NR 509/ NR509 Advanced Physical Assessment Final Practice
Questions with Verified Answers (2025/ 2026 Update)-
Chamberlain
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain
which increases with breathing. Which anatomic area would you
localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine - __100% correct answer as A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as
costochondritis or
intercostal muscle cramp. This would be worsened by motion of
the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a sharp chest pain
which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can
occur with inflammation of the pleura from pneumonia or other
conditions and pulmonary
embolus.
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of
shortness of breath. To which anatomic region would you assign
the symptom?
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic - __100% correct answer as C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most
likely on this list to result in shortness of breath. There are cases
within the other categories which may also result
,in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic
category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the
following anatomic regions can be responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine - __100% correct answer as C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has
congestive heart failure. This results in fluid buildup in the lungs,
which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink,
frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough
by stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus nerve, but this is less
likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of
joint pain. The pain is new,
located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective
fever. The patient denies a
rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has
a family history significant for
rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the
following pathologic processes
would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic - __100% correct answer as B) Inflammatory
,The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process,
although all the other etiologies should be considered. Lyme
disease is an infection which commonly causes
arthritis, hemophilia is a hematologic condition which can cause
bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain.
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain,
which has been intermittent for several years. He normally takes
over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, but this time they
haven't worked as well and he still has discomfort. He recently
wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which caused
him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies
fever, chills, rash, upper respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury
to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most likely
pathologic process?
A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic - __100% correct answer as C) Degenerative
The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in
the neck. The
patient has had intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to
elicit pertinent negative and
positive findings are negative for infectious, traumatic, or
neoplastic disease.
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for
evaluation of a 3-week history
of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain;
and nonproductive cough. Which
is the most likely pathologic process?
A) Infection
, B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular - __100% correct answer as C) Allergic
This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
A 19-year old-college student presents to the emergency room
with fever, headache, and
neck pain/stiffness. She is concerned about the possibility of
meningococcal meningitis.
Several of her dorm mates have been vaccinated, but she hasn't
been. Which of the following
physical examination descriptions is most consistent with
meningitis?
A) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs,
neck supple with full range
of motion
B) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs,
neck with paraspinous
muscle spasm and limited range of motion to the right
C) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc
margins, neck tender to
palpation, unable to perform range of motion
D) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc
margins, neck supple with
full range of motion - __100% correct answer as C) Head is
normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc margins,
neck tender to
palpation, unable to perform range of motion
Blurred disc margins are consistent with papilledema, and neck
tenderness and lack of range of motion are consistent with neck
stiffness, which in this scenario is likely to be caused
Questions with Verified Answers (2025/ 2026 Update)-
Chamberlain
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain
which increases with breathing. Which anatomic area would you
localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine - __100% correct answer as A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as
costochondritis or
intercostal muscle cramp. This would be worsened by motion of
the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a sharp chest pain
which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can
occur with inflammation of the pleura from pneumonia or other
conditions and pulmonary
embolus.
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of
shortness of breath. To which anatomic region would you assign
the symptom?
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic - __100% correct answer as C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most
likely on this list to result in shortness of breath. There are cases
within the other categories which may also result
,in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic
category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the
following anatomic regions can be responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine - __100% correct answer as C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has
congestive heart failure. This results in fluid buildup in the lungs,
which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink,
frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough
by stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus nerve, but this is less
likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of
joint pain. The pain is new,
located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective
fever. The patient denies a
rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has
a family history significant for
rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the
following pathologic processes
would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic - __100% correct answer as B) Inflammatory
,The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process,
although all the other etiologies should be considered. Lyme
disease is an infection which commonly causes
arthritis, hemophilia is a hematologic condition which can cause
bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain.
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain,
which has been intermittent for several years. He normally takes
over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, but this time they
haven't worked as well and he still has discomfort. He recently
wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which caused
him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies
fever, chills, rash, upper respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury
to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most likely
pathologic process?
A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic - __100% correct answer as C) Degenerative
The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in
the neck. The
patient has had intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to
elicit pertinent negative and
positive findings are negative for infectious, traumatic, or
neoplastic disease.
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for
evaluation of a 3-week history
of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain;
and nonproductive cough. Which
is the most likely pathologic process?
A) Infection
, B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular - __100% correct answer as C) Allergic
This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
A 19-year old-college student presents to the emergency room
with fever, headache, and
neck pain/stiffness. She is concerned about the possibility of
meningococcal meningitis.
Several of her dorm mates have been vaccinated, but she hasn't
been. Which of the following
physical examination descriptions is most consistent with
meningitis?
A) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs,
neck supple with full range
of motion
B) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs,
neck with paraspinous
muscle spasm and limited range of motion to the right
C) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc
margins, neck tender to
palpation, unable to perform range of motion
D) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc
margins, neck supple with
full range of motion - __100% correct answer as C) Head is
normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc margins,
neck tender to
palpation, unable to perform range of motion
Blurred disc margins are consistent with papilledema, and neck
tenderness and lack of range of motion are consistent with neck
stiffness, which in this scenario is likely to be caused
