NR509 WEEK 7 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
SECTION 1: HEALTH HISTORY & OLDCARTS (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
1. A 45-year-old female presents with "stomach pain." Using the OLDCARTS mnemonic, which
question would the provider ask to assess the "D" (Duration) component?
A) "Where is the pain located?"
B) "What makes the pain better or worse?"
C) "How long have you had this pain?"
D) "How would you describe the pain?"
Answer
Answer C: "How long have you had this pain?"
Rationale
OLDCARTS stands for Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating/Relieving factors, Timing,
and Severity. ---
Question 2
2. A 68-year-old patient presents with chest pain. Using the OLDCARTS mnemonic, which
question assesses the "C" (Character) component?
A) "When did the pain start?"
B) "Where is the pain located?"
C) "Can you describe what the pain feels like?"
D) "Does anything make the pain worse?"
Answer
Answer C: "Can you describe what the pain feels like?"
Rationale
,Character refers to the quality of the symptom (e.g., sharp, dull, burning, crushing). ---
Question 3
3. A patient reports shortness of breath. Which question best assesses the "T" (Timing)
component of OLDCARTS?
A) "How severe is the shortness of breath?"
B) "Does the shortness of breath occur at any particular time of day?"
C) "What were you doing when it started?"
D) "How long have you had this symptom?"
Answer
Answer B: "Does the shortness of breath occur at any particular time of day?"
Rationale
Timing refers to when the symptom occurs (e.g., time of day, relationship to activities). ---
Question 4
4. A 32-year-old patient presents with headaches. Which question assesses the "A"
(Aggravating/Relieving factors) component?
A) "When did the headaches start?"
B) "Where is the headache located?"
C) "What makes the headache better or worse?"
D) "How would you describe the headache?"
Answer
Answer C: "What makes the headache better or worse?"
Rationale
Aggravating/relieving factors identify triggers and interventions that affect the symptom. ---
Question 5
5. A patient reports joint pain. Which question best assesses the "S" (Severity) component?
,A) "When did the pain start?"
B) "What does the pain feel like?"
C) "On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate your pain?"
D) "What makes the pain worse?"
Answer
Answer C: "On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate your pain?"
Rationale
Severity is assessed using a pain scale (0-10) to quantify symptom intensity. ---
Question 6
6. A provider is taking a health history. Which question is an example of a closed-ended
question?
A) "Tell me about your symptoms."
B) "Do you have a history of high blood pressure?"
C) "What brings you in today?"
D) "How has your health been?"
Answer
Answer B: "Do you have a history of high blood pressure?"
Rationale
Closed-ended questions elicit yes/no or short answers; open-ended questions encourage detailed
responses. ---
Question 7
7. A 28-year-old patient reports fatigue. Which question best assesses the "O" (Onset)
component of OLDCARTS?
A) "How long have you been fatigued?"
B) "When did the fatigue first start?"
C) "What does the fatigue feel like?"
D) "Does anything make the fatigue better?"
, Answer
Answer B: "When did the fatigue first start?"
Rationale
Onset refers to when the symptom first began (acute vs. gradual). ---
Question 8
8. A patient presents with abdominal pain. Which question assesses the "L" (Location)
component?
A) "How long have you had the pain?"
B) "Can you point to where the pain is?"
C) "What makes the pain worse?"
D) "How severe is the pain?"
Answer
Answer B: "Can you point to where the pain is?"
Rationale
Location identifies the anatomic site of the symptom. ---
Question 9
9. A 55-year-old patient reports dizziness. Using OLDCARTS, which question assesses "R"
(Relieving factors)?
A) "When did the dizziness start?"
B) "Where do you feel the dizziness?"
C) "What do you do to make the dizziness go away?"
D) "How would you describe the dizziness?"
Answer
Answer C: "What do you do to make the dizziness go away?"
Rationale
Relieving factors identify interventions or actions that alleviate the symptom. ---
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
SECTION 1: HEALTH HISTORY & OLDCARTS (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
1. A 45-year-old female presents with "stomach pain." Using the OLDCARTS mnemonic, which
question would the provider ask to assess the "D" (Duration) component?
A) "Where is the pain located?"
B) "What makes the pain better or worse?"
C) "How long have you had this pain?"
D) "How would you describe the pain?"
Answer
Answer C: "How long have you had this pain?"
Rationale
OLDCARTS stands for Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating/Relieving factors, Timing,
and Severity. ---
Question 2
2. A 68-year-old patient presents with chest pain. Using the OLDCARTS mnemonic, which
question assesses the "C" (Character) component?
A) "When did the pain start?"
B) "Where is the pain located?"
C) "Can you describe what the pain feels like?"
D) "Does anything make the pain worse?"
Answer
Answer C: "Can you describe what the pain feels like?"
Rationale
,Character refers to the quality of the symptom (e.g., sharp, dull, burning, crushing). ---
Question 3
3. A patient reports shortness of breath. Which question best assesses the "T" (Timing)
component of OLDCARTS?
A) "How severe is the shortness of breath?"
B) "Does the shortness of breath occur at any particular time of day?"
C) "What were you doing when it started?"
D) "How long have you had this symptom?"
Answer
Answer B: "Does the shortness of breath occur at any particular time of day?"
Rationale
Timing refers to when the symptom occurs (e.g., time of day, relationship to activities). ---
Question 4
4. A 32-year-old patient presents with headaches. Which question assesses the "A"
(Aggravating/Relieving factors) component?
A) "When did the headaches start?"
B) "Where is the headache located?"
C) "What makes the headache better or worse?"
D) "How would you describe the headache?"
Answer
Answer C: "What makes the headache better or worse?"
Rationale
Aggravating/relieving factors identify triggers and interventions that affect the symptom. ---
Question 5
5. A patient reports joint pain. Which question best assesses the "S" (Severity) component?
,A) "When did the pain start?"
B) "What does the pain feel like?"
C) "On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate your pain?"
D) "What makes the pain worse?"
Answer
Answer C: "On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate your pain?"
Rationale
Severity is assessed using a pain scale (0-10) to quantify symptom intensity. ---
Question 6
6. A provider is taking a health history. Which question is an example of a closed-ended
question?
A) "Tell me about your symptoms."
B) "Do you have a history of high blood pressure?"
C) "What brings you in today?"
D) "How has your health been?"
Answer
Answer B: "Do you have a history of high blood pressure?"
Rationale
Closed-ended questions elicit yes/no or short answers; open-ended questions encourage detailed
responses. ---
Question 7
7. A 28-year-old patient reports fatigue. Which question best assesses the "O" (Onset)
component of OLDCARTS?
A) "How long have you been fatigued?"
B) "When did the fatigue first start?"
C) "What does the fatigue feel like?"
D) "Does anything make the fatigue better?"
, Answer
Answer B: "When did the fatigue first start?"
Rationale
Onset refers to when the symptom first began (acute vs. gradual). ---
Question 8
8. A patient presents with abdominal pain. Which question assesses the "L" (Location)
component?
A) "How long have you had the pain?"
B) "Can you point to where the pain is?"
C) "What makes the pain worse?"
D) "How severe is the pain?"
Answer
Answer B: "Can you point to where the pain is?"
Rationale
Location identifies the anatomic site of the symptom. ---
Question 9
9. A 55-year-old patient reports dizziness. Using OLDCARTS, which question assesses "R"
(Relieving factors)?
A) "When did the dizziness start?"
B) "Where do you feel the dizziness?"
C) "What do you do to make the dizziness go away?"
D) "How would you describe the dizziness?"
Answer
Answer C: "What do you do to make the dizziness go away?"
Rationale
Relieving factors identify interventions or actions that alleviate the symptom. ---
