CMSRN TESTED QUESTIONS AND
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ The nurse is assessing pain in a patient with appendicitis.
Which initial statement or question will be most
effective in eliciting information?
A. "Tell me how you feel."
B. "Point to where you're feeling pain."
C. "Does your pain medication relieve your pain?"
D. "Coughing makes your pain worse, doesn't it?"
Answer: A. "Tell me how you feel."
Rationale: Asking the patient to describe how he's feeling is an
open-ended question, allowing
for the widest range of responses.
Asking the patient to point to his pain (Option B) may be an
important follow-up question but is too limiting to be the nurse's
first question. Asking if pain medication relieves his pain (Option
C) is a closed question requiring only a yes-or-no response and
should be avoided.
Option D is leading as well as closed. It suggests to the patient that
coughing should make his pain
worse.
,◉ When performing an abdominal assessment, the nurse should
follow which examination sequence?
A. Auscultation, inspection, percussion, palpation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Palpation, auscultation, percussion, inspection
D. Percussion, palpation, auscultation, inspection
Answer: B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Rationale: The correct sequence for abdominal assessment is
inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation because this
sequence prevents altering bowel sounds with palpation before
auscultation. The correct sequence for all other assessments is
inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
◉ To maintain a therapeutic environment with a patient and his
family, the nurse can use communication
techniques such as clarifi cation. An example of clarifi cation is:
A. "How is it going?"
B. "You say you aren't concerned, but you've asked me many
questions on this same subject."
C. "What do you mean when you say...?"
D. "For now, I would like to concentrate on..."
Answer: C. "What do you mean when you say...?"
,Rationale: Option C is an example of clarification or seeking
validation. Option A isn't an example of clarification but is instead
an example of a broad-opening technique. Option B is an example
of confrontation, which calls attention to discrepancies in what
the patient is saying. Option D is an example of focusing or helping
the patient direct his thoughts.
◉ In the stages of death and dying as defi ned by Elisabeth Kubler-
Ross, loss, grief, and intense sadness are
symptoms of:
A. depression.
B. denial.
C. anger.
D. acceptance.
Answer: A. depression.
Rationale: Loss, grief, and intense sadness indicate depression.
Denial (Option B) is indicated by the refusal to admit the truth or
reality. Anger (Option C) is manifested by rage and resentment.
Acceptance (Option D) is evidenced by a gradual, peaceful
withdrawal from life.
◉ In the levels of basic human needs as defi ned by Abraham
Maslow, which of the following levels is most
basic?
A. Physiologic
, B. Safety and security
C. Love, affection, and belonging
D. Esteem
Answer: A. Physiologic
Rationale: Physiologic needs (Option A) are the most basic needs
and essential for sustaining
life. Once physiologic needs are met, needs for safety and security
(Option B) can be met, followed by love, affection, and belonging
(Option C), and esteem (Option D).
◉ According to the stages of development, what confl ict does the
older adult experience?
A. Intimacy versus isolation
B. Generativity versus stagnation
C. Identity versus role confusion
D. Integrity versus despair
Answer: D. Integrity versus despair
Rationale: The key confl ict the older adult (age 66 and older)
faces is integrity versus despair.
Intimacy versus isolation
(Option A) is the key conflict in young adulthood;
generativity versus stagnation
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ The nurse is assessing pain in a patient with appendicitis.
Which initial statement or question will be most
effective in eliciting information?
A. "Tell me how you feel."
B. "Point to where you're feeling pain."
C. "Does your pain medication relieve your pain?"
D. "Coughing makes your pain worse, doesn't it?"
Answer: A. "Tell me how you feel."
Rationale: Asking the patient to describe how he's feeling is an
open-ended question, allowing
for the widest range of responses.
Asking the patient to point to his pain (Option B) may be an
important follow-up question but is too limiting to be the nurse's
first question. Asking if pain medication relieves his pain (Option
C) is a closed question requiring only a yes-or-no response and
should be avoided.
Option D is leading as well as closed. It suggests to the patient that
coughing should make his pain
worse.
,◉ When performing an abdominal assessment, the nurse should
follow which examination sequence?
A. Auscultation, inspection, percussion, palpation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Palpation, auscultation, percussion, inspection
D. Percussion, palpation, auscultation, inspection
Answer: B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Rationale: The correct sequence for abdominal assessment is
inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation because this
sequence prevents altering bowel sounds with palpation before
auscultation. The correct sequence for all other assessments is
inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
◉ To maintain a therapeutic environment with a patient and his
family, the nurse can use communication
techniques such as clarifi cation. An example of clarifi cation is:
A. "How is it going?"
B. "You say you aren't concerned, but you've asked me many
questions on this same subject."
C. "What do you mean when you say...?"
D. "For now, I would like to concentrate on..."
Answer: C. "What do you mean when you say...?"
,Rationale: Option C is an example of clarification or seeking
validation. Option A isn't an example of clarification but is instead
an example of a broad-opening technique. Option B is an example
of confrontation, which calls attention to discrepancies in what
the patient is saying. Option D is an example of focusing or helping
the patient direct his thoughts.
◉ In the stages of death and dying as defi ned by Elisabeth Kubler-
Ross, loss, grief, and intense sadness are
symptoms of:
A. depression.
B. denial.
C. anger.
D. acceptance.
Answer: A. depression.
Rationale: Loss, grief, and intense sadness indicate depression.
Denial (Option B) is indicated by the refusal to admit the truth or
reality. Anger (Option C) is manifested by rage and resentment.
Acceptance (Option D) is evidenced by a gradual, peaceful
withdrawal from life.
◉ In the levels of basic human needs as defi ned by Abraham
Maslow, which of the following levels is most
basic?
A. Physiologic
, B. Safety and security
C. Love, affection, and belonging
D. Esteem
Answer: A. Physiologic
Rationale: Physiologic needs (Option A) are the most basic needs
and essential for sustaining
life. Once physiologic needs are met, needs for safety and security
(Option B) can be met, followed by love, affection, and belonging
(Option C), and esteem (Option D).
◉ According to the stages of development, what confl ict does the
older adult experience?
A. Intimacy versus isolation
B. Generativity versus stagnation
C. Identity versus role confusion
D. Integrity versus despair
Answer: D. Integrity versus despair
Rationale: The key confl ict the older adult (age 66 and older)
faces is integrity versus despair.
Intimacy versus isolation
(Option A) is the key conflict in young adulthood;
generativity versus stagnation
