NR 509 QUIZZES WEEK 1 TO 7 ADVANCED
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT EXAM PREPARATION
PACK 2026 KEY CONCEPTS AND REVISION
NOTES
◉ On the way to see your next patient, you glance at the calendar
and make a mental note to
buy a Mother's Day card. Your patient is Ms. Hernandez, a 76-year-
old widow who lost her
husband in May, two years ago. She comes in today with a
headaches, abdominal pain, and
general malaise. This happened once before, about a year ago,
according to your detailed office
notes. You have done a thorough evaluation but are unable to arrive
at a consistent picture to
tie these symptoms together. This is an example of a:
A) Pathophysiologic problem
B) Psychopathologic problem.
Answer: B) Psychopathologic problem
It is not uncommon for patients to experience psychopathologic
symptoms around
,the anniversary of a traumatic event. The time of year and the lack of
an obvious connection
between Ms. Hernandez's symptoms would make you consider this
as a possibility. You will note that although this might have been an
early consideration in your hypothesis generation, it is
key to convince yourself that there is not a physiologic explanation
for these symptoms, by
performing a careful history and examination.
◉ Mr. Larson is a 42-year-old widowed father of two children, ages 4
and 11. He works in a
sales office to support his family. Recently he has injured his back
and you are thinking he
would benefit from physical therapy, three times a week, for an hour
per session. What would
be your next step?
A) Write the physical therapy prescription.
B) Have your office staff explain directions to the physical therapy
center.
C) Discuss the plan with Mr. Larson.
D) Tell Mr. Larson that he will be going to physical therapy three
times a week..
Answer: C) Discuss the plan with Mr. Larson.
,You should discuss your proposed plan with the patient before
implementing it. In this case, you and Mr. Larson will need to weigh
the benefit of physical therapy against the
ability to provide for his family. You may need to consider other ways
of helping the patient,
perhaps through prescribed back exercises he can do at home. It is a
common mistake to
implement a plan without coming to an agreement with the patient
first.
◉ You are seeing an elderly man with multiple complaints. He has
chronic arthritis, pain from an old war injury, and headaches. Today
he complains of these pains, as well as dull chest pain under his
sternum. What would the order of priority be for your problem list?
A) Arthritis, war injury pain, headaches, chest pain
B) War injury pain, arthritis, headaches, chest pain
C) Headaches, arthritis, war injury pain, chest pain
D) Chest pain, headaches, arthritis, war injury pain.
Answer: D) Chest pain, headaches, arthritis, war injury pain
, The problem list should have the most active and serious problem
first. This new complaint of chest pain is almost certainly a higher
priority than his other, more chronic
problems.
◉ You are excited about a positive test finding you have just noticed
on physical examination
of your patient. You go on to do more examination, laboratory work,
and diagnostic tests, only
to find that there is no sign of the disease you thought would
correlate with the finding. This
same experience happens several times. What should you conclude?
A) Consider not doing this test routinely.
B) Use this test when you have a higher suspicion for a certain
correlating condition.
C) Continue using the test, perhaps doing less laboratory work and
diagnostics.
D) Omit this test from future examinations..
Answer: C) Continue using the test, perhaps doing less laboratory
work and diagnostics.
This is an example of a specific test that lacks sensitivity. With this
scenario,
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT EXAM PREPARATION
PACK 2026 KEY CONCEPTS AND REVISION
NOTES
◉ On the way to see your next patient, you glance at the calendar
and make a mental note to
buy a Mother's Day card. Your patient is Ms. Hernandez, a 76-year-
old widow who lost her
husband in May, two years ago. She comes in today with a
headaches, abdominal pain, and
general malaise. This happened once before, about a year ago,
according to your detailed office
notes. You have done a thorough evaluation but are unable to arrive
at a consistent picture to
tie these symptoms together. This is an example of a:
A) Pathophysiologic problem
B) Psychopathologic problem.
Answer: B) Psychopathologic problem
It is not uncommon for patients to experience psychopathologic
symptoms around
,the anniversary of a traumatic event. The time of year and the lack of
an obvious connection
between Ms. Hernandez's symptoms would make you consider this
as a possibility. You will note that although this might have been an
early consideration in your hypothesis generation, it is
key to convince yourself that there is not a physiologic explanation
for these symptoms, by
performing a careful history and examination.
◉ Mr. Larson is a 42-year-old widowed father of two children, ages 4
and 11. He works in a
sales office to support his family. Recently he has injured his back
and you are thinking he
would benefit from physical therapy, three times a week, for an hour
per session. What would
be your next step?
A) Write the physical therapy prescription.
B) Have your office staff explain directions to the physical therapy
center.
C) Discuss the plan with Mr. Larson.
D) Tell Mr. Larson that he will be going to physical therapy three
times a week..
Answer: C) Discuss the plan with Mr. Larson.
,You should discuss your proposed plan with the patient before
implementing it. In this case, you and Mr. Larson will need to weigh
the benefit of physical therapy against the
ability to provide for his family. You may need to consider other ways
of helping the patient,
perhaps through prescribed back exercises he can do at home. It is a
common mistake to
implement a plan without coming to an agreement with the patient
first.
◉ You are seeing an elderly man with multiple complaints. He has
chronic arthritis, pain from an old war injury, and headaches. Today
he complains of these pains, as well as dull chest pain under his
sternum. What would the order of priority be for your problem list?
A) Arthritis, war injury pain, headaches, chest pain
B) War injury pain, arthritis, headaches, chest pain
C) Headaches, arthritis, war injury pain, chest pain
D) Chest pain, headaches, arthritis, war injury pain.
Answer: D) Chest pain, headaches, arthritis, war injury pain
, The problem list should have the most active and serious problem
first. This new complaint of chest pain is almost certainly a higher
priority than his other, more chronic
problems.
◉ You are excited about a positive test finding you have just noticed
on physical examination
of your patient. You go on to do more examination, laboratory work,
and diagnostic tests, only
to find that there is no sign of the disease you thought would
correlate with the finding. This
same experience happens several times. What should you conclude?
A) Consider not doing this test routinely.
B) Use this test when you have a higher suspicion for a certain
correlating condition.
C) Continue using the test, perhaps doing less laboratory work and
diagnostics.
D) Omit this test from future examinations..
Answer: C) Continue using the test, perhaps doing less laboratory
work and diagnostics.
This is an example of a specific test that lacks sensitivity. With this
scenario,
