NU 518 Exam 1 Actual Exam 2025 | Complete Questions and Correct Answers
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Question 1
A 52-year-old female presents to the clinic for an initial visit. She is healthy with no acute
complaints. Which type of assessment is most appropriate for this visit?
A) Focused assessment
B) Emergency assessment
C) Comprehensive assessment
D) Follow-up assessment
E) Shift assessment
Correct Answer: C) Comprehensive assessment
Rationale: A comprehensive assessment includes a complete health history and a full physical
examination. It is appropriate for new patients in a primary care setting to establish a baseline
database, strengthen the clinician-patient relationship, and rule out physical causes related to
patient concerns.
Question 2
During an interview, the patient states, "I have been having sharp chest pain for 2 days."
In which section of the health history should this information be documented?
A) Review of Systems (ROS)
B) Past Medical History (PMH)
C) History of Present Illness (HPI)
D) Social History
E) Family History
Correct Answer: C) History of Present Illness (HPI)
Rationale: The HPI is a chronological account of the problem(s) prompting the patient to seek
care (the Chief Complaint). It describes the attributes of the symptom (OLDCARTS: Onset,
Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity).
Question 3
A patient presents with a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute, use of accessory
muscles, and audible wheezing. The nurse documents this data as:
A) Subjective data
B) Objective data
C) Secondary source data
D) Review of Systems data
E) Historical data
,[Type here]
Correct Answer: B) Objective data
Rationale: Objective data is information that is observed, measured, or inspected by the
clinician. Vital signs, physical exam findings, and lab results are objective. Subjective data is
what the patient says.
Question 4
When assessing a patient's pain, which of the following represents subjective data?
A) The patient is grimacing.
B) The patient's pulse is 110 bpm.
C) The patient states, "My pain is a 8 out of 10."
D) The patient is guarding their abdomen.
E) The patient is diaphoretic (sweating).
Correct Answer: C) The patient states, "My pain is a 8 out of 10."
Rationale: Pain is whatever the patient says it is. The patient's verbal report of severity is
subjective data. Grimacing, tachycardia, guarding, and sweating are objective indicators
observed by the nurse.
Question 5
Which of the following questions is best suited to begin the patient interview to establish
the Chief Complaint?
A) "Did you come in because of your high blood pressure?"
B) "What brings you to the clinic today?"
C) "Do you have any chest pain or shortness of breath?"
D) "How long have you felt sick?"
E) "Are you taking your medications?"
Correct Answer: B) "What brings you to the clinic today?"
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to describe the problem in their own words
without bias. Specific questions (A, C, E) can limit the response, and question D assumes the
patient is "sick" before establishing the reason for the visit.
Question 6
A nurse is reviewing a patient's chart and sees the notation: "Patient denies alcohol,
tobacco, or illicit drug use." In which section of the health history does this belong?
A) Review of Systems
B) History of Present Illness
C) Family History
,[Type here]
D) Social History
E) Chief Complaint
Correct Answer: D) Social History
Rationale: The Personal and Social History section encompasses lifestyle factors that can affect
health, including substance use (alcohol, tobacco, drugs), occupation, living situation, sexual
history, and education.
Question 7
The "Review of Systems" (ROS) differs from the "Physical Examination" because the ROS
is:
A) Based on objective observations.
B) A subjective evaluation of symptoms reported by the patient.
C) Performed only by the physician.
D) Focused only on the current illness.
E) Included in the laboratory data.
Correct Answer: B) A subjective evaluation of symptoms reported by the patient.
Rationale: The ROS is a systematic inventory of symptoms the patient reports (subjective data).
It is a "yes or no" checklist of body systems. The Physical Exam is the collection of objective
data by the clinician touching/observing the patient.
Question 8
A patient reports their father died of a myocardial infarction at age 48 and their mother
has type 2 diabetes. This information is recorded under:
A) Past Medical History
B) Social History
C) Family History
D) History of Present Illness
E) Review of Systems
Correct Answer: C) Family History
Rationale: Family History outlines the age and health, or age and cause of death, of siblings,
parents, and grandparents. It is used to identify genetic risks for diseases such as cardiovascular
disease and diabetes.
Question 9
Which of the following is considered a "first-level priority" problem requiring immediate
intervention?
, [Type here]
A) Acute urinary retention.
B) A diabetic patient with a laceration on the toe.
C) An obstructed airway.
D) A patient requesting pain medication for a chronic back injury.
E) A patient with a fever of 101°F.
Correct Answer: C) An obstructed airway.
Rationale: First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life-threatening, and
immediate, such as establishing an airway or supporting breathing (Airway, Breathing,
Circulation, Vital Signs).
Question 10
The nurse uses the mnemonic "OLDCARTS" to assess the History of Present Illness. What
does the "R" stand for?
A) Reason
B) Radiation
C) Rate
D) Reaction
E) Review
Correct Answer: B) Radiation
Rationale: In symptom analysis, "R" stands for Radiation (Does the pain travel anywhere?) or
Region (Where is it located?). The other letters stand for Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Timing, and Severity.
Question 11
Documentation states: "Patient has a history of cholecystectomy in 2015 and
appendectomy in 2010." This information belongs in:
A) Past Medical History / Past Surgical History
B) Review of Systems
C) Family History
D) History of Present Illness
E) Chief Complaint
Correct Answer: A) Past Medical History / Past Surgical History
Rationale: Past Medical/Surgical History includes past illnesses, injuries, hospitalizations,
surgeries, immunizations, and obstetric history.
| Graded A+ | Verified Answers | Newest Exam | Just Released
Question 1
A 52-year-old female presents to the clinic for an initial visit. She is healthy with no acute
complaints. Which type of assessment is most appropriate for this visit?
A) Focused assessment
B) Emergency assessment
C) Comprehensive assessment
D) Follow-up assessment
E) Shift assessment
Correct Answer: C) Comprehensive assessment
Rationale: A comprehensive assessment includes a complete health history and a full physical
examination. It is appropriate for new patients in a primary care setting to establish a baseline
database, strengthen the clinician-patient relationship, and rule out physical causes related to
patient concerns.
Question 2
During an interview, the patient states, "I have been having sharp chest pain for 2 days."
In which section of the health history should this information be documented?
A) Review of Systems (ROS)
B) Past Medical History (PMH)
C) History of Present Illness (HPI)
D) Social History
E) Family History
Correct Answer: C) History of Present Illness (HPI)
Rationale: The HPI is a chronological account of the problem(s) prompting the patient to seek
care (the Chief Complaint). It describes the attributes of the symptom (OLDCARTS: Onset,
Location, Duration, Character, Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Radiation, Timing, Severity).
Question 3
A patient presents with a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute, use of accessory
muscles, and audible wheezing. The nurse documents this data as:
A) Subjective data
B) Objective data
C) Secondary source data
D) Review of Systems data
E) Historical data
,[Type here]
Correct Answer: B) Objective data
Rationale: Objective data is information that is observed, measured, or inspected by the
clinician. Vital signs, physical exam findings, and lab results are objective. Subjective data is
what the patient says.
Question 4
When assessing a patient's pain, which of the following represents subjective data?
A) The patient is grimacing.
B) The patient's pulse is 110 bpm.
C) The patient states, "My pain is a 8 out of 10."
D) The patient is guarding their abdomen.
E) The patient is diaphoretic (sweating).
Correct Answer: C) The patient states, "My pain is a 8 out of 10."
Rationale: Pain is whatever the patient says it is. The patient's verbal report of severity is
subjective data. Grimacing, tachycardia, guarding, and sweating are objective indicators
observed by the nurse.
Question 5
Which of the following questions is best suited to begin the patient interview to establish
the Chief Complaint?
A) "Did you come in because of your high blood pressure?"
B) "What brings you to the clinic today?"
C) "Do you have any chest pain or shortness of breath?"
D) "How long have you felt sick?"
E) "Are you taking your medications?"
Correct Answer: B) "What brings you to the clinic today?"
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow the patient to describe the problem in their own words
without bias. Specific questions (A, C, E) can limit the response, and question D assumes the
patient is "sick" before establishing the reason for the visit.
Question 6
A nurse is reviewing a patient's chart and sees the notation: "Patient denies alcohol,
tobacco, or illicit drug use." In which section of the health history does this belong?
A) Review of Systems
B) History of Present Illness
C) Family History
,[Type here]
D) Social History
E) Chief Complaint
Correct Answer: D) Social History
Rationale: The Personal and Social History section encompasses lifestyle factors that can affect
health, including substance use (alcohol, tobacco, drugs), occupation, living situation, sexual
history, and education.
Question 7
The "Review of Systems" (ROS) differs from the "Physical Examination" because the ROS
is:
A) Based on objective observations.
B) A subjective evaluation of symptoms reported by the patient.
C) Performed only by the physician.
D) Focused only on the current illness.
E) Included in the laboratory data.
Correct Answer: B) A subjective evaluation of symptoms reported by the patient.
Rationale: The ROS is a systematic inventory of symptoms the patient reports (subjective data).
It is a "yes or no" checklist of body systems. The Physical Exam is the collection of objective
data by the clinician touching/observing the patient.
Question 8
A patient reports their father died of a myocardial infarction at age 48 and their mother
has type 2 diabetes. This information is recorded under:
A) Past Medical History
B) Social History
C) Family History
D) History of Present Illness
E) Review of Systems
Correct Answer: C) Family History
Rationale: Family History outlines the age and health, or age and cause of death, of siblings,
parents, and grandparents. It is used to identify genetic risks for diseases such as cardiovascular
disease and diabetes.
Question 9
Which of the following is considered a "first-level priority" problem requiring immediate
intervention?
, [Type here]
A) Acute urinary retention.
B) A diabetic patient with a laceration on the toe.
C) An obstructed airway.
D) A patient requesting pain medication for a chronic back injury.
E) A patient with a fever of 101°F.
Correct Answer: C) An obstructed airway.
Rationale: First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life-threatening, and
immediate, such as establishing an airway or supporting breathing (Airway, Breathing,
Circulation, Vital Signs).
Question 10
The nurse uses the mnemonic "OLDCARTS" to assess the History of Present Illness. What
does the "R" stand for?
A) Reason
B) Radiation
C) Rate
D) Reaction
E) Review
Correct Answer: B) Radiation
Rationale: In symptom analysis, "R" stands for Radiation (Does the pain travel anywhere?) or
Region (Where is it located?). The other letters stand for Onset, Location, Duration, Character,
Aggravating/Alleviating factors, Timing, and Severity.
Question 11
Documentation states: "Patient has a history of cholecystectomy in 2015 and
appendectomy in 2010." This information belongs in:
A) Past Medical History / Past Surgical History
B) Review of Systems
C) Family History
D) History of Present Illness
E) Chief Complaint
Correct Answer: A) Past Medical History / Past Surgical History
Rationale: Past Medical/Surgical History includes past illnesses, injuries, hospitalizations,
surgeries, immunizations, and obstetric history.