NUR 621 MODULE 2 COMPLETE EXAM 140+ QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES 2026
UPDATE | UTICA COLLEGE
SECTION A: HEALTH HISTORY & INTERVIEWING (Questions 1-20)
1. A 45-year-old male reports chest pain. Which question best assesses the quality of his
pain?
A. "When did the pain start?"
B. "What makes the pain worse?"
C. "Can you describe the pain (sharp, dull, crushing)?"
D. "Does the pain go anywhere?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Quality (sharp, dull, crushing, burning) helps differentiate cardiac vs. non-cardiac
causes. "Crushing" suggests cardiac origin, while "sharp" or "stabbing" may indicate pericarditis
or musculoskeletal pain .
,2. Which open-ended question is best to begin a health history interview?
A. "Are you sick?"
B. "Do you have pain?"
C. "What brings you in today?"
D. "Is it your chest or your stomach?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to prioritize their own concerns without
being led by the clinician. This is the recommended way to elicit the chief complaint .
3. The mnemonic "AMPLE" in history-taking stands for:
A. Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last meal, Events
B. Age, Mental status, Physical exam, Labs, EKG
C. Assessment, Monitoring, Planning, Linking, Evaluation
D. Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AMPLE history is a mnemonic used in emergency and primary care settings to
,quickly gather essential historical information: Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last
meal, and Events leading to the illness/injury .
4. During a psychosocial history, the patient avoids eye contact and speaks softly. This is most
likely:
A. Normal cultural behavior
B. Sign of depression or anxiety
C. Definite bipolar disorder
D. Normal for all adults
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Avoidant eye contact combined with soft speech can indicate depression, anxiety, or
social discomfort. While cultural variations exist, this presentation warrants further assessment
for mood disorders .
5. A patient reports using heroin weekly. The NP should first:
, A. Report to police immediately
B. Ask about quantity, route, last use, withdrawal symptoms
C. Discharge the patient
D. Refuse to treat pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A nonjudgmental assessment of substance use is essential to guide safety,
treatment, and harm reduction. Asking about quantity, route of administration, last use, and
withdrawal symptoms provides critical clinical information .
6. Which finding in social history would most concern you regarding health literacy?
A. College graduate
B. Lives alone
C. "I don't read the labels on my pills"
D. Works full-time
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Inability or unwillingness to read medication labels puts the patient at high risk for
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES 2026
UPDATE | UTICA COLLEGE
SECTION A: HEALTH HISTORY & INTERVIEWING (Questions 1-20)
1. A 45-year-old male reports chest pain. Which question best assesses the quality of his
pain?
A. "When did the pain start?"
B. "What makes the pain worse?"
C. "Can you describe the pain (sharp, dull, crushing)?"
D. "Does the pain go anywhere?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Quality (sharp, dull, crushing, burning) helps differentiate cardiac vs. non-cardiac
causes. "Crushing" suggests cardiac origin, while "sharp" or "stabbing" may indicate pericarditis
or musculoskeletal pain .
,2. Which open-ended question is best to begin a health history interview?
A. "Are you sick?"
B. "Do you have pain?"
C. "What brings you in today?"
D. "Is it your chest or your stomach?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to prioritize their own concerns without
being led by the clinician. This is the recommended way to elicit the chief complaint .
3. The mnemonic "AMPLE" in history-taking stands for:
A. Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last meal, Events
B. Age, Mental status, Physical exam, Labs, EKG
C. Assessment, Monitoring, Planning, Linking, Evaluation
D. Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AMPLE history is a mnemonic used in emergency and primary care settings to
,quickly gather essential historical information: Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last
meal, and Events leading to the illness/injury .
4. During a psychosocial history, the patient avoids eye contact and speaks softly. This is most
likely:
A. Normal cultural behavior
B. Sign of depression or anxiety
C. Definite bipolar disorder
D. Normal for all adults
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Avoidant eye contact combined with soft speech can indicate depression, anxiety, or
social discomfort. While cultural variations exist, this presentation warrants further assessment
for mood disorders .
5. A patient reports using heroin weekly. The NP should first:
, A. Report to police immediately
B. Ask about quantity, route, last use, withdrawal symptoms
C. Discharge the patient
D. Refuse to treat pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A nonjudgmental assessment of substance use is essential to guide safety,
treatment, and harm reduction. Asking about quantity, route of administration, last use, and
withdrawal symptoms provides critical clinical information .
6. Which finding in social history would most concern you regarding health literacy?
A. College graduate
B. Lives alone
C. "I don't read the labels on my pills"
D. Works full-time
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Inability or unwillingness to read medication labels puts the patient at high risk for
