NSG 500 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. When assessing a patient for peripheral arterial disease, you perform the Ankle-Brachial
Index (ABI) and calculate a value of 0.65. How should this finding be interpreted?
A. Normal arterial blood flow
B. Mild peripheral arterial disease
C. Moderate peripheral arterial disease
D. Severe ischemia and tissue loss
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An ABI between 0.41 and 0.90 indicates moderate peripheral
arterial disease. Normal is 0.90 to 1.30. Below 0.40 indicates severe ischemia.
2. During a musculoskeletal exam, you perform the McMurray test on a patient complaining
of knee pain. A ‘click’ or ‘pop’ is felt or heard. This is most indicative of what condition?
A. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
B. Prepatellar bursitis
C. Meniscal tear
,D. Patellofemoral syndrome
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The McMurray test is specifically used to evaluate for tears in
the meniscus of the knee.
3. When assessing the cranial nerves, you ask the patient to shrug their shoulders against
resistance and turn their head. Which cranial nerve are you evaluating?
A. CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
B. CN X (Vagus)
C. CN XII (Hypoglossal)
D. CN XI (Spinal Accessory)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Cranial Nerve XI, the Spinal Accessory nerve, innervates the
trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles.
4. A 45-year-old male presents with sudden onset of severe right upper quadrant pain
radiating to the right scapula. On examination, he has inspiratory arrest during deep
palpation under the right costal margin. This sign is known as:
A. Murphy’s sign
B. Rovsing’s sign
C. Psoas sign
, D. Grey Turner’s sign
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Murphy’s sign is a clinical indicator of acute cholecystitis; it is
positive when the patient stops breathing mid-inspiration due to pain as the inflamed
gallbladder hits the examiner’s fingers.
5. In a patient with suspected aortic stenosis, where would you best auscultate the
characteristic crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur?
A. Fourth left intercostal space at the sternal border
B. Second left intercostal space at the sternal border
C. Second right intercostal space at the sternal border
D. Fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Aortic stenosis is best heard at the aortic area, which is the
second right intercostal space at the sternal border.
6. While performing a neurologic exam, you ask the patient to identify a common object
placed in their hand with their eyes closed. This assesses:
A. Graphesthesia
B. Proprioception
C. Two-point discrimination
ASSESSMENT COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. When assessing a patient for peripheral arterial disease, you perform the Ankle-Brachial
Index (ABI) and calculate a value of 0.65. How should this finding be interpreted?
A. Normal arterial blood flow
B. Mild peripheral arterial disease
C. Moderate peripheral arterial disease
D. Severe ischemia and tissue loss
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An ABI between 0.41 and 0.90 indicates moderate peripheral
arterial disease. Normal is 0.90 to 1.30. Below 0.40 indicates severe ischemia.
2. During a musculoskeletal exam, you perform the McMurray test on a patient complaining
of knee pain. A ‘click’ or ‘pop’ is felt or heard. This is most indicative of what condition?
A. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
B. Prepatellar bursitis
C. Meniscal tear
,D. Patellofemoral syndrome
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The McMurray test is specifically used to evaluate for tears in
the meniscus of the knee.
3. When assessing the cranial nerves, you ask the patient to shrug their shoulders against
resistance and turn their head. Which cranial nerve are you evaluating?
A. CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
B. CN X (Vagus)
C. CN XII (Hypoglossal)
D. CN XI (Spinal Accessory)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Cranial Nerve XI, the Spinal Accessory nerve, innervates the
trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles.
4. A 45-year-old male presents with sudden onset of severe right upper quadrant pain
radiating to the right scapula. On examination, he has inspiratory arrest during deep
palpation under the right costal margin. This sign is known as:
A. Murphy’s sign
B. Rovsing’s sign
C. Psoas sign
, D. Grey Turner’s sign
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Murphy’s sign is a clinical indicator of acute cholecystitis; it is
positive when the patient stops breathing mid-inspiration due to pain as the inflamed
gallbladder hits the examiner’s fingers.
5. In a patient with suspected aortic stenosis, where would you best auscultate the
characteristic crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur?
A. Fourth left intercostal space at the sternal border
B. Second left intercostal space at the sternal border
C. Second right intercostal space at the sternal border
D. Fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Aortic stenosis is best heard at the aortic area, which is the
second right intercostal space at the sternal border.
6. While performing a neurologic exam, you ask the patient to identify a common object
placed in their hand with their eyes closed. This assesses:
A. Graphesthesia
B. Proprioception
C. Two-point discrimination
