HESI Advanced Health Assessment Exam
Questions and Answers
1.A 59 year old patients tells the nurse practitioner that he
thinks he must have ulcerative colitis. He has been having
"black stools" for the last 24 hours. How would the nurse
practitioner best document THE FACTS for his reason for
seeking care?
A) JM is a 59 year old male here for having "black stools" for the
past 24 hours.
B) JM came into the clinic complaining of black stools for the past
24 hours.
C) JM is a 59 year old male here for "ulcerative colitis."
D) JM, a 59 year old male, states he has ulcerative colitis and
wants it checked.-
ANS A) JM is a 59 year old male here for having "black stools" for the
past 24 hours.
Chief Complaint(s) The one or more symptoms or concerns causing the
patient to seek care. Make every effort to quote the patient's own words.
2.A patient tells the nurse practitioner that she has had
abdominal pain for the past week. What would be the best
,response by the nurse practitioner?
A) We'll talk more about that later in the interview."
B) "Have you ever had any children?"
C) "What have you had to eat in the last 4 hours?"
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
ANS D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized, with descriptions of
location; along with the other seven attributes. Location: Ask the patient
to point to the pain because lay terms may not be specific enough to
localize the site of origin.
3.A 29-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has
"excruciating pain" in her back. Which of the following would be
an appropriate response by the nurse to her statement?
A) "How does your family react to your pain?"
B) "That must be terrible. You probably pinched a nerve."
C) "I've had back pain myself and it can be excruciating."
D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do
your daily ac- tivities?"
ANS D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your
daily activities?"
Inquire about the effects of pain on the patient's daily activities, mood,
sleep, work, and sexual activity.
,4.In recording the childhood illnesses of a patient who denies
having had any, which of the following notes by the nurse
would be most accurate?
A) Patient denies usual childhood illnesses.
B) Patient states he was a "very healthy" child.
C) Patient states sister had measles, but he didn't.
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox,
pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
ANS D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertus-
sis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
Childhood illnesses include measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough,
rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, and polio. They are included in the past
history.
5.A patient tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. What
would be the nurse's best response to this information?
A) "Are you allergic to any other drugs?"
B) "How often have you received penicillin?"
C) "I'll write your allergy on your chart so you won't receive any."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
penicillin."
ANS D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
, penicillin."
Allergies, including specific reactions to each medication, such as rash
or nausea, must be recorded.
6.The nurse is taking a family history. Important diseases or
problems to ask the patient about include
A) emphysema.
B) head trauma.
C) mental illness.
D) fractured bones.
ANS C) mental illness.
Specifically ask for any family history of heart disease, high blood
pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity, blood disorders, ovarian cancer,
colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, arthritis, allergies, alcohol or drug
addiction, mental illness, suicide, seizure disorder, kidney disease, and
tuberculosis. The other answers are acquired.
7.The following information is recorded in the health history
"Patient de- nies chest pain, palpitations, orthopnea, and
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea." Which category does it belong
to?
A) Chief complaint
Questions and Answers
1.A 59 year old patients tells the nurse practitioner that he
thinks he must have ulcerative colitis. He has been having
"black stools" for the last 24 hours. How would the nurse
practitioner best document THE FACTS for his reason for
seeking care?
A) JM is a 59 year old male here for having "black stools" for the
past 24 hours.
B) JM came into the clinic complaining of black stools for the past
24 hours.
C) JM is a 59 year old male here for "ulcerative colitis."
D) JM, a 59 year old male, states he has ulcerative colitis and
wants it checked.-
ANS A) JM is a 59 year old male here for having "black stools" for the
past 24 hours.
Chief Complaint(s) The one or more symptoms or concerns causing the
patient to seek care. Make every effort to quote the patient's own words.
2.A patient tells the nurse practitioner that she has had
abdominal pain for the past week. What would be the best
,response by the nurse practitioner?
A) We'll talk more about that later in the interview."
B) "Have you ever had any children?"
C) "What have you had to eat in the last 4 hours?"
D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
ANS D) "Can you point to where it hurts?"
Each principle symptom should be well-characterized, with descriptions of
location; along with the other seven attributes. Location: Ask the patient
to point to the pain because lay terms may not be specific enough to
localize the site of origin.
3.A 29-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has
"excruciating pain" in her back. Which of the following would be
an appropriate response by the nurse to her statement?
A) "How does your family react to your pain?"
B) "That must be terrible. You probably pinched a nerve."
C) "I've had back pain myself and it can be excruciating."
D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do
your daily ac- tivities?"
ANS D) "How would you say the pain affects your ability to do your
daily activities?"
Inquire about the effects of pain on the patient's daily activities, mood,
sleep, work, and sexual activity.
,4.In recording the childhood illnesses of a patient who denies
having had any, which of the following notes by the nurse
would be most accurate?
A) Patient denies usual childhood illnesses.
B) Patient states he was a "very healthy" child.
C) Patient states sister had measles, but he didn't.
D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox,
pertussis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
ANS D) Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertus-
sis, rheumatic fever, and polio.
Childhood illnesses include measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough,
rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, and polio. They are included in the past
history.
5.A patient tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. What
would be the nurse's best response to this information?
A) "Are you allergic to any other drugs?"
B) "How often have you received penicillin?"
C) "I'll write your allergy on your chart so you won't receive any."
D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
penicillin."
ANS D) "Please describe what happens to you when you take
, penicillin."
Allergies, including specific reactions to each medication, such as rash
or nausea, must be recorded.
6.The nurse is taking a family history. Important diseases or
problems to ask the patient about include
A) emphysema.
B) head trauma.
C) mental illness.
D) fractured bones.
ANS C) mental illness.
Specifically ask for any family history of heart disease, high blood
pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity, blood disorders, ovarian cancer,
colon cancer, sickle cell anemia, arthritis, allergies, alcohol or drug
addiction, mental illness, suicide, seizure disorder, kidney disease, and
tuberculosis. The other answers are acquired.
7.The following information is recorded in the health history
"Patient de- nies chest pain, palpitations, orthopnea, and
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea." Which category does it belong
to?
A) Chief complaint
