NUR 6001 Advanced Health Assessment Exam 1 – WPU
2026/2027
Complete Verified Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | A+ Graded
Question 1
A nurse practitioner is preparing to assess a patient's skin
turgor. Which technique is most appropriate?
A) Pinching the skin on the dorsum of the hand
B) Lifting a fold of skin on the sternum or forearm
C) Pressing the skin over the tibia for 5 seconds
D) Observing the skin under natural light only
Answer: B) Lifting a fold of skin on the sternum or
forearm
Rationale: Skin turgor is best assessed by gently lifting a fold
of skin on the sternum, forearm, or abdomen and observing
how quickly it returns to its original position. The dorsum of
the hand is less reliable in older adults due to age-related
skin changes. Pressing over the tibia assesses for pitting
edema, not turgor. Observation alone does not evaluate
elasticity.
,Question 2
When assessing a patient's pupillary response, the nurse
practitioner documents "PERRLA." What does the "E"
represent?
A) Equal
B) Elevated
C) Enlarged
D) Everted
Answer: A) Equal
Rationale: PERRLA stands for Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive
to Light, and Accommodation. The "E" denotes that the
pupils are equal in size bilaterally, which is a normal
finding. Enlarged or elevated pupils would be abnormal
findings.
Question 3
A patient presents with a blood pressure of 148/94 mmHg
in the right arm and 132/82 mmHg in the left arm. What is
the most appropriate next step?
,A) Document the finding as normal variation
B) Reassess both arms after 5 minutes of rest
C) Refer the patient immediately for a cardiac
catheterization
D) Assess only the arm with the higher reading in the
future
Answer: B) Reassess both arms after 5 minutes of rest
Rationale: A difference of greater than 10–15 mmHg
between arms may indicate vascular disease such as
subclavian stenosis or coarctation of the aorta. The
appropriate first step is to reassess after rest to confirm the
finding. Immediate catheterization is not warranted without
confirmation. The arm with the higher reading should be
used for future measurements, but reassessment must come
first.
Question 4
Which assessment finding is most consistent with a
diagnosis of dehydration in an older adult?
A) Moist mucous membranes and bounding pulses
B) Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal tongue
furrows
, C) Warm, flushed skin and jugular venous distention
D) Bradycardia and hypertension
Answer: B) Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal
tongue furrows
Rationale: Older adults are at increased risk for dehydration
due to decreased thirst sensation and altered renal function.
Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal tongue furrows
are classic signs of fluid volume deficit. Bounding pulses and
JVD suggest fluid overload, not dehydration.
Question 5
The nurse practitioner is assessing a patient's mental
status using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
Which domain is NOT typically assessed by this tool?
A) Orientation to time and place
B) Short-term memory recall
C) Gait and balance
D) Attention and calculation
Answer: C) Gait and balance
Rationale: The MMSE assesses cognitive domains including
orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall,
language, and visuospatial ability. Gait and balance are
2026/2027
Complete Verified Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | A+ Graded
Question 1
A nurse practitioner is preparing to assess a patient's skin
turgor. Which technique is most appropriate?
A) Pinching the skin on the dorsum of the hand
B) Lifting a fold of skin on the sternum or forearm
C) Pressing the skin over the tibia for 5 seconds
D) Observing the skin under natural light only
Answer: B) Lifting a fold of skin on the sternum or
forearm
Rationale: Skin turgor is best assessed by gently lifting a fold
of skin on the sternum, forearm, or abdomen and observing
how quickly it returns to its original position. The dorsum of
the hand is less reliable in older adults due to age-related
skin changes. Pressing over the tibia assesses for pitting
edema, not turgor. Observation alone does not evaluate
elasticity.
,Question 2
When assessing a patient's pupillary response, the nurse
practitioner documents "PERRLA." What does the "E"
represent?
A) Equal
B) Elevated
C) Enlarged
D) Everted
Answer: A) Equal
Rationale: PERRLA stands for Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive
to Light, and Accommodation. The "E" denotes that the
pupils are equal in size bilaterally, which is a normal
finding. Enlarged or elevated pupils would be abnormal
findings.
Question 3
A patient presents with a blood pressure of 148/94 mmHg
in the right arm and 132/82 mmHg in the left arm. What is
the most appropriate next step?
,A) Document the finding as normal variation
B) Reassess both arms after 5 minutes of rest
C) Refer the patient immediately for a cardiac
catheterization
D) Assess only the arm with the higher reading in the
future
Answer: B) Reassess both arms after 5 minutes of rest
Rationale: A difference of greater than 10–15 mmHg
between arms may indicate vascular disease such as
subclavian stenosis or coarctation of the aorta. The
appropriate first step is to reassess after rest to confirm the
finding. Immediate catheterization is not warranted without
confirmation. The arm with the higher reading should be
used for future measurements, but reassessment must come
first.
Question 4
Which assessment finding is most consistent with a
diagnosis of dehydration in an older adult?
A) Moist mucous membranes and bounding pulses
B) Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal tongue
furrows
, C) Warm, flushed skin and jugular venous distention
D) Bradycardia and hypertension
Answer: B) Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal
tongue furrows
Rationale: Older adults are at increased risk for dehydration
due to decreased thirst sensation and altered renal function.
Dry mucous membranes and longitudinal tongue furrows
are classic signs of fluid volume deficit. Bounding pulses and
JVD suggest fluid overload, not dehydration.
Question 5
The nurse practitioner is assessing a patient's mental
status using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).
Which domain is NOT typically assessed by this tool?
A) Orientation to time and place
B) Short-term memory recall
C) Gait and balance
D) Attention and calculation
Answer: C) Gait and balance
Rationale: The MMSE assesses cognitive domains including
orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall,
language, and visuospatial ability. Gait and balance are
