1|Page
LATEST REVISED HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM 3
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED CORRECT
ANSWERS
The Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ) contains the:
A) Gallbladder
B) Spleen
C) Liver
D) Appendix - ANSWER Spleen
The spleen is the largest lymphatic organ. However, instead of lymph, its chambers are filled
with blood.
Suppose that Tina reported pain when you assessed for costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness.
Which of the following would be true?
A) CVA tenderness may indicate kidney infection
B) CVA tenderness may indicate liver enlargement
C) CVA tenderness is an expected finding
D) CVA tenderness is a rare finding - ANSWER CVA tenderness may indicate kidney infection
Percussion of the costovertebral angle should evoke no pain. The elicitation of pain is indicative
of inflammation in the underlying kidney or surrounding tissue.
Suppose that you suspected ascites because Tina's abdomen is large. Which of the following
assessment findings would confirm ascites?
,2|Page
A) Shifting dullness
B) Murphy's sign
C) Deep organ palpation
D) Peristaltic fluid wave test - ANSWER Shifting dullness
Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal space. This fluid can be detected by
abdominal percussion. The distribution of fluid in the abdomen shifts according to gravity when
the person changes body position. To test for ascites, percuss for dullness in the abdomen when
Tina is in several different body positions.
The second heart sound is the result of which of the following?
A)Opening of aortic and pulmonic valves
B) Closing of aortic and pulmonic valves
C) Opening of mitral and tricuspid valve
D) Closing of mitral and tricuspid valve - ANSWER Closing of aortic and pulmonic valves
The five cardiac areas of auscultation are not the anatomical positions of the heart valves but
are the best places to listen due to the direction that sounds resonate in the thorax.
Normal capillary refill is:
A) Nails turning from blanched to pink
B) > 2 seconds
C) 1-2 seconds
D) < 1 second - ANSWER 1-2 seconds
, 3|Page
Most capillaries have such small inner diameters that only one red blood cell can move through
at a time.
Tina's left tibial pulse is graded as 2+. This finding is:
A)Bounding
B) Increased
C) Normal
D) Weak - ANSWER Normal
Pulses are graded on a 4 point scale in which 3+ is bounding, 2+ is normal, 1+ is weak, and 0 is
absent.
When listening to the heart of an 18-month-old admitted to Shadow General Hospital for
physical abuse, what is the normal heart rate range?
A) 90-150 beats per minute
B) 80-140 beats per minute
C) 100-160 beats per minute
D) 60-100 beats per minute - ANSWER A) 90-150 beats per minute
Children have smaller heart chambers and lower blood volume than adults, which results in a
lower heart stroke volume.
An 82-year-old is on the cardiac floor of Shadow General Hospital after being admitted for chest
pain. Which of the following findings would be due to vessel narrowing?
LATEST REVISED HEALTH ASSESSMENT EXAM 3
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED CORRECT
ANSWERS
The Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ) contains the:
A) Gallbladder
B) Spleen
C) Liver
D) Appendix - ANSWER Spleen
The spleen is the largest lymphatic organ. However, instead of lymph, its chambers are filled
with blood.
Suppose that Tina reported pain when you assessed for costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness.
Which of the following would be true?
A) CVA tenderness may indicate kidney infection
B) CVA tenderness may indicate liver enlargement
C) CVA tenderness is an expected finding
D) CVA tenderness is a rare finding - ANSWER CVA tenderness may indicate kidney infection
Percussion of the costovertebral angle should evoke no pain. The elicitation of pain is indicative
of inflammation in the underlying kidney or surrounding tissue.
Suppose that you suspected ascites because Tina's abdomen is large. Which of the following
assessment findings would confirm ascites?
,2|Page
A) Shifting dullness
B) Murphy's sign
C) Deep organ palpation
D) Peristaltic fluid wave test - ANSWER Shifting dullness
Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal space. This fluid can be detected by
abdominal percussion. The distribution of fluid in the abdomen shifts according to gravity when
the person changes body position. To test for ascites, percuss for dullness in the abdomen when
Tina is in several different body positions.
The second heart sound is the result of which of the following?
A)Opening of aortic and pulmonic valves
B) Closing of aortic and pulmonic valves
C) Opening of mitral and tricuspid valve
D) Closing of mitral and tricuspid valve - ANSWER Closing of aortic and pulmonic valves
The five cardiac areas of auscultation are not the anatomical positions of the heart valves but
are the best places to listen due to the direction that sounds resonate in the thorax.
Normal capillary refill is:
A) Nails turning from blanched to pink
B) > 2 seconds
C) 1-2 seconds
D) < 1 second - ANSWER 1-2 seconds
, 3|Page
Most capillaries have such small inner diameters that only one red blood cell can move through
at a time.
Tina's left tibial pulse is graded as 2+. This finding is:
A)Bounding
B) Increased
C) Normal
D) Weak - ANSWER Normal
Pulses are graded on a 4 point scale in which 3+ is bounding, 2+ is normal, 1+ is weak, and 0 is
absent.
When listening to the heart of an 18-month-old admitted to Shadow General Hospital for
physical abuse, what is the normal heart rate range?
A) 90-150 beats per minute
B) 80-140 beats per minute
C) 100-160 beats per minute
D) 60-100 beats per minute - ANSWER A) 90-150 beats per minute
Children have smaller heart chambers and lower blood volume than adults, which results in a
lower heart stroke volume.
An 82-year-old is on the cardiac floor of Shadow General Hospital after being admitted for chest
pain. Which of the following findings would be due to vessel narrowing?
