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NSG3160 EXAM 2 – HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS DETAILED RATIONALES
GRADED A+
NSG3160 Exam 2 – Health Assessment
1. Mental status is defined as:
A) A patient's physical appearance and motor function
B) A patient's emotional and cognitive function
C) A patient's level of consciousness only
D) A patient's ability to perform ADLs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mental status encompasses a patient's emotional and cognitive functioning,
including level of consciousness, language, mood, affect, and thought processes.
2. A mental disorder is best defined as:
A) Presence of a phobia
B) A lack of rational thought and abstract reasoning
C) Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
D) Remote memory from years ago may be impacted
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A mental disorder is characterized by clinically significant disturbances in thoughts,
emotions, or behaviors that are typically associated with stress, dysfunction, or distress.
3. The "A, B, C, and T" of the mental health assessment stands for:
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A) Attitude, behavior, cleanliness, talk/speech
B) Appearance, behavior, cognition, and thought
C) Airway, breathing, circulation
D) Ability, beliefs, culture, traditions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The A, B, C, and T of mental health assessment include Appearance, Behavior,
Cognition, and Thought processes. These four components provide a comprehensive evaluation
of a patient's mental status.
4. Which of the following best describes a patient's appearance?
A) Posture is erect and body movement is voluntary
B) Patient is oriented x3
C) Patient is awake, alert, and aware and responds appropriately
D) GAD score > 3
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Appearance includes physical characteristics such as posture, body movements,
dress, grooming, and hygiene. Erect posture and voluntary movements indicate normal
appearance.
5. One method a nurse can use to assess recent memory is:
A) Assess a patient's ability to complete a thought without wandering
B) Ask patient for a 24-hour diet recall
C) Ask about patient's first job
D) Perform 4 unrelated words test
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Asking for a 24-hour diet recall assesses recent memory. This tests the ability to
remember events that occurred within the past 24 hours. Remote memory is assessed by asking
about past events like first job.
6. Recent memory deficit can occur with which conditions?
A) Delirium and dementia
B) Depression only
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C) Anxiety disorders
D) Personality disorders
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Recent memory deficits are commonly seen in both delirium and dementia. Delirium
causes acute, fluctuating memory impairment, while dementia causes progressive memory
decline.
7. A nurse can assess a patient's attention span by:
A) Giving a series of directions to follow and noting the correct sequence performed
B) Asking the patient to recall a 24-hour diet
C) Asking about the patient's first job
D) Performing 4 unrelated words test
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Attention span can be assessed by giving a series of directions to follow and noting
whether the patient performs them in the correct sequence.
8. To assess for new learning using 4 unrelated words, after 5 minutes, ask for the recall of:
A) 5 words
B) 10 words
C) 4 words
D) 8 words
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The 4 unrelated words test involves asking the patient to recall the same 4 words
after a 5-minute delay to assess new learning and memory.
9. To test the duration of memory using the new learning 4 unrelated words test, ask for a
recall at:
A) 10 and 30 minutes
B) 5 and 10 minutes
C) 15 and 60 minutes
D) 1 and 2 hours
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Correct Answer: A
Rationale: To test the duration of memory, the nurse asks for recall of the 4 words at 10 minutes
and again at 30 minutes to assess both immediate and delayed recall.
10. Which of the following is NOT one of the 4 most common anxiety disorders?
A) Panic disorder
B) Posttraumatic stress disorder
C) Social anxiety disorder
D) Depression
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Depression is a mood disorder, not an anxiety disorder. The four most common
anxiety disorders include panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder,
and generalized anxiety disorder.
11. The PHQ-9 depression screening tool defines minimal symptoms in what score range?
A) > 20
B) 10–14
C) 1–5
D) 5–9
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The PHQ-9 scoring ranges are: 1–5 minimal symptoms, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate,
15–19 moderately severe, and >20 severe depression.
12. During a mental status assessment, which question best assesses a person's judgment?
A) "Do you feel that you are being watched, followed, or controlled?"
B) "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope lying on the sidewalk?"
C) "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"
D) "Can you count backward from 20 by 3s?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Judgment is assessed by asking the patient what they would do in a hypothetical
situation, such as finding a stamped, addressed envelope. This tests the ability to make sound
decisions.
NSG3160 EXAM 2 – HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS DETAILED RATIONALES
GRADED A+
NSG3160 Exam 2 – Health Assessment
1. Mental status is defined as:
A) A patient's physical appearance and motor function
B) A patient's emotional and cognitive function
C) A patient's level of consciousness only
D) A patient's ability to perform ADLs
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mental status encompasses a patient's emotional and cognitive functioning,
including level of consciousness, language, mood, affect, and thought processes.
2. A mental disorder is best defined as:
A) Presence of a phobia
B) A lack of rational thought and abstract reasoning
C) Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
D) Remote memory from years ago may be impacted
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A mental disorder is characterized by clinically significant disturbances in thoughts,
emotions, or behaviors that are typically associated with stress, dysfunction, or distress.
3. The "A, B, C, and T" of the mental health assessment stands for:
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A) Attitude, behavior, cleanliness, talk/speech
B) Appearance, behavior, cognition, and thought
C) Airway, breathing, circulation
D) Ability, beliefs, culture, traditions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The A, B, C, and T of mental health assessment include Appearance, Behavior,
Cognition, and Thought processes. These four components provide a comprehensive evaluation
of a patient's mental status.
4. Which of the following best describes a patient's appearance?
A) Posture is erect and body movement is voluntary
B) Patient is oriented x3
C) Patient is awake, alert, and aware and responds appropriately
D) GAD score > 3
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Appearance includes physical characteristics such as posture, body movements,
dress, grooming, and hygiene. Erect posture and voluntary movements indicate normal
appearance.
5. One method a nurse can use to assess recent memory is:
A) Assess a patient's ability to complete a thought without wandering
B) Ask patient for a 24-hour diet recall
C) Ask about patient's first job
D) Perform 4 unrelated words test
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Asking for a 24-hour diet recall assesses recent memory. This tests the ability to
remember events that occurred within the past 24 hours. Remote memory is assessed by asking
about past events like first job.
6. Recent memory deficit can occur with which conditions?
A) Delirium and dementia
B) Depression only
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C) Anxiety disorders
D) Personality disorders
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Recent memory deficits are commonly seen in both delirium and dementia. Delirium
causes acute, fluctuating memory impairment, while dementia causes progressive memory
decline.
7. A nurse can assess a patient's attention span by:
A) Giving a series of directions to follow and noting the correct sequence performed
B) Asking the patient to recall a 24-hour diet
C) Asking about the patient's first job
D) Performing 4 unrelated words test
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Attention span can be assessed by giving a series of directions to follow and noting
whether the patient performs them in the correct sequence.
8. To assess for new learning using 4 unrelated words, after 5 minutes, ask for the recall of:
A) 5 words
B) 10 words
C) 4 words
D) 8 words
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The 4 unrelated words test involves asking the patient to recall the same 4 words
after a 5-minute delay to assess new learning and memory.
9. To test the duration of memory using the new learning 4 unrelated words test, ask for a
recall at:
A) 10 and 30 minutes
B) 5 and 10 minutes
C) 15 and 60 minutes
D) 1 and 2 hours
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Correct Answer: A
Rationale: To test the duration of memory, the nurse asks for recall of the 4 words at 10 minutes
and again at 30 minutes to assess both immediate and delayed recall.
10. Which of the following is NOT one of the 4 most common anxiety disorders?
A) Panic disorder
B) Posttraumatic stress disorder
C) Social anxiety disorder
D) Depression
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Depression is a mood disorder, not an anxiety disorder. The four most common
anxiety disorders include panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder,
and generalized anxiety disorder.
11. The PHQ-9 depression screening tool defines minimal symptoms in what score range?
A) > 20
B) 10–14
C) 1–5
D) 5–9
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The PHQ-9 scoring ranges are: 1–5 minimal symptoms, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate,
15–19 moderately severe, and >20 severe depression.
12. During a mental status assessment, which question best assesses a person's judgment?
A) "Do you feel that you are being watched, followed, or controlled?"
B) "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope lying on the sidewalk?"
C) "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"
D) "Can you count backward from 20 by 3s?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Judgment is assessed by asking the patient what they would do in a hypothetical
situation, such as finding a stamped, addressed envelope. This tests the ability to make sound
decisions.
