NR 224 - Vital Signs Exam Questions Answered Correctly Latest Update 2025 Rated A+
Vital signs can start with a _____________? - Answers general assessment
A general survey is different from an interview (health history). Why? - Answers Health History =
subjective
General Survey = objective (therefore uses all examiners senses to collect data)
The general survey starts at __________. - Answers First contact with the client.
For instance, you may not be the person taking the health history and will see the client for the first time
at the general survey. The BON states only registered nurses can perform an admission assessment.
Since the general survey consists of objective data, this is considered an assessment. Your assessment
begins at first contact.
General Survey - Answers -Entirely objective data
-Generally confirms or disproves suspicions raised during history
-Senses of sight, touch, hearing, and smell
-Eyes, hand, ear, and nose become diagnostic tools
Nursing Physical Assessment employs same as ____________? - Answers general survey
Nursing Physical Assessment - Answers -Entirely Objective Data
-Generally confirms or disproves suspicions raised during history
-Senses of sight, touch, hearing, and smell
-Eyes, hand, ear, and nose become diagnostic tools
-Must relate stimuli from these senses to your own knowledge of what is normal and what is not
(ex/ clear lung sounds vs. crackles)
-Am I feeling, seeing, and hearing what I expected to based on the history?
(ex/ diagnosed with RA, do I see swollen, red, knuckles? Does
what I'm seeing related to what I know about RA?)
,-Cognitive skills must parallel the physical skills
When performing physical assessment, the nurse will utilize 4 basic techniques to obtain objective and
measurable data.
The techniques are: - Answers Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
**SKILLS ARE ALWAYS PERFORMED IN THIS SPECIFIC ORDER EXCEPT FOR ABDOMEN!**
Basic Techniques of Assessment order for ABDOMEN: - Answers Inspect
Auscultate
Percuss
Palpate
During assessment what is ALWAYS first? - Answers Inspection
It's the easiest type of assessment to use.
Instruments used to enhance inspection: - Answers Eyes
Hands
Pulse oxymeter
Instruments used for inspection include the otoscope for looking in the ears, ophthalmoscope for
looking into the eyes, nasal speculum for inspecting the nares.
To assist in recognizing abnormalities, compare....? - Answers one side against another
What non-mechanical instruments can be used for inspection? - Answers Eyes
Hands
, Palpation - Answers Use of touch
Palpation Technique is _________ and __________. - Answers slow and systemic
_______________ begins the more involved hands-on portion of the assessment. - Answers Palpation
Palpation always begins with ___________? - Answers Light palpation to detect surface characteristics
and accustom person to being touched
-Then perform deeper palpation when needed
-Intermittent pressure better than one long continuous palpation
Avoid any situation in which deep palpation could cause __________? - Answers internal injury or pain
Parts of hand to use when palpating - Answers Fingertip pads
Dorsal surface of hands
Use fingertip pads for: - Answers Fine discriminations: pulse amplitude, rate, rhythm
(use fingertips for pulses, size, shape, and consistency of a structure)
Use dorsal surface of hand for: - Answers temperature
Use palmar surface of hand for: - Answers vibrations, although dorsal surface can be used as well.
Too much pressure when palpating can affect pulse ____________? - Answers amplitude (force)
-may end up occluding what you're trying to find out.
What pulse do we usually check? - Answers Radial pulse
When palpating remember _________! - Answers Less is More
-Gentle contact allows your hands to be sensitive.
-Excessive pushing numbs the fingers and is unpleasant for your partner.
Auscultation - Answers Listening to sounds produced by body
Vital signs can start with a _____________? - Answers general assessment
A general survey is different from an interview (health history). Why? - Answers Health History =
subjective
General Survey = objective (therefore uses all examiners senses to collect data)
The general survey starts at __________. - Answers First contact with the client.
For instance, you may not be the person taking the health history and will see the client for the first time
at the general survey. The BON states only registered nurses can perform an admission assessment.
Since the general survey consists of objective data, this is considered an assessment. Your assessment
begins at first contact.
General Survey - Answers -Entirely objective data
-Generally confirms or disproves suspicions raised during history
-Senses of sight, touch, hearing, and smell
-Eyes, hand, ear, and nose become diagnostic tools
Nursing Physical Assessment employs same as ____________? - Answers general survey
Nursing Physical Assessment - Answers -Entirely Objective Data
-Generally confirms or disproves suspicions raised during history
-Senses of sight, touch, hearing, and smell
-Eyes, hand, ear, and nose become diagnostic tools
-Must relate stimuli from these senses to your own knowledge of what is normal and what is not
(ex/ clear lung sounds vs. crackles)
-Am I feeling, seeing, and hearing what I expected to based on the history?
(ex/ diagnosed with RA, do I see swollen, red, knuckles? Does
what I'm seeing related to what I know about RA?)
,-Cognitive skills must parallel the physical skills
When performing physical assessment, the nurse will utilize 4 basic techniques to obtain objective and
measurable data.
The techniques are: - Answers Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
**SKILLS ARE ALWAYS PERFORMED IN THIS SPECIFIC ORDER EXCEPT FOR ABDOMEN!**
Basic Techniques of Assessment order for ABDOMEN: - Answers Inspect
Auscultate
Percuss
Palpate
During assessment what is ALWAYS first? - Answers Inspection
It's the easiest type of assessment to use.
Instruments used to enhance inspection: - Answers Eyes
Hands
Pulse oxymeter
Instruments used for inspection include the otoscope for looking in the ears, ophthalmoscope for
looking into the eyes, nasal speculum for inspecting the nares.
To assist in recognizing abnormalities, compare....? - Answers one side against another
What non-mechanical instruments can be used for inspection? - Answers Eyes
Hands
, Palpation - Answers Use of touch
Palpation Technique is _________ and __________. - Answers slow and systemic
_______________ begins the more involved hands-on portion of the assessment. - Answers Palpation
Palpation always begins with ___________? - Answers Light palpation to detect surface characteristics
and accustom person to being touched
-Then perform deeper palpation when needed
-Intermittent pressure better than one long continuous palpation
Avoid any situation in which deep palpation could cause __________? - Answers internal injury or pain
Parts of hand to use when palpating - Answers Fingertip pads
Dorsal surface of hands
Use fingertip pads for: - Answers Fine discriminations: pulse amplitude, rate, rhythm
(use fingertips for pulses, size, shape, and consistency of a structure)
Use dorsal surface of hand for: - Answers temperature
Use palmar surface of hand for: - Answers vibrations, although dorsal surface can be used as well.
Too much pressure when palpating can affect pulse ____________? - Answers amplitude (force)
-may end up occluding what you're trying to find out.
What pulse do we usually check? - Answers Radial pulse
When palpating remember _________! - Answers Less is More
-Gentle contact allows your hands to be sensitive.
-Excessive pushing numbs the fingers and is unpleasant for your partner.
Auscultation - Answers Listening to sounds produced by body
