Chamberlain NR 302 Health
Assessment 1 Final Exam Guide
Questions And Well Graded Solutions
With Rationales Updated 2026-2027
Pass your NR 302 Health Assessment I exams at Chamberlain University with this complete
study resource. Features high-yield practice questions with detailed rationales covering
subjective vs. objective data, vital sign ranges, ABCV clinical prioritization, PQRSTU pain
scales, cranial nerves, thoracic configurations, and head-to-toe body system assessments.
Perfect for maximizing your active recall prep on Stuvia and Docsity to achieve top marks on
your midterm and final nursing exams
Question 1
A nurse is conducting a health history interview. The patient states, "I have a
throbbing headache on the right side of my head that started two hours ago." How
should the nurse classify this information?
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) First-level priority
D) Environmental factor
Rationale: Subjective data consists of information provided directly by the patient
that cannot be independently verified or measured by the examiner, such as
symptoms, feelings, or perceptions of pain.
Question 2
During a physical examination, the nurse notes that a patient has an irregular apical
pulse of 110 beats per minute and a skin temperature of 99.1°F. What type of data
do these findings represent?
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) Secondary data
D) Intrapersonal data
Rationale: Objective data is measurable and observable information obtained by the
healthcare professional through inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, or
diagnostic equipment.
Question 3
The nurse is reviewing an ordered care plan for four assigned patients. Using the
1|Page
,ABCV prioritization framework, which patient situation requires the nurse's
immediate, first-level intervention?
A) A patient with a localized skin infection requiring an antibiotic dose.
B) A patient reporting a pain level of 8 out of 10 after knee surgery.
C) A patient with an obstructed airway who is stridorous and choking.
D) A patient requesting education on how to manage their new diabetic diet.
Rationale: First-level priority needs are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate,
focusing directly on Airway, Breathing, Circulation, or critical Vital sign instabilities
(ABCVs).
Question 4
An adult patient's vital signs are recorded as: Temperature 98.6°F, Pulse 118 bpm,
Respiration 16 breaths/min, and Blood Pressure 116/74 mmHg. Which clinical term
accurately describes the abnormal indicator in these findings?
A) Bradycardia
B) Tachycardia
C) Bradypnea
D) Hypertension
Rationale: A normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats per
minute. A heart rate higher than 100 beats per minute is defined as tachycardia.
Question 5
The nurse evaluates a patient's breathing pattern and counts a respiratory rate of 8
breaths per minute. How should the nurse document this specific clinical finding?
A) Tachypnea
B) Eupnea
C) Apnea
D) Bradypnea
Rationale: The normal adult respiratory rate is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. A
respiratory rate below 12 breaths per minute is classified as bradypnea.
Question 6
A nurse checks a patient’s blood pressure and obtains a reading of 152/94 mmHg.
According to standard adult guidelines, how is this measurement categorized?
A) Normal blood pressure
B) Elevated blood pressure
2|Page
,C) Hypertensive
D) Hypotensive
Rationale: An adult blood pressure reading with a systolic measurement greater than
130 mmHg or a diastolic measurement greater than 80 mmHg is classified as
hypertensive.
Question 7
During a wellness exam, the nurse uses an electronic pulse oximeter and records a
patient's oxygen saturation as 88% on room air. How should the nurse interpret this
metric?
A) Normal oxygenation
B) Hyperoxia
C) Hypoxemia
D) Eupnea
Rationale: An oxygen saturation level below 94% on room air for a healthy adult
indicates hypoxemia, which is an abnormally low concentration of oxygen in the
blood.
Question 8
The nurse enters a room and finds a patient struggling to speak, using intercostal
accessory muscles to breathe, with an oxygen saturation of 85%. Which level of
priority does this represent?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
C) Third-level priority
D) Fourth-level priority
Rationale: Acute respiratory distress and severe hypoxemia represent an immediate
threat to life, classifying it directly as a first-level priority under the ABCV framework.
Question 9
A patient presents to the clinic with an acute onset of severe, unmanaged abdominal
pain and confusion regarding where they are. How should the nurse categorize
these findings using clinical prioritization?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
3|Page
, C) Third-level priority
D) Low priority
Rationale: Second-level priorities include urgent needs that require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration, such as acute pain, mental status changes, or
abnormal laboratory values.
Question 10
The nurse is preparing a discharge plan that includes smoking cessation education
and a referral to a local outpatient support group. Which level of priority does this
action fall under?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
C) Third-level priority
D) Emergent priority
Rationale: Third-level priorities are important to the patient's long-term health and
recovery but can be safely delayed until more immediate or urgent health issues are
stabilized.
Question 11
The nurse is interviewing a patient about their chest pain and asks, "Can you
describe what the pain feels like, and does it move anywhere else?" Which
components of the PQRSTU framework is the nurse evaluating?
A) Provocative and Palliative
B) Quality and Region/Radiation
C) Severity and Timing
) Understanding and Perception
Rationale: Asking what the pain feels like assesses the "Quality" (e.g., sharp, dull,
throbbing), while asking if it moves evaluates the "Region/Radiation" of the pain.
Question 12
A patient states that their knee pain becomes much worse when climbing stairs but
improves when they apply an ice pack. Which component of the PQRSTU mnemonic
does this reflect?
A) Provocative/Palliative
B) Quality/Quantity
4|Page
Assessment 1 Final Exam Guide
Questions And Well Graded Solutions
With Rationales Updated 2026-2027
Pass your NR 302 Health Assessment I exams at Chamberlain University with this complete
study resource. Features high-yield practice questions with detailed rationales covering
subjective vs. objective data, vital sign ranges, ABCV clinical prioritization, PQRSTU pain
scales, cranial nerves, thoracic configurations, and head-to-toe body system assessments.
Perfect for maximizing your active recall prep on Stuvia and Docsity to achieve top marks on
your midterm and final nursing exams
Question 1
A nurse is conducting a health history interview. The patient states, "I have a
throbbing headache on the right side of my head that started two hours ago." How
should the nurse classify this information?
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) First-level priority
D) Environmental factor
Rationale: Subjective data consists of information provided directly by the patient
that cannot be independently verified or measured by the examiner, such as
symptoms, feelings, or perceptions of pain.
Question 2
During a physical examination, the nurse notes that a patient has an irregular apical
pulse of 110 beats per minute and a skin temperature of 99.1°F. What type of data
do these findings represent?
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data
C) Secondary data
D) Intrapersonal data
Rationale: Objective data is measurable and observable information obtained by the
healthcare professional through inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation, or
diagnostic equipment.
Question 3
The nurse is reviewing an ordered care plan for four assigned patients. Using the
1|Page
,ABCV prioritization framework, which patient situation requires the nurse's
immediate, first-level intervention?
A) A patient with a localized skin infection requiring an antibiotic dose.
B) A patient reporting a pain level of 8 out of 10 after knee surgery.
C) A patient with an obstructed airway who is stridorous and choking.
D) A patient requesting education on how to manage their new diabetic diet.
Rationale: First-level priority needs are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate,
focusing directly on Airway, Breathing, Circulation, or critical Vital sign instabilities
(ABCVs).
Question 4
An adult patient's vital signs are recorded as: Temperature 98.6°F, Pulse 118 bpm,
Respiration 16 breaths/min, and Blood Pressure 116/74 mmHg. Which clinical term
accurately describes the abnormal indicator in these findings?
A) Bradycardia
B) Tachycardia
C) Bradypnea
D) Hypertension
Rationale: A normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats per
minute. A heart rate higher than 100 beats per minute is defined as tachycardia.
Question 5
The nurse evaluates a patient's breathing pattern and counts a respiratory rate of 8
breaths per minute. How should the nurse document this specific clinical finding?
A) Tachypnea
B) Eupnea
C) Apnea
D) Bradypnea
Rationale: The normal adult respiratory rate is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. A
respiratory rate below 12 breaths per minute is classified as bradypnea.
Question 6
A nurse checks a patient’s blood pressure and obtains a reading of 152/94 mmHg.
According to standard adult guidelines, how is this measurement categorized?
A) Normal blood pressure
B) Elevated blood pressure
2|Page
,C) Hypertensive
D) Hypotensive
Rationale: An adult blood pressure reading with a systolic measurement greater than
130 mmHg or a diastolic measurement greater than 80 mmHg is classified as
hypertensive.
Question 7
During a wellness exam, the nurse uses an electronic pulse oximeter and records a
patient's oxygen saturation as 88% on room air. How should the nurse interpret this
metric?
A) Normal oxygenation
B) Hyperoxia
C) Hypoxemia
D) Eupnea
Rationale: An oxygen saturation level below 94% on room air for a healthy adult
indicates hypoxemia, which is an abnormally low concentration of oxygen in the
blood.
Question 8
The nurse enters a room and finds a patient struggling to speak, using intercostal
accessory muscles to breathe, with an oxygen saturation of 85%. Which level of
priority does this represent?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
C) Third-level priority
D) Fourth-level priority
Rationale: Acute respiratory distress and severe hypoxemia represent an immediate
threat to life, classifying it directly as a first-level priority under the ABCV framework.
Question 9
A patient presents to the clinic with an acute onset of severe, unmanaged abdominal
pain and confusion regarding where they are. How should the nurse categorize
these findings using clinical prioritization?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
3|Page
, C) Third-level priority
D) Low priority
Rationale: Second-level priorities include urgent needs that require prompt
intervention to prevent deterioration, such as acute pain, mental status changes, or
abnormal laboratory values.
Question 10
The nurse is preparing a discharge plan that includes smoking cessation education
and a referral to a local outpatient support group. Which level of priority does this
action fall under?
A) First-level priority
B) Second-level priority
C) Third-level priority
D) Emergent priority
Rationale: Third-level priorities are important to the patient's long-term health and
recovery but can be safely delayed until more immediate or urgent health issues are
stabilized.
Question 11
The nurse is interviewing a patient about their chest pain and asks, "Can you
describe what the pain feels like, and does it move anywhere else?" Which
components of the PQRSTU framework is the nurse evaluating?
A) Provocative and Palliative
B) Quality and Region/Radiation
C) Severity and Timing
) Understanding and Perception
Rationale: Asking what the pain feels like assesses the "Quality" (e.g., sharp, dull,
throbbing), while asking if it moves evaluates the "Region/Radiation" of the pain.
Question 12
A patient states that their knee pain becomes much worse when climbing stairs but
improves when they apply an ice pack. Which component of the PQRSTU mnemonic
does this reflect?
A) Provocative/Palliative
B) Quality/Quantity
4|Page
