Galen NSG 3160 Health Assessment: Practice Test 1 (Units 1-7)
- Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. The teach-back method is used to:
A. Teach the nurse new skills
B. Repeat the lecture twice
C. Test the patient's IQ
D. Confirm the patient understands by having them explain the information in their own words
Correct Answer: D. Confirm the patient understands by having them explain the information
in their own words
Rationale: Teach-back checks the nurse's teaching rather than testing the patient, and gaps are retaught
until understanding is confirmed. It is not a staff training tool, a repeated lecture or an intelligence test.
2. The review of systems is used to:
A. Document physical exam findings
B. Record laboratory results
C. List the family's illnesses
D. Ask about past and present symptoms in each body system
Correct Answer: D. Ask about past and present symptoms in each body system
Rationale: The review of systems is a subjective head-to-toe set of questions about symptoms in each
body system that may uncover problems the patient did not mention. Exam findings and lab results are
objective data, and family illnesses go in the family history.
3. Which information belongs in the past health history?
A. Current symptoms of the chief complaint
B. Diseases of the patient's grandparents
C. Previous hospitalizations, surgeries, immunizations and allergies
D. The patient's occupation
Correct Answer: C. Previous hospitalizations, surgeries, immunizations and allergies
Rationale: The past health history covers childhood illnesses, accidents, chronic conditions,
hospitalizations, operations, immunizations, allergies and medications. Current symptoms belong in the
present illness, relatives' diseases in the family history and occupation in the functional assessment.
,4. When documenting an allergy, the nurse should record:
A. Only the name of the drug
B. Only whether the allergy is severe
C. The patient's feelings about the allergy
D. The allergen and the specific reaction the patient experienced
Correct Answer: D. The allergen and the specific reaction the patient experienced
Rationale: Recording the substance and the reaction, such as hives versus nausea, distinguishes true
allergy from side effects and guides safe prescribing. A name alone or a vague severity label leaves out
information clinicians need.
5. Closed questions are most useful during the interview to:
A. Encourage the patient to tell their story
B. Explore feelings in depth
C. Build rapport at the start
D. Obtain specific facts, such as dates or yes/no details
Correct Answer: D. Obtain specific facts, such as dates or yes/no details
Rationale: Closed questions efficiently gather precise details once the patient's story is known, and they
are helpful in emergencies. They limit elaboration, so they are poor tools for exploring feelings, building
rapport or eliciting the full narrative.
6. A patient who is anxious gives very brief answers. The nurse should first:
A. Acknowledge the anxiety and explain what will happen during the interview
B. Ask more rapid closed questions
C. Postpone all assessment
D. Tell the patient there is nothing to worry about
Correct Answer: A. Acknowledge the anxiety and explain what will happen during the
interview
Rationale: Naming the emotion and explaining the process can reduce anxiety and improve
communication. Rapid questioning increases stress, postponing may delay needed care and dismissive
reassurance does not address the feeling.
,7. In the SOAP format, the 'A' stands for:
A. Assessment, the nurse's analysis or diagnosis based on the data
B. Allergies
C. Activity level
D. Appearance
Correct Answer: A. Assessment, the nurse's analysis or diagnosis based on the data
Rationale: SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan, and the assessment section
interprets the data to identify problems. Allergies, activity and appearance are data items rather than a
section of the note.
8. The 'P' in the PQRSTU symptom assessment refers to:
A. Pulse
B. Provocative or palliative factors
C. Past history
D. Pain medication
Correct Answer: B. Provocative or palliative factors
Rationale: PQRSTU stands for Provocative/palliative, Quality/quantity, Region/radiation, Severity, Timing
and Understanding, which guide analysis of a symptom. Pulse, past history and medications are
assessed elsewhere.
9. A useful mnemonic for analyzing a symptom such as pain is:
A. ABCDE
B. SBAR
C. OLDCARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/alleviating, radiation, timing,
severity)
D. RACE
Correct Answer: C. OLDCARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/alleviating,
radiation, timing, severity)
Rationale: OLDCARTS and similar tools such as PQRSTU organize the history of a present illness so no
characteristic is missed. ABCDE is used for melanoma or emergency priorities, SBAR is a handoff tool
and RACE is a fire response sequence.
, 10. Documentation in the electronic health record during the interview should be done:
A. Instead of making any eye contact
B. Briefly, while maintaining eye contact and explaining that notes are being taken
C. Only after the patient leaves, from memory days later
D. By having the patient type the answers
Correct Answer: B. Briefly, while maintaining eye contact and explaining that notes are being
taken
Rationale: Brief notes during the interview preserve accuracy while attention stays on the patient.
Constant screen focus harms rapport, delayed documentation risks errors and patients should not chart
their own history.
11. Distance during an interview is generally best kept at about:
A. Less than 6 inches at all times
B. Social distance of 4 to 12 feet for the interview, moving to personal space for the exam
C. More than 20 feet
D. Distance does not matter
Correct Answer: B. Social distance of 4 to 12 feet for the interview, moving to personal space
for the exam
Rationale: Social distance is comfortable for conversation, and the nurse moves into personal and
intimate space only for the physical exam with explanation. Very close distance feels invasive and very far
distance hinders communication.
12. When interviewing an older adult, the nurse should:
A. Allow extra time, face the patient and minimize background noise
B. Speak loudly and quickly to finish efficiently
C. Direct questions to the adult child instead
D. Assume cognitive impairment
Correct Answer: A. Allow extra time, face the patient and minimize background noise
Rationale: Older adults may need more time and may have hearing loss, so facing them in a quiet room
improves communication. Rushing, shouting, bypassing the patient or assuming impairment is
disrespectful and produces poor data.
- Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. The teach-back method is used to:
A. Teach the nurse new skills
B. Repeat the lecture twice
C. Test the patient's IQ
D. Confirm the patient understands by having them explain the information in their own words
Correct Answer: D. Confirm the patient understands by having them explain the information
in their own words
Rationale: Teach-back checks the nurse's teaching rather than testing the patient, and gaps are retaught
until understanding is confirmed. It is not a staff training tool, a repeated lecture or an intelligence test.
2. The review of systems is used to:
A. Document physical exam findings
B. Record laboratory results
C. List the family's illnesses
D. Ask about past and present symptoms in each body system
Correct Answer: D. Ask about past and present symptoms in each body system
Rationale: The review of systems is a subjective head-to-toe set of questions about symptoms in each
body system that may uncover problems the patient did not mention. Exam findings and lab results are
objective data, and family illnesses go in the family history.
3. Which information belongs in the past health history?
A. Current symptoms of the chief complaint
B. Diseases of the patient's grandparents
C. Previous hospitalizations, surgeries, immunizations and allergies
D. The patient's occupation
Correct Answer: C. Previous hospitalizations, surgeries, immunizations and allergies
Rationale: The past health history covers childhood illnesses, accidents, chronic conditions,
hospitalizations, operations, immunizations, allergies and medications. Current symptoms belong in the
present illness, relatives' diseases in the family history and occupation in the functional assessment.
,4. When documenting an allergy, the nurse should record:
A. Only the name of the drug
B. Only whether the allergy is severe
C. The patient's feelings about the allergy
D. The allergen and the specific reaction the patient experienced
Correct Answer: D. The allergen and the specific reaction the patient experienced
Rationale: Recording the substance and the reaction, such as hives versus nausea, distinguishes true
allergy from side effects and guides safe prescribing. A name alone or a vague severity label leaves out
information clinicians need.
5. Closed questions are most useful during the interview to:
A. Encourage the patient to tell their story
B. Explore feelings in depth
C. Build rapport at the start
D. Obtain specific facts, such as dates or yes/no details
Correct Answer: D. Obtain specific facts, such as dates or yes/no details
Rationale: Closed questions efficiently gather precise details once the patient's story is known, and they
are helpful in emergencies. They limit elaboration, so they are poor tools for exploring feelings, building
rapport or eliciting the full narrative.
6. A patient who is anxious gives very brief answers. The nurse should first:
A. Acknowledge the anxiety and explain what will happen during the interview
B. Ask more rapid closed questions
C. Postpone all assessment
D. Tell the patient there is nothing to worry about
Correct Answer: A. Acknowledge the anxiety and explain what will happen during the
interview
Rationale: Naming the emotion and explaining the process can reduce anxiety and improve
communication. Rapid questioning increases stress, postponing may delay needed care and dismissive
reassurance does not address the feeling.
,7. In the SOAP format, the 'A' stands for:
A. Assessment, the nurse's analysis or diagnosis based on the data
B. Allergies
C. Activity level
D. Appearance
Correct Answer: A. Assessment, the nurse's analysis or diagnosis based on the data
Rationale: SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan, and the assessment section
interprets the data to identify problems. Allergies, activity and appearance are data items rather than a
section of the note.
8. The 'P' in the PQRSTU symptom assessment refers to:
A. Pulse
B. Provocative or palliative factors
C. Past history
D. Pain medication
Correct Answer: B. Provocative or palliative factors
Rationale: PQRSTU stands for Provocative/palliative, Quality/quantity, Region/radiation, Severity, Timing
and Understanding, which guide analysis of a symptom. Pulse, past history and medications are
assessed elsewhere.
9. A useful mnemonic for analyzing a symptom such as pain is:
A. ABCDE
B. SBAR
C. OLDCARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/alleviating, radiation, timing,
severity)
D. RACE
Correct Answer: C. OLDCARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/alleviating,
radiation, timing, severity)
Rationale: OLDCARTS and similar tools such as PQRSTU organize the history of a present illness so no
characteristic is missed. ABCDE is used for melanoma or emergency priorities, SBAR is a handoff tool
and RACE is a fire response sequence.
, 10. Documentation in the electronic health record during the interview should be done:
A. Instead of making any eye contact
B. Briefly, while maintaining eye contact and explaining that notes are being taken
C. Only after the patient leaves, from memory days later
D. By having the patient type the answers
Correct Answer: B. Briefly, while maintaining eye contact and explaining that notes are being
taken
Rationale: Brief notes during the interview preserve accuracy while attention stays on the patient.
Constant screen focus harms rapport, delayed documentation risks errors and patients should not chart
their own history.
11. Distance during an interview is generally best kept at about:
A. Less than 6 inches at all times
B. Social distance of 4 to 12 feet for the interview, moving to personal space for the exam
C. More than 20 feet
D. Distance does not matter
Correct Answer: B. Social distance of 4 to 12 feet for the interview, moving to personal space
for the exam
Rationale: Social distance is comfortable for conversation, and the nurse moves into personal and
intimate space only for the physical exam with explanation. Very close distance feels invasive and very far
distance hinders communication.
12. When interviewing an older adult, the nurse should:
A. Allow extra time, face the patient and minimize background noise
B. Speak loudly and quickly to finish efficiently
C. Direct questions to the adult child instead
D. Assume cognitive impairment
Correct Answer: A. Allow extra time, face the patient and minimize background noise
Rationale: Older adults may need more time and may have hearing loss, so facing them in a quiet room
improves communication. Rushing, shouting, bypassing the patient or assuming impairment is
disrespectful and produces poor data.
