are pieces of information, signs,
symptoms, or laboratory data;
(2) Formulating diagnostic hypotheses, which are tentative explanations for a
cue or a set of cues and can serve as a basis for further investigation;
(3) Gathering data relative to the tentative hypotheses;
(4) evaluating each hypothesis with the new data collected, which leads to a final
diagnosis.
The nursing process includes which six phases? The nursing process includes which six phases?
(1) assessment,
(2) diagnosis,
(3) outcome identification,
(4) planning,
(5) implementation, and
(6) evaluation.
It is a dynamic, interactive process in which practitioners move back and forth within
the steps.
The novice nurse The novice nurse has no experience with specific patient populations and uses
rules to guide performance.
The experienced nurse The experienced nurse understands a patient situation as a whole rather than as a
list of tasks, attends to an assessment data pattern, and acts without consciously
labeling it.
Critical thinking Critical thinking is the multidimensional thinking process needed for sound
diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgment. Seventeen critical thinking skills have
been identified, including setting priorities.
First-level priority problems First-level priority problems are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate, such
as establishing an airway or supporting breathing.
Second-level priority problems Second-level priority problems are next in urgency. They require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration, and may include a mental status change or
acute pain.
Third-level priority problems Third-level priority problems are important to the patient's health, but can be
addressed after more urgent problems. Examples include lack of knowledge or
family coping.
, Evidence-based practice Evidence-based practice is a systematic approach to practice that uses the best
evidence, the clinician's experience, and the patient's preferences and
values to make decisions about care and treatment.
Every examiner needs to collect four kinds of Every examiner needs to collect four kinds of databases based on the situation.
databases based on the situation. What are the four kinds What are the four kinds of databases?
of databases? (1) A complete (or total health) database includes a complete health history and a
full physical examination.
(2) A focused (or problem-centered) database is used for a limited or short-term
problem. It is smaller in scope and more targeted than the complete database.
(3) A follow-up database evaluates the status of any identified problem at regular
intervals to follow up on short-term or chronic health problems.
(4) An emergency database calls for rapid collection of data, which commonly
occurs while performing lifesaving measures.
The biomedical model The biomedical model of Western medicine views health as the absence of
disease. It focuses on collecting data on biophysical signs and symptoms and on
curing disease.
The holistic health model The holistic health model assesses the whole person because it views the mind,
body, and spirit as interdependent and functioning as a whole within the
environment. Health depends on all these factors working together.
The concept of health also includes health promotion and ...
disease prevention.
Health assessment also should consider what two other Health assessment also should consider what two other factors?
factors?
(1) The usual and expected developmental tasks for each age group
(2) the cultural beliefs and practices of different people. Obtaining a heritage
assessment helps gather data that are accurate and meaningful and can guide
culturally sensitive and appropriate care.
According to the biomedical model, a narrow definition of According to the biomedical model, a narrow definition of health is:
health is:
A) an optimal functioning of mind, body, and spirit within the environment.
A) an optimal functioning of mind, body, and spirit within Feedback: INCORRECT
the environment. Nursing has an expanded concept of health; holistic health includes the mind, body,
B) the absence of disease. and spirit as interdependent and functioning as a whole within the environment.
C) the response of the whole person to actual or potential
problems. B) the absence of disease.
D) prevention of disease. Feedback: CORRECT
From a biomedical perspective, health is defined as the absence of disease or
elimination of symptoms and signs of disease.
C) the response of the whole person to actual or potential problems.
Feedback: INCORRECT
Nursing diagnoses are clinical judgments about a person's response to an actual or
potential health state.
D) prevention of disease.
Feedback: INCORRECT
Health promotion and disease prevention are important aspects of nursing's
concept of health.
