NSG 3009 Exam 2 Principles
Assessment Review 2026/2027
– Practice Questions & Answers
with Detailed Rationales
Guaranteed Pass (GRADED A+)
1. Which action is most important when performing
an initial assessment of a patient?
A. Obtain the patient's complete family history
B. Determine the patient's immediate airway and
breathing status
C. Review the patient's discharge instructions
D. Ask about the patient's preferred pharmacy
Answer: _B. Determine the patient's immediate airway
and breathing status**_
Rationale: Airway and breathing are immediate priorities
during an initial assessment because compromise can
rapidly become life-threatening.
,2. Which finding is considered a normal adult
respiratory rate?
A. 6 breaths/min
B. 10 breaths/min
C. 16 breaths/min
D. 28 breaths/min
Answer: _C. 16 breaths/min**_
Rationale: A normal resting respiratory rate for most
adults is approximately 12–20 breaths per minute.
3. Which assessment technique is used first when
examining the abdomen?
A. Palpation
B. Percussion
C. Auscultation
D. Inspection
Answer: _D. Inspection**_
Rationale: Inspection is performed first. For abdominal
assessment, the usual sequence is inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
,4. Which pulse characteristic describes the force of
blood against the arterial wall?
A. Rhythm
B. Rate
C. Amplitude
D. Location
Answer: _C. Amplitude**_
Rationale: Pulse amplitude describes the strength or
force of the pulse.
5. A nurse is assessing pain using the numeric rating
scale. Which question is appropriate?
A. “Is your pain sharp or dull?”
B. “Where does the pain radiate?”
C. “On a scale of 0 to 10, what is your pain now?”
D. “What caused your pain?”
Answer: _C. “On a scale of 0 to 10, what is your pain
now?”_
Rationale: The numeric rating scale allows the patient to
quantify pain intensity, commonly from 0 indicating no
pain to 10 indicating the worst pain imaginable.
, 6. Which finding should the nurse recognize as a
possible indication of hypoxia?
A. Warm, dry skin
B. Cyanosis
C. Bradycardia during sleep
D. Increased appetite
Answer: _B. Cyanosis**_
Rationale: Cyanosis, particularly involving the lips or
mucous membranes, can indicate inadequate
oxygenation.
7. Which component of the health history identifies the
patient's current symptoms and concerns?
A. Family history
B. Social history
C. Chief complaint and history of present illness
D. Review of systems only
Answer: _C. Chief complaint and history of present
illness**_
Rationale: The chief complaint identifies why the patient
is seeking care, while the history of present illness
provides details about the current problem.
Assessment Review 2026/2027
– Practice Questions & Answers
with Detailed Rationales
Guaranteed Pass (GRADED A+)
1. Which action is most important when performing
an initial assessment of a patient?
A. Obtain the patient's complete family history
B. Determine the patient's immediate airway and
breathing status
C. Review the patient's discharge instructions
D. Ask about the patient's preferred pharmacy
Answer: _B. Determine the patient's immediate airway
and breathing status**_
Rationale: Airway and breathing are immediate priorities
during an initial assessment because compromise can
rapidly become life-threatening.
,2. Which finding is considered a normal adult
respiratory rate?
A. 6 breaths/min
B. 10 breaths/min
C. 16 breaths/min
D. 28 breaths/min
Answer: _C. 16 breaths/min**_
Rationale: A normal resting respiratory rate for most
adults is approximately 12–20 breaths per minute.
3. Which assessment technique is used first when
examining the abdomen?
A. Palpation
B. Percussion
C. Auscultation
D. Inspection
Answer: _D. Inspection**_
Rationale: Inspection is performed first. For abdominal
assessment, the usual sequence is inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation.
,4. Which pulse characteristic describes the force of
blood against the arterial wall?
A. Rhythm
B. Rate
C. Amplitude
D. Location
Answer: _C. Amplitude**_
Rationale: Pulse amplitude describes the strength or
force of the pulse.
5. A nurse is assessing pain using the numeric rating
scale. Which question is appropriate?
A. “Is your pain sharp or dull?”
B. “Where does the pain radiate?”
C. “On a scale of 0 to 10, what is your pain now?”
D. “What caused your pain?”
Answer: _C. “On a scale of 0 to 10, what is your pain
now?”_
Rationale: The numeric rating scale allows the patient to
quantify pain intensity, commonly from 0 indicating no
pain to 10 indicating the worst pain imaginable.
, 6. Which finding should the nurse recognize as a
possible indication of hypoxia?
A. Warm, dry skin
B. Cyanosis
C. Bradycardia during sleep
D. Increased appetite
Answer: _B. Cyanosis**_
Rationale: Cyanosis, particularly involving the lips or
mucous membranes, can indicate inadequate
oxygenation.
7. Which component of the health history identifies the
patient's current symptoms and concerns?
A. Family history
B. Social history
C. Chief complaint and history of present illness
D. Review of systems only
Answer: _C. Chief complaint and history of present
illness**_
Rationale: The chief complaint identifies why the patient
is seeking care, while the history of present illness
provides details about the current problem.
