WGU Advanced Health Assessment PRACTICE
TEST 2026 | QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS &
DETAILED EXPLANATIONS STUDY GUIDE
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR INSTANT
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,1–20: General Assessment, History, and Techniques
1. Which assessment technique is performed first during an abdominal exam?
- Answer: Inspection
- Rationale: Inspection must precede auscultation, percussion, and palpation because palpation and percussion can alter
bowel sounds.
2. What is the correct order of assessment techniques for most physical exams?
- Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
- Rationale: This order prevents alteration of findings; abdominal exam is the exception (inspection, auscultation,
percussion, palpation).
3. Which type of history includes the patient’s reason for seeking care?
- Answer: Chief complaint
- Rationale: The chief complaint is the primary symptom or concern in the patient’s own words.
4. What does OLDCARTS stand for in symptom analysis?
- Answer: Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity
- Rationale: OLDCARTS provides a comprehensive symptom history.
, 5. Which technique uses the hands to detect temperature, texture, and moisture?
- Answer: Palpation
- Rationale: Palpation assesses surface and deeper characteristics using touch.
6. What is the purpose of percussion?
- Answer: To assess underlying tissue density by sound
- Rationale: Percussion produces sounds (tympany, dullness, resonance) that indicate air, fluid, or solid structures.
7. Which sound is heard over normal lung tissue?
- Answer: Resonance
- Rationale: Resonant sounds are low-pitched, clear, and hollow over healthy lung tissue.
8. Which sound is heard over the liver?
- Answer: Dullness
- Rationale: Dense organs like the liver produce dull percussion notes.
9. What is the normal adult resting heart rate range?
- Answer: 60–100 beats per minute
TEST 2026 | QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS &
DETAILED EXPLANATIONS STUDY GUIDE
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
,1–20: General Assessment, History, and Techniques
1. Which assessment technique is performed first during an abdominal exam?
- Answer: Inspection
- Rationale: Inspection must precede auscultation, percussion, and palpation because palpation and percussion can alter
bowel sounds.
2. What is the correct order of assessment techniques for most physical exams?
- Answer: Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
- Rationale: This order prevents alteration of findings; abdominal exam is the exception (inspection, auscultation,
percussion, palpation).
3. Which type of history includes the patient’s reason for seeking care?
- Answer: Chief complaint
- Rationale: The chief complaint is the primary symptom or concern in the patient’s own words.
4. What does OLDCARTS stand for in symptom analysis?
- Answer: Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity
- Rationale: OLDCARTS provides a comprehensive symptom history.
, 5. Which technique uses the hands to detect temperature, texture, and moisture?
- Answer: Palpation
- Rationale: Palpation assesses surface and deeper characteristics using touch.
6. What is the purpose of percussion?
- Answer: To assess underlying tissue density by sound
- Rationale: Percussion produces sounds (tympany, dullness, resonance) that indicate air, fluid, or solid structures.
7. Which sound is heard over normal lung tissue?
- Answer: Resonance
- Rationale: Resonant sounds are low-pitched, clear, and hollow over healthy lung tissue.
8. Which sound is heard over the liver?
- Answer: Dullness
- Rationale: Dense organs like the liver produce dull percussion notes.
9. What is the normal adult resting heart rate range?
- Answer: 60–100 beats per minute
