NSG 5544 Final Exam | Questions and
Answers | 2026 Update | 100% Correct
- South College.
UNIT 1: Foundations of Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning (Questions 1-
15)
Q1. A 45-year-old patient presents for a routine physical examination. The nurse
practitioner is taking a comprehensive health history. Which of the following is
considered a component of the "past medical history"?
A) Patient's occupation and marital status
B) Childhood illnesses and immunizations
C) Family history of heart disease
D) Patient's chief complaint
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) Childhood illnesses and immunizations
Rationale: Past medical history includes childhood illnesses, adult illnesses,
surgeries, hospitalizations, immunizations, and allergies. Occupation and marital
status are part of personal/social history. Family history is a separate category. Chief
complaint is the reason for the visit .
,Q2. The "OLDCARTS" mnemonic is used to assess which aspect of a patient's
condition?
A) Review of systems
B) History of present illness (HPI)
C) Past surgical history
D) Functional assessment
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) History of present illness (HPI)
Rationale: OLDCARTS (Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity) is a standard framework
for gathering detailed, subjective data about the History of Present Illness .
Q3. A nurse practitioner is performing a comprehensive physical examination.
Which technique is used first during the abdominal assessment?
A) Palpation
B) Percussion
C) Auscultation
D) Inspection
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: D) Inspection
Rationale: Inspection is always the first step in any physical examination, especially
the abdomen, because palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds and
tenderness, skewing subsequent findings .
,Q4. During a health history interview using a translator, the nurse practitioner
should:
A) Direct questions to the translator, not the patient
B) Face the translator while speaking
C) Speak directly to the patient and use the translator to facilitate communication
D) Use a family member as the translator for better comfort
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: C) Speak directly to the patient and use the translator to
facilitate communication
Rationale: The NP should speak directly to the patient, maintain eye contact, and
use a professional translator when possible. Family members may not provide
accurate translation and may introduce bias or filter information .
Q5. A patient reports "a sharp pain in my chest when I take a deep breath." This
description is best documented as:
A) Pleuritic chest pain
B) Angina
C) Musculoskeletal pain
D) Dyspnea on exertion
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: A) Pleuritic chest pain
Rationale: Pain that worsens with inspiration is characteristic of pleuritic chest pain,
often associated with pericarditis, pleurisy, or pulmonary embolism. Angina is
typically pressure-related; dyspnea refers to difficulty breathing, not pain .
, Q6. A 68-year-old patient reports occasional dizziness when standing up quickly.
To evaluate this, the nurse practitioner should:
A) Measure BP while supine, then immediately after standing
B) Measure BP after standing for 3 minutes, then after 5 minutes
C) Measure BP while supine, then after sitting for 2 minutes, then after standing for
1-3 minutes
D) Measure BP only while standing
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: C) Measure BP while supine, then after sitting for 2 minutes,
then after standing for 1-3 minutes
Rationale: Orthostatic (postural) hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP ≥20
mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing. The proper
technique involves serial measurements in supine, sitting, and standing positions .
Q7. The following information is recorded in the health history: "The patient has
had abdominal pain for 1 week. The pain lasts for 30 minutes at a time; it comes
and goes. The severity is 7 to 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. It is accompanied by nausea
and vomiting. It is located in the mid-epigastric area." Which category does it
belong to?
A) Past medical history
B) History of present illness
C) Review of systems
D) Personal and social history
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) History of present illness
Answers | 2026 Update | 100% Correct
- South College.
UNIT 1: Foundations of Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning (Questions 1-
15)
Q1. A 45-year-old patient presents for a routine physical examination. The nurse
practitioner is taking a comprehensive health history. Which of the following is
considered a component of the "past medical history"?
A) Patient's occupation and marital status
B) Childhood illnesses and immunizations
C) Family history of heart disease
D) Patient's chief complaint
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) Childhood illnesses and immunizations
Rationale: Past medical history includes childhood illnesses, adult illnesses,
surgeries, hospitalizations, immunizations, and allergies. Occupation and marital
status are part of personal/social history. Family history is a separate category. Chief
complaint is the reason for the visit .
,Q2. The "OLDCARTS" mnemonic is used to assess which aspect of a patient's
condition?
A) Review of systems
B) History of present illness (HPI)
C) Past surgical history
D) Functional assessment
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) History of present illness (HPI)
Rationale: OLDCARTS (Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity) is a standard framework
for gathering detailed, subjective data about the History of Present Illness .
Q3. A nurse practitioner is performing a comprehensive physical examination.
Which technique is used first during the abdominal assessment?
A) Palpation
B) Percussion
C) Auscultation
D) Inspection
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: D) Inspection
Rationale: Inspection is always the first step in any physical examination, especially
the abdomen, because palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds and
tenderness, skewing subsequent findings .
,Q4. During a health history interview using a translator, the nurse practitioner
should:
A) Direct questions to the translator, not the patient
B) Face the translator while speaking
C) Speak directly to the patient and use the translator to facilitate communication
D) Use a family member as the translator for better comfort
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: C) Speak directly to the patient and use the translator to
facilitate communication
Rationale: The NP should speak directly to the patient, maintain eye contact, and
use a professional translator when possible. Family members may not provide
accurate translation and may introduce bias or filter information .
Q5. A patient reports "a sharp pain in my chest when I take a deep breath." This
description is best documented as:
A) Pleuritic chest pain
B) Angina
C) Musculoskeletal pain
D) Dyspnea on exertion
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: A) Pleuritic chest pain
Rationale: Pain that worsens with inspiration is characteristic of pleuritic chest pain,
often associated with pericarditis, pleurisy, or pulmonary embolism. Angina is
typically pressure-related; dyspnea refers to difficulty breathing, not pain .
, Q6. A 68-year-old patient reports occasional dizziness when standing up quickly.
To evaluate this, the nurse practitioner should:
A) Measure BP while supine, then immediately after standing
B) Measure BP after standing for 3 minutes, then after 5 minutes
C) Measure BP while supine, then after sitting for 2 minutes, then after standing for
1-3 minutes
D) Measure BP only while standing
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: C) Measure BP while supine, then after sitting for 2 minutes,
then after standing for 1-3 minutes
Rationale: Orthostatic (postural) hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP ≥20
mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing. The proper
technique involves serial measurements in supine, sitting, and standing positions .
Q7. The following information is recorded in the health history: "The patient has
had abdominal pain for 1 week. The pain lasts for 30 minutes at a time; it comes
and goes. The severity is 7 to 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. It is accompanied by nausea
and vomiting. It is located in the mid-epigastric area." Which category does it
belong to?
A) Past medical history
B) History of present illness
C) Review of systems
D) Personal and social history
,,,,,,ANSWER,,,,,,: B) History of present illness
