NYU HAP Exam 1 UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT
ANSWERS
The nurse notices a colleague is preparing to check the blood pressure of a patient who is
sitting with his legs crossed. The nurse knows that this will:
a. yield a falsely low blood pressure.
b. have no effect on the blood pressure reading.
c. produces an auscultatory gap.
d. yield a falsely high blood pressure. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D
(Blood pressure increases when legs are crossed and care should be taken to ensure that feet
are flat on the floor to avoid a *false high blood pressure.)
Which activity illustrates the concept of *primary prevention*?
a. exercising three times a week
b. monthly breast self-examination
c. education about living with asthma
d. colonoscopy after age of 50 - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A
(a primary prevention aimed at preventing the individual from developing an illness.)
A 75- y/o man reports he stopped playing cards with his friends because, over time, he
noticed their voices began to sound mumbled. How does the nurse explain the possible cause
of this change?
a. sudden low-frequency hearing loss
b. damage to the middle ear from ear infections
c. gradual high-frequency hearing loss
,d. lack of earwax in the outer ear - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C
(High-frequency hearing loss, or *presbycusis*, can occur as we age. It involves problems
w]usually with discerning certain constant sounds like F, S, T and Z. Vowels are easier to hear
for a person with high-frequency loss. Not being able to hear certain letter sounds may make
speech sound mumbled. Older adults can become disheartened or frustrated when not being
able to make out speech adequately and can become withdrawn. The issue is not related to a
low-frequency hearing loss, lack of earwax, or ear infections.)
A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of "awful" hip pain after suffering a fracture and
rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following physiologic signs may accompany
acute pain? (Select all that apply)
a. depression
b. tachycardia
c. increased blood pressure
d. loss of weight and appetite - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔CB
(Tachycardia and increased bp are associated with the sympathetic nervous system response
that occurs in acute pain. Depression and loss of appetite are more associated with chronic
pain.)
A patient is describing his symptoms to the nurse. Which of these statements reflects a
description of the aggravating factors for his symptoms?
a. "It is a sharp, burning pain in my stomach."
b. "When I sit down to use the computer, it gets worse."
c. "I think this pain is telling me that something bad is wrong with me."
d. "I also have the sweats and nausea when I feel this pain." - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B
(Aggravating factors are things the patient does or that happen to the patient that make the
symptom worse or more pronounced. This answer is the only one that was *associated with a
symptom.*)
, A patient drifts off to sleep when she is not being stimulated. The nurse can arouse her easily
when calling her name, but she remains drowsy during the conversation. The best description
of this patient's level of consciousness would be:
a. semialert
b. obtunded
c. stuporous
d. lethargic - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D
(When a patient is lethargic, they may be drowsy but awaken easily to stimulation. They can
answer questions and follow commands. A patient who is obtunded is difficult to arouse and
needs constant stimulation in order to keep them awake. They may answer basic, direct
questions. Wen a patient is stuporous, they require vigorous stimulation to arouse and will not
be able to answer questions to follow commands. Semialert is not a term used in a mental
health assessment.)
During shift report, a nurse learns that a patient has a *macular rash*. As the nurse inspects
the patient's skin, what finding will confirm the rash?
a. elevated, firm, well-defined lesions less than 1 cm in diameter
b. depressed, firm, or scaly, rough lesions greater than 1 cm in diameter.
c. flat, well-defined, small lesions less than 1 cm in diameter
d. elevated fluid-filled lesions less than 1 cm in diameter - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C
(A macule is a lesion that is flat, circumscribed, less than 1cm. An elevated lesion would be a
*papule*. An elevated, fluid-filled lesion is a vesicle.)
When assessing the severity of a patient's pain, which question by the nurse is appropriate?
a. "What makes your pain better or worse?"
b. "How much pain do you have now?"
c. "how does pain limit your activities?"
d. "What does your pain feel like?" - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B
Exam Questions and CORRECT
ANSWERS
The nurse notices a colleague is preparing to check the blood pressure of a patient who is
sitting with his legs crossed. The nurse knows that this will:
a. yield a falsely low blood pressure.
b. have no effect on the blood pressure reading.
c. produces an auscultatory gap.
d. yield a falsely high blood pressure. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D
(Blood pressure increases when legs are crossed and care should be taken to ensure that feet
are flat on the floor to avoid a *false high blood pressure.)
Which activity illustrates the concept of *primary prevention*?
a. exercising three times a week
b. monthly breast self-examination
c. education about living with asthma
d. colonoscopy after age of 50 - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A
(a primary prevention aimed at preventing the individual from developing an illness.)
A 75- y/o man reports he stopped playing cards with his friends because, over time, he
noticed their voices began to sound mumbled. How does the nurse explain the possible cause
of this change?
a. sudden low-frequency hearing loss
b. damage to the middle ear from ear infections
c. gradual high-frequency hearing loss
,d. lack of earwax in the outer ear - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C
(High-frequency hearing loss, or *presbycusis*, can occur as we age. It involves problems
w]usually with discerning certain constant sounds like F, S, T and Z. Vowels are easier to hear
for a person with high-frequency loss. Not being able to hear certain letter sounds may make
speech sound mumbled. Older adults can become disheartened or frustrated when not being
able to make out speech adequately and can become withdrawn. The issue is not related to a
low-frequency hearing loss, lack of earwax, or ear infections.)
A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of "awful" hip pain after suffering a fracture and
rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following physiologic signs may accompany
acute pain? (Select all that apply)
a. depression
b. tachycardia
c. increased blood pressure
d. loss of weight and appetite - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔CB
(Tachycardia and increased bp are associated with the sympathetic nervous system response
that occurs in acute pain. Depression and loss of appetite are more associated with chronic
pain.)
A patient is describing his symptoms to the nurse. Which of these statements reflects a
description of the aggravating factors for his symptoms?
a. "It is a sharp, burning pain in my stomach."
b. "When I sit down to use the computer, it gets worse."
c. "I think this pain is telling me that something bad is wrong with me."
d. "I also have the sweats and nausea when I feel this pain." - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B
(Aggravating factors are things the patient does or that happen to the patient that make the
symptom worse or more pronounced. This answer is the only one that was *associated with a
symptom.*)
, A patient drifts off to sleep when she is not being stimulated. The nurse can arouse her easily
when calling her name, but she remains drowsy during the conversation. The best description
of this patient's level of consciousness would be:
a. semialert
b. obtunded
c. stuporous
d. lethargic - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D
(When a patient is lethargic, they may be drowsy but awaken easily to stimulation. They can
answer questions and follow commands. A patient who is obtunded is difficult to arouse and
needs constant stimulation in order to keep them awake. They may answer basic, direct
questions. Wen a patient is stuporous, they require vigorous stimulation to arouse and will not
be able to answer questions to follow commands. Semialert is not a term used in a mental
health assessment.)
During shift report, a nurse learns that a patient has a *macular rash*. As the nurse inspects
the patient's skin, what finding will confirm the rash?
a. elevated, firm, well-defined lesions less than 1 cm in diameter
b. depressed, firm, or scaly, rough lesions greater than 1 cm in diameter.
c. flat, well-defined, small lesions less than 1 cm in diameter
d. elevated fluid-filled lesions less than 1 cm in diameter - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C
(A macule is a lesion that is flat, circumscribed, less than 1cm. An elevated lesion would be a
*papule*. An elevated, fluid-filled lesion is a vesicle.)
When assessing the severity of a patient's pain, which question by the nurse is appropriate?
a. "What makes your pain better or worse?"
b. "How much pain do you have now?"
c. "how does pain limit your activities?"
d. "What does your pain feel like?" - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B
