NURS 252 FINAL REVIEW 2026/2027 | NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
EXAM REVIEW & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Priority levels - Correct answer ✔✔ 1. Immediate (emergency, life threatening)
2. Second level (urgent, must be addressed to prevent further deterioration)
3. Third level (important to patient health)
4. Collaborative problems ( interprofessional team, ex. substance abuse)
Arranging the physical setting - Correct answer ✔✔ - Minimize interruptions and establish
rapport
-Leave enough distance, and allow for personal space
-Equal seating
Patient introduction - Correct answer ✔✔ 1. wash hands
2. NOD (name, occupation, duty)
3. Purpose of assessment
Motivational Interviewing principles - Correct answer ✔✔ -Open ended questions
-Make affirmations
-use reflections
-Summarize
Empathy - Correct answer ✔✔ -Recognition and acceptance of patient's feelings
Barriers to professional therapeutic communication - Correct answer ✔✔ -Failing to listen
-Giving personal opinions, approving or disapproving statements
,-Changing the subject
-False reassurance
-Interrupting
-Overusing professional jargon
-Talking too much
-"why" questions
General Survey - Correct answer ✔✔ -Age
-Level of alertness
-Body size and shape
-Non-verbal communication
-Symmetrical comparison
Palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ Touch to assess
-Temperature
-Moisture
-Texture
-Vibration
-Pulsation
-Rigidity
-Crepitus
-Presence of lumps or masses
-Presence of tenderness or pain
Finger pads- palpation regions - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess texture, moisture, and
contour
,Fingertips/pads (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess pulsatility, fluid content of
tissues, elasticity and turgor, and vascularity
Dorsum of hand (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess temperature
Ulnar surface of hand (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess temperature and
vibration
Light palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ - Communicate for patient comfort, use warm hands and
go from non tender areas to tender areas
-Use Intermittent circular motions with Dominant hand
-Finger pads sense movement of patient's skin and tissue
Deep palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ -Risk of injuring patient, up to discretion of nurse within
their scope of practice
-3-4 cm below skin surface
-Extended fingers of non dominant hand over dominant hand for extra pressure
Percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tapping on body surfaces to create sound
-Helps determine location, size and density of organs
-Detects abnormal mass
-Elicits pain on inflamed area
-Deep tendon reflex
Direct percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tap directly on skin
-Maxillary sinuses
, Indirect percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tap middle finger of dominant hand over middle
finger of non-dominant hand placed on a body surface
-Tap twice only, using a quick and forceful wrist action
Percussion sounds - Correct answer ✔✔ 1) Flatness
2) Dullness
3) Resonance
4) Tympanic
Auscultation - Correct answer ✔✔ -Ear pieces facing nose
-Use the diaphragm and bell
-Warm the stethoscope and sanitize
-Hair and friction can produce artifact sounds
-Do not auscultate through clothes
Diaphragm of stethoscope - Correct answer ✔✔ -Flat endpiece of the stethoscope used for
hearing relatively high-pitched heart sounds
-Lung and Heart sounds
Bell of stethoscope - Correct answer ✔✔ -Cup-shaped endpiece used for soft, low-pitched heart
sounds
-Heart murmurs
Infants developmental considerations for assessment - Correct answer ✔✔ -Trust the parent
-Prefer warmth
-Perform least distressing assessments first
EXAM REVIEW & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Priority levels - Correct answer ✔✔ 1. Immediate (emergency, life threatening)
2. Second level (urgent, must be addressed to prevent further deterioration)
3. Third level (important to patient health)
4. Collaborative problems ( interprofessional team, ex. substance abuse)
Arranging the physical setting - Correct answer ✔✔ - Minimize interruptions and establish
rapport
-Leave enough distance, and allow for personal space
-Equal seating
Patient introduction - Correct answer ✔✔ 1. wash hands
2. NOD (name, occupation, duty)
3. Purpose of assessment
Motivational Interviewing principles - Correct answer ✔✔ -Open ended questions
-Make affirmations
-use reflections
-Summarize
Empathy - Correct answer ✔✔ -Recognition and acceptance of patient's feelings
Barriers to professional therapeutic communication - Correct answer ✔✔ -Failing to listen
-Giving personal opinions, approving or disapproving statements
,-Changing the subject
-False reassurance
-Interrupting
-Overusing professional jargon
-Talking too much
-"why" questions
General Survey - Correct answer ✔✔ -Age
-Level of alertness
-Body size and shape
-Non-verbal communication
-Symmetrical comparison
Palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ Touch to assess
-Temperature
-Moisture
-Texture
-Vibration
-Pulsation
-Rigidity
-Crepitus
-Presence of lumps or masses
-Presence of tenderness or pain
Finger pads- palpation regions - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess texture, moisture, and
contour
,Fingertips/pads (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess pulsatility, fluid content of
tissues, elasticity and turgor, and vascularity
Dorsum of hand (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess temperature
Ulnar surface of hand (palpation) - Correct answer ✔✔ -Used to assess temperature and
vibration
Light palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ - Communicate for patient comfort, use warm hands and
go from non tender areas to tender areas
-Use Intermittent circular motions with Dominant hand
-Finger pads sense movement of patient's skin and tissue
Deep palpation - Correct answer ✔✔ -Risk of injuring patient, up to discretion of nurse within
their scope of practice
-3-4 cm below skin surface
-Extended fingers of non dominant hand over dominant hand for extra pressure
Percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tapping on body surfaces to create sound
-Helps determine location, size and density of organs
-Detects abnormal mass
-Elicits pain on inflamed area
-Deep tendon reflex
Direct percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tap directly on skin
-Maxillary sinuses
, Indirect percussion - Correct answer ✔✔ -Tap middle finger of dominant hand over middle
finger of non-dominant hand placed on a body surface
-Tap twice only, using a quick and forceful wrist action
Percussion sounds - Correct answer ✔✔ 1) Flatness
2) Dullness
3) Resonance
4) Tympanic
Auscultation - Correct answer ✔✔ -Ear pieces facing nose
-Use the diaphragm and bell
-Warm the stethoscope and sanitize
-Hair and friction can produce artifact sounds
-Do not auscultate through clothes
Diaphragm of stethoscope - Correct answer ✔✔ -Flat endpiece of the stethoscope used for
hearing relatively high-pitched heart sounds
-Lung and Heart sounds
Bell of stethoscope - Correct answer ✔✔ -Cup-shaped endpiece used for soft, low-pitched heart
sounds
-Heart murmurs
Infants developmental considerations for assessment - Correct answer ✔✔ -Trust the parent
-Prefer warmth
-Perform least distressing assessments first
