D’YOUVILLE COLLEGE NUR 631/NUR631 – ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT EXAM 3 (V2) QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS, LATEST UPDATED 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
Core Domains
Neurological Assessment and Cranial Nerve Function
Musculoskeletal Assessment and Joint Examination
Mental Health and Psychosocial Assessment
Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Assessment
Respiratory Assessment and Breath Sounds
Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Assessment
Clinical Reasoning, Differential Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Test
Interpretation
Advanced Interviewing and Health History Techniques
Documentation, Prioritization, and Patient Safety
Introduction
This comprehensive examination assesses the advanced health
assessment knowledge required for NUR 631 Exam 3 at D'Youville
College. It evaluates clinical reasoning across neurological,
musculoskeletal, mental health, cardiovascular, respiratory, and
gastrointestinal systems. Items emphasize systematic examination
techniques, differential diagnosis, and evidence-based decision-
making. The exam integrates multiple-choice and scenario-based
questions to prepare graduate nursing students for advanced
practice assessment and diagnostic reasoning.
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A 58-year-old female presents to the emergency department
with acute right-sided facial weakness. On examination, the
clinician notes that the patient is unable to wrinkle her right
forehead, cannot close her right eye completely, and has a
drooping right corner of the mouth. Which clinical feature best
distinguishes this condition as Bell's Palsy rather than an acute
ischemic hemisphere stroke?
A. The loss of nasolabial fold smoothing on the affected side.
B. Inability to wrinkle the forehead and close the eye on the
affected side.
C. Presence of contralateral extremity motor weakness.
D. Preservation of forehead movement with isolated lower facial
drooping.
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Bell's Palsy involves peripheral damage to Cranial
Nerve VII (Facial Nerve) after it emerges from the brainstem,
impairing both upper and lower facial muscles on the affected
side (inability to wrinkle forehead, close eye, or smile). In contrast,
a central lesion such as an ischemic stroke typically spares the
upper face (forehead wrinkling and eye closure remain intact) due
to bilateral cortical innervation, causing isolated lower facial
drooping.
2. During a neurological exam following a head injury, a patient
speaks in long, effortless sentences with natural rhythm and
inflection, but the speech is entirely devoid of meaning and
contains incomprehensible words. The patient also
demonstrates severe impairment in language comprehension.
Where is the anatomical lesion located?
,A. Frontal Lobe — Broca's Area
B. Temporal Lobe — Wernicke's Area
C. Parietal Lobe — Somatosensory Cortex
D. Occipital Lobe — Visual Cortex
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Wernicke's aphasia results from a lesion in the
temporal lobe (Wernicke's area). It is characterized by fluent but
meaningless speech (word salad) and severe comprehension
deficits. Broca's aphasia (frontal lobe) produces non-fluent,
effortful speech with preserved comprehension.
3. A 24-year-old secretary comes to your clinic, complaining of
difficulty sleeping, severe nightmares, and irritability. She states
it all began 6 months ago when she went to a fast food
restaurant at midnight. While she was waiting in her car a man
entered through the passenger door and put a gun to her head.
Ever since this occurred the patient has been having these
symptoms. She states she jumps at every noise and refuses to
drive at night. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Post-traumatic stress disorder
C. Major depressive disorder
D. Panic disorder
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: The patient experienced a traumatic event (armed
carjacking) and subsequently developed hallmark symptoms of
PTSD: re-experiencing (nightmares), hyperarousal (jumpiness,
irritability), and avoidance (refuses to drive at night). The temporal
relationship to the trauma confirms the diagnosis.
, 4. A 75-year-old homemaker brings her 76-year-old husband to
your clinic. She states that 4 months ago he had a stroke and
ever since she has been frustrated with his problems with
communication. He spent 2 weeks in the hospital with right-
sided weakness and difficulty speaking. He also began to speak
more, but she says that much of the time "he doesn't make any
sense." She gives an example that when she reminded him the
car needed to be serviced he told her "I will change the Kool-
Aid out of the sink myself with the ludrip." What type of aphasia
is this?
A. Wernicke's aphasia
B. Broca's aphasia
C. Global aphasia
D. Anomic aphasia
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: Wernicke's aphasia is characterized by fluent but
meaningless speech with neologisms ("ludrip"), impaired
comprehension, and poor self-monitoring. The patient is unaware
that his speech is nonsensical, which is classic for a temporal lobe
lesion.
5. A 19-year-old college student is brought to your clinic by his
mother. She states for the past 6 months his behavior has
become peculiar and he has flunked out of college. He denies
any recent illness or injuries. He has a paternal uncle who had
similar symptoms in college. He admits to smoking cigarettes
and drinking alcohol. He denies any feelings of depression or
anxiety. When you question him on how he is feeling, he says
that he is very worried that Microsoft has stolen his software for
creating a better browser. What is the most likely diagnosis?
ASSESSMENT EXAM 3 (V2) QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS, LATEST UPDATED 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
Core Domains
Neurological Assessment and Cranial Nerve Function
Musculoskeletal Assessment and Joint Examination
Mental Health and Psychosocial Assessment
Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Assessment
Respiratory Assessment and Breath Sounds
Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Assessment
Clinical Reasoning, Differential Diagnosis, and Diagnostic Test
Interpretation
Advanced Interviewing and Health History Techniques
Documentation, Prioritization, and Patient Safety
Introduction
This comprehensive examination assesses the advanced health
assessment knowledge required for NUR 631 Exam 3 at D'Youville
College. It evaluates clinical reasoning across neurological,
musculoskeletal, mental health, cardiovascular, respiratory, and
gastrointestinal systems. Items emphasize systematic examination
techniques, differential diagnosis, and evidence-based decision-
making. The exam integrates multiple-choice and scenario-based
questions to prepare graduate nursing students for advanced
practice assessment and diagnostic reasoning.
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A 58-year-old female presents to the emergency department
with acute right-sided facial weakness. On examination, the
clinician notes that the patient is unable to wrinkle her right
forehead, cannot close her right eye completely, and has a
drooping right corner of the mouth. Which clinical feature best
distinguishes this condition as Bell's Palsy rather than an acute
ischemic hemisphere stroke?
A. The loss of nasolabial fold smoothing on the affected side.
B. Inability to wrinkle the forehead and close the eye on the
affected side.
C. Presence of contralateral extremity motor weakness.
D. Preservation of forehead movement with isolated lower facial
drooping.
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Bell's Palsy involves peripheral damage to Cranial
Nerve VII (Facial Nerve) after it emerges from the brainstem,
impairing both upper and lower facial muscles on the affected
side (inability to wrinkle forehead, close eye, or smile). In contrast,
a central lesion such as an ischemic stroke typically spares the
upper face (forehead wrinkling and eye closure remain intact) due
to bilateral cortical innervation, causing isolated lower facial
drooping.
2. During a neurological exam following a head injury, a patient
speaks in long, effortless sentences with natural rhythm and
inflection, but the speech is entirely devoid of meaning and
contains incomprehensible words. The patient also
demonstrates severe impairment in language comprehension.
Where is the anatomical lesion located?
,A. Frontal Lobe — Broca's Area
B. Temporal Lobe — Wernicke's Area
C. Parietal Lobe — Somatosensory Cortex
D. Occipital Lobe — Visual Cortex
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Wernicke's aphasia results from a lesion in the
temporal lobe (Wernicke's area). It is characterized by fluent but
meaningless speech (word salad) and severe comprehension
deficits. Broca's aphasia (frontal lobe) produces non-fluent,
effortful speech with preserved comprehension.
3. A 24-year-old secretary comes to your clinic, complaining of
difficulty sleeping, severe nightmares, and irritability. She states
it all began 6 months ago when she went to a fast food
restaurant at midnight. While she was waiting in her car a man
entered through the passenger door and put a gun to her head.
Ever since this occurred the patient has been having these
symptoms. She states she jumps at every noise and refuses to
drive at night. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Post-traumatic stress disorder
C. Major depressive disorder
D. Panic disorder
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: The patient experienced a traumatic event (armed
carjacking) and subsequently developed hallmark symptoms of
PTSD: re-experiencing (nightmares), hyperarousal (jumpiness,
irritability), and avoidance (refuses to drive at night). The temporal
relationship to the trauma confirms the diagnosis.
, 4. A 75-year-old homemaker brings her 76-year-old husband to
your clinic. She states that 4 months ago he had a stroke and
ever since she has been frustrated with his problems with
communication. He spent 2 weeks in the hospital with right-
sided weakness and difficulty speaking. He also began to speak
more, but she says that much of the time "he doesn't make any
sense." She gives an example that when she reminded him the
car needed to be serviced he told her "I will change the Kool-
Aid out of the sink myself with the ludrip." What type of aphasia
is this?
A. Wernicke's aphasia
B. Broca's aphasia
C. Global aphasia
D. Anomic aphasia
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: Wernicke's aphasia is characterized by fluent but
meaningless speech with neologisms ("ludrip"), impaired
comprehension, and poor self-monitoring. The patient is unaware
that his speech is nonsensical, which is classic for a temporal lobe
lesion.
5. A 19-year-old college student is brought to your clinic by his
mother. She states for the past 6 months his behavior has
become peculiar and he has flunked out of college. He denies
any recent illness or injuries. He has a paternal uncle who had
similar symptoms in college. He admits to smoking cigarettes
and drinking alcohol. He denies any feelings of depression or
anxiety. When you question him on how he is feeling, he says
that he is very worried that Microsoft has stolen his software for
creating a better browser. What is the most likely diagnosis?
