BATES Guide TO Physical Exam History Taking
Study Guide Revision Sheet CORE Concept
Questions and Answers Verified Solutions Latest
Update 2026/2027
Question:
A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and feels hot. These types of data
would be:
a Objective.
b Reflective.
c Subjective.
d Introspective.
Answer:
C
Subjective data are what the person says about him or herself during history taking. Objective data
are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing,
palpating, and auscultating during the physical examination. The terms reflective and introspective
are not used to describe data.
Question:
The patients record, laboratory studies, objective data, and subjective data combine to form the:
a Data base.
b Admitting data.
c Financial statement.
d Discharge summary.
Answer:
A
Together with the patients record and laboratory studies, the objective and subjective data form the
data base. The other items are not part of the patients record, laboratory studies, or data.
Question:
,When listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse is unsure of a sound that is heard. The nurses
next action should be to:
a Immediately notify the patients physician.
b Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
c Validate the data by asking a coworker to
listen to the breath sounds.
d Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether
the sound is still present..
Answer:
C
When unsure of a sound heard while listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse validates the
data to ensure accuracy. If the nurse has less experience in an area, then he or she asks an expert to
listen.
Question:
The nurse is conducting a class for new graduate nurses. During the teaching session, the nurse
should keep in mind that novice
nurses, without a background of skills and experience from which to draw, are more likely to make
their decisions using:
a Intuition.
b A set of rules.
c Articles in journals.
d Advice from supervisors..
Answer:
B
Novice nurses operate from a set of defined, structured rules. The expert practitioner
uses intuitive links.
Question:
Expert nurses learn to attend to a pattern of assessment data and act without consciously labeling it.
These responses are referred to as:
a Intuition.
b The nursing process.
c Clinical knowledge.
d Diagnostic reasoning..
,Answer:
A
Intuition is characterized by pattern recognition expert nurses learn to attend to a pattern of
assessment data and act without consciously labeling it. The other options are not correct.
Question:
The nurse is reviewing information about evidence-based practice (EBP). Which statement best
reflects EBP?
a EBP relies on tradition for support of best
practices.
b EBP is simply the use of best practice
techniques for the treatment of patients
c EBP emphasizes the use of best evidence
with the clinicians experience.
d The patients own preferences are not
important with EBP..
Answer:
C
EBP is a systematic approach to practice that emphasizes the use of best evidence in combination
with the clinicians experience, as well as patient preferences and values, when making decisions
about care and treatment. EBP is more than simply using the best practice techniques to treat
patients, and questioning tradition is important when no compelling and supportive research
evidence exists.
Question:
The nurse is conducting a class on priority setting for a group of new graduate nurses. Which is an
example of a first-level priority problem?
a Patient with postoperative pain
b Newly diagnosed patient with diabetes who
needs diabetic teaching
c Individual with a small laceration on the sole
of the foot
d Individual with shortness of breath and
respiratory distress.
Answer:
, D
First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life threatening, and immediate (e.g.,
establishing an airway, supporting breathing, maintaining circulation, monitoring abnormal vital
signs)
Question:
When considering priority setting of problems, the nurse keeps in mind that second-level priority
problems include which of these aspects?
a Low self-esteem
b Lack of knowledge
c Abnormal laboratory values
d Severely abnormal vital signs.
Answer:
C
Second-level priority problems are those that require prompt intervention to forestall further
deterioration (e.g., mental status change, acute pain, abnormal laboratory values, risks to safety or
security)
Question:
Which critical thinking skill helps the nurse see relationships among the data?
a Validation
b Clustering related cues
c Identifying gaps in data
d Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant.
Answer:
B
Clustering related cues helps the nurse see relationships among the data.
Question:
The nurse knows that developing appropriate nursing interventions for a patient relies on the
appropriateness of the diagnosis.
a Nursing
b Medical
c Admission
d Collaborative.
Study Guide Revision Sheet CORE Concept
Questions and Answers Verified Solutions Latest
Update 2026/2027
Question:
A patient tells the nurse that he is very nervous, is nauseated, and feels hot. These types of data
would be:
a Objective.
b Reflective.
c Subjective.
d Introspective.
Answer:
C
Subjective data are what the person says about him or herself during history taking. Objective data
are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing,
palpating, and auscultating during the physical examination. The terms reflective and introspective
are not used to describe data.
Question:
The patients record, laboratory studies, objective data, and subjective data combine to form the:
a Data base.
b Admitting data.
c Financial statement.
d Discharge summary.
Answer:
A
Together with the patients record and laboratory studies, the objective and subjective data form the
data base. The other items are not part of the patients record, laboratory studies, or data.
Question:
,When listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse is unsure of a sound that is heard. The nurses
next action should be to:
a Immediately notify the patients physician.
b Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
c Validate the data by asking a coworker to
listen to the breath sounds.
d Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether
the sound is still present..
Answer:
C
When unsure of a sound heard while listening to a patients breath sounds, the nurse validates the
data to ensure accuracy. If the nurse has less experience in an area, then he or she asks an expert to
listen.
Question:
The nurse is conducting a class for new graduate nurses. During the teaching session, the nurse
should keep in mind that novice
nurses, without a background of skills and experience from which to draw, are more likely to make
their decisions using:
a Intuition.
b A set of rules.
c Articles in journals.
d Advice from supervisors..
Answer:
B
Novice nurses operate from a set of defined, structured rules. The expert practitioner
uses intuitive links.
Question:
Expert nurses learn to attend to a pattern of assessment data and act without consciously labeling it.
These responses are referred to as:
a Intuition.
b The nursing process.
c Clinical knowledge.
d Diagnostic reasoning..
,Answer:
A
Intuition is characterized by pattern recognition expert nurses learn to attend to a pattern of
assessment data and act without consciously labeling it. The other options are not correct.
Question:
The nurse is reviewing information about evidence-based practice (EBP). Which statement best
reflects EBP?
a EBP relies on tradition for support of best
practices.
b EBP is simply the use of best practice
techniques for the treatment of patients
c EBP emphasizes the use of best evidence
with the clinicians experience.
d The patients own preferences are not
important with EBP..
Answer:
C
EBP is a systematic approach to practice that emphasizes the use of best evidence in combination
with the clinicians experience, as well as patient preferences and values, when making decisions
about care and treatment. EBP is more than simply using the best practice techniques to treat
patients, and questioning tradition is important when no compelling and supportive research
evidence exists.
Question:
The nurse is conducting a class on priority setting for a group of new graduate nurses. Which is an
example of a first-level priority problem?
a Patient with postoperative pain
b Newly diagnosed patient with diabetes who
needs diabetic teaching
c Individual with a small laceration on the sole
of the foot
d Individual with shortness of breath and
respiratory distress.
Answer:
, D
First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life threatening, and immediate (e.g.,
establishing an airway, supporting breathing, maintaining circulation, monitoring abnormal vital
signs)
Question:
When considering priority setting of problems, the nurse keeps in mind that second-level priority
problems include which of these aspects?
a Low self-esteem
b Lack of knowledge
c Abnormal laboratory values
d Severely abnormal vital signs.
Answer:
C
Second-level priority problems are those that require prompt intervention to forestall further
deterioration (e.g., mental status change, acute pain, abnormal laboratory values, risks to safety or
security)
Question:
Which critical thinking skill helps the nurse see relationships among the data?
a Validation
b Clustering related cues
c Identifying gaps in data
d Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant.
Answer:
B
Clustering related cues helps the nurse see relationships among the data.
Question:
The nurse knows that developing appropriate nursing interventions for a patient relies on the
appropriateness of the diagnosis.
a Nursing
b Medical
c Admission
d Collaborative.
