FNP BOARD REVIEW QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS <VERIFIED ANSWER> |ALREADY
GRADED A+ |LATEST UPLOAD 2026
A 24-year old, otherwise healthy college student presents with c/o cough x 6
weeks. She has tried several OTC cough meds with no improvement. What is the
most important information to consider when building your differential
diagnoses?
A) Her age
B) Family hx
C) Ineffectiveness of OTC cough medicines
D) Length of time she has been coughing - ANSWER - D) Length of time she has
been coughing
Why? This information helps you build your ddx
Acute cough < 3 weeks: bronchitis, sinusitis, PND, exacerbation of COPD/asthma,
pneumonia, pulmonary embolism
Chronic cough (>8 weeks) GERD and Asthma are most common causes, also
consider infection (e.g. pertussis, atypical pneumonia), ACE inhibitors, chronic
bronchitis, bronchiectasis, lung ca)
According to the CDC, what drug class is considered first-line treatment for
pertussis?
A) Sulfonamide
B) Tetracycline
,C) Macrolide
D) Beta-lactam - ANSWER - C) Macrolide antiobitic (e.g. Azithromycin,
clarithromycin
Sulfonamides are second-line
Match the antibiotics with the correct drug class:
1. Sulfonamide
2. Tetracycline
3. Macrolide
4. Beta-lactam
A. Doxycyline
B. Azithromycin
C. Penicillins
D.Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
E. Cephalosporin
F. Clarithromycin - ANSWER - 1. Sulfonamide - D.Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
(Bactrim)
2. Tetracycline - A. Doxycycline
3. Macrolide - B & F, Azithromycin and Clarithromycin
4. Beta-lactam - C & E, PCN and cephalosporins
,What are the three most common bugs in community-acquired pneumonia? -
ANSWER - Streptococcus pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneuomiae (atypical pathogen)
Chlamydophila pneumoniae (atypical pathogen)
What is the treatment for CAP caused by Strep pneumo? - ANSWER - Respiratory
quinolone (e.g. Levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin) OR high-dose amoxicillin
OR amoxicillin with clavulanate
What antibiotics are avoided in CAP caused by Strep pneumo due to high rates of
resistance? - ANSWER - Macrolides
What is the treatment for CAP caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae? - ANSWER -
Macrolide OR doxycycline
What antibiotics are avoided in CAP caused by atypical pathogens? - ANSWER -
Beta-lactams (ineffective)
A 38-year old mother of two teenagers recently recovered from Mycoplasma
pneumonia a couple of weeks ago. She asks if she should get the "pneumonia
shot." She takes levothyroxine 88 mcg daily for hypothyroidism, but is otherwise
healthy. How do you respond?
A) No, it's too soon after your infection
B) No, it's not indicated
C) Yes, you can get it in about a month
D) Yes you can get it today - ANSWER - B) No, it's not indicated
, An otherwise healthy adult without immunocompromise or multiple comorbid
conditions is not a "vulnerable population"
The pneumonia vaccine does not prevent mycoplasma pneumonia
According to GOLD, what is required to establish the diagnosis of COPD? -
ANSWER - Spirometry (FEV1/FVC ratio < 70%)
A 70-year old house painter reports a 4-week history of exertional dyspnea, chest
tightness, and cough for the past 3 months. He has never smoked. What
diagnoses are included in your differential? Select 4.
A) Asthma
B) Angina
C) COPD
D) GERD
E) Pneumonia
F) Tuberculosis
G) Heart Failure - ANSWER - B) Angina
C) COPD
F) Tuberculosis
G) Heart failure
How do inhaled anticholinergics work to treat shortness of breath in COPD?
A) They cause bronchodilation in the lungs
DETAILED ANSWERS <VERIFIED ANSWER> |ALREADY
GRADED A+ |LATEST UPLOAD 2026
A 24-year old, otherwise healthy college student presents with c/o cough x 6
weeks. She has tried several OTC cough meds with no improvement. What is the
most important information to consider when building your differential
diagnoses?
A) Her age
B) Family hx
C) Ineffectiveness of OTC cough medicines
D) Length of time she has been coughing - ANSWER - D) Length of time she has
been coughing
Why? This information helps you build your ddx
Acute cough < 3 weeks: bronchitis, sinusitis, PND, exacerbation of COPD/asthma,
pneumonia, pulmonary embolism
Chronic cough (>8 weeks) GERD and Asthma are most common causes, also
consider infection (e.g. pertussis, atypical pneumonia), ACE inhibitors, chronic
bronchitis, bronchiectasis, lung ca)
According to the CDC, what drug class is considered first-line treatment for
pertussis?
A) Sulfonamide
B) Tetracycline
,C) Macrolide
D) Beta-lactam - ANSWER - C) Macrolide antiobitic (e.g. Azithromycin,
clarithromycin
Sulfonamides are second-line
Match the antibiotics with the correct drug class:
1. Sulfonamide
2. Tetracycline
3. Macrolide
4. Beta-lactam
A. Doxycyline
B. Azithromycin
C. Penicillins
D.Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
E. Cephalosporin
F. Clarithromycin - ANSWER - 1. Sulfonamide - D.Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
(Bactrim)
2. Tetracycline - A. Doxycycline
3. Macrolide - B & F, Azithromycin and Clarithromycin
4. Beta-lactam - C & E, PCN and cephalosporins
,What are the three most common bugs in community-acquired pneumonia? -
ANSWER - Streptococcus pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneuomiae (atypical pathogen)
Chlamydophila pneumoniae (atypical pathogen)
What is the treatment for CAP caused by Strep pneumo? - ANSWER - Respiratory
quinolone (e.g. Levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin) OR high-dose amoxicillin
OR amoxicillin with clavulanate
What antibiotics are avoided in CAP caused by Strep pneumo due to high rates of
resistance? - ANSWER - Macrolides
What is the treatment for CAP caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae? - ANSWER -
Macrolide OR doxycycline
What antibiotics are avoided in CAP caused by atypical pathogens? - ANSWER -
Beta-lactams (ineffective)
A 38-year old mother of two teenagers recently recovered from Mycoplasma
pneumonia a couple of weeks ago. She asks if she should get the "pneumonia
shot." She takes levothyroxine 88 mcg daily for hypothyroidism, but is otherwise
healthy. How do you respond?
A) No, it's too soon after your infection
B) No, it's not indicated
C) Yes, you can get it in about a month
D) Yes you can get it today - ANSWER - B) No, it's not indicated
, An otherwise healthy adult without immunocompromise or multiple comorbid
conditions is not a "vulnerable population"
The pneumonia vaccine does not prevent mycoplasma pneumonia
According to GOLD, what is required to establish the diagnosis of COPD? -
ANSWER - Spirometry (FEV1/FVC ratio < 70%)
A 70-year old house painter reports a 4-week history of exertional dyspnea, chest
tightness, and cough for the past 3 months. He has never smoked. What
diagnoses are included in your differential? Select 4.
A) Asthma
B) Angina
C) COPD
D) GERD
E) Pneumonia
F) Tuberculosis
G) Heart Failure - ANSWER - B) Angina
C) COPD
F) Tuberculosis
G) Heart failure
How do inhaled anticholinergics work to treat shortness of breath in COPD?
A) They cause bronchodilation in the lungs
