NR 603 CEA Final Exam & Practice Exam – Advanced Clinical
Diagnosis Study Guide, Questions & Answers 2026-2027
This document is a comprehensive study resource for the NR 603 CEA (Comprehensive Exam
Assessment) Final Exam in Advanced Clinical Diagnosis. It includes practice questions, answer
explanations, clinical scenarios, differential diagnosis review, patient assessment concepts,
diagnostic reasoning, evidence-based management strategies, and high-yield exam topics
commonly covered in the course. Designed for Chamberlain nursing students, this guide supports
exam preparation, knowledge reinforcement, and clinical decision-making skills needed for
success in advanced practice nursing coursework. EA Final Exam & Practice Questions |
Advanced Clinical Diagnosis | Study Guide & Answers | Chamberlain University
You're a 22-year-old male patient states during his review of systems that his scrotum is
very enlarged and feels like it is full of worms. He is a power lifter and works as a trash
collector. You suspect that patient likely has which of the following diagnosis?
A. meningocele
B. varicocele
C. hydrocele
D. rectocele - CORRECT ANSWER B. varicocele
QUESTION : The point of maximum impulse (PMI) is MOST often palpable in healthy
adults when positioned in the supine or left lateral decubitus position. Which one of the
following locations is most commonly described as the PMI in a healthy adult?
A -Left 2nd intercostal space, midaxillary line
B -Left 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
C -Right 4th intercostal space, midaxillary line
D -Right 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line - CORRECT ANSWER B -Left 5th
intercostal space, midclavicular line
QUESTION : A40 year old, female, African American patient presents for history and
physical. Upon your initial assessment, you notice she has severe exophthalmos as
pictured below. Which one of the following diagnoses below would be the highest on
your differential diagnose of this physical examination finding?
A -Bilateral conjunctivitis
B -Hyperthyroidism
C -hypothyroidism
D -Myexedma - CORRECT ANSWER B -Hyperthyroidism
QUESTION : Your patient with a suspected diagnosis of COPD has been seen by
pulmonology and has underwent a pulmonary function test (PFT) with spirometry. As
the patient's primary healthcare provider, you have been asked to explain the findings of
the PFT to the patient in afollow-up visit at which time the patient asks what the study
was evaluating. To describe the PFT to the patient in more useful terms, you state that
the large inspiration of air to the furthest extent they could reasonably accomplish
followed by a full exhalation is referred to as which of the following measurements
during the PFT?
,A -Forced Expiratory Volume over 1 second (FEV1)
B -Functional Reserve Capacity
C -Inspiratory Reserve
D -Forced Vital Capacity - CORRECT ANSWER D -Forced vital capacity
QUESTION : Your patient has a diagnosis of Addison's disease. Which of the following
might you expect to find during examination?
A -Abdominal striae
B -Dowager hump
C -Low body temperature
D -Moon face - CORRECT ANSWER C -Low body temperature
QUESTION : The nurse practitioner's evaluation of a patient with Diabetes Mellitus
type 2 should include which of the following while evaluating for end organ dysfunction
of the disease?
A -Renal function panel
B -Urinalysis
C -Non-dilated eye exam
D -All of these are appropriate options - CORRECT ANSWER D -All of these are
appropriate options
QUESTION : During your visit with a 19 year old patient for a college health physical,
your health history includes a diagnosis of angioedema. What of the following parts of
the body are were likely involved?
A -Isolated to the colon
B -Anywhere in the enteral tract
C -Chest
D -Face and Lips - CORRECT ANSWER D -Face and Lips
QUESTION : Which of the following dermatologic lesions is precancerous and likely
due to prolonged exposure to UV-B?
A -Actinic Keratosis
B -Basal cell carcinoma
C -Verucca
D -Seborrheic dermatitis - CORRECT ANSWER A -Actinic Keratosis
QUESTION : Based on your evaluation of ABCDE for melanoma, which of the
following represents a suspicous finding?
A -Irregular borders
B -Symmetrical nature
C -Brown color
D -Diameter of 0.4 cm - CORRECT ANSWER A -Irregular borders
QUESTION : Your patient is complaining of hypersomnia, lack of motivation, weight
gain, and anhedonia. Suspecting a diagnosis of clinical depression, you anticipate the
,patient will benefit from treating their underlying deficit of which of the following
neurotransmitters?
A -GABA
B -Serotonin
C -Dobutamine
D -Glutamate - CORRECT ANSWER B -Serotonin
QUESTION : As a prudent nurse practitioner, the diabetic, hypertensive patient you
are seeing should be evaluated for early evidence of renal damage from both diabetes
and hypertension. Which of the following assessment tools should the nurse practitioner
order first for the evaluation of early renal dysfunction secondary to diabetes or
hypertension?
A -BUN/creatinine ratio
B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
C -Renal biopsy
D -Urine sodium - CORRECT ANSWER B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
QUESTION : While evaluating a patient in your clinic for a routine health visit, you
auscultate crackles in the poster left lower lobe, have the patient cough, with follow-up
auscultation revealing clear breath sounds. Which one of the following would you
suspect?
A -Congestive heart failure
B -Atelectasis
C -Laryngospasm
D -Bronchiactasis. - CORRECT ANSWER B -Atelectasis
QUESTION : Your 39 year old patient who has recently been hospitalized for an
appendectomy and is being seen in your clinic for post-operative follow-up with primary
care. On assessment, the patient complains of some incisional pain and otherwise
examination is normal, with the exception of dull percussion sounds noted on the thorax
over lung tissue. Which of the following diagnoses would be explained by this finding in
post-operative patient?
A -Left-sided heart failure
B -Chronic bronchitis
C -Atelectasis
D -Healthy patient with no coexising disease - CORRECT ANSWER C -Atelectasis
QUESTION : You are evaluating a 41 year old female patient in your clinic with
symptoms of right upper quadrant pain which worsens with deep breathing. The patient
exhibits a positive Murphy sign. These findings are most consistent which one of the
following?
A -Appendicitis
B -Cholecystitis
C -Crohn's flare
D -Pancreatitis - CORRECT ANSWER B -Cholecystitis
, QUESTION : In educating your patient about the non-pharmacologic management of
gastroesophageal reflux disease, you include teaching to the patient that their heartburn
is aggravated by al of the following except which one?
A -Activities including lifting or bending over
B -Alcohol intake
C -Foods, such as citrus, onions and coffee
D -Gastric dumping, or increased emptying into the small intestines - CORRECT
ANSWER D -Gastric dumping, or increased emptying into the small intestines
QUESTION : The patient is experiencing acute closed angle glaucoma. Which of the
following examination findings by the nurse practitioner is most consistent with their
diagnosis?
A -Macular degeneration
B -Increase in intraocular pressure
C -AV nicking
D -Loss of aqueous humor volume - CORRECT ANSWER B -Increase in intraocular
pressure
QUESTION : While managing the care of the patient with chronic alcoholism, the
nurse practitioner would likely anticipate which findings on the CBC with differential?
A -Low MCV and MCH
B -Normal MCV and MCH
C -Chronic alcoholism will not affect the differential
D -Elevated MCV and MCH - CORRECT ANSWER D -Elevated MCV and MCH
QUESTION : The nurse practitioner is caring for a patient with an elevated WBC,
fever, chills, and malaise. When developing a differential diagnosis for this finding,
which of the following is not a potential cause of the elevated WBC?
A -Sepsis
B -Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
C -Leukemia
D -Recent oral corticosteroid therapy - CORRECT ANSWER B -Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2
QUESTION : Your 21 year old sexually active female patient states during a routine
health exam that they have some "weird bumps" on their vulva.She is concerned she
has a sexually transmitted infection. You notify her that condyloma are caused by
exposure to which of the following?
A -Chlamydia
B -Herpes zoster
C -Human papilomavirus type 6 and 1
D -Parvovirus B19 - CORRECT ANSWER C -Human papilomavirus type 6 and 1
QUESTION : Yourpatient who has underwent a recent major medical medical
procedure is at a rehabilitation center and is having a hard time being motivated to do
therapy. When you interview them as the nurse practitioner on staff for the subacute
Diagnosis Study Guide, Questions & Answers 2026-2027
This document is a comprehensive study resource for the NR 603 CEA (Comprehensive Exam
Assessment) Final Exam in Advanced Clinical Diagnosis. It includes practice questions, answer
explanations, clinical scenarios, differential diagnosis review, patient assessment concepts,
diagnostic reasoning, evidence-based management strategies, and high-yield exam topics
commonly covered in the course. Designed for Chamberlain nursing students, this guide supports
exam preparation, knowledge reinforcement, and clinical decision-making skills needed for
success in advanced practice nursing coursework. EA Final Exam & Practice Questions |
Advanced Clinical Diagnosis | Study Guide & Answers | Chamberlain University
You're a 22-year-old male patient states during his review of systems that his scrotum is
very enlarged and feels like it is full of worms. He is a power lifter and works as a trash
collector. You suspect that patient likely has which of the following diagnosis?
A. meningocele
B. varicocele
C. hydrocele
D. rectocele - CORRECT ANSWER B. varicocele
QUESTION : The point of maximum impulse (PMI) is MOST often palpable in healthy
adults when positioned in the supine or left lateral decubitus position. Which one of the
following locations is most commonly described as the PMI in a healthy adult?
A -Left 2nd intercostal space, midaxillary line
B -Left 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line
C -Right 4th intercostal space, midaxillary line
D -Right 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line - CORRECT ANSWER B -Left 5th
intercostal space, midclavicular line
QUESTION : A40 year old, female, African American patient presents for history and
physical. Upon your initial assessment, you notice she has severe exophthalmos as
pictured below. Which one of the following diagnoses below would be the highest on
your differential diagnose of this physical examination finding?
A -Bilateral conjunctivitis
B -Hyperthyroidism
C -hypothyroidism
D -Myexedma - CORRECT ANSWER B -Hyperthyroidism
QUESTION : Your patient with a suspected diagnosis of COPD has been seen by
pulmonology and has underwent a pulmonary function test (PFT) with spirometry. As
the patient's primary healthcare provider, you have been asked to explain the findings of
the PFT to the patient in afollow-up visit at which time the patient asks what the study
was evaluating. To describe the PFT to the patient in more useful terms, you state that
the large inspiration of air to the furthest extent they could reasonably accomplish
followed by a full exhalation is referred to as which of the following measurements
during the PFT?
,A -Forced Expiratory Volume over 1 second (FEV1)
B -Functional Reserve Capacity
C -Inspiratory Reserve
D -Forced Vital Capacity - CORRECT ANSWER D -Forced vital capacity
QUESTION : Your patient has a diagnosis of Addison's disease. Which of the following
might you expect to find during examination?
A -Abdominal striae
B -Dowager hump
C -Low body temperature
D -Moon face - CORRECT ANSWER C -Low body temperature
QUESTION : The nurse practitioner's evaluation of a patient with Diabetes Mellitus
type 2 should include which of the following while evaluating for end organ dysfunction
of the disease?
A -Renal function panel
B -Urinalysis
C -Non-dilated eye exam
D -All of these are appropriate options - CORRECT ANSWER D -All of these are
appropriate options
QUESTION : During your visit with a 19 year old patient for a college health physical,
your health history includes a diagnosis of angioedema. What of the following parts of
the body are were likely involved?
A -Isolated to the colon
B -Anywhere in the enteral tract
C -Chest
D -Face and Lips - CORRECT ANSWER D -Face and Lips
QUESTION : Which of the following dermatologic lesions is precancerous and likely
due to prolonged exposure to UV-B?
A -Actinic Keratosis
B -Basal cell carcinoma
C -Verucca
D -Seborrheic dermatitis - CORRECT ANSWER A -Actinic Keratosis
QUESTION : Based on your evaluation of ABCDE for melanoma, which of the
following represents a suspicous finding?
A -Irregular borders
B -Symmetrical nature
C -Brown color
D -Diameter of 0.4 cm - CORRECT ANSWER A -Irregular borders
QUESTION : Your patient is complaining of hypersomnia, lack of motivation, weight
gain, and anhedonia. Suspecting a diagnosis of clinical depression, you anticipate the
,patient will benefit from treating their underlying deficit of which of the following
neurotransmitters?
A -GABA
B -Serotonin
C -Dobutamine
D -Glutamate - CORRECT ANSWER B -Serotonin
QUESTION : As a prudent nurse practitioner, the diabetic, hypertensive patient you
are seeing should be evaluated for early evidence of renal damage from both diabetes
and hypertension. Which of the following assessment tools should the nurse practitioner
order first for the evaluation of early renal dysfunction secondary to diabetes or
hypertension?
A -BUN/creatinine ratio
B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
C -Renal biopsy
D -Urine sodium - CORRECT ANSWER B -Urinalysis with micro/macro albumin
QUESTION : While evaluating a patient in your clinic for a routine health visit, you
auscultate crackles in the poster left lower lobe, have the patient cough, with follow-up
auscultation revealing clear breath sounds. Which one of the following would you
suspect?
A -Congestive heart failure
B -Atelectasis
C -Laryngospasm
D -Bronchiactasis. - CORRECT ANSWER B -Atelectasis
QUESTION : Your 39 year old patient who has recently been hospitalized for an
appendectomy and is being seen in your clinic for post-operative follow-up with primary
care. On assessment, the patient complains of some incisional pain and otherwise
examination is normal, with the exception of dull percussion sounds noted on the thorax
over lung tissue. Which of the following diagnoses would be explained by this finding in
post-operative patient?
A -Left-sided heart failure
B -Chronic bronchitis
C -Atelectasis
D -Healthy patient with no coexising disease - CORRECT ANSWER C -Atelectasis
QUESTION : You are evaluating a 41 year old female patient in your clinic with
symptoms of right upper quadrant pain which worsens with deep breathing. The patient
exhibits a positive Murphy sign. These findings are most consistent which one of the
following?
A -Appendicitis
B -Cholecystitis
C -Crohn's flare
D -Pancreatitis - CORRECT ANSWER B -Cholecystitis
, QUESTION : In educating your patient about the non-pharmacologic management of
gastroesophageal reflux disease, you include teaching to the patient that their heartburn
is aggravated by al of the following except which one?
A -Activities including lifting or bending over
B -Alcohol intake
C -Foods, such as citrus, onions and coffee
D -Gastric dumping, or increased emptying into the small intestines - CORRECT
ANSWER D -Gastric dumping, or increased emptying into the small intestines
QUESTION : The patient is experiencing acute closed angle glaucoma. Which of the
following examination findings by the nurse practitioner is most consistent with their
diagnosis?
A -Macular degeneration
B -Increase in intraocular pressure
C -AV nicking
D -Loss of aqueous humor volume - CORRECT ANSWER B -Increase in intraocular
pressure
QUESTION : While managing the care of the patient with chronic alcoholism, the
nurse practitioner would likely anticipate which findings on the CBC with differential?
A -Low MCV and MCH
B -Normal MCV and MCH
C -Chronic alcoholism will not affect the differential
D -Elevated MCV and MCH - CORRECT ANSWER D -Elevated MCV and MCH
QUESTION : The nurse practitioner is caring for a patient with an elevated WBC,
fever, chills, and malaise. When developing a differential diagnosis for this finding,
which of the following is not a potential cause of the elevated WBC?
A -Sepsis
B -Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
C -Leukemia
D -Recent oral corticosteroid therapy - CORRECT ANSWER B -Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2
QUESTION : Your 21 year old sexually active female patient states during a routine
health exam that they have some "weird bumps" on their vulva.She is concerned she
has a sexually transmitted infection. You notify her that condyloma are caused by
exposure to which of the following?
A -Chlamydia
B -Herpes zoster
C -Human papilomavirus type 6 and 1
D -Parvovirus B19 - CORRECT ANSWER C -Human papilomavirus type 6 and 1
QUESTION : Yourpatient who has underwent a recent major medical medical
procedure is at a rehabilitation center and is having a hard time being motivated to do
therapy. When you interview them as the nurse practitioner on staff for the subacute
