NURS 190: Physical Assessment (PA), EXAM
WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS||
GUARANTEED PASS|| LATEST VERSION 2026
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT &
HEALTH HISTORY (Questions 1–30)
1. What is the correct order of the nursing process?
Answer: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
(ADPIE).
2. What does SBAR stand for in handoff communication?
Answer: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation.
3. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action before beginning a physical
examination?
Answer: Establish a therapeutic relationship and explain the procedure to the
client.
4. Which patient should the nurse see FIRST?
Answer: A patient with new-onset chest pain and shortness of breath (ABCs
priority).
5. What are the four basic techniques of physical assessment?
Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
6. Which assessment technique should the nurse perform first for most
body systems?
Answer: Inspection.
7. What is the correct sequence for abdominal assessment?
Answer: Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation (IAPP).
8. Why is auscultation performed before palpation and percussion during
abdominal assessment?
Answer: Palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds.
,9. Which part of the hand is most sensitive to temperature?
Answer: The dorsal surface (back) of the hand.
10. Which part of the hand is used for fine discrimination (texture,
vibration, pulses)?
Answer: The fingertips.
11. Which technique uses tapping to assess underlying structures?
Answer: Percussion.
12. Which technique is used to assess tenderness, temperature, texture, and
masses?
Answer: Palpation.
13. What is the purpose of the health history?
Answer: To gather subjective data about the client's presenting concerns, past
medical history, family history, and review of systems.
14. What is an example of a correctly written nursing diagnosis?
Answer: Impaired skin integrity related to immobility as evidenced by stage 2
pressure ulcer.
15. What does the "R" in SBAR represent?
Answer: Recommendation.
16. What is the nurse doing when gathering data about a patient's health
status?
Answer: Performing the Assessment phase of the nursing process.
17. What is a priority when a patient becomes dizzy during an
examination?
Answer: Protect the patient from falling and assist to a safe position.
18. What BMI is generally classified as overweight in adults?
Answer: 26.2 (BMI 25–29.9 is overweight).
19. What is the first step of the nursing process?
Answer: Assessment.
20. What are the components of a comprehensive health assessment?
Answer: History taking, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
21. What is the purpose of draping a patient during examination?
Answer: To preserve dignity and privacy while allowing adequate access for
examination.
, 22. What should the nurse do first if a patient becomes unstable during an
examination?
Answer: Ensure patient safety (protect from falling, assist to safe position).
23. What is the correct sequence for a head-to-toe assessment in most body
systems?
Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation.
24. Which technique should be performed last during a general physical
assessment?
Answer: Auscultation (except for the abdomen, where it is performed second).
25. What is the nurse assessing when using the palmar surface of the hand?
Answer: Vibration.
26. What is the primary purpose of the review of systems (ROS)?
Answer: To gather subjective data about each body system to identify potential
problems.
27. What is the nurse's role in documenting assessment findings?
Answer: Recording, analyzing, and using assessment data in planning patient
care.
28. What is a key component of culturally competent assessment?
Answer: Discussing normal assessment findings, common variations from
normal, and cultural differences.
29. What is the purpose of establishing a therapeutic relationship before
assessment?
Answer: To obtain informed consent and reduce client anxiety.
30. What does the "A" in SBAR stand for?
Answer: Assessment (clinical findings, vitals, what the nurse thinks is
happening).
SECTION 2: GENERAL SURVEY & VITAL SIGNS (Questions 31–50)
31. What is the normal adult resting heart rate range?
Answer: 60–100 beats per minute.
32. What is the normal adult respiratory rate range?
Answer: 12–20 breaths per minute.
WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS||
GUARANTEED PASS|| LATEST VERSION 2026
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT &
HEALTH HISTORY (Questions 1–30)
1. What is the correct order of the nursing process?
Answer: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
(ADPIE).
2. What does SBAR stand for in handoff communication?
Answer: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation.
3. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action before beginning a physical
examination?
Answer: Establish a therapeutic relationship and explain the procedure to the
client.
4. Which patient should the nurse see FIRST?
Answer: A patient with new-onset chest pain and shortness of breath (ABCs
priority).
5. What are the four basic techniques of physical assessment?
Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
6. Which assessment technique should the nurse perform first for most
body systems?
Answer: Inspection.
7. What is the correct sequence for abdominal assessment?
Answer: Inspection, Auscultation, Percussion, Palpation (IAPP).
8. Why is auscultation performed before palpation and percussion during
abdominal assessment?
Answer: Palpation and percussion can alter bowel sounds.
,9. Which part of the hand is most sensitive to temperature?
Answer: The dorsal surface (back) of the hand.
10. Which part of the hand is used for fine discrimination (texture,
vibration, pulses)?
Answer: The fingertips.
11. Which technique uses tapping to assess underlying structures?
Answer: Percussion.
12. Which technique is used to assess tenderness, temperature, texture, and
masses?
Answer: Palpation.
13. What is the purpose of the health history?
Answer: To gather subjective data about the client's presenting concerns, past
medical history, family history, and review of systems.
14. What is an example of a correctly written nursing diagnosis?
Answer: Impaired skin integrity related to immobility as evidenced by stage 2
pressure ulcer.
15. What does the "R" in SBAR represent?
Answer: Recommendation.
16. What is the nurse doing when gathering data about a patient's health
status?
Answer: Performing the Assessment phase of the nursing process.
17. What is a priority when a patient becomes dizzy during an
examination?
Answer: Protect the patient from falling and assist to a safe position.
18. What BMI is generally classified as overweight in adults?
Answer: 26.2 (BMI 25–29.9 is overweight).
19. What is the first step of the nursing process?
Answer: Assessment.
20. What are the components of a comprehensive health assessment?
Answer: History taking, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
21. What is the purpose of draping a patient during examination?
Answer: To preserve dignity and privacy while allowing adequate access for
examination.
, 22. What should the nurse do first if a patient becomes unstable during an
examination?
Answer: Ensure patient safety (protect from falling, assist to safe position).
23. What is the correct sequence for a head-to-toe assessment in most body
systems?
Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation.
24. Which technique should be performed last during a general physical
assessment?
Answer: Auscultation (except for the abdomen, where it is performed second).
25. What is the nurse assessing when using the palmar surface of the hand?
Answer: Vibration.
26. What is the primary purpose of the review of systems (ROS)?
Answer: To gather subjective data about each body system to identify potential
problems.
27. What is the nurse's role in documenting assessment findings?
Answer: Recording, analyzing, and using assessment data in planning patient
care.
28. What is a key component of culturally competent assessment?
Answer: Discussing normal assessment findings, common variations from
normal, and cultural differences.
29. What is the purpose of establishing a therapeutic relationship before
assessment?
Answer: To obtain informed consent and reduce client anxiety.
30. What does the "A" in SBAR stand for?
Answer: Assessment (clinical findings, vitals, what the nurse thinks is
happening).
SECTION 2: GENERAL SURVEY & VITAL SIGNS (Questions 31–50)
31. What is the normal adult resting heart rate range?
Answer: 60–100 beats per minute.
32. What is the normal adult respiratory rate range?
Answer: 12–20 breaths per minute.
