,Chapter 1: Interview and History-Taking Strategies – Test Bank (20
Questions)
Question 1
Scenario: A 34-year-old patient presents for a routine checkup and appears
anxious. You are beginning the health history interview.
Which approach best establishes rapport while encouraging the patient to
share sensitive information?
A. Begin with detailed medical history questions immediately.
B. Use open-ended questions and maintain empathetic eye contact. ✅
C. Avoid eye contact and ask only yes/no questions to save time.
D. Interrupt the patient frequently to clarify details.
Rationale: Open-ended questions and empathetic communication help build
trust and encourage patients to disclose relevant information, which is
essential for accurate health assessment.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 2
Scenario: A patient reports chronic fatigue but struggles to describe the onset
and triggers.
What strategy best facilitates accurate information gathering during history-
taking?
A. Ask the patient to recall details in chronological order. ✅
B. Limit questioning to the chief complaint only.
C. Assume information based on prior records.
D. Focus exclusively on family history.
,Rationale: Guiding the patient to provide information chronologically
enhances clarity, uncovers patterns, and supports differential diagnosis.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 3
Scenario: During a patient interview, the patient becomes defensive when
discussing alcohol use.
Which response demonstrates effective communication skills?
A. Ignore the reaction and continue questioning.
B. Express judgment and provide advice immediately.
C. Reassure confidentiality and use a nonjudgmental tone. ✅
D. Terminate the interview due to discomfort.
Rationale: Nonjudgmental reassurance promotes honesty, preserves rapport,
and ensures accurate social and lifestyle history.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication; Bloom’s: Application
Question 4
Scenario: You are conducting a health history on a patient with multiple
chronic illnesses.
Which technique best prioritizes and organizes the information gathered?
A. Ask questions randomly to cover all topics.
B. Use a systems-based approach, organizing questions by body system. ✅
C. Focus solely on the most recent complaint.
D. Skip review of systems to save time.
Rationale: A systems-based approach allows structured collection of
comprehensive data, supports clinical reasoning, and identifies interrelated
health issues.
,Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 5
Scenario: A non-English-speaking patient requires a health history.
Which action best ensures accurate and culturally sensitive data collection?
A. Use family members as interpreters.
B. Utilize a professional medical interpreter. ✅
C. Rely on gestures and limited words.
D. Conduct the interview in English only.
Rationale: Professional interpreters maintain accuracy, confidentiality, and
respect for cultural diversity, which is essential for safe care.
Keywords: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Integrated
Process: Communication/Cultural Competence; Bloom’s: Application
Question 6
Scenario: A patient reports vague gastrointestinal complaints.
Which question type best uncovers relevant details for diagnostic reasoning?
A. “Do you have stomach pain?”
B. “Can you describe when and how the pain started, and what makes it
better or worse?” ✅
C. “Have you eaten anything unusual?”
D. “Do you think it’s serious?”
Rationale: Open-ended, specific probing questions elicit detailed
information, facilitating accurate differential diagnosis.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
,Question 7
Scenario: A patient frequently provides long, unrelated stories during
history-taking.
What strategy enhances efficiency while maintaining rapport?
A. Interrupt repeatedly to redirect focus.
B. Summarize and redirect the conversation with gentle guidance. ✅
C. Allow uninterrupted storytelling regardless of relevance.
D. End the interview abruptly.
Rationale: Summarizing and redirecting preserves rapport while keeping the
assessment focused, ensuring essential information is obtained.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 8
Scenario: You are assessing a patient with multiple medications.
Which question approach helps uncover potential drug interactions or
nonadherence?
A. Ask only about prescription medications.
B. Include prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal supplements. ✅
C. Assume adherence based on prior records.
D. Focus solely on recent prescriptions.
Rationale: A comprehensive medication history allows identification of
interactions, adherence issues, and supports patient safety.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 9
Scenario: A patient appears withdrawn and avoids eye contact during the
interview.
,Which communication technique is most appropriate?
A. Maintain a calm presence and allow pauses for the patient to respond. ✅
B. Force direct eye contact to elicit responses.
C. Speak quickly to finish the interview.
D. Ignore body language entirely.
Rationale: Respecting patient comfort and using silent encouragement
facilitates trust and effective information gathering.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 10
Scenario: You are collecting a family health history for a patient with
hypertension.
Which question demonstrates a systems-thinking approach?
A. “Do any of your family members have high blood pressure or heart
disease?” ✅
B. “Did your parents eat healthy foods?”
C. “Have you ever had chest pain?”
D. “Do you exercise?”
Rationale: Focusing on family history within relevant body systems
(cardiovascular) helps identify genetic predispositions and informs preventive
care.
Keywords: Client Needs: Health Promotion & Maintenance; Integrated
Process: Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 11
Scenario: A patient is reluctant to discuss sexual history.
Which technique is most likely to obtain accurate information?
, A. Avoid the topic entirely.
B. Use neutral, nonjudgmental language and explain the clinical importance.
✅
C. Make assumptions based on age and marital status.
D. Ask only close-ended yes/no questions.
Rationale: Neutral, explanatory communication reduces embarrassment and
encourages accurate disclosure for holistic assessment.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 12
Scenario: A patient reports intermittent headaches.
Which approach best clarifies the nature and triggers of the headaches?
A. Ask about onset, duration, frequency, intensity, location, and associated
factors. ✅
B. Ask only how long the headaches last.
C. Focus only on family history of headaches.
D. Recommend over-the-counter medication without assessment.
Rationale: A structured symptom analysis supports diagnostic reasoning and
individualized management.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 13
Scenario: During history-taking, a patient becomes emotional when
discussing recent job loss.
Which response reflects best practice?
Questions)
Question 1
Scenario: A 34-year-old patient presents for a routine checkup and appears
anxious. You are beginning the health history interview.
Which approach best establishes rapport while encouraging the patient to
share sensitive information?
A. Begin with detailed medical history questions immediately.
B. Use open-ended questions and maintain empathetic eye contact. ✅
C. Avoid eye contact and ask only yes/no questions to save time.
D. Interrupt the patient frequently to clarify details.
Rationale: Open-ended questions and empathetic communication help build
trust and encourage patients to disclose relevant information, which is
essential for accurate health assessment.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 2
Scenario: A patient reports chronic fatigue but struggles to describe the onset
and triggers.
What strategy best facilitates accurate information gathering during history-
taking?
A. Ask the patient to recall details in chronological order. ✅
B. Limit questioning to the chief complaint only.
C. Assume information based on prior records.
D. Focus exclusively on family history.
,Rationale: Guiding the patient to provide information chronologically
enhances clarity, uncovers patterns, and supports differential diagnosis.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 3
Scenario: During a patient interview, the patient becomes defensive when
discussing alcohol use.
Which response demonstrates effective communication skills?
A. Ignore the reaction and continue questioning.
B. Express judgment and provide advice immediately.
C. Reassure confidentiality and use a nonjudgmental tone. ✅
D. Terminate the interview due to discomfort.
Rationale: Nonjudgmental reassurance promotes honesty, preserves rapport,
and ensures accurate social and lifestyle history.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication; Bloom’s: Application
Question 4
Scenario: You are conducting a health history on a patient with multiple
chronic illnesses.
Which technique best prioritizes and organizes the information gathered?
A. Ask questions randomly to cover all topics.
B. Use a systems-based approach, organizing questions by body system. ✅
C. Focus solely on the most recent complaint.
D. Skip review of systems to save time.
Rationale: A systems-based approach allows structured collection of
comprehensive data, supports clinical reasoning, and identifies interrelated
health issues.
,Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 5
Scenario: A non-English-speaking patient requires a health history.
Which action best ensures accurate and culturally sensitive data collection?
A. Use family members as interpreters.
B. Utilize a professional medical interpreter. ✅
C. Rely on gestures and limited words.
D. Conduct the interview in English only.
Rationale: Professional interpreters maintain accuracy, confidentiality, and
respect for cultural diversity, which is essential for safe care.
Keywords: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Integrated
Process: Communication/Cultural Competence; Bloom’s: Application
Question 6
Scenario: A patient reports vague gastrointestinal complaints.
Which question type best uncovers relevant details for diagnostic reasoning?
A. “Do you have stomach pain?”
B. “Can you describe when and how the pain started, and what makes it
better or worse?” ✅
C. “Have you eaten anything unusual?”
D. “Do you think it’s serious?”
Rationale: Open-ended, specific probing questions elicit detailed
information, facilitating accurate differential diagnosis.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
,Question 7
Scenario: A patient frequently provides long, unrelated stories during
history-taking.
What strategy enhances efficiency while maintaining rapport?
A. Interrupt repeatedly to redirect focus.
B. Summarize and redirect the conversation with gentle guidance. ✅
C. Allow uninterrupted storytelling regardless of relevance.
D. End the interview abruptly.
Rationale: Summarizing and redirecting preserves rapport while keeping the
assessment focused, ensuring essential information is obtained.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 8
Scenario: You are assessing a patient with multiple medications.
Which question approach helps uncover potential drug interactions or
nonadherence?
A. Ask only about prescription medications.
B. Include prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal supplements. ✅
C. Assume adherence based on prior records.
D. Focus solely on recent prescriptions.
Rationale: A comprehensive medication history allows identification of
interactions, adherence issues, and supports patient safety.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 9
Scenario: A patient appears withdrawn and avoids eye contact during the
interview.
,Which communication technique is most appropriate?
A. Maintain a calm presence and allow pauses for the patient to respond. ✅
B. Force direct eye contact to elicit responses.
C. Speak quickly to finish the interview.
D. Ignore body language entirely.
Rationale: Respecting patient comfort and using silent encouragement
facilitates trust and effective information gathering.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 10
Scenario: You are collecting a family health history for a patient with
hypertension.
Which question demonstrates a systems-thinking approach?
A. “Do any of your family members have high blood pressure or heart
disease?” ✅
B. “Did your parents eat healthy foods?”
C. “Have you ever had chest pain?”
D. “Do you exercise?”
Rationale: Focusing on family history within relevant body systems
(cardiovascular) helps identify genetic predispositions and informs preventive
care.
Keywords: Client Needs: Health Promotion & Maintenance; Integrated
Process: Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 11
Scenario: A patient is reluctant to discuss sexual history.
Which technique is most likely to obtain accurate information?
, A. Avoid the topic entirely.
B. Use neutral, nonjudgmental language and explain the clinical importance.
✅
C. Make assumptions based on age and marital status.
D. Ask only close-ended yes/no questions.
Rationale: Neutral, explanatory communication reduces embarrassment and
encourages accurate disclosure for holistic assessment.
Keywords: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity; Integrated Process:
Communication/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Application
Question 12
Scenario: A patient reports intermittent headaches.
Which approach best clarifies the nature and triggers of the headaches?
A. Ask about onset, duration, frequency, intensity, location, and associated
factors. ✅
B. Ask only how long the headaches last.
C. Focus only on family history of headaches.
D. Recommend over-the-counter medication without assessment.
Rationale: A structured symptom analysis supports diagnostic reasoning and
individualized management.
Keywords: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity; Integrated Process:
Assessment/Clinical Reasoning; Bloom’s: Analysis
Question 13
Scenario: During history-taking, a patient becomes emotional when
discussing recent job loss.
Which response reflects best practice?
