NR 304 Exam 1 Study guide
In preparation for the NR 304 Health Assessment Exam #1 please utilize the following studyguide
to assist in organizing the relevant concepts accordingly.
Please review the following topics as follows:
Anatomy and Function:
o What system does this effect?
o What are the three most significant things that the nurse MUST know?
Pathophysiology:
o Discuss the pathology of this topic as it relates to:
▪ Etiology
• Causes, Contributing Factors
▪ Signs and Symptoms
▪ Medical treatment modalities
▪ Nursing considerations
Nursing Care:
o Identify the PRIORITY nursing diagnosis related to the topic. (Nursing Diagnosis)
▪ Identify one long term and one short term goal for each priority item.
▪ Utilize Maslow’s hierarchy to appropriately identify priorities.
o What are the KEY nursing assessments?
▪ Physical examination of the patient should include?
▪ Identify expected verses unexpected. What does each finding mean to the
nurse?
o What is the plan of care for this patient?
▪ Review both independent as well as collaborative interventions.
▪ Independent interventions/ Nursing Management
• Why is the nurse doing this?
• How will this assist the patient in meeting the established goal?
• How will the nurse evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention?
▪ Collaborative interventions
• Medications
o Classification
o Action/ Administration
o Side Effects
o Adverse Effects
o Nursing Considerations
o Patient/ Family education.
• Treatments
o Reason?
o Review steps of the procedure.
o Side Effects
o Adverse Effects
o Nursing Considerations
o Patient/ Family Education
• Diagnostics
o Reason?
o Is this the “gold” standard diagnostic for this issue?
o What results are expected related to the pathology?
, o What are the nursing considerations associated with this
diagnostic?
o Special instructions?
Testing strategies to review…
• Analyze the situation described in the question.
• Treat each question as a NEW situation unless either wise directed.
• Determine what the question is asking.
• ACCEPT that what is the correct nursing action/ answer for one item MAY NOT be
CORRECT in another scenario.
• Select the answer that represents the safest nursing judgment.
• Identify the topic of the question.
• Select an answer by eliminating choices.
• Do not use background information unless absolutely necessary.
• Do not “read into” the question.
• Think about what the answer choices really mean
• THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION:
• Open ended responses
• Nonjudgmental response
• ONLY use YES or No questions in a crisis situation.
• “Why”.. Places people on the defensive.
• Delegation/ Assignment
• ONLY AN RN MAY:
• Assess
• Teach
• Perform a skill that requires “clinical judgment”
• POSITIONING:
• Are you being asked to prevent or promote something?
• Does it address the problem?
• PRIORITIZATION:
• Select ACTUAL over Potential problems
• What is the safest thing to do?
• Address the MOST unstable issue first.
The Center for Academic Success offers TESTING Strategies workshops routinely. All students are
recommended to attend at least one per session. Please reach out to your faculty or directly to the CAS
staff to obtain a schedule.
In preparation for the NR 304 Health Assessment Exam #1 please utilize the following studyguide
to assist in organizing the relevant concepts accordingly.
Please review the following topics as follows:
Anatomy and Function:
o What system does this effect?
o What are the three most significant things that the nurse MUST know?
Pathophysiology:
o Discuss the pathology of this topic as it relates to:
▪ Etiology
• Causes, Contributing Factors
▪ Signs and Symptoms
▪ Medical treatment modalities
▪ Nursing considerations
Nursing Care:
o Identify the PRIORITY nursing diagnosis related to the topic. (Nursing Diagnosis)
▪ Identify one long term and one short term goal for each priority item.
▪ Utilize Maslow’s hierarchy to appropriately identify priorities.
o What are the KEY nursing assessments?
▪ Physical examination of the patient should include?
▪ Identify expected verses unexpected. What does each finding mean to the
nurse?
o What is the plan of care for this patient?
▪ Review both independent as well as collaborative interventions.
▪ Independent interventions/ Nursing Management
• Why is the nurse doing this?
• How will this assist the patient in meeting the established goal?
• How will the nurse evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention?
▪ Collaborative interventions
• Medications
o Classification
o Action/ Administration
o Side Effects
o Adverse Effects
o Nursing Considerations
o Patient/ Family education.
• Treatments
o Reason?
o Review steps of the procedure.
o Side Effects
o Adverse Effects
o Nursing Considerations
o Patient/ Family Education
• Diagnostics
o Reason?
o Is this the “gold” standard diagnostic for this issue?
o What results are expected related to the pathology?
, o What are the nursing considerations associated with this
diagnostic?
o Special instructions?
Testing strategies to review…
• Analyze the situation described in the question.
• Treat each question as a NEW situation unless either wise directed.
• Determine what the question is asking.
• ACCEPT that what is the correct nursing action/ answer for one item MAY NOT be
CORRECT in another scenario.
• Select the answer that represents the safest nursing judgment.
• Identify the topic of the question.
• Select an answer by eliminating choices.
• Do not use background information unless absolutely necessary.
• Do not “read into” the question.
• Think about what the answer choices really mean
• THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION:
• Open ended responses
• Nonjudgmental response
• ONLY use YES or No questions in a crisis situation.
• “Why”.. Places people on the defensive.
• Delegation/ Assignment
• ONLY AN RN MAY:
• Assess
• Teach
• Perform a skill that requires “clinical judgment”
• POSITIONING:
• Are you being asked to prevent or promote something?
• Does it address the problem?
• PRIORITIZATION:
• Select ACTUAL over Potential problems
• What is the safest thing to do?
• Address the MOST unstable issue first.
The Center for Academic Success offers TESTING Strategies workshops routinely. All students are
recommended to attend at least one per session. Please reach out to your faculty or directly to the CAS
staff to obtain a schedule.
