NR511 CEA questions with correct answers 2026/2027 version A+
Graded/instant pdf
1. A 52-year-old patient presents with crushing substernal chest pain radiating to the left
arm and diaphoresis. What is the priority diagnosis to rule out?
A. GERD
B. Acute myocardial infarction
C. Costochondritis
D. Peptic ulcer disease
Correct Answer: B. Acute myocardial infarction
Rationale: Life-threatening diagnoses should be considered first when symptoms suggest acute
coronary syndrome.
2. Which component of the history is most useful when determining the onset of a patient's
symptom?
A. Family history
B. Timing and duration
C. Social history
D. Review of systems
Correct Answer: B. Timing and duration
Rationale: Onset, duration, progression, and timing help distinguish among differential
diagnoses.
3. A patient with unilateral calf swelling, warmth, and tenderness should be evaluated
primarily for:
A. Osteoarthritis
B. Deep vein thrombosis
C. Cellulitis only
D. Gout
Correct Answer: B. Deep vein thrombosis
Rationale: Unilateral swelling, warmth, and tenderness are concerning for DVT.
4. A patient has a sharply demarcated erythematous plaque with silvery scale on the
elbows. What is most likely?
A. Psoriasis
B. Tinea corporis
C. Impetigo
D. Cellulitis
,Correct Answer: A. Psoriasis
Rationale: Extensor plaques with characteristic silvery scale are classic for psoriasis.
5. Which finding is most characteristic of bacterial conjunctivitis?
A. Severe photophobia
B. Purulent discharge
C. Painless vision loss
D. Fixed dilated pupil
Correct Answer: B. Purulent discharge
Rationale: Purulent discharge and eyelid matting are typical of bacterial conjunctivitis.
6. A patient reports sudden severe eye pain, halos around lights, nausea, and vomiting.
What condition should be suspected?
A. Viral conjunctivitis
B. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
C. Cataract
D. Presbyopia
Correct Answer: B. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
Rationale: Acute eye pain with halos, nausea, and vomiting is an ophthalmologic emergency.
7. A patient complains of hearing loss after years of occupational noise exposure. Which
type of hearing loss is most likely?
A. Conductive
B. Sensorineural
C. Functional
D. Central only
Correct Answer: B. Sensorineural
Rationale: Chronic noise exposure can damage cochlear hair cells and cause sensorineural
hearing loss.
8. A patient with sore throat has fever, tonsillar exudates, tender anterior cervical nodes,
and no cough. What is most likely?
A. Streptococcal pharyngitis
B. Allergic rhinitis
C. GERD
D. Viral bronchitis
, Correct Answer: A. Streptococcal pharyngitis
Rationale: Fever, tonsillar exudate, tender anterior cervical adenopathy, and absence of cough
support streptococcal pharyngitis.
9. Which symptom is most suggestive of allergic rhinitis?
A. Clear rhinorrhea with sneezing
B. Hemoptysis
C. Purulent sputum
D. Severe unilateral facial paralysis
Correct Answer: A. Clear rhinorrhea with sneezing
Rationale: Allergic rhinitis commonly causes sneezing, clear rhinorrhea, itching, and congestion.
10. A patient with COPD develops increasing dyspnea, cough, and sputum production.
This is most consistent with:
A. COPD exacerbation
B. Appendicitis
C. Migraine
D. Otitis externa
Correct Answer: A. COPD exacerbation
Rationale: Increased respiratory symptoms in a patient with COPD suggest an acute
exacerbation.
11. A patient reports burning epigastric discomfort that improves after eating. Which
condition is most likely?
A. Duodenal ulcer
B. Acute pancreatitis
C. Cholecystitis
D. Appendicitis
Correct Answer: A. Duodenal ulcer
Rationale: Duodenal ulcer pain classically may improve temporarily with food.
12. Right upper quadrant pain after a fatty meal with nausea is most suggestive of:
A. Cholelithiasis
B. Nephrolithiasis
C. GERD
D. Diverticulitis
Correct Answer: A. Cholelithiasis
Rationale: Gallstones commonly cause episodic right-upper-quadrant pain after fatty meals.
Graded/instant pdf
1. A 52-year-old patient presents with crushing substernal chest pain radiating to the left
arm and diaphoresis. What is the priority diagnosis to rule out?
A. GERD
B. Acute myocardial infarction
C. Costochondritis
D. Peptic ulcer disease
Correct Answer: B. Acute myocardial infarction
Rationale: Life-threatening diagnoses should be considered first when symptoms suggest acute
coronary syndrome.
2. Which component of the history is most useful when determining the onset of a patient's
symptom?
A. Family history
B. Timing and duration
C. Social history
D. Review of systems
Correct Answer: B. Timing and duration
Rationale: Onset, duration, progression, and timing help distinguish among differential
diagnoses.
3. A patient with unilateral calf swelling, warmth, and tenderness should be evaluated
primarily for:
A. Osteoarthritis
B. Deep vein thrombosis
C. Cellulitis only
D. Gout
Correct Answer: B. Deep vein thrombosis
Rationale: Unilateral swelling, warmth, and tenderness are concerning for DVT.
4. A patient has a sharply demarcated erythematous plaque with silvery scale on the
elbows. What is most likely?
A. Psoriasis
B. Tinea corporis
C. Impetigo
D. Cellulitis
,Correct Answer: A. Psoriasis
Rationale: Extensor plaques with characteristic silvery scale are classic for psoriasis.
5. Which finding is most characteristic of bacterial conjunctivitis?
A. Severe photophobia
B. Purulent discharge
C. Painless vision loss
D. Fixed dilated pupil
Correct Answer: B. Purulent discharge
Rationale: Purulent discharge and eyelid matting are typical of bacterial conjunctivitis.
6. A patient reports sudden severe eye pain, halos around lights, nausea, and vomiting.
What condition should be suspected?
A. Viral conjunctivitis
B. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
C. Cataract
D. Presbyopia
Correct Answer: B. Acute angle-closure glaucoma
Rationale: Acute eye pain with halos, nausea, and vomiting is an ophthalmologic emergency.
7. A patient complains of hearing loss after years of occupational noise exposure. Which
type of hearing loss is most likely?
A. Conductive
B. Sensorineural
C. Functional
D. Central only
Correct Answer: B. Sensorineural
Rationale: Chronic noise exposure can damage cochlear hair cells and cause sensorineural
hearing loss.
8. A patient with sore throat has fever, tonsillar exudates, tender anterior cervical nodes,
and no cough. What is most likely?
A. Streptococcal pharyngitis
B. Allergic rhinitis
C. GERD
D. Viral bronchitis
, Correct Answer: A. Streptococcal pharyngitis
Rationale: Fever, tonsillar exudate, tender anterior cervical adenopathy, and absence of cough
support streptococcal pharyngitis.
9. Which symptom is most suggestive of allergic rhinitis?
A. Clear rhinorrhea with sneezing
B. Hemoptysis
C. Purulent sputum
D. Severe unilateral facial paralysis
Correct Answer: A. Clear rhinorrhea with sneezing
Rationale: Allergic rhinitis commonly causes sneezing, clear rhinorrhea, itching, and congestion.
10. A patient with COPD develops increasing dyspnea, cough, and sputum production.
This is most consistent with:
A. COPD exacerbation
B. Appendicitis
C. Migraine
D. Otitis externa
Correct Answer: A. COPD exacerbation
Rationale: Increased respiratory symptoms in a patient with COPD suggest an acute
exacerbation.
11. A patient reports burning epigastric discomfort that improves after eating. Which
condition is most likely?
A. Duodenal ulcer
B. Acute pancreatitis
C. Cholecystitis
D. Appendicitis
Correct Answer: A. Duodenal ulcer
Rationale: Duodenal ulcer pain classically may improve temporarily with food.
12. Right upper quadrant pain after a fatty meal with nausea is most suggestive of:
A. Cholelithiasis
B. Nephrolithiasis
C. GERD
D. Diverticulitis
Correct Answer: A. Cholelithiasis
Rationale: Gallstones commonly cause episodic right-upper-quadrant pain after fatty meals.
