NURS 5220 EXAM 1 (2026/2027) ADVANCED
HEALTH ASSESSMENT | UTA QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A |
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
CORE DOMAINS
• Comprehensive Health History and Communication
• Dermatological Assessment
• HEENT and Cranial Nerve Assessment
• Cardiovascular Assessment
• Respiratory Assessment
• Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Assessment
• Musculoskeletal Assessment
• Neurological Assessment
• Cultural Competence and Special Populations
• Diagnostic Reasoning and Clinical Decision-Making
INTRODUCTION
The NURS 5220 Exam 1 for Advanced Health Assessment at the
University of Texas at Arlington is designed to evaluate the graduate
nursing student's competency in comprehensive patient assessment
and diagnostic reasoning. This examination assesses knowledge of
health history taking, therapeutic communication, cultural
,competence, and system-based physical assessment across the
lifespan. The test employs multiple-choice and scenario-based
questions that emphasize real-world clinical application, critical
thinking, and evidence-based decision-making. It rigorously
evaluates the ability to differentiate normal from abnormal findings,
prioritize clinical data, and formulate appropriate diagnostic
conclusions, ensuring readiness for advanced practice nursing roles.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A nurse practitioner is obtaining a health history from a new
patient. Which of the following data is considered subjective?
A. Blood pressure of 142/88 mm Hg
B. Patient reports a headache for 3 days
C. Temperature of 101.2°F
D. Heart rate of 92 beats per minute
B. Patient reports a headache for 3 days
RATIONALE: Subjective data includes information the patient
reports, such as symptoms, feelings, and perceptions. A headache
reported by the patient is subjective. Blood pressure, temperature,
and heart rate are objective data measured by the examiner.
2. A nurse practitioner is interviewing a patient who becomes
defensive when asked about alcohol use. Which of the
following responses demonstrates the most advanced
therapeutic communication technique?
,A. "I ask all my patients about alcohol use as part of routine
screening."
B. "You're right to be concerned. Let me skip that question."
C. "I can see this question makes you uncomfortable. I ask everyone
about alcohol because it affects health in ways people often don't
realize. Would you be willing to tell me about your typical week?"
D. "It's standard protocol. I have to ask or I'll get in trouble."
C. "I can see this question makes you uncomfortable. I ask
everyone about alcohol because it affects health in ways people
often don't realize. Would you be willing to tell me about your
typical week?"
RATIONALE: This response demonstrates advanced
motivational interviewing principles: validation of emotion,
normalization, reframing the purpose, and offering autonomy. It
addresses the patient's discomfort while maintaining clinical
objectives and preserves the therapeutic alliance.
3. A 67-year-old female mentions "occasional chest
discomfort" when climbing stairs, which she attributes to "just
getting older." She quickly changes the subject. What is the
priority action for the nurse practitioner?
A. Respect her attribution and continue with the musculoskeletal
history.
B. Redirect back to the chest discomfort using focused questions to
characterize the symptom.
, C. Immediately order an EKG and troponin.
D. Document "patient denies cardiac symptoms."
B. Redirect back to the chest discomfort using focused questions
to characterize the symptom.
RATIONALE: The patient is presenting a potential angina
equivalent. The priority is to characterize the symptom using the
OLDCARTS framework (Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating factors, Relieving factors, Timing, Severity).
Attributing it to age and changing the subject does not eliminate
the need for further investigation.
4. A nurse practitioner is assessing a patient's functional
status. For which age group is a functional assessment the
most critical?
A. Children
B. Adolescents
C. Adults
D. Older adults
D. Older adults
RATIONALE: Functional assessment is most critical in older
adults because it evaluates their ability to perform activities of daily
living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).
This assessment helps identify needs for support services and
guides care planning.
HEALTH ASSESSMENT | UTA QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A |
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
CORE DOMAINS
• Comprehensive Health History and Communication
• Dermatological Assessment
• HEENT and Cranial Nerve Assessment
• Cardiovascular Assessment
• Respiratory Assessment
• Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Assessment
• Musculoskeletal Assessment
• Neurological Assessment
• Cultural Competence and Special Populations
• Diagnostic Reasoning and Clinical Decision-Making
INTRODUCTION
The NURS 5220 Exam 1 for Advanced Health Assessment at the
University of Texas at Arlington is designed to evaluate the graduate
nursing student's competency in comprehensive patient assessment
and diagnostic reasoning. This examination assesses knowledge of
health history taking, therapeutic communication, cultural
,competence, and system-based physical assessment across the
lifespan. The test employs multiple-choice and scenario-based
questions that emphasize real-world clinical application, critical
thinking, and evidence-based decision-making. It rigorously
evaluates the ability to differentiate normal from abnormal findings,
prioritize clinical data, and formulate appropriate diagnostic
conclusions, ensuring readiness for advanced practice nursing roles.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A nurse practitioner is obtaining a health history from a new
patient. Which of the following data is considered subjective?
A. Blood pressure of 142/88 mm Hg
B. Patient reports a headache for 3 days
C. Temperature of 101.2°F
D. Heart rate of 92 beats per minute
B. Patient reports a headache for 3 days
RATIONALE: Subjective data includes information the patient
reports, such as symptoms, feelings, and perceptions. A headache
reported by the patient is subjective. Blood pressure, temperature,
and heart rate are objective data measured by the examiner.
2. A nurse practitioner is interviewing a patient who becomes
defensive when asked about alcohol use. Which of the
following responses demonstrates the most advanced
therapeutic communication technique?
,A. "I ask all my patients about alcohol use as part of routine
screening."
B. "You're right to be concerned. Let me skip that question."
C. "I can see this question makes you uncomfortable. I ask everyone
about alcohol because it affects health in ways people often don't
realize. Would you be willing to tell me about your typical week?"
D. "It's standard protocol. I have to ask or I'll get in trouble."
C. "I can see this question makes you uncomfortable. I ask
everyone about alcohol because it affects health in ways people
often don't realize. Would you be willing to tell me about your
typical week?"
RATIONALE: This response demonstrates advanced
motivational interviewing principles: validation of emotion,
normalization, reframing the purpose, and offering autonomy. It
addresses the patient's discomfort while maintaining clinical
objectives and preserves the therapeutic alliance.
3. A 67-year-old female mentions "occasional chest
discomfort" when climbing stairs, which she attributes to "just
getting older." She quickly changes the subject. What is the
priority action for the nurse practitioner?
A. Respect her attribution and continue with the musculoskeletal
history.
B. Redirect back to the chest discomfort using focused questions to
characterize the symptom.
, C. Immediately order an EKG and troponin.
D. Document "patient denies cardiac symptoms."
B. Redirect back to the chest discomfort using focused questions
to characterize the symptom.
RATIONALE: The patient is presenting a potential angina
equivalent. The priority is to characterize the symptom using the
OLDCARTS framework (Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating factors, Relieving factors, Timing, Severity).
Attributing it to age and changing the subject does not eliminate
the need for further investigation.
4. A nurse practitioner is assessing a patient's functional
status. For which age group is a functional assessment the
most critical?
A. Children
B. Adolescents
C. Adults
D. Older adults
D. Older adults
RATIONALE: Functional assessment is most critical in older
adults because it evaluates their ability to perform activities of daily
living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).
This assessment helps identify needs for support services and
guides care planning.
