DCF HEALTH, SAFETY, AND NUTRITION (HSAN) CERTIFICATION EXAM
TEST BANK ACTUAL 2026/2027 HIGH YIELD PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
STUDY GUIDE ACCURATE EXAM COMPLETE REAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. A nurse is preparing to perform a comprehensive physical assessment on a
newly admitted adult client who has no immediate signs of instability. The
nurse plans to use inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation to
collect objective data. Which sequence is most appropriate for most body
systems?
A. Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
B. Auscultation, percussion, palpation, inspection
C. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
D. Percussion, auscultation, inspection, palpation
Answer: C
2. A client tells the nurse, "I have been feeling dizzy every time I stand up, and
it started three days ago." The nurse documents this information as part of
the health history. How should the nurse classify this information?
A. Subjective data
B. Objective data
C. Laboratory data
D. Diagnostic data
Answer: A
3. During an assessment, the nurse measures a client's blood pressure at
154/92 mm Hg, observes bilateral ankle edema, and records a respiratory
rate of 24 breaths/minute. Which characteristic best describes these
findings?
A. Subjective symptoms
B. Objective data
C. Historical information
D. Family-reported data
Answer: B
pg. 1
, 4. A nurse begins an interview with a client who reports several new health
concerns. Which opening question would best encourage the client to
provide a broad description of the current concerns before the nurse asks
focused questions?
A. "Does your chest hurt when you breathe?"
B. "Are you taking any prescription medications?"
C. "Have you ever had surgery?"
D. "What concerns brought you in today?"
Answer: D
5. A nurse is obtaining a health history from a client who reports abdominal
discomfort. Which approach would best help the nurse understand the
characteristics and progression of the symptom?
A. Ask only whether the client currently has pain
B. Explore onset, location, duration, character, aggravating and relieving
factors, and associated symptoms
C. Ask the client to identify the diagnosis causing the discomfort
D. Immediately begin palpating the abdomen before obtaining symptom
information
Answer: B
6. A client reports that a headache began suddenly while exercising and
describes it as the most severe headache experienced in the client's
lifetime. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Recommend increased fluid intake and routine follow-up
B. Document the headache as an expected manifestation of exercise
C. Recognize the sudden severe symptom as a potential emergency
requiring prompt evaluation
D. Encourage the client to sleep before further assessment
Answer: C
7. A nurse is interviewing a client who has difficulty describing symptoms
because of anxiety. Which communication technique would best promote
accurate information collection?
pg. 2
, A. Use simple, focused questions and allow adequate time for the client to
respond
B. Interrupt frequently to keep the interview brief
C. Ask several questions simultaneously
D. Use technical terminology to encourage precise responses
Answer: A
8. A nurse is assessing a client who reports pain. Which question best assesses
the quality or character of the pain?
A. "When did the pain begin?"
B. "Where exactly do you feel the pain?"
C. "What does the pain feel like?"
D. "What makes the pain better?"
Answer: C
9. A client reports chest discomfort that begins while walking and resolves
after resting. Which additional assessment question would be most useful
for determining the characteristics of the symptom?
A. "What did you eat yesterday?"
B. "Does the discomfort radiate to your arm, jaw, shoulder, or back?"
C. "How many hours do you sleep each night?"
D. "Have you ever had seasonal allergies?"
Answer: B
10. During a health history, the nurse asks a client about previous illnesses,
surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies, medications, immunizations, and
significant injuries. Which portion of the health history is being completed?
A. Family history
B. Review of systems
C. Social history
D. Past health history
Answer: D
11. A nurse is completing a family history for a client with newly diagnosed
hypertension. Which information is most relevant to this portion of the
pg. 3
, assessment?
A. The client's current exercise routine
B. The client's father's history of hypertension and stroke
C. The client's current blood pressure measurement
D. The client's description of today's headache
Answer: B
12. A nurse is completing a social history for a client who has chronic
respiratory symptoms. Which information is particularly relevant?
A. The client's history of tobacco, alcohol, recreational drug use,
occupation, living situation, and lifestyle
B. The client's childhood vaccination history only
C. The client's current bowel sounds
D. The client's pupil response to light
Answer: A
13. During a review of systems, the nurse asks about fatigue, fever, weight
changes, and night sweats. Which system or category is primarily being
assessed?
A. Cardiovascular
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Musculoskeletal
D. General constitutional symptoms
Answer: D
14. A client reports a 10-kg unintentional weight loss during the past four
months. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Document the finding without additional questions
B. Assess appetite, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, systemic
symptoms, and other relevant causes
C. Tell the client that weight loss is always expected with aging
D. Recommend restricting food intake further
Answer: B
pg. 4
TEST BANK ACTUAL 2026/2027 HIGH YIELD PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
STUDY GUIDE ACCURATE EXAM COMPLETE REAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. A nurse is preparing to perform a comprehensive physical assessment on a
newly admitted adult client who has no immediate signs of instability. The
nurse plans to use inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation to
collect objective data. Which sequence is most appropriate for most body
systems?
A. Palpation, percussion, inspection, auscultation
B. Auscultation, percussion, palpation, inspection
C. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
D. Percussion, auscultation, inspection, palpation
Answer: C
2. A client tells the nurse, "I have been feeling dizzy every time I stand up, and
it started three days ago." The nurse documents this information as part of
the health history. How should the nurse classify this information?
A. Subjective data
B. Objective data
C. Laboratory data
D. Diagnostic data
Answer: A
3. During an assessment, the nurse measures a client's blood pressure at
154/92 mm Hg, observes bilateral ankle edema, and records a respiratory
rate of 24 breaths/minute. Which characteristic best describes these
findings?
A. Subjective symptoms
B. Objective data
C. Historical information
D. Family-reported data
Answer: B
pg. 1
, 4. A nurse begins an interview with a client who reports several new health
concerns. Which opening question would best encourage the client to
provide a broad description of the current concerns before the nurse asks
focused questions?
A. "Does your chest hurt when you breathe?"
B. "Are you taking any prescription medications?"
C. "Have you ever had surgery?"
D. "What concerns brought you in today?"
Answer: D
5. A nurse is obtaining a health history from a client who reports abdominal
discomfort. Which approach would best help the nurse understand the
characteristics and progression of the symptom?
A. Ask only whether the client currently has pain
B. Explore onset, location, duration, character, aggravating and relieving
factors, and associated symptoms
C. Ask the client to identify the diagnosis causing the discomfort
D. Immediately begin palpating the abdomen before obtaining symptom
information
Answer: B
6. A client reports that a headache began suddenly while exercising and
describes it as the most severe headache experienced in the client's
lifetime. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Recommend increased fluid intake and routine follow-up
B. Document the headache as an expected manifestation of exercise
C. Recognize the sudden severe symptom as a potential emergency
requiring prompt evaluation
D. Encourage the client to sleep before further assessment
Answer: C
7. A nurse is interviewing a client who has difficulty describing symptoms
because of anxiety. Which communication technique would best promote
accurate information collection?
pg. 2
, A. Use simple, focused questions and allow adequate time for the client to
respond
B. Interrupt frequently to keep the interview brief
C. Ask several questions simultaneously
D. Use technical terminology to encourage precise responses
Answer: A
8. A nurse is assessing a client who reports pain. Which question best assesses
the quality or character of the pain?
A. "When did the pain begin?"
B. "Where exactly do you feel the pain?"
C. "What does the pain feel like?"
D. "What makes the pain better?"
Answer: C
9. A client reports chest discomfort that begins while walking and resolves
after resting. Which additional assessment question would be most useful
for determining the characteristics of the symptom?
A. "What did you eat yesterday?"
B. "Does the discomfort radiate to your arm, jaw, shoulder, or back?"
C. "How many hours do you sleep each night?"
D. "Have you ever had seasonal allergies?"
Answer: B
10. During a health history, the nurse asks a client about previous illnesses,
surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies, medications, immunizations, and
significant injuries. Which portion of the health history is being completed?
A. Family history
B. Review of systems
C. Social history
D. Past health history
Answer: D
11. A nurse is completing a family history for a client with newly diagnosed
hypertension. Which information is most relevant to this portion of the
pg. 3
, assessment?
A. The client's current exercise routine
B. The client's father's history of hypertension and stroke
C. The client's current blood pressure measurement
D. The client's description of today's headache
Answer: B
12. A nurse is completing a social history for a client who has chronic
respiratory symptoms. Which information is particularly relevant?
A. The client's history of tobacco, alcohol, recreational drug use,
occupation, living situation, and lifestyle
B. The client's childhood vaccination history only
C. The client's current bowel sounds
D. The client's pupil response to light
Answer: A
13. During a review of systems, the nurse asks about fatigue, fever, weight
changes, and night sweats. Which system or category is primarily being
assessed?
A. Cardiovascular
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Musculoskeletal
D. General constitutional symptoms
Answer: D
14. A client reports a 10-kg unintentional weight loss during the past four
months. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Document the finding without additional questions
B. Assess appetite, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, systemic
symptoms, and other relevant causes
C. Tell the client that weight loss is always expected with aging
D. Recommend restricting food intake further
Answer: B
pg. 4
