UT Arlington NURS 3320 Holistic Health Assessment Exam 1 (pdf) |
2026/2027 | Health Assessment Q&A | Nursing
1. What is the primary difference between a holistic nursing assessment and
a physical medical assessment?
A) A holistic assessment focuses only on the patient's physical health
B) A holistic assessment collects physiologic, psychological, sociocultural,
developmental, and spiritual data
C) A physical medical assessment includes subjective data about the
patient's perceptions
D) There is no difference between the two types of assessment
Correct Answer: A holistic assessment collects physiologic, psychological,
sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual data
Rationale: A holistic nursing assessment uses both subjective and objective
data to create a detailed assessment, collecting physiologic, psychological,
sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual data about the client. A physical
medical assessment primarily focuses on objective, measurable data with
less emphasis on psychological or sociocultural factors.
2. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standard 1, what is
the registered nurse's responsibility regarding assessment?
A) To diagnose medical conditions independently
B) To collect comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or situation
C) To prescribe medications based on assessment findings
D) To delegate all data collection to unlicensed personnel
Correct Answer: To collect comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's
health or situation
,Rationale: The ANA Standard 1 states that "the registered nurse collects
comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or situation". This
foundational standard emphasizes the nurse's role in systematic, ongoing
data collection.
3. The nursing process consists of five steps. Which of the following is the
correct order?
A) Assessment, Planning, Diagnosis, Implementation, Evaluation
B) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
C) Diagnosis, Assessment, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D) Assessment, Implementation, Diagnosis, Planning, Evaluation
Correct Answer: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation,
Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE is the standard mnemonic for the nursing process:
Assessment (collecting subjective and objective data), Diagnosis (analyzing
data to make a nursing judgment), Planning (determining outcome criteria
and developing a plan), Implementation (carrying out the plan), and
Evaluation (assessing whether outcome criteria have been met).
4. A nurse is performing a health assessment on a patient who is entering a
healthcare system for the first time. Which type of assessment is the nurse
performing?
A) Ongoing or partial assessment
B) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
C) Initial comprehensive assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Initial comprehensive assessment
,Rationale: An initial comprehensive assessment is performed when the client
first enters a health care system to establish baseline data against which
future health status changes can be measured. It includes a full health
history and physical examination.
5. A nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted 3 days ago. The nurse
performs a quick overview of the patient's body systems to detect any
changes or new problems. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Ongoing or partial assessment
Rationale: An ongoing or partial assessment consists of data collection that
occurs after the comprehensive database is established. It includes a mini-
overview of the client's body systems as a follow-up on health status and is
performed whenever the nurse has an encounter with the client.
6. A patient comes to the clinic with a chief complaint of a sore throat. The
nurse performs a thorough assessment of the patient's throat and does not
assess other body systems. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Focused/problem-oriented assessment
, Rationale: A focused/problem-oriented assessment is performed when a
comprehensive database already exists and the client comes with a specific
health concern. It consists of a thorough assessment of a particular client
problem and does not cover areas not related to the problem.
7. A patient is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle
accident with severe bleeding and difficulty breathing. The nurse performs a
very rapid assessment to determine the status of the patient's life-sustaining
physical functions. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Emergency assessment
Rationale: An emergency assessment is a very rapid assessment performed
in life-threatening situations, where the major and only concern is to
determine the status of the client's life-sustaining physical functions.
8. What is the correct order of examination techniques for a general physical
assessment?
A) Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
B) Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
C) Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D) Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Correct Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
2026/2027 | Health Assessment Q&A | Nursing
1. What is the primary difference between a holistic nursing assessment and
a physical medical assessment?
A) A holistic assessment focuses only on the patient's physical health
B) A holistic assessment collects physiologic, psychological, sociocultural,
developmental, and spiritual data
C) A physical medical assessment includes subjective data about the
patient's perceptions
D) There is no difference between the two types of assessment
Correct Answer: A holistic assessment collects physiologic, psychological,
sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual data
Rationale: A holistic nursing assessment uses both subjective and objective
data to create a detailed assessment, collecting physiologic, psychological,
sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual data about the client. A physical
medical assessment primarily focuses on objective, measurable data with
less emphasis on psychological or sociocultural factors.
2. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standard 1, what is
the registered nurse's responsibility regarding assessment?
A) To diagnose medical conditions independently
B) To collect comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or situation
C) To prescribe medications based on assessment findings
D) To delegate all data collection to unlicensed personnel
Correct Answer: To collect comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's
health or situation
,Rationale: The ANA Standard 1 states that "the registered nurse collects
comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or situation". This
foundational standard emphasizes the nurse's role in systematic, ongoing
data collection.
3. The nursing process consists of five steps. Which of the following is the
correct order?
A) Assessment, Planning, Diagnosis, Implementation, Evaluation
B) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
C) Diagnosis, Assessment, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D) Assessment, Implementation, Diagnosis, Planning, Evaluation
Correct Answer: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation,
Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE is the standard mnemonic for the nursing process:
Assessment (collecting subjective and objective data), Diagnosis (analyzing
data to make a nursing judgment), Planning (determining outcome criteria
and developing a plan), Implementation (carrying out the plan), and
Evaluation (assessing whether outcome criteria have been met).
4. A nurse is performing a health assessment on a patient who is entering a
healthcare system for the first time. Which type of assessment is the nurse
performing?
A) Ongoing or partial assessment
B) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
C) Initial comprehensive assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Initial comprehensive assessment
,Rationale: An initial comprehensive assessment is performed when the client
first enters a health care system to establish baseline data against which
future health status changes can be measured. It includes a full health
history and physical examination.
5. A nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted 3 days ago. The nurse
performs a quick overview of the patient's body systems to detect any
changes or new problems. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Ongoing or partial assessment
Rationale: An ongoing or partial assessment consists of data collection that
occurs after the comprehensive database is established. It includes a mini-
overview of the client's body systems as a follow-up on health status and is
performed whenever the nurse has an encounter with the client.
6. A patient comes to the clinic with a chief complaint of a sore throat. The
nurse performs a thorough assessment of the patient's throat and does not
assess other body systems. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Focused/problem-oriented assessment
, Rationale: A focused/problem-oriented assessment is performed when a
comprehensive database already exists and the client comes with a specific
health concern. It consists of a thorough assessment of a particular client
problem and does not cover areas not related to the problem.
7. A patient is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle
accident with severe bleeding and difficulty breathing. The nurse performs a
very rapid assessment to determine the status of the patient's life-sustaining
physical functions. This is an example of:
A) Initial comprehensive assessment
B) Ongoing or partial assessment
C) Focused/problem-oriented assessment
D) Emergency assessment
Correct Answer: Emergency assessment
Rationale: An emergency assessment is a very rapid assessment performed
in life-threatening situations, where the major and only concern is to
determine the status of the client's life-sustaining physical functions.
8. What is the correct order of examination techniques for a general physical
assessment?
A) Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
B) Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
C) Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
D) Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Correct Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
