HESI Practice: Health Assessment / Physical Exam – Comprehensive Head-to-Toe Assessment Review, Physical
Examination Techniques, Practice Questions, Normal vs Abnormal Findings, and Nursing Exam Success
HESI Practice: Health Assessment / Physical focuses on mastering comprehensive physical assessment skills for
nursing exams. This guide includes head-to-toe physical examination techniques, vital signs assessment, inspection,
palpation, percussion, auscultation, identification of normal and abnormal findings, realistic HESI-style practice
questions, detailed rationales, and proven strategies to help nursing students succeed on Health Assessment HESI
exams.
HESI Practice Health Assessment,
HESI Practice Physical Assessment,
HESI health assessment practice exam,
HESI physical exam practice questions
1. While performing a cardiac assessment on a client with an incompetent
heart valve, the nurse auscultates a murmur. The nurse documents the finding
and describes the sound as which?
Lub-dub sounds
Scratchy, leathery heart noise
A blowing or swooshing noise
Abrupt, high-pitched snapping noise: A blowing or swooshing noise
2. The nurse is testing the extraocular movements in a client to assess for
muscle weakness in the eyes. The nurse should implement which assessment
,technique to assess for muscle weakness in the eye?
Test the corneal reflexes.
Test the 6 cardinal positions of gaze.
Test visual acuity, using a Snellen eye chart.
Test sensory function by asking the client to close the eyes and then lightly
touching the forehead, cheeks, and chin.: Test the 6 cardinal positions of gaze.
3. The nurse is instructing a client how to perform a testicular self-examination
(TSE). The nurse should explain that which is the best time to perform this
exam?
After a shower or bath
While standing to void
After having a bowel movement
While lying in bed before arising: After a shower or bath
4. The nurse is assessing a client suspected of having meningitis for
meningeal irritation and elicits a positive Brudzinski's sign. Which finding did
the nurse observe?
The client rigidly extends the arms with pronated forearms and plantar flexion
of the feet.
The client flexes a leg at the hip and knee and reports pain in the vertebral
column when the leg is extended.
The client passively flexes the hip and knee in response to neck flexion and
reports pain in the vertebral column.
The client's upper arms are flexed and held tightly to the sides of the body and
the legs are extended and internally rotated.: The client passively flexes the hip
and knee in response to neck flexion and reports pain in the vertebral column.
5. The nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client and notes a
positive Romberg's test. The nurse makes this determination based on which
observation?
An involuntary rhythmic, rapid, twitching of the eyeballs
A dorsiflexion of the great toe with fanning of the other toes
A significant sway when the client stands erect with feet together, arms at the
side, and the eyes closed
A lack of normal sense of position when the client is unable to return extended
fingers to a point of reference: A significant sway when the client stands erect with
, feet together, arms at the side, and the eyes closed
6. The nurse notes documentation that a client is exhibiting Cheyne-Stokes
respirations. On assessment of the client, the nurse should expect to note
which finding?
Rhythmic respirations with periods of apnea
Regular rapid and deep, sustained respirations
Totally irregular respiration in rhythm and depth
Irregular respirations with pauses at the end of inspiration and expiration: -
Rhythmic respirations with periods of apnea
7. A client diagnosed with conductive hearing loss asks the nurse to explain
the cause of the hearing problem. The nurse plans to explain to the client that
this condition is caused by which problem?
A defect in the cochlea
A defect in cranial nerve VIII
A physical obstruction to the transmission of sound waves
A defect in the sensory fibers that lead to the cerebral cortex: A physical
obstruction to the transmission of sound waves
8. A client with a diagnosis of asthma is admitted to the hospital with respira-
tory distress. Which type of adventitious lung sounds should the nurse expect
to hear when performing a respiratory assessment on this client?
Stridor
Crackles
Wheezes
Diminished: Wheezes
9. The clinic nurse prepares to perform a focused assessment on a client who
is complaining of symptoms of a cold, a cough, and lung congestion. Which
should the nurse include for this type of assessment?
Examination Techniques, Practice Questions, Normal vs Abnormal Findings, and Nursing Exam Success
HESI Practice: Health Assessment / Physical focuses on mastering comprehensive physical assessment skills for
nursing exams. This guide includes head-to-toe physical examination techniques, vital signs assessment, inspection,
palpation, percussion, auscultation, identification of normal and abnormal findings, realistic HESI-style practice
questions, detailed rationales, and proven strategies to help nursing students succeed on Health Assessment HESI
exams.
HESI Practice Health Assessment,
HESI Practice Physical Assessment,
HESI health assessment practice exam,
HESI physical exam practice questions
1. While performing a cardiac assessment on a client with an incompetent
heart valve, the nurse auscultates a murmur. The nurse documents the finding
and describes the sound as which?
Lub-dub sounds
Scratchy, leathery heart noise
A blowing or swooshing noise
Abrupt, high-pitched snapping noise: A blowing or swooshing noise
2. The nurse is testing the extraocular movements in a client to assess for
muscle weakness in the eyes. The nurse should implement which assessment
,technique to assess for muscle weakness in the eye?
Test the corneal reflexes.
Test the 6 cardinal positions of gaze.
Test visual acuity, using a Snellen eye chart.
Test sensory function by asking the client to close the eyes and then lightly
touching the forehead, cheeks, and chin.: Test the 6 cardinal positions of gaze.
3. The nurse is instructing a client how to perform a testicular self-examination
(TSE). The nurse should explain that which is the best time to perform this
exam?
After a shower or bath
While standing to void
After having a bowel movement
While lying in bed before arising: After a shower or bath
4. The nurse is assessing a client suspected of having meningitis for
meningeal irritation and elicits a positive Brudzinski's sign. Which finding did
the nurse observe?
The client rigidly extends the arms with pronated forearms and plantar flexion
of the feet.
The client flexes a leg at the hip and knee and reports pain in the vertebral
column when the leg is extended.
The client passively flexes the hip and knee in response to neck flexion and
reports pain in the vertebral column.
The client's upper arms are flexed and held tightly to the sides of the body and
the legs are extended and internally rotated.: The client passively flexes the hip
and knee in response to neck flexion and reports pain in the vertebral column.
5. The nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client and notes a
positive Romberg's test. The nurse makes this determination based on which
observation?
An involuntary rhythmic, rapid, twitching of the eyeballs
A dorsiflexion of the great toe with fanning of the other toes
A significant sway when the client stands erect with feet together, arms at the
side, and the eyes closed
A lack of normal sense of position when the client is unable to return extended
fingers to a point of reference: A significant sway when the client stands erect with
, feet together, arms at the side, and the eyes closed
6. The nurse notes documentation that a client is exhibiting Cheyne-Stokes
respirations. On assessment of the client, the nurse should expect to note
which finding?
Rhythmic respirations with periods of apnea
Regular rapid and deep, sustained respirations
Totally irregular respiration in rhythm and depth
Irregular respirations with pauses at the end of inspiration and expiration: -
Rhythmic respirations with periods of apnea
7. A client diagnosed with conductive hearing loss asks the nurse to explain
the cause of the hearing problem. The nurse plans to explain to the client that
this condition is caused by which problem?
A defect in the cochlea
A defect in cranial nerve VIII
A physical obstruction to the transmission of sound waves
A defect in the sensory fibers that lead to the cerebral cortex: A physical
obstruction to the transmission of sound waves
8. A client with a diagnosis of asthma is admitted to the hospital with respira-
tory distress. Which type of adventitious lung sounds should the nurse expect
to hear when performing a respiratory assessment on this client?
Stridor
Crackles
Wheezes
Diminished: Wheezes
9. The clinic nurse prepares to perform a focused assessment on a client who
is complaining of symptoms of a cold, a cough, and lung congestion. Which
should the nurse include for this type of assessment?
