PHILIPPINE NURSE LICENSURE
EXAMINATION (PNLE) PREVIOUS
BOARD EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS
350 UNIQUE MULTIPLE-CHOICE
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES
SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (Questions 150)
Question 1
In order to localize a symptom, which direction should the nurse give a client?
A. "Come back when you are experiencing the symptom."
B. "Bring someone with you who has witnessed you having the symptom."
C. "Point to where the symptom occurs."
D. "Tell me which body part is affected by the symptom."
Answer: C
,Rationale: Pointing to where the symptom occurs gives the examiner an
understanding of where the problem may be without the possibility of confusion due
to terminology used by the client for various body parts. While clients may need to
return during symptom occurrence or bring witnesses for conditions like seizures,
these actions are not primarily directed at localizing the symptom.
Question 2
Nurse Kathryn is assessing an adolescent patient. Which structures should the nurse
examine last?
A. Head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat
B. Neurological
C. Musculoskeletal
D. Genitourinary
Answer: D
Rationale: Developing adolescents find the genitourinary exam the most difficult.
Saving this examination for last helps establish rapport and trust before proceeding to
the more sensitive areas of assessment.
Question 3
Lola Mina visits the clinic for a consultation with a possible case of abuse. Which type
of abuse is the nurse most likely to discover when assessing the elderly?
A. Physical abuse
,B. Emotional abuse
C. Neglect
D. Social abuse
Answer: C
Rationale: Neglect is the most common type of abuse against the elderly. Often, the
elderly person does not want those close to them to help with physical functions, or
their caregivers may not be willing to perform incontinence and personal care.
Question 4
When using an ophthalmoscope to assess a 3yearold girl's eyes, for what does the
nurse look?
A. Optic disk
B. Macula
C. Red reflex
D. Fovea centralis
Answer: C
Rationale: Children often will not remain stationary long enough to view further
structures in the eye. Being able to view the red reflex rules out a congenital cataract.
, Question 5
When assessing the abdomen, which sequence does the nurse follow?
A. Palpation, percussion, auscultation, and inspection
B. Inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation
C. Percussion, inspection, auscultation, and palpation
D. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation
Answer: D
Rationale: Palpation is performed last in order to prevent distortion of bowel sounds.
The correct sequence is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and then palpation.
Question 6
Which health model does a person subscribe to when his or her motivation to engage
in healthy behaviors is the desire to avoid illness?
A. Adaptive Model
B. Role Performance Model
C. Clinical Model
D. Eudaemonistic Model
Answer: C
Rationale: With the Clinical Model of health, motivation to engage in healthy
behaviors is motivated by a desire to not have a diagnosed disease. In the Adaptive
Model, motivation is based on a desire to alter self. In the Role Performance Model,
EXAMINATION (PNLE) PREVIOUS
BOARD EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS
350 UNIQUE MULTIPLE-CHOICE
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES
SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (Questions 150)
Question 1
In order to localize a symptom, which direction should the nurse give a client?
A. "Come back when you are experiencing the symptom."
B. "Bring someone with you who has witnessed you having the symptom."
C. "Point to where the symptom occurs."
D. "Tell me which body part is affected by the symptom."
Answer: C
,Rationale: Pointing to where the symptom occurs gives the examiner an
understanding of where the problem may be without the possibility of confusion due
to terminology used by the client for various body parts. While clients may need to
return during symptom occurrence or bring witnesses for conditions like seizures,
these actions are not primarily directed at localizing the symptom.
Question 2
Nurse Kathryn is assessing an adolescent patient. Which structures should the nurse
examine last?
A. Head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat
B. Neurological
C. Musculoskeletal
D. Genitourinary
Answer: D
Rationale: Developing adolescents find the genitourinary exam the most difficult.
Saving this examination for last helps establish rapport and trust before proceeding to
the more sensitive areas of assessment.
Question 3
Lola Mina visits the clinic for a consultation with a possible case of abuse. Which type
of abuse is the nurse most likely to discover when assessing the elderly?
A. Physical abuse
,B. Emotional abuse
C. Neglect
D. Social abuse
Answer: C
Rationale: Neglect is the most common type of abuse against the elderly. Often, the
elderly person does not want those close to them to help with physical functions, or
their caregivers may not be willing to perform incontinence and personal care.
Question 4
When using an ophthalmoscope to assess a 3yearold girl's eyes, for what does the
nurse look?
A. Optic disk
B. Macula
C. Red reflex
D. Fovea centralis
Answer: C
Rationale: Children often will not remain stationary long enough to view further
structures in the eye. Being able to view the red reflex rules out a congenital cataract.
, Question 5
When assessing the abdomen, which sequence does the nurse follow?
A. Palpation, percussion, auscultation, and inspection
B. Inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation
C. Percussion, inspection, auscultation, and palpation
D. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation
Answer: D
Rationale: Palpation is performed last in order to prevent distortion of bowel sounds.
The correct sequence is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and then palpation.
Question 6
Which health model does a person subscribe to when his or her motivation to engage
in healthy behaviors is the desire to avoid illness?
A. Adaptive Model
B. Role Performance Model
C. Clinical Model
D. Eudaemonistic Model
Answer: C
Rationale: With the Clinical Model of health, motivation to engage in healthy
behaviors is motivated by a desire to not have a diagnosed disease. In the Adaptive
Model, motivation is based on a desire to alter self. In the Role Performance Model,
