NUA 5950 Final Exam – Comprehensive Study
Guide, Exam Questions & 100% Verified
Answers | Complete Final Review
2026–2027
,What is the purpose of documentation in clinical practice? It provides necessary documentation for payer reimbursement, creates a legal
record, and is crucial for legal proceedings.
What is problem-centered history? focused assessment based on the chief complaint, designed to elicit the required
information to narrow down the differential diagnoses to guide the assessment and
language for your patient
What must your differential diagnosis be supported by? subjective and objective assessment findings/documentation
Physical Exam: Pregnant Patient Same sequence as adult, but requires more inclusive assessment of the abdomen
and pelvis.
Remember is more difficult for a pregnant patient to assume the supine position.
Preferred method: side-lying
Have pregnant patient empty her bladder prior to examination
Physical Exam: Neonatal Patient Important to look carefully before touching
Inspecting without disturbing the baby is the key
Visual assessment provides many clues in determining diagnosis and includes
these key characteristics:
- awareness, alertness, responsiveness, and playfulness
- posture
- flaccidity, tension, and spasticity
- gross deformities
- spontaneity in behavior
- obvious and subtle interaction between parents and child
- feeding, sucking, and swallowing
Sequence: head/fontanels, extremities, abdomen, and body
Otoscope (invasive) last.
Physical Exam: Pediatric Patient Always allow parent on the examination table
Take in consideration of developmental stage
Establish comfort before examination
Allow children to touch equipment used during the examination
Physical Exam: Geriatric Patient The elderly may have difficulty assuming positions
Reaction time is longer
Need to obtain functional assessment
- ability of the elderly to deal with the daily demands of life
- how to shape your management plan
- level of instruction you can provide
- ability of the patient to comply with the management plan
Newborn (0-1 month) Physical Exam Milestone Head: Anterior fontanelle open and flat; posterior fontanelle may be closed.
Eyes: Red reflex present; may have transient strabismus.
Reflexes: Primitive reflexes present (Moro, rooting, grasp, stepping).
Tone: Flexed posture with spontaneous movements.
Weight: May lose up to 10% of birth weight in first few days, regained by 10-14
days.
, Infant (1-12 Month) Physical Exam Milestone Head: Head control improves (by 2-4 months); fontanelle closes (~12-18 months).
Neuro: Sits without support (~6 months); pulls to stand (~9 months).
Motor: Rolls over (~4-6 months); pincer grasp (~9-10 months); cruises or walks with
support (~12 months).
Growth: Birth weight doubles by 6 months, triples by 1 year.
Toddler (1-3 years) Physical Exam Milestones Gait: Walks independently (~12-15 months); climbs stairs (~2 years).
Speech: Uses 2-word phrases (~2 years); 50+ word vocabulary.
Fine motor: Builds a 2-4 block tower; turns book pages.
Social: Parallel play; separation anxiety may persist.
Preschool (3-5 years) Physical Exam Milestones Motor: Hops on one foot (~4 years); skips (~5 years).
Speech: Speaks in full sentences; strangers understand most words by 4.
Cognitive: Knows colors, counts a few numbers (~4-5 years).
Social: Cooperative play; imaginative play.
School-Age (6-12 year) Physical Exam Milestones Growth: Steady height and weight increases; growth spurts before puberty.
Motor: Improved coordination and balance; rides a bike, writes clearly.
Cognitive: Concrete thinking, improved attention span.
Puberty: Tanner stage 1-2 usually begins around age 8-13 in girls, 9-14 in boys.
Adolescent (13-18 years) Growth: Pubertal growth spurt; completion of Tanner stages.
Development: Abstract thinking; identity formation.
Physical Exam:
Girls: Breast development (Tanner stages), menarche.
Boys: Testicular enlargement is the first sign of puberty.
Privacy: Perform exams with modesty and confidentiality.
What does the acronym OLD-CARTS stand for in the Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Alleviating/Aggravating factors, Radiation,
context of health history? Timing, Severity.
What are the components of a SOAP note? Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan.
What is the importance of patient interaction during the Empathize, listen to the patient, validate their feelings, and adjust the exam for
clinical assessment? special needs.
Macule < 1 cm in diameter, flat, non-palpable, discolored
examples: freckle, melasma, vitiligo, drug eruption (red), mongolian spot
Guide, Exam Questions & 100% Verified
Answers | Complete Final Review
2026–2027
,What is the purpose of documentation in clinical practice? It provides necessary documentation for payer reimbursement, creates a legal
record, and is crucial for legal proceedings.
What is problem-centered history? focused assessment based on the chief complaint, designed to elicit the required
information to narrow down the differential diagnoses to guide the assessment and
language for your patient
What must your differential diagnosis be supported by? subjective and objective assessment findings/documentation
Physical Exam: Pregnant Patient Same sequence as adult, but requires more inclusive assessment of the abdomen
and pelvis.
Remember is more difficult for a pregnant patient to assume the supine position.
Preferred method: side-lying
Have pregnant patient empty her bladder prior to examination
Physical Exam: Neonatal Patient Important to look carefully before touching
Inspecting without disturbing the baby is the key
Visual assessment provides many clues in determining diagnosis and includes
these key characteristics:
- awareness, alertness, responsiveness, and playfulness
- posture
- flaccidity, tension, and spasticity
- gross deformities
- spontaneity in behavior
- obvious and subtle interaction between parents and child
- feeding, sucking, and swallowing
Sequence: head/fontanels, extremities, abdomen, and body
Otoscope (invasive) last.
Physical Exam: Pediatric Patient Always allow parent on the examination table
Take in consideration of developmental stage
Establish comfort before examination
Allow children to touch equipment used during the examination
Physical Exam: Geriatric Patient The elderly may have difficulty assuming positions
Reaction time is longer
Need to obtain functional assessment
- ability of the elderly to deal with the daily demands of life
- how to shape your management plan
- level of instruction you can provide
- ability of the patient to comply with the management plan
Newborn (0-1 month) Physical Exam Milestone Head: Anterior fontanelle open and flat; posterior fontanelle may be closed.
Eyes: Red reflex present; may have transient strabismus.
Reflexes: Primitive reflexes present (Moro, rooting, grasp, stepping).
Tone: Flexed posture with spontaneous movements.
Weight: May lose up to 10% of birth weight in first few days, regained by 10-14
days.
, Infant (1-12 Month) Physical Exam Milestone Head: Head control improves (by 2-4 months); fontanelle closes (~12-18 months).
Neuro: Sits without support (~6 months); pulls to stand (~9 months).
Motor: Rolls over (~4-6 months); pincer grasp (~9-10 months); cruises or walks with
support (~12 months).
Growth: Birth weight doubles by 6 months, triples by 1 year.
Toddler (1-3 years) Physical Exam Milestones Gait: Walks independently (~12-15 months); climbs stairs (~2 years).
Speech: Uses 2-word phrases (~2 years); 50+ word vocabulary.
Fine motor: Builds a 2-4 block tower; turns book pages.
Social: Parallel play; separation anxiety may persist.
Preschool (3-5 years) Physical Exam Milestones Motor: Hops on one foot (~4 years); skips (~5 years).
Speech: Speaks in full sentences; strangers understand most words by 4.
Cognitive: Knows colors, counts a few numbers (~4-5 years).
Social: Cooperative play; imaginative play.
School-Age (6-12 year) Physical Exam Milestones Growth: Steady height and weight increases; growth spurts before puberty.
Motor: Improved coordination and balance; rides a bike, writes clearly.
Cognitive: Concrete thinking, improved attention span.
Puberty: Tanner stage 1-2 usually begins around age 8-13 in girls, 9-14 in boys.
Adolescent (13-18 years) Growth: Pubertal growth spurt; completion of Tanner stages.
Development: Abstract thinking; identity formation.
Physical Exam:
Girls: Breast development (Tanner stages), menarche.
Boys: Testicular enlargement is the first sign of puberty.
Privacy: Perform exams with modesty and confidentiality.
What does the acronym OLD-CARTS stand for in the Onset, Location, Duration, Character, Alleviating/Aggravating factors, Radiation,
context of health history? Timing, Severity.
What are the components of a SOAP note? Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan.
What is the importance of patient interaction during the Empathize, listen to the patient, validate their feelings, and adjust the exam for
clinical assessment? special needs.
Macule < 1 cm in diameter, flat, non-palpable, discolored
examples: freckle, melasma, vitiligo, drug eruption (red), mongolian spot
