MEDSTUDY.COM
1
NR509 Bates Test Bank/ Practice Questions with
Correct Detailed Answers (ALL CHAPTERS COVERED)
Updated 2024.
M
The components of the health history include all of the following except which one?
ED
A) Review of systems
B) Thorax and lungs
C) Present illness
ST
D) Personal and social items - ANS - B) Thorax and lungs
The thorax and lungs are part of the physical examination, not part of the health
history.
U
Is the following information subjective or objective?
D
Mr. M. has shortness of breath that has persisted for the past 10 days; it is worse with activity
and relieved by rest.
Y
A) Subjective
B) Objective - ANS - A) Subjective
This is information given by the patient about the circumstances of his chief complaint. It does not
represent an objective observation by the examiner.
Is the following information subjective or objective?
Mr. M. has a respiratory rate of 32 and a pulse rate of 120.
,MEDSTUDY.COM
2
A) Subjective
B) Objective - ANS - B) Objective
This is a measurement obtained by the examiner, so it is considered objective data. The patient is
unlikely to be able to give this information to the examiner.
The following information is recorded in the health history: "I feel really tired."
Which category does it belong to?
M
A) Chief complaint
B) Present illness
ED
C) Personal and social history
D) Review of systems - ANS - A) Chief complaint
The chief complaint is an attempt to quote the patient's own words. It is brief, like a headline, and
further details should be sought in the present illness section
ST
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with breathing. Which
anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
U
A) Musculoskeletal
D
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
Y
D) Endocrine - ANS - A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as costochondritis or intercostal muscle
cramp. This would be worsened by motion of the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a sharp chest
pain which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can occur with inflammation of the pleura
from pneumonia or other conditions and pulmonary embolus.
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath. To which anatomic region
would you assign the symptom?
,MEDSTUDY.COM
3
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic - ANS - C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this list to result in shortness of
breath. There are cases within the other categories which may also result
in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
M
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions can be responsible
ED
for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
ST
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine - ANS - C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This results in fluid
U
buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink,
frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by stimulating Arnold's branch of the
D
vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
Y
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is new, located in the
wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient denies a rash; she also denies
recent travel or camping activities. She has a family history significant for rheumatoid arthritis. Based on
this information, which of the following pathologic processes would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic - ANS - B) Inflammatory
, MEDSTUDY.COM
4
The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although all the other etiologies should
be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia is a
hematologic condition which can cause bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain.
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been intermittent for several
years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, but this time they haven't
worked as well and he still has discomfort. He recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house,
which caused him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever, chills, rash, upper
respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most likely
pathologic process?
M
A) Infectious
ED
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic - ANS - C) Degenerative
ST
The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in the neck. The patient has had
intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to elicit pertinent negative and positive findings are
negative for infectious, traumatic, or neoplastic disease.
U
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-week history
of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and nonproductive cough. Which
D
is the most likely pathologic process?
Y
A) Infection
B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular - ANS - C) Allergic
This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
A 19-year old-college student presents to the emergency room with fever, headache, and neck
pain/stiffness. She is concerned about the possibility of meningococcal meningitis. Several of her dorm
mates have been vaccinated, but she hasn't been. Which of the following physical examination
descriptions is most consistent with meningitis?
1
NR509 Bates Test Bank/ Practice Questions with
Correct Detailed Answers (ALL CHAPTERS COVERED)
Updated 2024.
M
The components of the health history include all of the following except which one?
ED
A) Review of systems
B) Thorax and lungs
C) Present illness
ST
D) Personal and social items - ANS - B) Thorax and lungs
The thorax and lungs are part of the physical examination, not part of the health
history.
U
Is the following information subjective or objective?
D
Mr. M. has shortness of breath that has persisted for the past 10 days; it is worse with activity
and relieved by rest.
Y
A) Subjective
B) Objective - ANS - A) Subjective
This is information given by the patient about the circumstances of his chief complaint. It does not
represent an objective observation by the examiner.
Is the following information subjective or objective?
Mr. M. has a respiratory rate of 32 and a pulse rate of 120.
,MEDSTUDY.COM
2
A) Subjective
B) Objective - ANS - B) Objective
This is a measurement obtained by the examiner, so it is considered objective data. The patient is
unlikely to be able to give this information to the examiner.
The following information is recorded in the health history: "I feel really tired."
Which category does it belong to?
M
A) Chief complaint
B) Present illness
ED
C) Personal and social history
D) Review of systems - ANS - A) Chief complaint
The chief complaint is an attempt to quote the patient's own words. It is brief, like a headline, and
further details should be sought in the present illness section
ST
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with breathing. Which
anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
U
A) Musculoskeletal
D
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
Y
D) Endocrine - ANS - A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as costochondritis or intercostal muscle
cramp. This would be worsened by motion of the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a sharp chest
pain which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can occur with inflammation of the pleura
from pneumonia or other conditions and pulmonary embolus.
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath. To which anatomic region
would you assign the symptom?
,MEDSTUDY.COM
3
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic - ANS - C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this list to result in shortness of
breath. There are cases within the other categories which may also result
in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
M
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions can be responsible
ED
for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
ST
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine - ANS - C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This results in fluid
U
buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink,
frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by stimulating Arnold's branch of the
D
vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
Y
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is new, located in the
wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient denies a rash; she also denies
recent travel or camping activities. She has a family history significant for rheumatoid arthritis. Based on
this information, which of the following pathologic processes would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic - ANS - B) Inflammatory
, MEDSTUDY.COM
4
The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although all the other etiologies should
be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia is a
hematologic condition which can cause bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain.
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been intermittent for several
years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, but this time they haven't
worked as well and he still has discomfort. He recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house,
which caused him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever, chills, rash, upper
respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most likely
pathologic process?
M
A) Infectious
ED
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic - ANS - C) Degenerative
ST
The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in the neck. The patient has had
intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to elicit pertinent negative and positive findings are
negative for infectious, traumatic, or neoplastic disease.
U
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-week history
of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and nonproductive cough. Which
D
is the most likely pathologic process?
Y
A) Infection
B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular - ANS - C) Allergic
This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.
A 19-year old-college student presents to the emergency room with fever, headache, and neck
pain/stiffness. She is concerned about the possibility of meningococcal meningitis. Several of her dorm
mates have been vaccinated, but she hasn't been. Which of the following physical examination
descriptions is most consistent with meningitis?
