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NSG6020 Comprehensive Final Exam Test
Bank 2026 – 100 Most Tested Questions
with Accurate Detailed Answers and
Rationales
1. Heberden's nodes are commonly found in which disease?
Answer: Degenerative joint disease
Rationale: Heberden's nodes are bony enlargements of the distal
interphalangeal joints and are characteristic of osteoarthritis, also called
degenerative joint disease.
2. A 25-year-old teacher presents with fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss.
She likely has hypothyroidism. What skin findings are expected?
Answer: Dry and rough skin
Rationale: Hypothyroidism decreases sebaceous and sweat gland
activity, causing dry, coarse, rough skin, often with cool temperature and
pallor.
3. A patient with joint pain is being assessed to determine if the process
is inflammatory or noninflammatory. Which symptom is consistent with
inflammation?
Answer: Tenderness
Rationale: Inflammatory joint pain typically includes tenderness,
swelling, warmth, erythema, and morning stiffness lasting more than 30
minutes.
,2
4. A 68-year-old retired farmer has a flattened papule on the forehead,
same color as skin, covered by a dry, round, hard scale. Similar lesions
are on arms and legs. What is the likely diagnosis?
Answer: Actinic keratosis
Rationale: Actinic keratosis is a premalignant skin lesion caused by sun
exposure. It presents as a rough, scaly, flat papule on sun-exposed areas.
5. A 28-year-old graduate student reports pain all over, worse in neck,
shoulders, hands, low back, and knees. She denies joint swelling. Pain is
worse in the morning. She has tender points on muscles but normal
strength and range of motion. What is the likely cause?
Answer: Fibromyalgia
Rationale: Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal
pain, multiple tender points, fatigue, and normal joint examination
without swelling or deformity.
6. A new patient has severe pruritus worse at night. Family members
also have similar symptoms. Examination shows excoriated papules in
interdigital webs of hands and axillae. What is this most consistent with?
Answer: Scabies
Rationale: Scabies causes intense pruritus, especially at night, with
burrows and excoriated papules in web spaces, wrists, axillae, and
genitalia. It spreads among household members.
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7. An obese 55-year-old woman had menarche at age 16 and menopause
2 years ago. She is concerned about osteoporosis because an aunt had
severe osteoporosis. Which factor is a risk factor for osteoporosis?
Answer: Delayed menarche
Rationale: Delayed menarche reduces lifetime estrogen exposure, which
decreases peak bone mass and increases osteoporosis risk.
8. A 58-year-old man has bilateral back pain that awakens him at night
and has increased over 2 months. Which finding is most reassuring?
Answer: Pain that is bilateral
Rationale: Bilateral back pain is less likely to indicate a focal malignant or
infectious process. Unilateral, night pain, and progressive pain are more
concerning.
9. The Phalen's test is used to evaluate which condition?
Answer: Inflammation of the median nerve
Rationale: Phalen's test is used to assess carpal tunnel syndrome, which
involves compression of the median nerve at the wrist.
10. Which finding would lead you to suspect a hydrocele versus other
causes of scrotal swelling?
Answer: A positive transillumination test
Rationale: A hydrocele contains serous fluid that transilluminates
brightly. Other scrotal masses such as hernias, tumors, or varicoceles do
not transilluminate.
NSG6020 Comprehensive Final Exam Test
Bank 2026 – 100 Most Tested Questions
with Accurate Detailed Answers and
Rationales
1. Heberden's nodes are commonly found in which disease?
Answer: Degenerative joint disease
Rationale: Heberden's nodes are bony enlargements of the distal
interphalangeal joints and are characteristic of osteoarthritis, also called
degenerative joint disease.
2. A 25-year-old teacher presents with fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss.
She likely has hypothyroidism. What skin findings are expected?
Answer: Dry and rough skin
Rationale: Hypothyroidism decreases sebaceous and sweat gland
activity, causing dry, coarse, rough skin, often with cool temperature and
pallor.
3. A patient with joint pain is being assessed to determine if the process
is inflammatory or noninflammatory. Which symptom is consistent with
inflammation?
Answer: Tenderness
Rationale: Inflammatory joint pain typically includes tenderness,
swelling, warmth, erythema, and morning stiffness lasting more than 30
minutes.
,2
4. A 68-year-old retired farmer has a flattened papule on the forehead,
same color as skin, covered by a dry, round, hard scale. Similar lesions
are on arms and legs. What is the likely diagnosis?
Answer: Actinic keratosis
Rationale: Actinic keratosis is a premalignant skin lesion caused by sun
exposure. It presents as a rough, scaly, flat papule on sun-exposed areas.
5. A 28-year-old graduate student reports pain all over, worse in neck,
shoulders, hands, low back, and knees. She denies joint swelling. Pain is
worse in the morning. She has tender points on muscles but normal
strength and range of motion. What is the likely cause?
Answer: Fibromyalgia
Rationale: Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal
pain, multiple tender points, fatigue, and normal joint examination
without swelling or deformity.
6. A new patient has severe pruritus worse at night. Family members
also have similar symptoms. Examination shows excoriated papules in
interdigital webs of hands and axillae. What is this most consistent with?
Answer: Scabies
Rationale: Scabies causes intense pruritus, especially at night, with
burrows and excoriated papules in web spaces, wrists, axillae, and
genitalia. It spreads among household members.
, 3
7. An obese 55-year-old woman had menarche at age 16 and menopause
2 years ago. She is concerned about osteoporosis because an aunt had
severe osteoporosis. Which factor is a risk factor for osteoporosis?
Answer: Delayed menarche
Rationale: Delayed menarche reduces lifetime estrogen exposure, which
decreases peak bone mass and increases osteoporosis risk.
8. A 58-year-old man has bilateral back pain that awakens him at night
and has increased over 2 months. Which finding is most reassuring?
Answer: Pain that is bilateral
Rationale: Bilateral back pain is less likely to indicate a focal malignant or
infectious process. Unilateral, night pain, and progressive pain are more
concerning.
9. The Phalen's test is used to evaluate which condition?
Answer: Inflammation of the median nerve
Rationale: Phalen's test is used to assess carpal tunnel syndrome, which
involves compression of the median nerve at the wrist.
10. Which finding would lead you to suspect a hydrocele versus other
causes of scrotal swelling?
Answer: A positive transillumination test
Rationale: A hydrocele contains serous fluid that transilluminates
brightly. Other scrotal masses such as hernias, tumors, or varicoceles do
not transilluminate.
