NR 509/ NR509 Final Exam Advanced Physical
Assessment (Latest 2026/ 2027)Questions with Verified
Answers – Chamberlain
Section 1: Foundations of Advanced Health Assessment
1. An APN is obtaining a health history from a 58-year-old patient. Which of the
following represents objective data?
A. Patient reports a dull headache for 3 days
B. Patient states she feels nauseated
C. Blood pressure 148/92 mmHg measured in the right arm
D. Patient describes her pain as "burning"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Objective data are directly observable and measurable by the
examiner, including vital signs, physical findings, and laboratory results. Blood
pressure measured by the clinician is objective. Headache, nausea, and pain
description are subjective because they are reported by the patient and cannot be
independently verified.
2. Which of the following is an example of subjective data?
A. Decreased range of motion in the left shoulder
B. Crepitation palpated in the left knee joint
C. The patient reports left knee swelling and warmth for 3 days
D. 2.5 cm scar on the right lower forearm
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Subjective data are what the patient reports or describes. The
patient's report of swelling and warmth is subjective. Range of motion,
crepitation, and scars are objective findings determined by the examiner.
,3. The nursing process is a sequential method of problem-solving that includes
which steps?
A. Assessment, treatment, planning, evaluation, discharge, and follow-up
B. Admission, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and discharge planning
C. Admission, diagnosis, treatment, evaluation, and discharge planning
D. Assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, and
evaluation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nursing process consists of six distinct steps: Assessment
(data collection), Diagnosis (identification of health problems), Outcome
Identification (goal setting), Planning (intervention development),
Implementation (carrying out interventions), and Evaluation (measuring
outcomes).
4. Which step of the nursing process includes data collection by health history,
physical examination, and interview?
A. Planning
B. Diagnosis
C. Evaluation
D. Assessment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Assessment is the first and foundational step of the nursing
process, involving systematic data collection through health history taking,
physical examination, and patient interviewing.
5. A nursing diagnosis is best described as:
A. A determination of the etiology of a disease
B. A pattern of coping
C. An individual's perception of health
,D. A clinical judgment about individual, family, or community responses to actual
or potential health problems
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment concerning a human
response to health conditions or life processes. It differs from a medical diagnosis,
which identifies disease pathology.
6. During a patient-centered interview, which behavior best reflects a patient-
centered approach?
A. Greeting the patient by chart name and immediately reviewing the chief
complaint
B. Sitting at eye level, maintaining open posture, and asking about the patient's
goals for the visit
C. Standing near the door to demonstrate time management
D. Beginning with a closed-ended symptom inventory to cover all systems quickly
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patient-centered interviewing prioritizes the patient's narrative,
agenda, and contextual goals before clinician-directed data gathering. Sitting at
eye level with open posture and soliciting the patient's agenda establishes
rapport.
7. When obtaining the history of present illness using OLDCARTS, which element
is most critical to elicit first when a patient reports non-onset substernal chest
pain?
A. Timing
B. Radiation
C. Onset
D. Severity
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Onset is the highest-yield discriminating feature for chest pain
because acute coronary syndrome typically presents with abrupt, crescendo
discomfort, whereas GERD, musculoskeletal, and panic-related etiologies follow
different onset patterns.
8. Primary prevention is defined as:
A. Interventions designed to prevent disease
B. Early detection and treatment of disease
C. Rehabilitation and restoration of function
D. Screening for early signs of disease
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Primary prevention includes interventions to prevent disease
from occurring, such as immunizations and health education. Secondary
prevention involves early detection and screening. Tertiary prevention focuses on
rehabilitation and restoration of function.
9. Which of the following is an example of secondary prevention?
A. Administering the influenza vaccine
B. Performing a mammogram for breast cancer screening
C. Providing cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction
D. Educating a patient about smoking cessation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Secondary prevention involves early detection and treatment
of disease through screening tests. Mammography detects breast cancer early.
Vaccination and smoking education are primary prevention. Cardiac rehabilitation
is tertiary prevention.
10. An APN documents that a patient has a "family history of diabetes mellitus."
This information belongs in which section of the health history?
Assessment (Latest 2026/ 2027)Questions with Verified
Answers – Chamberlain
Section 1: Foundations of Advanced Health Assessment
1. An APN is obtaining a health history from a 58-year-old patient. Which of the
following represents objective data?
A. Patient reports a dull headache for 3 days
B. Patient states she feels nauseated
C. Blood pressure 148/92 mmHg measured in the right arm
D. Patient describes her pain as "burning"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Objective data are directly observable and measurable by the
examiner, including vital signs, physical findings, and laboratory results. Blood
pressure measured by the clinician is objective. Headache, nausea, and pain
description are subjective because they are reported by the patient and cannot be
independently verified.
2. Which of the following is an example of subjective data?
A. Decreased range of motion in the left shoulder
B. Crepitation palpated in the left knee joint
C. The patient reports left knee swelling and warmth for 3 days
D. 2.5 cm scar on the right lower forearm
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Subjective data are what the patient reports or describes. The
patient's report of swelling and warmth is subjective. Range of motion,
crepitation, and scars are objective findings determined by the examiner.
,3. The nursing process is a sequential method of problem-solving that includes
which steps?
A. Assessment, treatment, planning, evaluation, discharge, and follow-up
B. Admission, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and discharge planning
C. Admission, diagnosis, treatment, evaluation, and discharge planning
D. Assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, and
evaluation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nursing process consists of six distinct steps: Assessment
(data collection), Diagnosis (identification of health problems), Outcome
Identification (goal setting), Planning (intervention development),
Implementation (carrying out interventions), and Evaluation (measuring
outcomes).
4. Which step of the nursing process includes data collection by health history,
physical examination, and interview?
A. Planning
B. Diagnosis
C. Evaluation
D. Assessment
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Assessment is the first and foundational step of the nursing
process, involving systematic data collection through health history taking,
physical examination, and patient interviewing.
5. A nursing diagnosis is best described as:
A. A determination of the etiology of a disease
B. A pattern of coping
C. An individual's perception of health
,D. A clinical judgment about individual, family, or community responses to actual
or potential health problems
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment concerning a human
response to health conditions or life processes. It differs from a medical diagnosis,
which identifies disease pathology.
6. During a patient-centered interview, which behavior best reflects a patient-
centered approach?
A. Greeting the patient by chart name and immediately reviewing the chief
complaint
B. Sitting at eye level, maintaining open posture, and asking about the patient's
goals for the visit
C. Standing near the door to demonstrate time management
D. Beginning with a closed-ended symptom inventory to cover all systems quickly
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patient-centered interviewing prioritizes the patient's narrative,
agenda, and contextual goals before clinician-directed data gathering. Sitting at
eye level with open posture and soliciting the patient's agenda establishes
rapport.
7. When obtaining the history of present illness using OLDCARTS, which element
is most critical to elicit first when a patient reports non-onset substernal chest
pain?
A. Timing
B. Radiation
C. Onset
D. Severity
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Onset is the highest-yield discriminating feature for chest pain
because acute coronary syndrome typically presents with abrupt, crescendo
discomfort, whereas GERD, musculoskeletal, and panic-related etiologies follow
different onset patterns.
8. Primary prevention is defined as:
A. Interventions designed to prevent disease
B. Early detection and treatment of disease
C. Rehabilitation and restoration of function
D. Screening for early signs of disease
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Primary prevention includes interventions to prevent disease
from occurring, such as immunizations and health education. Secondary
prevention involves early detection and screening. Tertiary prevention focuses on
rehabilitation and restoration of function.
9. Which of the following is an example of secondary prevention?
A. Administering the influenza vaccine
B. Performing a mammogram for breast cancer screening
C. Providing cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction
D. Educating a patient about smoking cessation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Secondary prevention involves early detection and treatment
of disease through screening tests. Mammography detects breast cancer early.
Vaccination and smoking education are primary prevention. Cardiac rehabilitation
is tertiary prevention.
10. An APN documents that a patient has a "family history of diabetes mellitus."
This information belongs in which section of the health history?
