QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS
"1. During a mental status assessment, which question by the nurse would best assess a
person's judgment?
A) "Do you feel that you are being watched, followed, or controlled?"
B) "Tell me about what you plan to do once you are discharged from the hospital."
C) "What does the statement, 'People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones,' mean to
you?"
D) "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope lying on the sidewalk?"
- CORRECT ANSWER B) "Tell me about what you plan to do once you are discharged
from the hospital."
Pages: 76-77. A person exercises judgment when he or she can compare and evaluate the
alternatives in a situation and reach an appropriate course of action. Rather than testing
the person's response to a hypothetical situation (as illustrated in the option with the
envelope), the nurse should be more interested in the person's judgment about daily or
long-term goals, the likelihood of acting in response to delusions or hallucinations and the
capacity for violent or suicidal behavior."
"2. The nurse is performing a mental status examination. Which statement is true regarding
the assessment of mental status?
A) Mental status assessment diagnoses specific psychiatric disorders.
B) Mental disorders occur in response to everyday life stressors.
C) Mental status functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's behaviors.
D) Mental status can be assessed directly, just like other systems of the body (e.g., cardiac
and breath sounds). - CORRECT ANSWER C) Mental status functioning is inferred
through assessment of an individual's behaviors.
Page: 71. Mental status functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's
behaviors. It cannot be assessed directly like characteristics of the skin or heart sounds."
"3. When performing a physical assessment, the technique the nurse will always use first is:
A) palpation.
B) inspection.
C) percussion.
D) auscultation. - CORRECT ANSWER B) inspection.
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,Pages: 115-116. The skills requisite for the physical examination are inspection, palpation,
percussion, and auscultation. The skills are performed one at a time and in this order (with
the exception of the abdominal assessment, where auscultation takes place before
palpation and percussion). The assessment of each body system begins with inspection. A
focused inspection takes time and yields a surprising amount of information."
"4. The nurse is assessing a patient's skin during an office visit. What is the best technique
to use to best assess the patient's skin temperature? Use the:
A) fingertips because they're more sensitive to small changes in temperature.
B) dorsal surface of the hand because the skin is thinner than on the palms.
C) ulnar portion of the hand because there is increased blood supply that enhances
temperature sensitivity.
D) palmar surface of the hand because it is most sensitive to temperature variations
because of increased nerve supply in this area. - CORRECT ANSWER B) dorsal surface
of the hand because the skin is thinner than on the palms.
The dorsa (backs) of hands and fingers are best for determining temperature because the
skin there is thinner than on the palms. Fingertips are best for fine, tactile discrimination;
the other responses are not useful for palpation."
"5. The nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing impairment. What techniques
would be most beneficial in communicating with this patient?
A) Determine the communication method he prefers.
B) Avoid using facial and hand gestures because most hearing-impaired people find this
degrading.
C) Request a sign language interpreter before meeting with him to help facilitate the
communication.
D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated facial movement when talking with him because this
helps with lip reading. - CORRECT ANSWER A) Determine the communication method
he prefers.
Pages: 40-41 The nurse should ask the deaf person the preferred way to communicate—by
signing, lip reading, or writing. If the person prefers lip reading, then the nurse should be
sure to face him or her squarely and have good lighting on the nurse's face. The nurse
should not exaggerate lip movements because this distorts words. Similarly, shouting
distorts the reception of a hearing aid the person may wear. The nurse should speak slowly
and should supplement his or her voice with appropriate hand gestures or pantomime."
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,"6. The nurse is performing a health interview on a patient who has a language barrier, and
no interpreter is available. Which is the best example of an appropriate question for the
nurse to ask in this situation?
A) "Do you take medicine?"
B) "Do you sterilize the bottles?"
C) "Do you have nausea and vomiting?"
D) "You have been taking your medicine, haven't you?" - CORRECT ANSWER A) "Do
you take medicine?"
Page: 46 In a situation where there is a language barrier and no interpreter available, use
simple words avoiding medical jargon. Avoid using contractions and pronouns. Use nouns
repeatedly and discuss one topic at a time."
"7. A female patient does not speak English well, and the nurse needs to choose an
interpreter. Which of the following would be the most appropriate choice?
A) A trained interpreter
B) A male family member
C) A female family member
D) A volunteer college student from the foreign language studies department - CORRECT
ANSWER A) A trained interpreter
Page: 46 whenever possible, the nurse should use a trained interpreter, preferably one who
knows medical terminology. In general, an older, more mature interpreter is preferred to a
younger, less experienced one, and the same gender is preferred when possible."
"8. The nurse is conducting an interview. Which of these statements is true regarding open-
ended questions? Select all that apply.
A) They elicit cold facts.
B) They allow for self-expression.
C) They build and enhance rapport.
D) They leave interactions neutral.
E) They call for short one- to two-word answers.
F) They are used when narrative information is needed. - CORRECT ANSWER B) They
allow for self-expression.
C) They build and enhance rapport.
F) They are used when narrative information
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, Page: 32 Open-ended questions allow for self-expression, build rapport, and obtain
narrative information. These features enhance communication during an interview. The
other statements are appropriate for closed or direct questions."
"9. The nurse is conducting an interview in an outpatient clinic and is using a computer to
record data. Which is the best use of the computer in this situation? Select all that apply.
A) Collect the patient's data in a direct, face-to-face manner.
B) Enter all the data as the patient states it.
C) Ask the patient to wait as the nurse enters data.
D) Type the data into the computer after the narrative is fully explored.
E) Allow the patient to see the monitor during typing. - CORRECT ANSWER A) Collect
the patient's data in a direct, face-to-face manner.
D) Type the data into the computer after the narrative is fully explored.
E) Allow the patient to see the monitor during typing.
Page: 32 The use of a computer can become a barrier. The nurse should begin the interview
as usual by greeting the patient, establishing rapport, and collecting the patient's narrative
story in a direct face-to-face manner. Only after the narrative is fully explored should the
nurse type data into the computer. When typing, the nurse should position the monitor so
that the patient can see it."
"10. During an assessment, the nurse notices that a patient is handling a small charm that is
tied to a leather strip around his neck. Which action by the nurse is appropriate?
A) Ask the patient about the item and its significance.
B) Ask the patient to lock the item with other valuables in the hospital's safe.
C) Tell the patient that a family member should take valuables home.
D) No action is necessary. - CORRECT ANSWER A) Ask the patient about the item and
its significance.
Page: 21 The nurse should inquire about the amulet's meaning. Amulets, such as charms,
are often seen as an important means of protection from "evil spirits" by some cultures."
"11. In the majority culture of America, coughing, sweating, and diarrhea are symptoms of
an illness. For some individuals of Mexican-American origin, however, these symptoms are
a normal part of living. The nurse recognizes that this is true, probably because Mexican-
Americans:
A) have less efficient immune systems and are often ill.
B) consider these symptoms a part of normal living, not symptoms of ill health.
C) come from Mexico and coughing is normal and healthy there.
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