APEA 3P Exam Questions & Answers
This document contains a cleaned and completed set of APEA 3P exam questions and
answers, with explanations for better understanding.
1. The ankle-brachial index is a screening test used to assess a person's risk
for...
● Answer: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
● Explanation: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) compares the blood pressure
measured at your ankle with the blood pressure measured at your arm. A low ABI
indicates narrowing or blockage of the arteries in your legs, which is a sign of
PAD.
2. A term used to describe drainage from the nose is...
● Answer: Rhinorrhea
● Explanation: Rhinorrhea is the medical term for a runny nose, characterized by a
discharge of mucus from the nasal passages.
3. During a speculum exam of the cervix, the speculum is maintained in an open
position by...
● Answer: Gently tightening the thumb screw on the speculum
● Explanation: The speculum has a thumb screw or lever that, when tightened,
locks the blades in an open position, allowing the clinician to visualize the cervix.
4. When discussing the musculoskeletal system, all of the following statements
related to articular structure disease are true except which one?
● Answer: Articular disease is usually due to stiffness or pain
● Explanation: While stiffness and pain are common symptoms of articular
disease, the statement "Articular disease is usually due to stiffness or pain" is
incorrect. Articular disease causes stiffness and pain, it is not due to them. The
disease process itself (e.g., inflammation, degeneration) leads to these
symptoms.
5. The groove of the metacarpophalangeal joint can be palpated by having the
patient...
● Answer: Flex their hand/spread their fingers
● Explanation: Flexing the hand or spreading the fingers makes the joint spaces
more prominent and easier to palpate, allowing identification of the
metacarpophalangeal joint groove.
,6. When auscultating breath sounds in a patient who has left-sided heart
failure, the breath sounds are...
● Answer: Vesicular with late inspiratory crackles in the dependent portions of the
lungs and resonant on percussion.
● Explanation: Left-sided heart failure leads to pulmonary congestion. Vesicular
sounds are normal breath sounds, but the presence of late inspiratory crackles
(rales) indicates fluid in the alveoli, typically in the dependent lung fields due to
gravity. Percussion would remain resonant over air-filled lung tissue.
7. Olecranon bursitis may be caused by all of the following except...
● Answer: Frozen shoulder
● Explanation: Olecranon bursitis is inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon
(tip of the elbow). Causes include trauma, prolonged pressure, infection, or gout.
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition affecting the shoulder joint
and is not a direct cause of olecranon bursitis.
8. In patients who have allergic rhinitis, the nasal mucosa appears...
● Answer: Pale
● Explanation: In allergic rhinitis, the nasal mucosa often appears pale or bluish,
swollen, and boggy due to edema and vasodilation, in contrast to the red,
inflamed appearance seen in viral infections.
9. A term used to describe an increase in muscular bulk with diminished
strength is...
● Answer: Pseudohypertrophy
● Explanation: Pseudohypertrophy refers to an apparent increase in muscle size
due to the infiltration of fat and connective tissue, rather than true muscle
growth, leading to diminished strength. It's commonly seen in muscular
dystrophies.
10. If abdominal pain persists when the patient raises his head and shoulders,
the origin of the tenderness is probably...
● Answer: In the abdominal wall
● Explanation: This is a component of Carnett's sign. If abdominal tenderness
remains or worsens when the patient tenses their abdominal muscles (by raising
head/shoulders), it suggests the pain originates from the abdominal wall rather
than an intra-abdominal source.
11. On auscultation of the abdomen, rushes of high-pitched sounds are audible
,and coincide with abdominal cramps. These findings are most consistent with...
● Answer: Intestinal obstruction
● Explanation: High-pitched, hyperactive bowel sounds ("rushes") accompanied
by abdominal cramps are characteristic findings in early intestinal obstruction as
the bowel attempts to push contents past the obstruction.
12. Ophthalmoscopic examination of the fundus reveals tiny, round, red spots in
and around the macular area. These findings are consistent with...
● Answer: Microaneurysms
● Explanation: Microaneurysms are small, round, red dots that represent localized
dilations of retinal capillaries. They are an early sign of diabetic retinopathy.
13. Symptoms of subdural hematoma include...
● Answer: Noticeable bleeding between the dura and cerebrum on x-ray
● Explanation: Subdural hematoma involves bleeding between the dura mater and
the arachnoid mater. While an X-ray might show skull fractures, it is not the
definitive imaging for a subdural hematoma; CT or MRI scans are used to visualize
the blood collection itself. The key is the location of the bleeding.
14. On examination of the adult patient, symptoms of fixed posture, tremor,
rigidity, and shuffling gait are observed. These findings are consistent with...
● Answer: Parkinson's Disease
● Explanation: These are classic motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease,
characterized by a deficiency of dopamine in the brain.
15. A reddish blue, irregularly shaped, solid, and spongy mass of blood vessels
that may be present at birth and enlarge during the first 10 to 15 months is
characteristic of a...
● Answer: Cavernous hemangioma
● Explanation: Cavernous hemangiomas are vascular malformations that are often
present at birth or appear shortly after, growing rapidly in infancy before slowly
involuting.
16. The hamstring muscles flex at the knee and are located on the...
● Answer: Posterior aspect of the thigh
● Explanation: The hamstring muscle group (biceps femoris, semitendinosus,
semimembranosus) is located on the back of the thigh and is responsible for
knee flexion and hip extension.
, 17. Ophthalmoscopic examination reveals dark specks noted between the
fundus and the lens. These specks are most likely...
● Answer: Vitreous floaters
● Explanation: Vitreous floaters are small, shadowy objects that appear in your
field of vision. They are caused by tiny clumps of gel or cells within the vitreous
humor, the jelly-like substance that fills your eye.
18. When performing the first Leopold maneuver on a pregnant woman, if the
buttocks and head are not easily palpated at the fundus, the fetus is said to be
in...
● Answer: Transverse lie
● Explanation: In a transverse lie, the fetus is positioned horizontally across the
uterus, making it difficult to palpate the fetal poles (head or buttocks) in the
fundus during the first Leopold maneuver.
19. When performing a musculoskeletal examination, the nurse practitioner
instructs the patient to move his arm in front of his body. The motion of the
shoulder girdle would be an example of...
● Answer: Flexion
● Explanation: Moving the arm forward in the sagittal plane is defined as shoulder
flexion.
20. To locate the twelfth rib, palpate...
● Answer: Between the spine and lateral chest
● Explanation: The twelfth rib is a floating rib; its anterior end is free. It can be
palpated laterally and posteriorly, between the spine and the side of the chest, as
it does not attach to the sternum or costal cartilage anteriorly.
21. Walking on the toes and heels may reveal...
● Answer: Distal muscular weakness in the legs
● Explanation: Walking on toes tests the strength of plantarflexors (e.g.,
gastrocnemius, soleus), while walking on heels tests dorsiflexors (e.g., tibialis
anterior). Difficulty with either indicates weakness in those muscle groups,
often distally in the legs.
22. When performing a bimanual exam of the vagina, the examiner should
lubricate the index and middle fingers of the gloved hand. From a standing
This document contains a cleaned and completed set of APEA 3P exam questions and
answers, with explanations for better understanding.
1. The ankle-brachial index is a screening test used to assess a person's risk
for...
● Answer: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
● Explanation: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) compares the blood pressure
measured at your ankle with the blood pressure measured at your arm. A low ABI
indicates narrowing or blockage of the arteries in your legs, which is a sign of
PAD.
2. A term used to describe drainage from the nose is...
● Answer: Rhinorrhea
● Explanation: Rhinorrhea is the medical term for a runny nose, characterized by a
discharge of mucus from the nasal passages.
3. During a speculum exam of the cervix, the speculum is maintained in an open
position by...
● Answer: Gently tightening the thumb screw on the speculum
● Explanation: The speculum has a thumb screw or lever that, when tightened,
locks the blades in an open position, allowing the clinician to visualize the cervix.
4. When discussing the musculoskeletal system, all of the following statements
related to articular structure disease are true except which one?
● Answer: Articular disease is usually due to stiffness or pain
● Explanation: While stiffness and pain are common symptoms of articular
disease, the statement "Articular disease is usually due to stiffness or pain" is
incorrect. Articular disease causes stiffness and pain, it is not due to them. The
disease process itself (e.g., inflammation, degeneration) leads to these
symptoms.
5. The groove of the metacarpophalangeal joint can be palpated by having the
patient...
● Answer: Flex their hand/spread their fingers
● Explanation: Flexing the hand or spreading the fingers makes the joint spaces
more prominent and easier to palpate, allowing identification of the
metacarpophalangeal joint groove.
,6. When auscultating breath sounds in a patient who has left-sided heart
failure, the breath sounds are...
● Answer: Vesicular with late inspiratory crackles in the dependent portions of the
lungs and resonant on percussion.
● Explanation: Left-sided heart failure leads to pulmonary congestion. Vesicular
sounds are normal breath sounds, but the presence of late inspiratory crackles
(rales) indicates fluid in the alveoli, typically in the dependent lung fields due to
gravity. Percussion would remain resonant over air-filled lung tissue.
7. Olecranon bursitis may be caused by all of the following except...
● Answer: Frozen shoulder
● Explanation: Olecranon bursitis is inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon
(tip of the elbow). Causes include trauma, prolonged pressure, infection, or gout.
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition affecting the shoulder joint
and is not a direct cause of olecranon bursitis.
8. In patients who have allergic rhinitis, the nasal mucosa appears...
● Answer: Pale
● Explanation: In allergic rhinitis, the nasal mucosa often appears pale or bluish,
swollen, and boggy due to edema and vasodilation, in contrast to the red,
inflamed appearance seen in viral infections.
9. A term used to describe an increase in muscular bulk with diminished
strength is...
● Answer: Pseudohypertrophy
● Explanation: Pseudohypertrophy refers to an apparent increase in muscle size
due to the infiltration of fat and connective tissue, rather than true muscle
growth, leading to diminished strength. It's commonly seen in muscular
dystrophies.
10. If abdominal pain persists when the patient raises his head and shoulders,
the origin of the tenderness is probably...
● Answer: In the abdominal wall
● Explanation: This is a component of Carnett's sign. If abdominal tenderness
remains or worsens when the patient tenses their abdominal muscles (by raising
head/shoulders), it suggests the pain originates from the abdominal wall rather
than an intra-abdominal source.
11. On auscultation of the abdomen, rushes of high-pitched sounds are audible
,and coincide with abdominal cramps. These findings are most consistent with...
● Answer: Intestinal obstruction
● Explanation: High-pitched, hyperactive bowel sounds ("rushes") accompanied
by abdominal cramps are characteristic findings in early intestinal obstruction as
the bowel attempts to push contents past the obstruction.
12. Ophthalmoscopic examination of the fundus reveals tiny, round, red spots in
and around the macular area. These findings are consistent with...
● Answer: Microaneurysms
● Explanation: Microaneurysms are small, round, red dots that represent localized
dilations of retinal capillaries. They are an early sign of diabetic retinopathy.
13. Symptoms of subdural hematoma include...
● Answer: Noticeable bleeding between the dura and cerebrum on x-ray
● Explanation: Subdural hematoma involves bleeding between the dura mater and
the arachnoid mater. While an X-ray might show skull fractures, it is not the
definitive imaging for a subdural hematoma; CT or MRI scans are used to visualize
the blood collection itself. The key is the location of the bleeding.
14. On examination of the adult patient, symptoms of fixed posture, tremor,
rigidity, and shuffling gait are observed. These findings are consistent with...
● Answer: Parkinson's Disease
● Explanation: These are classic motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease,
characterized by a deficiency of dopamine in the brain.
15. A reddish blue, irregularly shaped, solid, and spongy mass of blood vessels
that may be present at birth and enlarge during the first 10 to 15 months is
characteristic of a...
● Answer: Cavernous hemangioma
● Explanation: Cavernous hemangiomas are vascular malformations that are often
present at birth or appear shortly after, growing rapidly in infancy before slowly
involuting.
16. The hamstring muscles flex at the knee and are located on the...
● Answer: Posterior aspect of the thigh
● Explanation: The hamstring muscle group (biceps femoris, semitendinosus,
semimembranosus) is located on the back of the thigh and is responsible for
knee flexion and hip extension.
, 17. Ophthalmoscopic examination reveals dark specks noted between the
fundus and the lens. These specks are most likely...
● Answer: Vitreous floaters
● Explanation: Vitreous floaters are small, shadowy objects that appear in your
field of vision. They are caused by tiny clumps of gel or cells within the vitreous
humor, the jelly-like substance that fills your eye.
18. When performing the first Leopold maneuver on a pregnant woman, if the
buttocks and head are not easily palpated at the fundus, the fetus is said to be
in...
● Answer: Transverse lie
● Explanation: In a transverse lie, the fetus is positioned horizontally across the
uterus, making it difficult to palpate the fetal poles (head or buttocks) in the
fundus during the first Leopold maneuver.
19. When performing a musculoskeletal examination, the nurse practitioner
instructs the patient to move his arm in front of his body. The motion of the
shoulder girdle would be an example of...
● Answer: Flexion
● Explanation: Moving the arm forward in the sagittal plane is defined as shoulder
flexion.
20. To locate the twelfth rib, palpate...
● Answer: Between the spine and lateral chest
● Explanation: The twelfth rib is a floating rib; its anterior end is free. It can be
palpated laterally and posteriorly, between the spine and the side of the chest, as
it does not attach to the sternum or costal cartilage anteriorly.
21. Walking on the toes and heels may reveal...
● Answer: Distal muscular weakness in the legs
● Explanation: Walking on toes tests the strength of plantarflexors (e.g.,
gastrocnemius, soleus), while walking on heels tests dorsiflexors (e.g., tibialis
anterior). Difficulty with either indicates weakness in those muscle groups,
often distally in the legs.
22. When performing a bimanual exam of the vagina, the examiner should
lubricate the index and middle fingers of the gloved hand. From a standing
