NURSING HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM REVIEW: 200 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. After completing an initial assessment of a patient, the nurse has
charted that his respirations are eupneic and his pulse is 58 beats per
minute. These types of data would be:
A. Subjective
B. Reflective
C. Objective
D. Introspective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Objective data are what the health professional observes by
inspecting, percussing, palpating, and auscultating during the physical
examination. Respirations and pulse rate are measurable and
observable.
2. A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and
feels hot. These types of data would be:
A. Objective
B. Reflective
C. Subjective
D. Introspective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Subjective data are what the person says about himself or
herself during history taking. Feelings of nervousness, nausea, and heat
are sensations reported by the patient.
,3. The patients record, laboratory studies, objective data, and
subjective data combine to form the:
A. Data base.
B. Admitting data.
C. Financial statement.
D. Discharge summary.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Together with the patient's record and laboratory studies,
the objective and subjective data form the data base. The data base is
used to make a clinical judgment or diagnosis.
4. When listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse is unsure of a
sound that is heard. The nurses next action should be to:
A. Immediately notify the patients physician.
B. Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
C. Validate the data by asking a coworker to listen to the breath sounds.
D. Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether the sound is still present.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When unsure of a sound, the nurse should validate the data
by asking another nurse or physician to listen and confirm the finding
before documenting or notifying the physician.
5. The nurse is conducting a health history. Which of the following is
considered a priority when obtaining this data?
A. Biographical data
B. Reason for seeking care
C. Past health history
D. Family history
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The reason for seeking care is the patient's chief complaint
and is the priority to establish the focus of the assessment.
6. A patient is experiencing chest pain. Which of the following
questions should the nurse ask first?
A. "What relieves the pain?"
B. "How would you describe the pain?"
C. "When did the pain start?"
D. "Does the pain radiate?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Determining the onset of the pain is crucial for assessing a
potentially life-threatening condition like chest pain.
7. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's abdomen. The correct
sequence of assessment techniques is:
A. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D. Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The abdomen is assessed in the order of inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds
through manipulation.
8. Which of the following is an example of a subjective finding?
A. Blood pressure of 120/80
B. Pruritus
C. Warm, dry skin
D. Heart rate of 72
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: Pruritus (itching) is a sensation felt by the patient and can
only be reported by the patient, making it subjective.
9. The nurse notes that a patient has a body mass index (BMI) of 32.
This indicates the patient is:
A. Underweight
B. Normal weight
C. Overweight
D. Obese
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A BMI of 30 or greater is classified as obese.
10. When assessing a patient's pain, the nurse knows that which of
the following is an objective indicator?
A. The patient states the pain is a 7/10.
B. The patient is grimacing and guarding the abdomen.
C. The patient states the pain feels like "an ache."
D. The patient reports the pain started yesterday.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Grimacing and guarding are observable behaviors (objective
data), whereas pain rating and description are subjective.
11. The nurse is assessing a patient's orientation. Which of the
following questions tests the patient's orientation to time?
A. "What is your name?"
B. "Where are you right now?"
C. "What day of the week is it?"
D. "Why are you here?"
Correct Answer: C
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. After completing an initial assessment of a patient, the nurse has
charted that his respirations are eupneic and his pulse is 58 beats per
minute. These types of data would be:
A. Subjective
B. Reflective
C. Objective
D. Introspective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Objective data are what the health professional observes by
inspecting, percussing, palpating, and auscultating during the physical
examination. Respirations and pulse rate are measurable and
observable.
2. A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and
feels hot. These types of data would be:
A. Objective
B. Reflective
C. Subjective
D. Introspective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Subjective data are what the person says about himself or
herself during history taking. Feelings of nervousness, nausea, and heat
are sensations reported by the patient.
,3. The patients record, laboratory studies, objective data, and
subjective data combine to form the:
A. Data base.
B. Admitting data.
C. Financial statement.
D. Discharge summary.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Together with the patient's record and laboratory studies,
the objective and subjective data form the data base. The data base is
used to make a clinical judgment or diagnosis.
4. When listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse is unsure of a
sound that is heard. The nurses next action should be to:
A. Immediately notify the patients physician.
B. Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
C. Validate the data by asking a coworker to listen to the breath sounds.
D. Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether the sound is still present.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When unsure of a sound, the nurse should validate the data
by asking another nurse or physician to listen and confirm the finding
before documenting or notifying the physician.
5. The nurse is conducting a health history. Which of the following is
considered a priority when obtaining this data?
A. Biographical data
B. Reason for seeking care
C. Past health history
D. Family history
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The reason for seeking care is the patient's chief complaint
and is the priority to establish the focus of the assessment.
6. A patient is experiencing chest pain. Which of the following
questions should the nurse ask first?
A. "What relieves the pain?"
B. "How would you describe the pain?"
C. "When did the pain start?"
D. "Does the pain radiate?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Determining the onset of the pain is crucial for assessing a
potentially life-threatening condition like chest pain.
7. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's abdomen. The correct
sequence of assessment techniques is:
A. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D. Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The abdomen is assessed in the order of inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds
through manipulation.
8. Which of the following is an example of a subjective finding?
A. Blood pressure of 120/80
B. Pruritus
C. Warm, dry skin
D. Heart rate of 72
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: Pruritus (itching) is a sensation felt by the patient and can
only be reported by the patient, making it subjective.
9. The nurse notes that a patient has a body mass index (BMI) of 32.
This indicates the patient is:
A. Underweight
B. Normal weight
C. Overweight
D. Obese
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A BMI of 30 or greater is classified as obese.
10. When assessing a patient's pain, the nurse knows that which of
the following is an objective indicator?
A. The patient states the pain is a 7/10.
B. The patient is grimacing and guarding the abdomen.
C. The patient states the pain feels like "an ache."
D. The patient reports the pain started yesterday.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Grimacing and guarding are observable behaviors (objective
data), whereas pain rating and description are subjective.
11. The nurse is assessing a patient's orientation. Which of the
following questions tests the patient's orientation to time?
A. "What is your name?"
B. "Where are you right now?"
C. "What day of the week is it?"
D. "Why are you here?"
Correct Answer: C
