Midterm Exam: NR509 / NR-509 (Latest
Update 2026) Advanced Physical
Assessment | Questions and Answers |
100% Correct | Grade A - Chamberlain
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with
breathing. Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine -CORRECTANSWER 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?
,A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic -CORRECTANSWER 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.
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions
can be responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine -CORRECTANSWER C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This
results in fluid 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 vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
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 -CORRECTANSWER B) Inflammatory
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?
A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic -CORRECTANSWER C) Degenerative
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.
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
is the most likely pathologic process?
Update 2026) Advanced Physical
Assessment | Questions and Answers |
100% Correct | Grade A - Chamberlain
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with
breathing. Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine -CORRECTANSWER 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?
,A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic -CORRECTANSWER 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.
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions
can be responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine -CORRECTANSWER C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This
results in fluid 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 vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
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 -CORRECTANSWER B) Inflammatory
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?
A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic -CORRECTANSWER C) Degenerative
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.
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
is the most likely pathologic process?
