NUR-631 Advanced Health Assessment Exam
Review | Complete Test Bank with Actual
Exam Questions, 100% Verified Correct
Answers & Rationales
D'Youville University – Latest 2026/2027 Edition
Question 1
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath. To which
anatomic region would you assign the symptom?
A. Reproductive
B. Urinary
C. Cardiac
D. Hematologic
Answer: C
Rationale: Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this
list to result in shortness of breath. There are cases within the other categories which
may also result in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category,
pregnancy in the reproductive category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category. This
demonstrates the tension in clinical reasoning between making sure all possibilities are
covered, while still being able to pick the most likely cause.
Question 2
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions
can be responsible for a cough?
A. Ophthalmologic
B. Auditory
C. Cardiac
D. Endocrine
Answer: C
Rationale: The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart
failure. This results in fluid buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that
produces pink, frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by
pg. 1
,stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically
than heart failure.
Question 3
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is
new, located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient
denies a rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family
history significant for rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the
following pathologic processes would be the most correct?
A. Infectious
B. Inflammatory
C. Hematologic
D. Traumatic
Answer: B
Rationale: The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although
all the other etiologies should be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which
commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia is a hematologic condition which can cause
bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain. Your clinical
reasoning skills are important for sorting through all of the data to arrive at the most
likely conclusion.
Question 4
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been
intermittent for several years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications to ease
the pain, but this time they haven't worked as well and he still has discomfort. He
recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which caused him great
discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever, chills, rash, upper respiratory
symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most
likely pathologic process?
A. Infectious
B. Neoplastic
C. Degenerative
D. Traumatic
Answer: C
Rationale: The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in the neck.
The patient has had intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to elicit pertinent
pg. 2
,negative and positive findings are negative for infectious, traumatic, or neoplastic
disease.
Question 5
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-week
history of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and
nonproductive cough. Which is the most likely pathologic process?
A. Infection
B. Inflammation
C. Allergic
D. Vascular
Answer: C
Rationale: This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
Question 6
Acute inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, involving the meninges often due to a
virus such as herpes simplex virus?
A. Multiple sclerosis (MS)
B. Meningitis
C. Encephalitis
D. Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Answer: C
Rationale: MS is a progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by a combination
of inflammation and degeneration of the myelin of the brain's white matter leading to
decreased brain mass and obstructed transmission of nerve impulses. Meningitis is an
inflammatory process in the meninges, the membrane around the brain and spinal cord.
Guillain-Barre is autoimmune destruction of peripheral nerve myelin sheaths.
Question 7
Unilateral blindness, severe contralateral hemiplegia and hemianesthesia with profound
aphasia?
A. Internal carotid artery
B. Middle cerebral artery
Answer: B
pg. 3
, Rationale: Middle cerebral artery - alterations in communication, cognition, mobility
and sensation, contralateral homonymous hemianopia, contralateral hemiplegia or
hemiparesis, motor and sensory loss, greater in face and arm than leg.
Question 8
An autoimmune disorder of neuromuscular transmission involving the production of
autoantibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, leading to the
destruction and inflammatory changes in the postsynaptic membranes?
A. Guillain Barre Syndrome
B. Trigeminal neuralgia
C. Meningitis
D. Myasthenia Gravis
Answer: D
Rationale: Guillain-Barre is an autoimmune mediated destruction of peripheral nerve
myelin sheaths and inflammation of nerve roots that occurs following a nonspecific GI
or URI 1-3 weeks earlier or immunization. Trigeminal neuralgia involves recurrent
paroxysmal sharp pain that radiates into 1 or more branches of the V cranial nerve.
Question 9
Hemianesthesia, contralateral hemiplegia, greater in face and upper extremities than
lower, cerebellar ataxia, tremor, visual loss, receptive aphasia, memory deficits?
A. Anterior cerebral artery
B. Posterior cerebral artery
Answer: B
Rationale: ACA - emotional lability, confusion, amnesia, personality changes, urinary
incontinence, contralateral hemiplegia or hemiparesis greater in lower extremities.
Question 10
A temporary acute paralysis or weakness of one side of the face is called?
A. Peripheral neuropathy
B. Cerebral palsy
C. Spina Bifida
D. Bells Palsy
Answer: D
pg. 4
Review | Complete Test Bank with Actual
Exam Questions, 100% Verified Correct
Answers & Rationales
D'Youville University – Latest 2026/2027 Edition
Question 1
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath. To which
anatomic region would you assign the symptom?
A. Reproductive
B. Urinary
C. Cardiac
D. Hematologic
Answer: C
Rationale: Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this
list to result in shortness of breath. There are cases within the other categories which
may also result in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category,
pregnancy in the reproductive category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category. This
demonstrates the tension in clinical reasoning between making sure all possibilities are
covered, while still being able to pick the most likely cause.
Question 2
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions
can be responsible for a cough?
A. Ophthalmologic
B. Auditory
C. Cardiac
D. Endocrine
Answer: C
Rationale: The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart
failure. This results in fluid buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that
produces pink, frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by
pg. 1
,stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically
than heart failure.
Question 3
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is
new, located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient
denies a rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family
history significant for rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the
following pathologic processes would be the most correct?
A. Infectious
B. Inflammatory
C. Hematologic
D. Traumatic
Answer: B
Rationale: The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although
all the other etiologies should be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which
commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia is a hematologic condition which can cause
bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain. Your clinical
reasoning skills are important for sorting through all of the data to arrive at the most
likely conclusion.
Question 4
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been
intermittent for several years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications to ease
the pain, but this time they haven't worked as well and he still has discomfort. He
recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which caused him great
discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever, chills, rash, upper respiratory
symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most
likely pathologic process?
A. Infectious
B. Neoplastic
C. Degenerative
D. Traumatic
Answer: C
Rationale: The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in the neck.
The patient has had intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to elicit pertinent
pg. 2
,negative and positive findings are negative for infectious, traumatic, or neoplastic
disease.
Question 5
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-week
history of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and
nonproductive cough. Which is the most likely pathologic process?
A. Infection
B. Inflammation
C. Allergic
D. Vascular
Answer: C
Rationale: This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
Question 6
Acute inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, involving the meninges often due to a
virus such as herpes simplex virus?
A. Multiple sclerosis (MS)
B. Meningitis
C. Encephalitis
D. Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Answer: C
Rationale: MS is a progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by a combination
of inflammation and degeneration of the myelin of the brain's white matter leading to
decreased brain mass and obstructed transmission of nerve impulses. Meningitis is an
inflammatory process in the meninges, the membrane around the brain and spinal cord.
Guillain-Barre is autoimmune destruction of peripheral nerve myelin sheaths.
Question 7
Unilateral blindness, severe contralateral hemiplegia and hemianesthesia with profound
aphasia?
A. Internal carotid artery
B. Middle cerebral artery
Answer: B
pg. 3
, Rationale: Middle cerebral artery - alterations in communication, cognition, mobility
and sensation, contralateral homonymous hemianopia, contralateral hemiplegia or
hemiparesis, motor and sensory loss, greater in face and arm than leg.
Question 8
An autoimmune disorder of neuromuscular transmission involving the production of
autoantibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, leading to the
destruction and inflammatory changes in the postsynaptic membranes?
A. Guillain Barre Syndrome
B. Trigeminal neuralgia
C. Meningitis
D. Myasthenia Gravis
Answer: D
Rationale: Guillain-Barre is an autoimmune mediated destruction of peripheral nerve
myelin sheaths and inflammation of nerve roots that occurs following a nonspecific GI
or URI 1-3 weeks earlier or immunization. Trigeminal neuralgia involves recurrent
paroxysmal sharp pain that radiates into 1 or more branches of the V cranial nerve.
Question 9
Hemianesthesia, contralateral hemiplegia, greater in face and upper extremities than
lower, cerebellar ataxia, tremor, visual loss, receptive aphasia, memory deficits?
A. Anterior cerebral artery
B. Posterior cerebral artery
Answer: B
Rationale: ACA - emotional lability, confusion, amnesia, personality changes, urinary
incontinence, contralateral hemiplegia or hemiparesis greater in lower extremities.
Question 10
A temporary acute paralysis or weakness of one side of the face is called?
A. Peripheral neuropathy
B. Cerebral palsy
C. Spina Bifida
D. Bells Palsy
Answer: D
pg. 4
