,Galen NSG 3160 Exam 2 | Health Assessment
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's mental status. Mental status is
defined as:
A) A patient's emotional and cognitive function
B) The patient's conscious mood and affect only
C) General intelligence quotient
D) The patient's perception of reality
Correct Answer: A patient's emotional and cognitive function
Rationale: Mental status encompasses emotional (feelings, mood) and cognitive
(thinking, memory) functioning. It is broader than mood or perception alone
and is not equivalent to IQ.
2. A mental disorder is best characterized as:
A) Presence of a specific phobia
B) Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
C) A lack of rational thought and abstract reasoning
D) Remote memory loss from years ago
Correct Answer: Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
Rationale: Mental disorders involve patterns of behavior or psychological
symptoms that cause distress or impairment and are often triggered or
worsened by stress. The other options are too narrow or inaccurate.
,3. The components of the mental health assessment using the ABC and T
framework are:
A) Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Temperature
B) Ability, Beliefs, Culture, Traditions
C) Appearance, Behavior, Cognition, Thought
D) Attitude, Behavior, Cleanliness, Talk
Correct Answer: Appearance, Behavior, Cognition, Thought
Rationale: The ABC&T mnemonic guides a systematic mental status evaluation:
Appearance (posture, dress), Behavior (LOC, speech), Cognition (orientation,
memory), and Thought (logical process, perception).
4. The nurse is assessing a patient's recent memory. Which question is most
appropriate?
A) "What is your date of birth?"
B) "Tell me about your first job."
C) "What did you eat for breakfast this morning?"
D) "Can you repeat these four unrelated words after 5 minutes?"
Correct Answer: "What did you eat for breakfast this morning?"
Rationale: Recent memory involves recall of events within the past 24 hours.
Asking about breakfast tests this. The four‑word test assesses new learning and
delayed recall.
, 5. Recent memory deficits can be present in which condition(s)?
A) Delirium only
B) Dementia only
C) Both delirium and dementia
D) Neither delirium nor dementia
Correct Answer: Both delirium and dementia
Rationale: Both acute confusion (delirium) and progressive cognitive decline
(dementia) impair the ability to form new memories. Delirium is often
reversible; dementia is not.
6. When testing new learning with four unrelated words, the nurse should ask
for recall after how many minutes?
A) 5 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 15 minutes
D) 30 minutes
Correct Answer: 5 minutes
Rationale: The standard new learning test involves presenting four words,
having the patient repeat them immediately, then asking for recall after 5
minutes to assess short‑term memory retention.
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's mental status. Mental status is
defined as:
A) A patient's emotional and cognitive function
B) The patient's conscious mood and affect only
C) General intelligence quotient
D) The patient's perception of reality
Correct Answer: A patient's emotional and cognitive function
Rationale: Mental status encompasses emotional (feelings, mood) and cognitive
(thinking, memory) functioning. It is broader than mood or perception alone
and is not equivalent to IQ.
2. A mental disorder is best characterized as:
A) Presence of a specific phobia
B) Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
C) A lack of rational thought and abstract reasoning
D) Remote memory loss from years ago
Correct Answer: Extreme behavior that is usually associated with stress
Rationale: Mental disorders involve patterns of behavior or psychological
symptoms that cause distress or impairment and are often triggered or
worsened by stress. The other options are too narrow or inaccurate.
,3. The components of the mental health assessment using the ABC and T
framework are:
A) Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Temperature
B) Ability, Beliefs, Culture, Traditions
C) Appearance, Behavior, Cognition, Thought
D) Attitude, Behavior, Cleanliness, Talk
Correct Answer: Appearance, Behavior, Cognition, Thought
Rationale: The ABC&T mnemonic guides a systematic mental status evaluation:
Appearance (posture, dress), Behavior (LOC, speech), Cognition (orientation,
memory), and Thought (logical process, perception).
4. The nurse is assessing a patient's recent memory. Which question is most
appropriate?
A) "What is your date of birth?"
B) "Tell me about your first job."
C) "What did you eat for breakfast this morning?"
D) "Can you repeat these four unrelated words after 5 minutes?"
Correct Answer: "What did you eat for breakfast this morning?"
Rationale: Recent memory involves recall of events within the past 24 hours.
Asking about breakfast tests this. The four‑word test assesses new learning and
delayed recall.
, 5. Recent memory deficits can be present in which condition(s)?
A) Delirium only
B) Dementia only
C) Both delirium and dementia
D) Neither delirium nor dementia
Correct Answer: Both delirium and dementia
Rationale: Both acute confusion (delirium) and progressive cognitive decline
(dementia) impair the ability to form new memories. Delirium is often
reversible; dementia is not.
6. When testing new learning with four unrelated words, the nurse should ask
for recall after how many minutes?
A) 5 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 15 minutes
D) 30 minutes
Correct Answer: 5 minutes
Rationale: The standard new learning test involves presenting four words,
having the patient repeat them immediately, then asking for recall after 5
minutes to assess short‑term memory retention.
