ATI Health Assessment Exam 2 Premium Question
Bank (Questions 1-200) | Verified Answers &
Rationales (Latest 2026 Edition)
Question 1
,A nurse is performing a physical assessment of an older adult client. Which of
the following findings should the nurse document as an expected age-related
change?
A. Decreased anteroposterior chest diameter
B. Increased sensitivity to high-pitch sounds
C. Decreased skin elasticity with tenting
D. Increased peripheral vision
VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Decreased skin elasticity with tenting
EXPLANATION: Loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen fibers causes a
decrease in skin elasticity as an expected part of the aging process. The
anteroposterior diameter typically increases with age, high-pitch hearing
clarity decreases (presbycusis), and peripheral vision narrows.
Question 2
During a cardiovascular assessment, the nurse auscultates a low-pitched extra
heart sound at the apex during early diastole. The nurse should document this
finding as which of the following?
A. S3 heart sound
B. S4 heart sound
C. Systolic murmur
D. Pericardial friction rub
VERIFIED ANSWER: A. S3 heart sound
EXPLANATION: An S3 heart sound occurs early in diastole right after S2
and is a low-pitched sound best heard with the bell of the stethoscope at the
apex. S4 occurs late in diastole just before S1.
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to assess a client's thyroid gland. Which of the following
instructions should the nurse give the client?
,A. "Tilt your head back and cough."
B. "Take a sip of water and swallow."
C. "Hyperextend your neck and hold your breath."
D. "Turn your head to the left and clear your throat."
VERIFIED ANSWER: B. "Take a sip of water and swallow."
EXPLANATION: Asking the client to take a sip of water and swallow allows
the nurse to observe the upward movement of the thyroid cartilage and
cleanly palpate the thyroid gland as it ascends.
Question 4
The nurse is testing a client's pupillary response to accommodation. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Bring a penlight from the side of the eye toward the pupil.
B. Ask the client to look at a distant object, then at an object close to the nose.
C. Move a finger in an "H" pattern in front of the client's face.
D. Cover one eye for 10 seconds, then uncover it quickly.
VERIFIED ANSWER: B. Ask the client to look at a distant object, then at an
object close to the nose.
EXPLANATION: Accommodation testing evaluates the eyes' ability to adjust
focus from a distant object to a near object. The normal response includes
pupillary constriction and convergence of the eyes simultaneously.
Question 5
A nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client. To assess Cranial
Nerve VII (Facial), which action should the nurse ask the client to perform?
A. Shrug the shoulders against resistance
B. Stick out the tongue and move it side to side
C. Smile, frown, and puff out the cheeks
D. Clench the teeth while palpating the masseter muscles
, VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Smile, frown, and puff out the cheeks
EXPLANATION: Cranial Nerve VII is the facial nerve, responsible for
symmetry of facial expressions. Shrugging shoulders tests CN XI (Spinal
Accessory), moving the tongue tests CN XII (Hypoglossal), and clenching
teeth tests CN V (Trigeminal).
Question 6
A nurse is assessing a client's deep tendon reflexes and notes that they are
hyperactive with clonus. The nurse should document this finding using which of
the following scores?
A. 1+
B. 2+
C. 3+
D. 4+
VERIFIED ANSWER: D. 4+
EXPLANATION: On a standard reflex scale, 0 indicates no response, 1+ is
diminished, 2+ is normal, 3+ is brisker than average, and 4+ is hyperactive
with clonus, which indicates upper motor neuron disease.
Question 7
During a respiratory assessment, the nurse notes a low-pitched, coarse, snoring
sound during expiration that clears significantly after the client coughs. The
nurse should document this breath sound as:
A. Crackles
B. Wheezes
C. Rhonchi
D. Pleural friction rub
VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Rhonchi
EXPLANATION: Rhonchi (sonorous wheezes) are low-pitched, continuous,
Bank (Questions 1-200) | Verified Answers &
Rationales (Latest 2026 Edition)
Question 1
,A nurse is performing a physical assessment of an older adult client. Which of
the following findings should the nurse document as an expected age-related
change?
A. Decreased anteroposterior chest diameter
B. Increased sensitivity to high-pitch sounds
C. Decreased skin elasticity with tenting
D. Increased peripheral vision
VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Decreased skin elasticity with tenting
EXPLANATION: Loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen fibers causes a
decrease in skin elasticity as an expected part of the aging process. The
anteroposterior diameter typically increases with age, high-pitch hearing
clarity decreases (presbycusis), and peripheral vision narrows.
Question 2
During a cardiovascular assessment, the nurse auscultates a low-pitched extra
heart sound at the apex during early diastole. The nurse should document this
finding as which of the following?
A. S3 heart sound
B. S4 heart sound
C. Systolic murmur
D. Pericardial friction rub
VERIFIED ANSWER: A. S3 heart sound
EXPLANATION: An S3 heart sound occurs early in diastole right after S2
and is a low-pitched sound best heard with the bell of the stethoscope at the
apex. S4 occurs late in diastole just before S1.
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to assess a client's thyroid gland. Which of the following
instructions should the nurse give the client?
,A. "Tilt your head back and cough."
B. "Take a sip of water and swallow."
C. "Hyperextend your neck and hold your breath."
D. "Turn your head to the left and clear your throat."
VERIFIED ANSWER: B. "Take a sip of water and swallow."
EXPLANATION: Asking the client to take a sip of water and swallow allows
the nurse to observe the upward movement of the thyroid cartilage and
cleanly palpate the thyroid gland as it ascends.
Question 4
The nurse is testing a client's pupillary response to accommodation. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Bring a penlight from the side of the eye toward the pupil.
B. Ask the client to look at a distant object, then at an object close to the nose.
C. Move a finger in an "H" pattern in front of the client's face.
D. Cover one eye for 10 seconds, then uncover it quickly.
VERIFIED ANSWER: B. Ask the client to look at a distant object, then at an
object close to the nose.
EXPLANATION: Accommodation testing evaluates the eyes' ability to adjust
focus from a distant object to a near object. The normal response includes
pupillary constriction and convergence of the eyes simultaneously.
Question 5
A nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client. To assess Cranial
Nerve VII (Facial), which action should the nurse ask the client to perform?
A. Shrug the shoulders against resistance
B. Stick out the tongue and move it side to side
C. Smile, frown, and puff out the cheeks
D. Clench the teeth while palpating the masseter muscles
, VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Smile, frown, and puff out the cheeks
EXPLANATION: Cranial Nerve VII is the facial nerve, responsible for
symmetry of facial expressions. Shrugging shoulders tests CN XI (Spinal
Accessory), moving the tongue tests CN XII (Hypoglossal), and clenching
teeth tests CN V (Trigeminal).
Question 6
A nurse is assessing a client's deep tendon reflexes and notes that they are
hyperactive with clonus. The nurse should document this finding using which of
the following scores?
A. 1+
B. 2+
C. 3+
D. 4+
VERIFIED ANSWER: D. 4+
EXPLANATION: On a standard reflex scale, 0 indicates no response, 1+ is
diminished, 2+ is normal, 3+ is brisker than average, and 4+ is hyperactive
with clonus, which indicates upper motor neuron disease.
Question 7
During a respiratory assessment, the nurse notes a low-pitched, coarse, snoring
sound during expiration that clears significantly after the client coughs. The
nurse should document this breath sound as:
A. Crackles
B. Wheezes
C. Rhonchi
D. Pleural friction rub
VERIFIED ANSWER: C. Rhonchi
EXPLANATION: Rhonchi (sonorous wheezes) are low-pitched, continuous,
