ESTUDYR
NU552 / NR509 Chapter 2 — Advanced Therapeutic Communication & Interviewing: Intensive
80-Item Mastery Question Bank With Answers
1. A pregnant patient says she and her husband are excited, but during the interview she
looks nervously at her hands and sighs loudly. What is the most accurate interpretation
about communication?
A. She’s definitely not excited.
B. Her verbal and nonverbal messages are congruent.
C. She is exhibiting verbal and nonverbal behaviors that do not match (incongruent
message).
D. Nonverbal behaviors are unimportant if verbal message is clear.
Rationale: Communication includes both verbal and nonverbal cues; conflicting signals
mean the message is incongruent and merits further exploration.
2. Which receiver is most likely to misinterpret a clinician’s message?
A. A patient who just completed a relaxing meditation session.
B. A teenager excited to start school.
C. A man whose wife was just diagnosed with lung cancer.
D. A person who speaks the clinician’s language fluently and is calm.
Rationale: Strong emotions (shock, grief) distort perception and increase risk of
misinterpretation.
3. Which change in the physical environment most promotes interviewing success?
A. Sit with the patient 12–15 feet away to maintain privacy.
B. Keep the television on for background noise.
C. Dim lights and leave doors open for ease.
D. Reduce noise by turning off televisions and radios to minimize competing stimuli.
Rationale: Removing competing stimuli improves concentration and communication;
ideal interpersonal distance is ~4–5 feet and good lighting helps.
4. Which statement about note-taking during an interview is TRUE?
A. Note-taking never affects the interview.
B. Note-taking enhances the nurse’s observation of nonverbal behavior.
C. Note-taking may impede the nurse’s observation of a patient’s nonverbal
behaviors.
D. The nurse should transcribe every word verbatim during the interview.
Rationale: Writing breaks eye contact and attention, limiting observation and flow; use
selective notes and summarize key points.
5. The phrase, “I would like to ask you some questions about your health and usual daily
activities so we can better plan your stay here,” belongs to which interview phase?
A. Closing/termination
B. Opening/introduction
C. Summary/synthesis
,ESTUDYR
D. Transition to physical exam
Rationale: Introductions state role and purpose at the outset—this is an opening
statement.
6. Best opening approach for a woman battered by her husband when urgent treatment
info is needed:
A. “So, how are things with your husband at home?”
B. “Hi — do you want to go home now?”
C. “I’m sorry you’re here; can you tell me everything?”
D. “Mrs. H., my name is Mrs. C. I’ll need to ask you a few questions about what
happened.”
Rationale: Use formal address, introduce self, and state purpose clearly and directly
without small talk.
7. “You mentioned having shortness of breath. Tell me more about that.” This is an
example of which verbal skill?
A. Closed-ended question
B. Reflection
C. Open-ended question
D. Confrontation
Rationale: Open-ended questions invite narrative and broader description before
probing specifics.
8. After a patient’s chief complaint, you find missing details about past hospitalizations.
The best way to gather them is:
A. “Did you ever see a physician before?”
B. “Tell me everything you can remember about your childhood.”
C. “Mr. Y., I need additional information about your past hospitalizations. When was
the last time you were admitted for chest pain?”
D. “You must have been hospitalized recently; when was it?”
Rationale: Direct, specific, and respectful prompts fill gaps while keeping the patient
focused.
9. Which response shifts focus to the provider’s perspective rather than the patient’s
frame of reference?
A. Reflection
B. Empathy
C. Facilitation
D. Confrontation
Rationale: Confrontation highlights the clinician’s observation/opinion and can shift the
interaction away from the patient’s viewpoint.
10. During history-taking, the patient frequently pauses and looks expectantly at the nurse.
The best response is to:
, ESTUDYR
A. Fill the silence quickly with a new question.
B. Repeat the last question louder.
C. Be silent and allow the patient to continue when ready.
D. Ask a different topic immediately.
Rationale: Therapeutic silence allows the patient time to gather thoughts and often
leads to deeper disclosure.
11. Which of the following is a subjective skin data point reported by the patient?
A. Erythema observed on exam
B. Palpable warmth measured with skin probe
C. Patient denies any color change
D. Presence of petechiae documented by clinician
Rationale: Subjective data are the patient’s reported experiences; objective data are
observed/measured by the clinician.
12. Which health-promotion question is appropriate for a healthy 30-year-old man?
A. “How many hospitalizations have you had?”
B. “Do you have any chronic illnesses?”
C. “Do you perform testicular self-examinations?”
D. “When did you last have an appendectomy?”
Rationale: Testicular self-exam is a relevant preventive behavior for this age/sex group.
13. Expected functional response for a patient with a leg cast:
A. “I need help to get in and out of bed always.”
B. “I can transfer myself from the wheelchair to the bed without help.”
C. “I can jog around the block.”
D. “I cannot sit without assistance.”
Rationale: Functional assessment documents the patient’s actual ADL/mobility
capabilities; ability to transfer is relevant.
14. After a woman reports both her husband and mother died this year, the most
appropriate follow-up is:
A. “You’ll get over it soon.”
B. “Why are you being so dramatic?”
C. “Have you tried to move on?”
D. “What did you do to cope with the loss of both your husband and mother?”
Rationale: Open, supportive question explores coping mechanisms and psychosocial
needs.
15. Why must a nurse ask about alcohol use routinely?
A. To shame patients into abstinence
B. Because alcohol is unrelated to medications
C. Because alcohol can interact with medications and worsen many diseases
D. Only to document a social history item
NU552 / NR509 Chapter 2 — Advanced Therapeutic Communication & Interviewing: Intensive
80-Item Mastery Question Bank With Answers
1. A pregnant patient says she and her husband are excited, but during the interview she
looks nervously at her hands and sighs loudly. What is the most accurate interpretation
about communication?
A. She’s definitely not excited.
B. Her verbal and nonverbal messages are congruent.
C. She is exhibiting verbal and nonverbal behaviors that do not match (incongruent
message).
D. Nonverbal behaviors are unimportant if verbal message is clear.
Rationale: Communication includes both verbal and nonverbal cues; conflicting signals
mean the message is incongruent and merits further exploration.
2. Which receiver is most likely to misinterpret a clinician’s message?
A. A patient who just completed a relaxing meditation session.
B. A teenager excited to start school.
C. A man whose wife was just diagnosed with lung cancer.
D. A person who speaks the clinician’s language fluently and is calm.
Rationale: Strong emotions (shock, grief) distort perception and increase risk of
misinterpretation.
3. Which change in the physical environment most promotes interviewing success?
A. Sit with the patient 12–15 feet away to maintain privacy.
B. Keep the television on for background noise.
C. Dim lights and leave doors open for ease.
D. Reduce noise by turning off televisions and radios to minimize competing stimuli.
Rationale: Removing competing stimuli improves concentration and communication;
ideal interpersonal distance is ~4–5 feet and good lighting helps.
4. Which statement about note-taking during an interview is TRUE?
A. Note-taking never affects the interview.
B. Note-taking enhances the nurse’s observation of nonverbal behavior.
C. Note-taking may impede the nurse’s observation of a patient’s nonverbal
behaviors.
D. The nurse should transcribe every word verbatim during the interview.
Rationale: Writing breaks eye contact and attention, limiting observation and flow; use
selective notes and summarize key points.
5. The phrase, “I would like to ask you some questions about your health and usual daily
activities so we can better plan your stay here,” belongs to which interview phase?
A. Closing/termination
B. Opening/introduction
C. Summary/synthesis
,ESTUDYR
D. Transition to physical exam
Rationale: Introductions state role and purpose at the outset—this is an opening
statement.
6. Best opening approach for a woman battered by her husband when urgent treatment
info is needed:
A. “So, how are things with your husband at home?”
B. “Hi — do you want to go home now?”
C. “I’m sorry you’re here; can you tell me everything?”
D. “Mrs. H., my name is Mrs. C. I’ll need to ask you a few questions about what
happened.”
Rationale: Use formal address, introduce self, and state purpose clearly and directly
without small talk.
7. “You mentioned having shortness of breath. Tell me more about that.” This is an
example of which verbal skill?
A. Closed-ended question
B. Reflection
C. Open-ended question
D. Confrontation
Rationale: Open-ended questions invite narrative and broader description before
probing specifics.
8. After a patient’s chief complaint, you find missing details about past hospitalizations.
The best way to gather them is:
A. “Did you ever see a physician before?”
B. “Tell me everything you can remember about your childhood.”
C. “Mr. Y., I need additional information about your past hospitalizations. When was
the last time you were admitted for chest pain?”
D. “You must have been hospitalized recently; when was it?”
Rationale: Direct, specific, and respectful prompts fill gaps while keeping the patient
focused.
9. Which response shifts focus to the provider’s perspective rather than the patient’s
frame of reference?
A. Reflection
B. Empathy
C. Facilitation
D. Confrontation
Rationale: Confrontation highlights the clinician’s observation/opinion and can shift the
interaction away from the patient’s viewpoint.
10. During history-taking, the patient frequently pauses and looks expectantly at the nurse.
The best response is to:
, ESTUDYR
A. Fill the silence quickly with a new question.
B. Repeat the last question louder.
C. Be silent and allow the patient to continue when ready.
D. Ask a different topic immediately.
Rationale: Therapeutic silence allows the patient time to gather thoughts and often
leads to deeper disclosure.
11. Which of the following is a subjective skin data point reported by the patient?
A. Erythema observed on exam
B. Palpable warmth measured with skin probe
C. Patient denies any color change
D. Presence of petechiae documented by clinician
Rationale: Subjective data are the patient’s reported experiences; objective data are
observed/measured by the clinician.
12. Which health-promotion question is appropriate for a healthy 30-year-old man?
A. “How many hospitalizations have you had?”
B. “Do you have any chronic illnesses?”
C. “Do you perform testicular self-examinations?”
D. “When did you last have an appendectomy?”
Rationale: Testicular self-exam is a relevant preventive behavior for this age/sex group.
13. Expected functional response for a patient with a leg cast:
A. “I need help to get in and out of bed always.”
B. “I can transfer myself from the wheelchair to the bed without help.”
C. “I can jog around the block.”
D. “I cannot sit without assistance.”
Rationale: Functional assessment documents the patient’s actual ADL/mobility
capabilities; ability to transfer is relevant.
14. After a woman reports both her husband and mother died this year, the most
appropriate follow-up is:
A. “You’ll get over it soon.”
B. “Why are you being so dramatic?”
C. “Have you tried to move on?”
D. “What did you do to cope with the loss of both your husband and mother?”
Rationale: Open, supportive question explores coping mechanisms and psychosocial
needs.
15. Why must a nurse ask about alcohol use routinely?
A. To shame patients into abstinence
B. Because alcohol is unrelated to medications
C. Because alcohol can interact with medications and worsen many diseases
D. Only to document a social history item
