Physical Assessment Post-Test| Prep
Study Exam 2025/2026| Updated
Solution
During a mental status examination, the nurse notes the patient is having difficulty with abstract
thinking. Which of the following questions would best assess this function?
A. "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope on the ground?"
B. "Can you count backward from 100 by sevens?"
C. "What do people mean when they say, 'It's raining cats and dogs'?"
D. "Can you tell me where you are right now?"
C. "What do people mean when they say, 'It's raining cats and dogs'?"
When assessing a patient's pain level, the nurse knows that which of the following statements
about pain is true?
A. Pain is always objective and easy to assess.
B. Pain assessment requires the nurse to make assumptions about the patient’s pain experience.
C. Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever they say it does.
D. Pain assessment can only be done effectively using numerical scales.
C. Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever they say it does.
Which of the following techniques is used by the nurse to assess for tactile fremitus?
A. Palpation
B. Inspection
1
,C. Auscultation
D. Percussion
A. Palpation
When assessing the pulse of a patient, the nurse should document which pulse as normal?
A. A weak, thready pulse
B. A full, bounding pulse
C. An absent pulse
D. A pulse with regular rhythm and rate of 60-100 beats per minute
D. A pulse with regular rhythm and rate of 60-100 beats per minute
During an assessment of the cranial nerves, the nurse asks the patient to stick out their tongue.
The nurse is testing which cranial nerve?
A. CN IX
B. CN X
C. CN XI
D. CN XII
D. CN XII
The nurse is assessing a patient’s skin and notes a lesion that is asymmetrical, has irregular
borders, multiple colors, and a diameter of 7 mm. The nurse understands that these
characteristics are associated with:
A. Eczema
2
, B. Acne
C. Malignant melanoma
D. Psoriasis
C. Malignant melanoma
When assessing the respiratory system, the nurse auscultates crackles at the lung bases. This
finding is most commonly associated with:
A. Bronchitis
B. Heart failure
C. Asthma
D. Emphysema
B. Heart failure
The nurse is performing a functional assessment on an older adult. Which question would be
most appropriate to include?
A. "Do you live alone or with someone?"
B. "Can you dress yourself without help?"
C. "How would you describe your mood?"
D. "Do you exercise regularly?"
B. "Can you dress yourself without help?"
During a neurological assessment, the nurse uses a reflex hammer to check the patellar reflex.
What response should be expected in a healthy adult?
3
Study Exam 2025/2026| Updated
Solution
During a mental status examination, the nurse notes the patient is having difficulty with abstract
thinking. Which of the following questions would best assess this function?
A. "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope on the ground?"
B. "Can you count backward from 100 by sevens?"
C. "What do people mean when they say, 'It's raining cats and dogs'?"
D. "Can you tell me where you are right now?"
C. "What do people mean when they say, 'It's raining cats and dogs'?"
When assessing a patient's pain level, the nurse knows that which of the following statements
about pain is true?
A. Pain is always objective and easy to assess.
B. Pain assessment requires the nurse to make assumptions about the patient’s pain experience.
C. Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever they say it does.
D. Pain assessment can only be done effectively using numerical scales.
C. Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever they say it does.
Which of the following techniques is used by the nurse to assess for tactile fremitus?
A. Palpation
B. Inspection
1
,C. Auscultation
D. Percussion
A. Palpation
When assessing the pulse of a patient, the nurse should document which pulse as normal?
A. A weak, thready pulse
B. A full, bounding pulse
C. An absent pulse
D. A pulse with regular rhythm and rate of 60-100 beats per minute
D. A pulse with regular rhythm and rate of 60-100 beats per minute
During an assessment of the cranial nerves, the nurse asks the patient to stick out their tongue.
The nurse is testing which cranial nerve?
A. CN IX
B. CN X
C. CN XI
D. CN XII
D. CN XII
The nurse is assessing a patient’s skin and notes a lesion that is asymmetrical, has irregular
borders, multiple colors, and a diameter of 7 mm. The nurse understands that these
characteristics are associated with:
A. Eczema
2
, B. Acne
C. Malignant melanoma
D. Psoriasis
C. Malignant melanoma
When assessing the respiratory system, the nurse auscultates crackles at the lung bases. This
finding is most commonly associated with:
A. Bronchitis
B. Heart failure
C. Asthma
D. Emphysema
B. Heart failure
The nurse is performing a functional assessment on an older adult. Which question would be
most appropriate to include?
A. "Do you live alone or with someone?"
B. "Can you dress yourself without help?"
C. "How would you describe your mood?"
D. "Do you exercise regularly?"
B. "Can you dress yourself without help?"
During a neurological assessment, the nurse uses a reflex hammer to check the patellar reflex.
What response should be expected in a healthy adult?
3
