APEA 3P ACTUAL EXAM WITH QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (A+)
1. A patient presents with shortness of breath. During the physical
examination, the clinician places a stethoscope over the posterior
chest wall to evaluate breath sounds. Which physical assessment
technique is being performed?
A. Inspection
B. Palpation
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Auscultation involves listening to internal body sounds,
such as lung or heart sounds, using a stethoscope. Inspection
relies on visual assessment, palpation uses tactile touch, and
percussion involves tapping body structures.
2. While performing an abdominal examination, a provider visually
evaluates the contour, symmetry, and skin integrity of the patient’s
abdomen prior to touching it. Which examination technique is
being utilized?
A. Auscultation
B. Inspection
C. Palpation
,D. Percussion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Inspection is the systematic visual examination of the
body performed before physical contact or manipulation. This
ensures surface characteristics are observed without alteration
from manual examination.
3. A nurse practitioner uses the palmar surface of their fingers to
assess a patient’s thyroid gland for enlargement and tenderness.
Which technique is this?
A. Palpation
B. Inspection
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Palpation is the examination method that uses hands
and fingers to feel organ size, texture, tenderness, and fluid
accumulation.
4. A patient’s vital signs reveal a oral body temperature of 37.0°C
(98.6°F). How should the clinician interpret this finding?
A. Hypothermia
B. Normal adult body temperature
C. Low-grade fever
,D. Hyperpyrexia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The normal adult body temperature range is 36.5°C to
37.5°C (97.7°F to 99.5°F). A reading of 37.0°C falls squarely
within normal limits.
5. An adult patient at rest has a recorded heart rate of 118 beats
per minute. Which medical term documents this finding?
A. Bradycardia
B. Tachycardia
C. Normocardia
D. Arrhythmia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tachycardia refers to a resting heart rate greater than
100 beats per minute in an adult. Bradycardia is defined as a
heart rate under 60 beats per minute.
6. An athlete in resting state presents with a heart rate of 52 beats
per minute, regular rhythm, and normal tissue perfusion. Which
term best describes this pulse rate?
A. Tachycardia
B. Pulsus alternans
C. Bradycardia
D. Pulsus paradoxus
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Bradycardia is defined as a heart rate less than 60
beats per minute. In trained athletes, elevated stroke volume
often yields normal systemic perfusion despite a lower resting
heart rate.
7. During chest percussion on a healthy patient, a low-pitched,
clear, hollow sound is elicited over the mid-lung fields. What is this
percussion note?
A. Tympany
B. Dullness
C. Hyperresonance
D. Resonance
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Resonance is the predominant percussion note heard
over normal, air-filled lung tissue. Dullness is heard over dense
organs, hyperresonance over hyperinflated tissue, and tympany
over gas-filled structures.
8. When percussing the right upper quadrant of the abdomen over
the liver, what percussion sound should normally be noted?
A. Flatness
B. Resonance
C. Dullness
D. Tympany
Correct Answer: C
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (A+)
1. A patient presents with shortness of breath. During the physical
examination, the clinician places a stethoscope over the posterior
chest wall to evaluate breath sounds. Which physical assessment
technique is being performed?
A. Inspection
B. Palpation
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Auscultation involves listening to internal body sounds,
such as lung or heart sounds, using a stethoscope. Inspection
relies on visual assessment, palpation uses tactile touch, and
percussion involves tapping body structures.
2. While performing an abdominal examination, a provider visually
evaluates the contour, symmetry, and skin integrity of the patient’s
abdomen prior to touching it. Which examination technique is
being utilized?
A. Auscultation
B. Inspection
C. Palpation
,D. Percussion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Inspection is the systematic visual examination of the
body performed before physical contact or manipulation. This
ensures surface characteristics are observed without alteration
from manual examination.
3. A nurse practitioner uses the palmar surface of their fingers to
assess a patient’s thyroid gland for enlargement and tenderness.
Which technique is this?
A. Palpation
B. Inspection
C. Percussion
D. Auscultation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Palpation is the examination method that uses hands
and fingers to feel organ size, texture, tenderness, and fluid
accumulation.
4. A patient’s vital signs reveal a oral body temperature of 37.0°C
(98.6°F). How should the clinician interpret this finding?
A. Hypothermia
B. Normal adult body temperature
C. Low-grade fever
,D. Hyperpyrexia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The normal adult body temperature range is 36.5°C to
37.5°C (97.7°F to 99.5°F). A reading of 37.0°C falls squarely
within normal limits.
5. An adult patient at rest has a recorded heart rate of 118 beats
per minute. Which medical term documents this finding?
A. Bradycardia
B. Tachycardia
C. Normocardia
D. Arrhythmia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tachycardia refers to a resting heart rate greater than
100 beats per minute in an adult. Bradycardia is defined as a
heart rate under 60 beats per minute.
6. An athlete in resting state presents with a heart rate of 52 beats
per minute, regular rhythm, and normal tissue perfusion. Which
term best describes this pulse rate?
A. Tachycardia
B. Pulsus alternans
C. Bradycardia
D. Pulsus paradoxus
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Bradycardia is defined as a heart rate less than 60
beats per minute. In trained athletes, elevated stroke volume
often yields normal systemic perfusion despite a lower resting
heart rate.
7. During chest percussion on a healthy patient, a low-pitched,
clear, hollow sound is elicited over the mid-lung fields. What is this
percussion note?
A. Tympany
B. Dullness
C. Hyperresonance
D. Resonance
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Resonance is the predominant percussion note heard
over normal, air-filled lung tissue. Dullness is heard over dense
organs, hyperresonance over hyperinflated tissue, and tympany
over gas-filled structures.
8. When percussing the right upper quadrant of the abdomen over
the liver, what percussion sound should normally be noted?
A. Flatness
B. Resonance
C. Dullness
D. Tympany
Correct Answer: C
