NURS 612 FINAL EXAM REVIEW OF
420 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES GRADED A
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY/ NURS
612 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT FINAL EXAM PREP-
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS
NURS 612 Advanced Health Assessment Practice Exam
Course: Maryville University NURS 612 | Format: Multiple-choice & select-all-that-apply
| Focus: Advanced health assessment across the lifespan
Section 1: Interviewing, Health History & Communication
1. During a comprehensive health assessment, which component should the
advanced practice nurse complete first?
A. Percussion
B. Palpation
C. Inspection
D. Auscultation
,Rationale: Inspection involves systematic visual observation and is performed first
because subsequent techniques (palpation, percussion, auscultation) can alter findings.
This sequence is fundamental to all physical examination techniques .
2. Which question is most appropriate when beginning the history of a patient's
chief concern?
A. "You don't smoke, do you?"
B. "Tell me what brought you in today."
C. "Is your pain caused by your medication?"
D. "You have had this problem before, correct?"
Rationale: An open-ended question encourages the patient to describe the concern in
their own words without introducing assumptions. Leading questions (A, C, D) may
influence responses and limit clinically important information .
3. A patient presents with a chief complaint of "I feel dizzy." Which of the
following is the MOST appropriate follow-up question?
A. "Do you have high blood pressure?"
B. "Can you describe exactly what you mean by dizzy?"
C. "Have you been taking any new medications?"
D. "Are you diabetic?"
Rationale: "Dizzy" is a vague symptom that requires clarification before determining its
clinical significance. Asking the patient to describe what they mean by dizzy helps
distinguish between vertigo, lightheadedness, disequilibrium, and presyncope .
4. What is the primary purpose of the review of systems (ROS)?
A. To confirm the patient's chief complaint
B. To systematically identify symptoms the patient may not have mentioned
,C. To document past medical history
D. To complete the physical examination
Rationale: The ROS is a comprehensive screening tool that evaluates each body system
for symptoms the patient may have forgotten or not considered relevant. It ensures a
thorough assessment beyond the chief complaint .
5. A patient who is a poor historian is being interviewed. Which strategy is most
appropriate?
A. Limit the interview to yes/no questions
B. Interview a family member or caregiver with the patient's permission
C. Skip the history and proceed with physical exam
D. Ask the patient to fill out a written questionnaire
Rationale: When the patient is unable to provide accurate information, collateral
information from family members can be invaluable. The patient's permission should be
obtained when possible to maintain trust and confidentiality .
6. Which interviewing technique is MOST likely to increase the accuracy of the
patient's history?
A. Using leading questions to confirm suspicions
B. Interrupting the patient to keep the interview on track
C. Asking the patient to describe events in chronological order
D. Relying exclusively on a computer-based questionnaire
Rationale: A chronological narrative helps the patient recall details and helps the
clinician understand the sequence and potential relationships among symptoms. This
approach reduces bias and improves diagnostic accuracy .
7. The "BATHE" technique is used for:
, A. Assessing pain
B. Taking a psychosocial history
C. Assessing mental status
D. Performing a skin assessment
Rationale: BATHE (Background, Affect, Trouble, Handling, Empathy) is a psychosocial
assessment technique used to explore the patient's emotional state and coping
mechanisms. It helps uncover psychosocial factors affecting health .
8. When interviewing an older adult, which approach is most appropriate?
A. Speak extremely loudly because most older adults have significant hearing
impairment
B. Provide a written questionnaire in place of an interview
C. Position yourself facing the patient
D. Dim the lights to decrease anxiety
Rationale: Facing the patient facilitates hearing and, when appropriate, lip reading or
visual communication. Speaking loudly is not universally appropriate and may be
perceived as demeaning. Adequate lighting is important for visual cues and safety .
9. Which component of the health history includes information about previous
illnesses, surgeries, and hospitalizations?
A. Chief complaint
B. Past medical history
C. Review of systems
D. Family history
Rationale: Past medical history includes previous illnesses, operations, hospitalizations,
injuries, and other significant medical events. This information provides context for the
current health concern .
420 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES GRADED A
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY/ NURS
612 ADVANCED HEALTH
ASSESSMENT FINAL EXAM PREP-
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS
NURS 612 Advanced Health Assessment Practice Exam
Course: Maryville University NURS 612 | Format: Multiple-choice & select-all-that-apply
| Focus: Advanced health assessment across the lifespan
Section 1: Interviewing, Health History & Communication
1. During a comprehensive health assessment, which component should the
advanced practice nurse complete first?
A. Percussion
B. Palpation
C. Inspection
D. Auscultation
,Rationale: Inspection involves systematic visual observation and is performed first
because subsequent techniques (palpation, percussion, auscultation) can alter findings.
This sequence is fundamental to all physical examination techniques .
2. Which question is most appropriate when beginning the history of a patient's
chief concern?
A. "You don't smoke, do you?"
B. "Tell me what brought you in today."
C. "Is your pain caused by your medication?"
D. "You have had this problem before, correct?"
Rationale: An open-ended question encourages the patient to describe the concern in
their own words without introducing assumptions. Leading questions (A, C, D) may
influence responses and limit clinically important information .
3. A patient presents with a chief complaint of "I feel dizzy." Which of the
following is the MOST appropriate follow-up question?
A. "Do you have high blood pressure?"
B. "Can you describe exactly what you mean by dizzy?"
C. "Have you been taking any new medications?"
D. "Are you diabetic?"
Rationale: "Dizzy" is a vague symptom that requires clarification before determining its
clinical significance. Asking the patient to describe what they mean by dizzy helps
distinguish between vertigo, lightheadedness, disequilibrium, and presyncope .
4. What is the primary purpose of the review of systems (ROS)?
A. To confirm the patient's chief complaint
B. To systematically identify symptoms the patient may not have mentioned
,C. To document past medical history
D. To complete the physical examination
Rationale: The ROS is a comprehensive screening tool that evaluates each body system
for symptoms the patient may have forgotten or not considered relevant. It ensures a
thorough assessment beyond the chief complaint .
5. A patient who is a poor historian is being interviewed. Which strategy is most
appropriate?
A. Limit the interview to yes/no questions
B. Interview a family member or caregiver with the patient's permission
C. Skip the history and proceed with physical exam
D. Ask the patient to fill out a written questionnaire
Rationale: When the patient is unable to provide accurate information, collateral
information from family members can be invaluable. The patient's permission should be
obtained when possible to maintain trust and confidentiality .
6. Which interviewing technique is MOST likely to increase the accuracy of the
patient's history?
A. Using leading questions to confirm suspicions
B. Interrupting the patient to keep the interview on track
C. Asking the patient to describe events in chronological order
D. Relying exclusively on a computer-based questionnaire
Rationale: A chronological narrative helps the patient recall details and helps the
clinician understand the sequence and potential relationships among symptoms. This
approach reduces bias and improves diagnostic accuracy .
7. The "BATHE" technique is used for:
, A. Assessing pain
B. Taking a psychosocial history
C. Assessing mental status
D. Performing a skin assessment
Rationale: BATHE (Background, Affect, Trouble, Handling, Empathy) is a psychosocial
assessment technique used to explore the patient's emotional state and coping
mechanisms. It helps uncover psychosocial factors affecting health .
8. When interviewing an older adult, which approach is most appropriate?
A. Speak extremely loudly because most older adults have significant hearing
impairment
B. Provide a written questionnaire in place of an interview
C. Position yourself facing the patient
D. Dim the lights to decrease anxiety
Rationale: Facing the patient facilitates hearing and, when appropriate, lip reading or
visual communication. Speaking loudly is not universally appropriate and may be
perceived as demeaning. Adequate lighting is important for visual cues and safety .
9. Which component of the health history includes information about previous
illnesses, surgeries, and hospitalizations?
A. Chief complaint
B. Past medical history
C. Review of systems
D. Family history
Rationale: Past medical history includes previous illnesses, operations, hospitalizations,
injuries, and other significant medical events. This information provides context for the
current health concern .
