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WEST COAST UNIVERSITY NURS 190 – HEALTH
ASSESSMENT AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
PRACTICE EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES |100% PASS |GRADED A+ 2026/27
1. A nurse is preparing to perform a comprehensive health assessment on
an adult client. Which action should the nurse take first?
a) Auscultate the abdomen
b) Inspect the general appearance
c) Palpate the lymph nodes
d) Percuss the posterior thorax
Verified Answer: b
2. During inspection of a client's skin, the nurse notes a flat, non-
palpable discoloration that is less than 1 cm in diameter. How should the
nurse document this finding?
a) Papule
b) Nodule
c) Macule
d) Wheal
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Verified Answer: c
3. The nurse is assessing a client's pupillary response to light. Which
cranial nerve is primarily responsible for this reaction?
a) Cranial Nerve II (Optic)
b) Cranial Nerve III (Oculomotor)
c) Cranial Nerve IV (Trochlear)
d) Cranial Nerve VI (Abducens)
Verified Answer: b
4. A client reports a history of "black tarry stools." The nurse recognizes
this as a sign of which condition?
a) Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
b) Lower gastrointestinal bleeding
c) Lactose intolerance
d) Hemorrhoid irritation
Verified Answer: a
5. The nurse is auscultating the lungs and hears continuous, high-pitched
musical sounds during expiration. How should this be documented?
a) Crackles
b) Rhonchi
c) Wheezes
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d) Pleural friction rub
Verified Answer: c
6. When assessing a client's jugular venous pressure (JVP), the nurse
should position the client at which angle?
a) Supine, flat on the bed
b) 0 degrees (completely flat)
c) 30 to 45 degrees
d) 90 degrees (sitting upright)
Verified Answer: c
7. The nurse is performing a neurological assessment and asks the client
to stand with feet together and close their eyes. This tests which
function?
a) Cerebellar function (Romberg test)
b) Cranial nerve I function
c) Motor strength of the lower extremities
d) Peripheral sensation
Verified Answer: a
8. A client's tympanic membrane appears pearly gray with a cone of light
visible in the 5 o'clock position in the right ear. How should the nurse
interpret this finding?
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a) Sign of acute otitis media
b) Normal finding for the right ear
c) Indicative of perforation
d) Sign of serous effusion
Verified Answer: b
9. When palpating the abdomen, the nurse should perform deep
palpation in which sequence?
a) Before auscultation
b) After auscultation
c) Before inspection
d) Only upon client request
Verified Answer: b
10. The nurse assesses a client's peripheral pulses and grades them as 2+.
Which description matches this grade?
a) Absent pulse
b) Diminished pulse
c) Normal pulse
d) Bounding pulse
Verified Answer: c
11. Which assessment finding is considered an early sign of hypoxia?
WEST COAST UNIVERSITY NURS 190 – HEALTH
ASSESSMENT AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
PRACTICE EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES |100% PASS |GRADED A+ 2026/27
1. A nurse is preparing to perform a comprehensive health assessment on
an adult client. Which action should the nurse take first?
a) Auscultate the abdomen
b) Inspect the general appearance
c) Palpate the lymph nodes
d) Percuss the posterior thorax
Verified Answer: b
2. During inspection of a client's skin, the nurse notes a flat, non-
palpable discoloration that is less than 1 cm in diameter. How should the
nurse document this finding?
a) Papule
b) Nodule
c) Macule
d) Wheal
,2 | Page
Verified Answer: c
3. The nurse is assessing a client's pupillary response to light. Which
cranial nerve is primarily responsible for this reaction?
a) Cranial Nerve II (Optic)
b) Cranial Nerve III (Oculomotor)
c) Cranial Nerve IV (Trochlear)
d) Cranial Nerve VI (Abducens)
Verified Answer: b
4. A client reports a history of "black tarry stools." The nurse recognizes
this as a sign of which condition?
a) Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
b) Lower gastrointestinal bleeding
c) Lactose intolerance
d) Hemorrhoid irritation
Verified Answer: a
5. The nurse is auscultating the lungs and hears continuous, high-pitched
musical sounds during expiration. How should this be documented?
a) Crackles
b) Rhonchi
c) Wheezes
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d) Pleural friction rub
Verified Answer: c
6. When assessing a client's jugular venous pressure (JVP), the nurse
should position the client at which angle?
a) Supine, flat on the bed
b) 0 degrees (completely flat)
c) 30 to 45 degrees
d) 90 degrees (sitting upright)
Verified Answer: c
7. The nurse is performing a neurological assessment and asks the client
to stand with feet together and close their eyes. This tests which
function?
a) Cerebellar function (Romberg test)
b) Cranial nerve I function
c) Motor strength of the lower extremities
d) Peripheral sensation
Verified Answer: a
8. A client's tympanic membrane appears pearly gray with a cone of light
visible in the 5 o'clock position in the right ear. How should the nurse
interpret this finding?
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a) Sign of acute otitis media
b) Normal finding for the right ear
c) Indicative of perforation
d) Sign of serous effusion
Verified Answer: b
9. When palpating the abdomen, the nurse should perform deep
palpation in which sequence?
a) Before auscultation
b) After auscultation
c) Before inspection
d) Only upon client request
Verified Answer: b
10. The nurse assesses a client's peripheral pulses and grades them as 2+.
Which description matches this grade?
a) Absent pulse
b) Diminished pulse
c) Normal pulse
d) Bounding pulse
Verified Answer: c
11. Which assessment finding is considered an early sign of hypoxia?
