NUR 211: Health Assess - Ch 1-4 & 7
Test Questions and Correct Answers
2026-2027 Update.
Assessment is a "doing" process. The four techniques of physical assessment are: - Answer 1.
Inspection, looking
2. Percussion, tapping different areas of the body to assess underlying structures.
3. Palpation, using your hands to feel surface characteristics
4. Auscultation, listening for sounds
Critical Thinking - Answer Essential during the assessment process.
Performing an assessment requires the nurse to be able to think, recall knowledge, and
recognize the difference or deviations between normal and abnormal assessment findings.
Critical thinking is an active, purposeful, and organized cognitive process involving creativity,
reflection, problem-solving, both rational and intuitive judgment, an attitude of inquiry, and a
philosophical orientation toward thinking about how a nurse thinks
Critical thinking is a unique problem-solving, reflective process that uses:
■ a combination of reasoned thinking, openness to alternatives, an ability to reflect, and a
desire to seek truth
■ a process of purposeful and creative thinking about resolving problems
■ a multidimensional thinking process
■ reflective thinking
■ thinking "outside of the box"
■ questioning, interpreting information, and analyzing the situation and then synthesizing the
information
■ development of alternative solutions to a problem.
Clinical Reasoning - Answer uses an individual's history, physical signs, symptoms, laboratory
data, and diagnostic imaging to arrive at a diagnosis and assess and formulate a treatment plan.
Nurses collect these data to identify normal and abnormal findings, risk factors, health
promotion, and prevention behaviors. Physical assessment findings are used to problem solve
and develop the appropriate plan of care.
,Clinical Judgment - Answer is defined as "an interpretation or conclusion about a patient's
needs, concerns, or health problems and/or the decision to take action (or not), use or modify
standard approaches, or improvise new ones as deemed appropriate by the patient's response"
Nursing Process - Answer 1. Assessment is the first, essential step requiring the nurse to
collect and analyze information about the whole individual. This information includes
physiological, psychological, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural practices and beliefs.
2. Diagnosis involves analyzing a potential or actual health problem with a patient. Nursing
diagnosis reflects the individual's actual or potential health risks or problems; the nurse uses
clinical judgement and critical thinking to analyze all the information about the individual,
synthesize and cluster the information, and hypothesize about the individual's health status
(Wilkinson et al., 2015).
3. Planning/Outcomes involves working with the individual as a copartner in care to meet the
needs or short- and long-term goals of the individual. The goals must be measurable and
achievable.
4. Implementation of interventions includes the nursing and individual actions and plan of care
to meet the individual's goals.
5. Evaluation is the ongoing process that assesses whether the short- and long-term goals have
been met; this phase of the nursing process involves clinical judgment about whether the goals
have been met or are unmet.
Significance of Evidence-Based Practice - Answer It has international importance.
There are large, regional variations in use of evidence-based practices.
There is rapid development of research but slow adoption of evidence-based practices.
Only about half of all patients in the United States receive recommended care.
There is a 28 percent improvement rate in patient outcomes when nurses use intervention
based on research versus standard care.
"Pay-for-performance" requires that evidence-based practices are used.
"Know-do gap" keeps patients from receiving the best care.
Levels of Prevention: Primary - Answer is the prevention of disease and disability and focuses
on improving an individual's overall health and well-being (e.g., immunizations and health
education).
Levels of Prevention: Secondary - Answer encompasses early screenings and detection of
disease and treatment of diseases (e.g., colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer and medications
to treat a curable illness).
, Levels of Prevention: Tertiary - Answer encompasses the restoration of health after illness or
disease has occurred (e.g., rehabilitation program for stroke patients).
Therapeutic communication encompasses the following dimensions for a patient-centered
assessment: - Answer ■ Empathy and compassion are a deep awareness of and insight into
the feelings, emotions, and behavior of another person and their meaning and significance, and
identifies a patient's feelings and concerns.
■ Unconditional regard means respecting and accepting a patient as a unique individual.
■ Genuineness is being honest with the patient. A nurse needs to be truthful and understanding
with every patient encounter. Listen to the patient with an open heart and compassion.
■ Respect is a moral value. It demonstrates that you have a positive feeling for every patient
and accept each patient as a person who has unique qualities. As a nurse, you acknowledge that
each patient is important and of value.
■ Caring is the essence of nursing and connotes responsiveness between the nurse and the
patient.
Holistic Communication: Be CLEAR - Answer Center yourself
• Pause for a moment.
• Breathe deeply.
• Connect with a feeling of love and compassion.
• Create a silent intention that thoughts, words, and actions will be for the greater good.
Listen wholeheartedly
• Set aside your own thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
• Focus on the person's agenda.
• Do not judge or analyze.
• Open your heart to what is being communicated.
Empathize
• Come from a place of genuine concern.
• Have the ability to feel with a person, not be sorry for them.
• Empathy involves an understanding that comes from sensing into the being of another.
Attention: be fully present
• Be aware of what you are feeling and sensing. Stay present with yourself.
• Be the fullness of yourself to every moment—emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Test Questions and Correct Answers
2026-2027 Update.
Assessment is a "doing" process. The four techniques of physical assessment are: - Answer 1.
Inspection, looking
2. Percussion, tapping different areas of the body to assess underlying structures.
3. Palpation, using your hands to feel surface characteristics
4. Auscultation, listening for sounds
Critical Thinking - Answer Essential during the assessment process.
Performing an assessment requires the nurse to be able to think, recall knowledge, and
recognize the difference or deviations between normal and abnormal assessment findings.
Critical thinking is an active, purposeful, and organized cognitive process involving creativity,
reflection, problem-solving, both rational and intuitive judgment, an attitude of inquiry, and a
philosophical orientation toward thinking about how a nurse thinks
Critical thinking is a unique problem-solving, reflective process that uses:
■ a combination of reasoned thinking, openness to alternatives, an ability to reflect, and a
desire to seek truth
■ a process of purposeful and creative thinking about resolving problems
■ a multidimensional thinking process
■ reflective thinking
■ thinking "outside of the box"
■ questioning, interpreting information, and analyzing the situation and then synthesizing the
information
■ development of alternative solutions to a problem.
Clinical Reasoning - Answer uses an individual's history, physical signs, symptoms, laboratory
data, and diagnostic imaging to arrive at a diagnosis and assess and formulate a treatment plan.
Nurses collect these data to identify normal and abnormal findings, risk factors, health
promotion, and prevention behaviors. Physical assessment findings are used to problem solve
and develop the appropriate plan of care.
,Clinical Judgment - Answer is defined as "an interpretation or conclusion about a patient's
needs, concerns, or health problems and/or the decision to take action (or not), use or modify
standard approaches, or improvise new ones as deemed appropriate by the patient's response"
Nursing Process - Answer 1. Assessment is the first, essential step requiring the nurse to
collect and analyze information about the whole individual. This information includes
physiological, psychological, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural practices and beliefs.
2. Diagnosis involves analyzing a potential or actual health problem with a patient. Nursing
diagnosis reflects the individual's actual or potential health risks or problems; the nurse uses
clinical judgement and critical thinking to analyze all the information about the individual,
synthesize and cluster the information, and hypothesize about the individual's health status
(Wilkinson et al., 2015).
3. Planning/Outcomes involves working with the individual as a copartner in care to meet the
needs or short- and long-term goals of the individual. The goals must be measurable and
achievable.
4. Implementation of interventions includes the nursing and individual actions and plan of care
to meet the individual's goals.
5. Evaluation is the ongoing process that assesses whether the short- and long-term goals have
been met; this phase of the nursing process involves clinical judgment about whether the goals
have been met or are unmet.
Significance of Evidence-Based Practice - Answer It has international importance.
There are large, regional variations in use of evidence-based practices.
There is rapid development of research but slow adoption of evidence-based practices.
Only about half of all patients in the United States receive recommended care.
There is a 28 percent improvement rate in patient outcomes when nurses use intervention
based on research versus standard care.
"Pay-for-performance" requires that evidence-based practices are used.
"Know-do gap" keeps patients from receiving the best care.
Levels of Prevention: Primary - Answer is the prevention of disease and disability and focuses
on improving an individual's overall health and well-being (e.g., immunizations and health
education).
Levels of Prevention: Secondary - Answer encompasses early screenings and detection of
disease and treatment of diseases (e.g., colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer and medications
to treat a curable illness).
, Levels of Prevention: Tertiary - Answer encompasses the restoration of health after illness or
disease has occurred (e.g., rehabilitation program for stroke patients).
Therapeutic communication encompasses the following dimensions for a patient-centered
assessment: - Answer ■ Empathy and compassion are a deep awareness of and insight into
the feelings, emotions, and behavior of another person and their meaning and significance, and
identifies a patient's feelings and concerns.
■ Unconditional regard means respecting and accepting a patient as a unique individual.
■ Genuineness is being honest with the patient. A nurse needs to be truthful and understanding
with every patient encounter. Listen to the patient with an open heart and compassion.
■ Respect is a moral value. It demonstrates that you have a positive feeling for every patient
and accept each patient as a person who has unique qualities. As a nurse, you acknowledge that
each patient is important and of value.
■ Caring is the essence of nursing and connotes responsiveness between the nurse and the
patient.
Holistic Communication: Be CLEAR - Answer Center yourself
• Pause for a moment.
• Breathe deeply.
• Connect with a feeling of love and compassion.
• Create a silent intention that thoughts, words, and actions will be for the greater good.
Listen wholeheartedly
• Set aside your own thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
• Focus on the person's agenda.
• Do not judge or analyze.
• Open your heart to what is being communicated.
Empathize
• Come from a place of genuine concern.
• Have the ability to feel with a person, not be sorry for them.
• Empathy involves an understanding that comes from sensing into the being of another.
Attention: be fully present
• Be aware of what you are feeling and sensing. Stay present with yourself.
• Be the fullness of yourself to every moment—emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
