Health Assessment in Nursing (7th Edition)
Complete 2026–2027 Test Bank Q&A Study Guide
Chapter 1: The Nurse’s Role in Health Assessment
Q1: A nurse is preparing to conduct a comprehensive health assessment
on an adult client admitted to the hospital. Which type of assessment is
the nurse performing?
A) Focused assessment
B) Ongoing assessment
C) Emergency assessment
D) Complete (head-to-toe) assessment
CORRECT ANSWER>: D) Complete (head-to-toe) assessment.
Rationale: A complete health assessment involves a systematic, head-
to-toe examination of all body systems to establish a baseline database
upon admission. Focused assessments zero in on a specific problem,
while ongoing assessments occur throughout the hospital stay.
Q2: During the assessment phase of the nursing process, the nurse
gathers subjective and objective data. Which of the following is an
example of objective data?
A) The client states, "I have a headache."
B) The client’s blood pressure is 148/92 mmHg.
C) The client reports feeling nauseated.
,D) The client says they have not slept in two days.
CORRECT ANSWER>: B) The client’s blood pressure is 148/92 mmHg.
Rationale: Objective data is "signs" that can be observed or measured
by the examiner (e.g., vital signs, visible wounds). Subjective data is
"symptoms" or what the client feels and reports (e.g., pain, nausea,
insomnia).
Chapter 2: The Health History
Q3: While obtaining a health history, the nurse asks the client, "How
have you been feeling since you were discharged from the hospital last
month?" What type of question is this?
A) Closed-ended question
B) Direct question
C) Open-ended question
D) Leading question
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) Open-ended question.
Rationale: Open-ended questions are broad and encourage the client to
elaborate and provide a narrative response. Closed-ended questions
yield short, specific answers (e.g., "yes" or "no").
Q4: The nurse is reviewing a client’s past medical history. Which of the
following should the nurse include in the "Family History" section?
A) The client’s previous surgeries
,B) The client’s childhood immunizations
C) The presence of hypertension in the client’s parents and siblings
D) The client’s current medication list
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) The presence of hypertension in the client’s
parents and siblings.
Rationale: The family history focuses on the health status of blood
relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings, children) to identify genetic
predispositions or risks for diseases. The other options belong in the
past medical history or current health profile.
Chapter 3: Cultural Assessment
Q5: A nurse is caring for a client from a culture that values "hot and
cold" balance for health. The client has just given birth and believes she
is in a "cold" state. Which food should the nurse offer to support her
cultural beliefs?
A) Ice chips
B) Cold water
C) Hot tea
D) Gelatin
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) Hot tea.
Rationale: In cultures that practice hot/cold theory, illness or states like
childbirth are treated by restoring balance with the opposite
temperature. If the client is in a "cold" state, providing "hot" foods (like
hot tea) restores balance and shows cultural competence.
, Chapter 4: The Physical Examination
Q6: A nurse is preparing to auscultate a client’s abdomen. Which
technique should the nurse use?
A) Auscultate before palpating the abdomen.
B) Auscultate after palpating the abdomen.
C) Auscultate using the bell of the stethoscope.
D) Palpate deeply before auscultating.
CORRECT ANSWER>: A) Auscultate before palpating the abdomen.
Rationale: For abdominal assessment, the correct order is inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation. Palpating or percussing the
abdomen before auscultating can alter or stimulate bowel sounds,
yielding inaccurate results.
Q7: When assessing a client’s skin using the technique of palpation, the
nurse is primarily assessing for which characteristic?
A) Skin color changes
B) Moisture, temperature, and texture
C) Lesion distribution patterns
D) Presence of ecchymosis
CORRECT ANSWER>: B) Moisture, temperature, and texture.
Complete 2026–2027 Test Bank Q&A Study Guide
Chapter 1: The Nurse’s Role in Health Assessment
Q1: A nurse is preparing to conduct a comprehensive health assessment
on an adult client admitted to the hospital. Which type of assessment is
the nurse performing?
A) Focused assessment
B) Ongoing assessment
C) Emergency assessment
D) Complete (head-to-toe) assessment
CORRECT ANSWER>: D) Complete (head-to-toe) assessment.
Rationale: A complete health assessment involves a systematic, head-
to-toe examination of all body systems to establish a baseline database
upon admission. Focused assessments zero in on a specific problem,
while ongoing assessments occur throughout the hospital stay.
Q2: During the assessment phase of the nursing process, the nurse
gathers subjective and objective data. Which of the following is an
example of objective data?
A) The client states, "I have a headache."
B) The client’s blood pressure is 148/92 mmHg.
C) The client reports feeling nauseated.
,D) The client says they have not slept in two days.
CORRECT ANSWER>: B) The client’s blood pressure is 148/92 mmHg.
Rationale: Objective data is "signs" that can be observed or measured
by the examiner (e.g., vital signs, visible wounds). Subjective data is
"symptoms" or what the client feels and reports (e.g., pain, nausea,
insomnia).
Chapter 2: The Health History
Q3: While obtaining a health history, the nurse asks the client, "How
have you been feeling since you were discharged from the hospital last
month?" What type of question is this?
A) Closed-ended question
B) Direct question
C) Open-ended question
D) Leading question
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) Open-ended question.
Rationale: Open-ended questions are broad and encourage the client to
elaborate and provide a narrative response. Closed-ended questions
yield short, specific answers (e.g., "yes" or "no").
Q4: The nurse is reviewing a client’s past medical history. Which of the
following should the nurse include in the "Family History" section?
A) The client’s previous surgeries
,B) The client’s childhood immunizations
C) The presence of hypertension in the client’s parents and siblings
D) The client’s current medication list
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) The presence of hypertension in the client’s
parents and siblings.
Rationale: The family history focuses on the health status of blood
relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings, children) to identify genetic
predispositions or risks for diseases. The other options belong in the
past medical history or current health profile.
Chapter 3: Cultural Assessment
Q5: A nurse is caring for a client from a culture that values "hot and
cold" balance for health. The client has just given birth and believes she
is in a "cold" state. Which food should the nurse offer to support her
cultural beliefs?
A) Ice chips
B) Cold water
C) Hot tea
D) Gelatin
CORRECT ANSWER>: C) Hot tea.
Rationale: In cultures that practice hot/cold theory, illness or states like
childbirth are treated by restoring balance with the opposite
temperature. If the client is in a "cold" state, providing "hot" foods (like
hot tea) restores balance and shows cultural competence.
, Chapter 4: The Physical Examination
Q6: A nurse is preparing to auscultate a client’s abdomen. Which
technique should the nurse use?
A) Auscultate before palpating the abdomen.
B) Auscultate after palpating the abdomen.
C) Auscultate using the bell of the stethoscope.
D) Palpate deeply before auscultating.
CORRECT ANSWER>: A) Auscultate before palpating the abdomen.
Rationale: For abdominal assessment, the correct order is inspection,
auscultation, percussion, and palpation. Palpating or percussing the
abdomen before auscultating can alter or stimulate bowel sounds,
yielding inaccurate results.
Q7: When assessing a client’s skin using the technique of palpation, the
nurse is primarily assessing for which characteristic?
A) Skin color changes
B) Moisture, temperature, and texture
C) Lesion distribution patterns
D) Presence of ecchymosis
CORRECT ANSWER>: B) Moisture, temperature, and texture.
