SDSU NURS 206 HEALTH ASSESSMENT –
320 PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
SECTION 1: Health Assessment Fundamentals (Questions 1–40)
1. A nurse is performing a health assessment on a newly admitted patient. Which
type of assessment is being conducted?
A) Focused assessment
B) Emergency assessment
C) Comprehensive assessment
D) Screening assessment
Answer: C) Comprehensive assessment
Rationale: A comprehensive assessment consists of a complete nursing history and
physical examination and is typically performed upon admission to a facility to
obtain a detailed baseline database. A focused assessment addresses a specific
problem, while an emergency assessment is rapid and used in lifethreatening
situations.
2. Which of the following is an example of subjective data?
,A) Blood pressure 140/90 mmHg
B) Heart rate 88 beats per minute
C) Patient reports "I have a sharp pain in my chest"
D) Skin is warm and dry to touch
Answer: C) Patient reports "I have a sharp pain in my chest"
Rationale: Subjective data consists of what the patient tells you—symptoms,
feelings, perceptions, and health history. Objective data is what the health
professional observes or measures through inspection, palpation, percussion, and
auscultation.
3. Which of the following is an example of objective data?
A) Patient states "I feel nauseous"
B) Patient reports "My headache is a 7 out of 10"
C) Temperature 101.2°F (38.4°C)
D) Patient complains of fatigue
Answer: C) Temperature 101.2°F (38.4°C)
Rationale: Objective data is measurable and observable—vital signs, physical
examination findings, and laboratory results. Temperature is an objective
measurement.
,4. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports chest pain. The nurse asks, "When did
the pain start?" This question addresses which component of OLDCARTS?
A) Onset
B) Location
C) Duration
D) Character
Answer: A) Onset
Rationale: OLDCARTS is a mnemonic for symptom assessment: Onset, Location,
Duration, Character, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Related symptoms,
Treatment, Severity. "When did it start?" addresses the onset of the symptom.
5. A patient tells the nurse, "I have had this cough for about two weeks now." This is
an example of:
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) A nursing diagnosis
D) A medical diagnosis
Answer: B) Subjective data
Rationale: The patient's description of their symptom (cough, duration) is subjective
data—information only the patient can provide.
, 6. The first step of the nursing process is:
A) Planning
B) Implementation
C) Assessment
D) Evaluation
Answer: C) Assessment
Rationale: The nursing process consists of Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning,
Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE). Assessment is the first and foundational
step.
7. A nurse concentrates on gathering information about a patient's specific problem
or complaint. This is called:
A) Comprehensive health assessment
B) Focused assessment
C) Followup history
D) Emergency history
Answer: B) Focused assessment
Rationale: A focused (or problembased) assessment is limited to the scope of a
specific problem and collects pertinent history and examines relevant body regions.
320 PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
SECTION 1: Health Assessment Fundamentals (Questions 1–40)
1. A nurse is performing a health assessment on a newly admitted patient. Which
type of assessment is being conducted?
A) Focused assessment
B) Emergency assessment
C) Comprehensive assessment
D) Screening assessment
Answer: C) Comprehensive assessment
Rationale: A comprehensive assessment consists of a complete nursing history and
physical examination and is typically performed upon admission to a facility to
obtain a detailed baseline database. A focused assessment addresses a specific
problem, while an emergency assessment is rapid and used in lifethreatening
situations.
2. Which of the following is an example of subjective data?
,A) Blood pressure 140/90 mmHg
B) Heart rate 88 beats per minute
C) Patient reports "I have a sharp pain in my chest"
D) Skin is warm and dry to touch
Answer: C) Patient reports "I have a sharp pain in my chest"
Rationale: Subjective data consists of what the patient tells you—symptoms,
feelings, perceptions, and health history. Objective data is what the health
professional observes or measures through inspection, palpation, percussion, and
auscultation.
3. Which of the following is an example of objective data?
A) Patient states "I feel nauseous"
B) Patient reports "My headache is a 7 out of 10"
C) Temperature 101.2°F (38.4°C)
D) Patient complains of fatigue
Answer: C) Temperature 101.2°F (38.4°C)
Rationale: Objective data is measurable and observable—vital signs, physical
examination findings, and laboratory results. Temperature is an objective
measurement.
,4. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports chest pain. The nurse asks, "When did
the pain start?" This question addresses which component of OLDCARTS?
A) Onset
B) Location
C) Duration
D) Character
Answer: A) Onset
Rationale: OLDCARTS is a mnemonic for symptom assessment: Onset, Location,
Duration, Character, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Related symptoms,
Treatment, Severity. "When did it start?" addresses the onset of the symptom.
5. A patient tells the nurse, "I have had this cough for about two weeks now." This is
an example of:
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) A nursing diagnosis
D) A medical diagnosis
Answer: B) Subjective data
Rationale: The patient's description of their symptom (cough, duration) is subjective
data—information only the patient can provide.
, 6. The first step of the nursing process is:
A) Planning
B) Implementation
C) Assessment
D) Evaluation
Answer: C) Assessment
Rationale: The nursing process consists of Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning,
Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE). Assessment is the first and foundational
step.
7. A nurse concentrates on gathering information about a patient's specific problem
or complaint. This is called:
A) Comprehensive health assessment
B) Focused assessment
C) Followup history
D) Emergency history
Answer: B) Focused assessment
Rationale: A focused (or problembased) assessment is limited to the scope of a
specific problem and collects pertinent history and examines relevant body regions.
