HEAD-TO-TOE EXAM PRACTICE
NR509
Advanced Physical
Assessment
100 Questions + Examination Checklists
Head-to-toe physical assessment practice covering inspection, palpation, percussion,
auscultation, focused systems, exam sequencing, and documentation.
100 A-D CHECK
Practice Questions Multiple Choice Exam Checklists
Original study and revision material • Clean print-ready format
PassPoint Pro
Page 1 of 28
,PASSPOINT PRO | NR509 ADVANCED PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
Head-to-Toe Performance Checklist
Step What to include
Preparation Hand hygiene; identify patient; explain exam; privacy/draping; pain check; equipment ready.
General survey Appearance, distress, speech, posture, mobility, hygiene, color, respiratory effort.
Vital signs BP, pulse, respirations, temperature, oxygen saturation, pain; orthostatics when indicated.
Skin Color, moisture, temperature, lesions, bruising, wounds, pressure areas, edema, nails.
Head/face Symmetry, scalp, temporal area when indicated, facial movement/sensation.
Eyes Acuity, fields, pupils, EOM, external eye, fundus when indicated.
Ears External ear, canal/TM, hearing screen, Weber/Rinne if needed.
Nose/sinuses Patency, mucosa, septum, tenderness when symptomatic.
Mouth/throat Lips, mucosa, teeth, tongue, palate, pharynx, voice, swallow clues.
Neck ROM, nodes, trachea, thyroid, carotids as indicated.
Posterior thorax Shape, expansion, fremitus, percussion, breath sounds.
Anterior thorax Work of breathing, expansion, percussion, breath sounds.
Cardiac Precordium, apical impulse, S1/S2, extra sounds, murmurs, JVP.
Peripheral vascular Radial/pedal pulses, capillary refill, temperature, edema, skin changes.
Abdomen Inspect, auscultate, percuss, light/deep palpation, tenderness/organomegaly; special maneuvers if
indicated.
Musculoskeletal Gait, posture, joint inspection, ROM, strength, targeted special tests.
Neurologic Mental status, CN screen, motor, sensation, reflexes, coordination, gait/balance.
Focused GU/reproductive Perform only when indicated with consent, privacy, chaperone policy, and appropriate technique.
Close Address comfort, summarize key findings, identify red flags, document objective and focused findings
clearly.
Page 2
, PASSPOINT PRO | NR509 ADVANCED PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
Practice Questions
1. During a head-to-toe examination, a patient reports chest discomfort that began while climbing stairs. What should
the examiner do or conclude?
A. Ask only whether the pain is sharp or dull
B. Use OPQRST to characterize onset, provocation/palliation, quality, region/radiation, severity, and timing.
C. Begin with a full family history before characterizing the pain
D. Defer symptom questions until after the physical exam
2. Which assessment principle is best illustrated by this finding: During the general survey, a patient appears pale,
diaphoretic, and short of breath at rest.
A. Complete a routine review of systems first
B. Document the appearance as normal because the patient is awake
C. Treat the appearance as potentially unstable and obtain focused vital signs and cardiopulmonary assessment promptly.
D. Ask the patient to return when symptoms resolve
3. A student is demonstrating the vitals examination. The preceptor notes: A patient becomes dizzy after standing and
the blood pressure falls significantly. Which response is correct?
A. Diagnose hypertension from the standing value
B. Check temperature before repeating any blood pressure
C. Repeat only the seated blood pressure
D. Assess for orthostatic hypotension using supine and standing blood pressure and pulse measurements.
4. During a head-to-toe examination, a pigmented lesion is asymmetric with an irregular border and several colors.
What should the examiner do or conclude?
A. Classify it as a benign nevus because pigmentation is expected
B. Use the Braden scale to classify melanoma risk
C. Assume color variation is normal in all nevi
D. Apply the ABCDE approach and consider the lesion suspicious for melanoma.
5. Which assessment principle is best illustrated by this finding: A patient has a nonblanchable area of intact
erythematous skin over the sacrum.
A. Stage 2 pressure injury
B. Unstageable pressure injury
C. Recognize this as a stage 1 pressure injury finding.
D. Stage 3 pressure injury
6. A student is demonstrating the skin examination. The preceptor notes: An older adult has decreased skin turgor
over the hand but moist mucous membranes and stable vital signs. Which response is correct?
A. Use only capillary refill to assess hydration
B. Interpret hand turgor cautiously because age-related loss of elasticity can mimic dehydration.
C. Diagnose severe dehydration from hand turgor alone
D. Assume dehydration is impossible in older adults
7. During a head-to-toe examination, a patient cannot read the expected line on a distance vision chart. What should
the examiner do or conclude?
Page 3
NR509
Advanced Physical
Assessment
100 Questions + Examination Checklists
Head-to-toe physical assessment practice covering inspection, palpation, percussion,
auscultation, focused systems, exam sequencing, and documentation.
100 A-D CHECK
Practice Questions Multiple Choice Exam Checklists
Original study and revision material • Clean print-ready format
PassPoint Pro
Page 1 of 28
,PASSPOINT PRO | NR509 ADVANCED PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
Head-to-Toe Performance Checklist
Step What to include
Preparation Hand hygiene; identify patient; explain exam; privacy/draping; pain check; equipment ready.
General survey Appearance, distress, speech, posture, mobility, hygiene, color, respiratory effort.
Vital signs BP, pulse, respirations, temperature, oxygen saturation, pain; orthostatics when indicated.
Skin Color, moisture, temperature, lesions, bruising, wounds, pressure areas, edema, nails.
Head/face Symmetry, scalp, temporal area when indicated, facial movement/sensation.
Eyes Acuity, fields, pupils, EOM, external eye, fundus when indicated.
Ears External ear, canal/TM, hearing screen, Weber/Rinne if needed.
Nose/sinuses Patency, mucosa, septum, tenderness when symptomatic.
Mouth/throat Lips, mucosa, teeth, tongue, palate, pharynx, voice, swallow clues.
Neck ROM, nodes, trachea, thyroid, carotids as indicated.
Posterior thorax Shape, expansion, fremitus, percussion, breath sounds.
Anterior thorax Work of breathing, expansion, percussion, breath sounds.
Cardiac Precordium, apical impulse, S1/S2, extra sounds, murmurs, JVP.
Peripheral vascular Radial/pedal pulses, capillary refill, temperature, edema, skin changes.
Abdomen Inspect, auscultate, percuss, light/deep palpation, tenderness/organomegaly; special maneuvers if
indicated.
Musculoskeletal Gait, posture, joint inspection, ROM, strength, targeted special tests.
Neurologic Mental status, CN screen, motor, sensation, reflexes, coordination, gait/balance.
Focused GU/reproductive Perform only when indicated with consent, privacy, chaperone policy, and appropriate technique.
Close Address comfort, summarize key findings, identify red flags, document objective and focused findings
clearly.
Page 2
, PASSPOINT PRO | NR509 ADVANCED PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
Practice Questions
1. During a head-to-toe examination, a patient reports chest discomfort that began while climbing stairs. What should
the examiner do or conclude?
A. Ask only whether the pain is sharp or dull
B. Use OPQRST to characterize onset, provocation/palliation, quality, region/radiation, severity, and timing.
C. Begin with a full family history before characterizing the pain
D. Defer symptom questions until after the physical exam
2. Which assessment principle is best illustrated by this finding: During the general survey, a patient appears pale,
diaphoretic, and short of breath at rest.
A. Complete a routine review of systems first
B. Document the appearance as normal because the patient is awake
C. Treat the appearance as potentially unstable and obtain focused vital signs and cardiopulmonary assessment promptly.
D. Ask the patient to return when symptoms resolve
3. A student is demonstrating the vitals examination. The preceptor notes: A patient becomes dizzy after standing and
the blood pressure falls significantly. Which response is correct?
A. Diagnose hypertension from the standing value
B. Check temperature before repeating any blood pressure
C. Repeat only the seated blood pressure
D. Assess for orthostatic hypotension using supine and standing blood pressure and pulse measurements.
4. During a head-to-toe examination, a pigmented lesion is asymmetric with an irregular border and several colors.
What should the examiner do or conclude?
A. Classify it as a benign nevus because pigmentation is expected
B. Use the Braden scale to classify melanoma risk
C. Assume color variation is normal in all nevi
D. Apply the ABCDE approach and consider the lesion suspicious for melanoma.
5. Which assessment principle is best illustrated by this finding: A patient has a nonblanchable area of intact
erythematous skin over the sacrum.
A. Stage 2 pressure injury
B. Unstageable pressure injury
C. Recognize this as a stage 1 pressure injury finding.
D. Stage 3 pressure injury
6. A student is demonstrating the skin examination. The preceptor notes: An older adult has decreased skin turgor
over the hand but moist mucous membranes and stable vital signs. Which response is correct?
A. Use only capillary refill to assess hydration
B. Interpret hand turgor cautiously because age-related loss of elasticity can mimic dehydration.
C. Diagnose severe dehydration from hand turgor alone
D. Assume dehydration is impossible in older adults
7. During a head-to-toe examination, a patient cannot read the expected line on a distance vision chart. What should
the examiner do or conclude?
Page 3
