1|Page
Physical Examination and Health
Assessment – Test Bank (9th Edition,
Carolyn Jarvis & Ann L. Eckhardt) |
Nursing Practice Questions with
Answers
1. A nurse is a preceptor for a nurse who just graduated from nursing school.
When caring for a patient, the new graduate nurse begins to explain to the
patient the purpose of completing a physical assessment. Which statement
made by the new graduate nurse requires the preceptor to intervene?
a."I will use the information from my assessment to figure out if your
antihypertensive medication is working effectively."
b."Nursing assessment data are used only to provide information about the
effectiveness of your medical care."
c."Nurses use data from their patient's physical assessment to determine a patient's
educational needs."
d."Information gained from physical assessment helps nurses better understand
their patients' emotional needs."
ANSWER: ANS: B
Nursing assessment data are used to evaluate the effectiveness of all aspects of a
patient's care, not just the patient's medical care. Assessment data help to evaluate
the effectiveness of medications and to determine a patient's health care needs,
including the need for patient education. Nurses also use assessment data to
identify patients' psychosocial and cultural needs.
2. Having misplaced a stethoscope, a nurse borrows a colleague's stethoscope.
The nurse next enters the patient's room and identifies self, washes hands with
,2|Page
soap, and states the purpose of the visit. The nurse performs proper
identification of the patient before auscultating the patient's lungs. Which
critical health assessment step should the nurse have performed?
a.Running warm water over stethoscope
b.Draping stethoscope around the neck
c. Rubbing stethoscope with betadine
d. Cleaning stethoscope with alcohol
ANSWER: ANS: D
Bacteria and viruses can be transferred from patient to patient when a stethoscope
that is not clean is used. The stethoscope should be cleaned before use on each
patient with isopropyl alcohol. Running water over the stethoscope does not kill
bacteria. Betadine is an inappropriate cleaning solution and may damage the
equipment. Draping the stethoscope around the neck is not advised.
3. A nurse is preparing to perform a complete physical examination on a
weak, older-adult patient with bilateral basilar pneumonia. Which position
will the nurse use?
a. Prone
b. Sims'
c. Supine
d. Lateral recumbent
ANSWER: ANS: C
Supine is the most normally relaxed position. If the patient becomes short of breath
easily, raise the head of the bed. Supine position would be easiest for a weak,
older-adult person during the examination. Lateral recumbent and prone positions
cause respiratory difficulty for any patient with respiratory difficulties. Sims'
position is used for assessment of the rectum and the vagina.
, 3|Page
4. A nurse is conducting Weber's test. Which action will the nurse take?
a. Place a vibrating tuning fork in the middle of patient's forehead.
b. Place a vibrating tuning fork on the patient's mastoid process.
c. Compare the number of seconds heard by bone versus air conduction.
d. Compare the patient's degree of joint movement to the normal level.
ANSWER: ANS: A
During Weber's test (lateralization of sound), the nurse places the vibrating tuning
fork in the middle of the patient's forehead. During a Rinne test (comparison of air
and bone conduction), the nurse places a vibrating tuning fork on the patient's
mastoid process and compares the length of time air and bone conduction is heard.
Comparing the patient's degree of joint movement to the normal level is a test for
range of motion.
5. A head and neck physical examination is completed on a 50-year-old female
patient. All physical findings are normal except for fine brittle hair. Which
laboratory test will the nurse expect to be ordered, based upon the physical
findings?
a.Oxygen saturation
b. Liver function test
c. Carbon monoxide
d. Thyroid-stimulating hormone test
ANSWER: ANS: D
Thyroid disease can make hair thin and brittle. Liver function testing is indicated
for a patient who has jaundice. Oxygen saturation will be used for cyanosis.
Cherry-colored lips indicate carbon monoxide poisoning.
Physical Examination and Health
Assessment – Test Bank (9th Edition,
Carolyn Jarvis & Ann L. Eckhardt) |
Nursing Practice Questions with
Answers
1. A nurse is a preceptor for a nurse who just graduated from nursing school.
When caring for a patient, the new graduate nurse begins to explain to the
patient the purpose of completing a physical assessment. Which statement
made by the new graduate nurse requires the preceptor to intervene?
a."I will use the information from my assessment to figure out if your
antihypertensive medication is working effectively."
b."Nursing assessment data are used only to provide information about the
effectiveness of your medical care."
c."Nurses use data from their patient's physical assessment to determine a patient's
educational needs."
d."Information gained from physical assessment helps nurses better understand
their patients' emotional needs."
ANSWER: ANS: B
Nursing assessment data are used to evaluate the effectiveness of all aspects of a
patient's care, not just the patient's medical care. Assessment data help to evaluate
the effectiveness of medications and to determine a patient's health care needs,
including the need for patient education. Nurses also use assessment data to
identify patients' psychosocial and cultural needs.
2. Having misplaced a stethoscope, a nurse borrows a colleague's stethoscope.
The nurse next enters the patient's room and identifies self, washes hands with
,2|Page
soap, and states the purpose of the visit. The nurse performs proper
identification of the patient before auscultating the patient's lungs. Which
critical health assessment step should the nurse have performed?
a.Running warm water over stethoscope
b.Draping stethoscope around the neck
c. Rubbing stethoscope with betadine
d. Cleaning stethoscope with alcohol
ANSWER: ANS: D
Bacteria and viruses can be transferred from patient to patient when a stethoscope
that is not clean is used. The stethoscope should be cleaned before use on each
patient with isopropyl alcohol. Running water over the stethoscope does not kill
bacteria. Betadine is an inappropriate cleaning solution and may damage the
equipment. Draping the stethoscope around the neck is not advised.
3. A nurse is preparing to perform a complete physical examination on a
weak, older-adult patient with bilateral basilar pneumonia. Which position
will the nurse use?
a. Prone
b. Sims'
c. Supine
d. Lateral recumbent
ANSWER: ANS: C
Supine is the most normally relaxed position. If the patient becomes short of breath
easily, raise the head of the bed. Supine position would be easiest for a weak,
older-adult person during the examination. Lateral recumbent and prone positions
cause respiratory difficulty for any patient with respiratory difficulties. Sims'
position is used for assessment of the rectum and the vagina.
, 3|Page
4. A nurse is conducting Weber's test. Which action will the nurse take?
a. Place a vibrating tuning fork in the middle of patient's forehead.
b. Place a vibrating tuning fork on the patient's mastoid process.
c. Compare the number of seconds heard by bone versus air conduction.
d. Compare the patient's degree of joint movement to the normal level.
ANSWER: ANS: A
During Weber's test (lateralization of sound), the nurse places the vibrating tuning
fork in the middle of the patient's forehead. During a Rinne test (comparison of air
and bone conduction), the nurse places a vibrating tuning fork on the patient's
mastoid process and compares the length of time air and bone conduction is heard.
Comparing the patient's degree of joint movement to the normal level is a test for
range of motion.
5. A head and neck physical examination is completed on a 50-year-old female
patient. All physical findings are normal except for fine brittle hair. Which
laboratory test will the nurse expect to be ordered, based upon the physical
findings?
a.Oxygen saturation
b. Liver function test
c. Carbon monoxide
d. Thyroid-stimulating hormone test
ANSWER: ANS: D
Thyroid disease can make hair thin and brittle. Liver function testing is indicated
for a patient who has jaundice. Oxygen saturation will be used for cyanosis.
Cherry-colored lips indicate carbon monoxide poisoning.
