NUR 603 Final Exam Review Practice Questions & Answers
A+ Graded 2025–2026 Update
Janet is a 30-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with a herniated disc at the level of
L5-S1. She is currently in the emergency room with suspicion of cauda equina compression.
Which of the following is a sign or symptom of cauda equina compression?
A. Gastrocnemius weakness
B. A reduced or absent ankle reflex
C. Numbness in the lateral foot
D. Paresthesia of the perineum and buttocks - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Paresthesia of the
perineum and buttocks
Mr. Jackson is a 65-year-old man recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The clinician has
explained to Mr. Jackson that the goals for managing osteoarthritis include controlling pain,
maximizing functional independence and mobility, minimizing disability, and preserving
quality of life. Mr. Jackson explains to the clinician that his first choice would be to use
complementary therapies to control his condition and asks what therapies are most effective
in treating osteoarthritis. What would be the most appropriate response from the clinician?
A. "Complementary therapies should be considered only if surgical interventions are not
successful."
B. "I am unfamiliar with the available complementary therapies for osteoarthritis and prefer
to discuss more mainstream treatments, such as NSAIDs and physical therapy, to manage
your condition."
C. "I would be happy to discuss all the treatment options available to you. Compleme -
CORRECT ANSWER-C. "I would be happy to discuss all the treatment options available to
you. Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, acupressure, and tai-chi, are being
,studied for use in the treatment of osteoarthritis and have shown promise when used with
standard medical therapy."
John is a 16-year-old boy who presents to the emergency room after hurting his knee in a
football game. He described twisting his knee and then being unable to extend it
completely. John tells the clinician that he heard a pop when the injury occurred and has
been experiencing localized pain. The clinician suspects a meniscal tear. Which test would be
most appropriate to assess for the presence of a meniscal tear?
A. Valgus stress test
B. McMurray circumduction test
C. Lachman test
D. Varus stress test - CORRECT ANSWER-B. McMurray circumduction test
The clinician suspects that a client has patellar instability. In order to test for this, the client
is seated with the quadriceps relaxed, and the knee is placed in extension. Next the patella
is displaced laterally, and the knee flexed to 30°. If instability is present, this maneuver
displaces the patella to an abnormal position on the lateral femoral condyle, and the client
will perceive pain. Testing for patellar instability in this way is known as:
A. Apprehension sign
B. Bulge sign
C. Thumb sign
D. None of the above - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Apprehension sign
A clinician has performed a synovial fluid analysis and the results are as follows: visual
analysis: turbid and yellow, viscosity: decreased, 52,000 white blood cells (WBCs) per mm3,
,polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs): 75%, protein: 5 g/dL. Which of the following
conditions could this result be attributed to?
A. Rheumatoid arthritis
B. Osteoarthritis
C. Gout
D. Septic arthritis - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Septic arthritis
Mr. S presents in the clinic with pain, tenderness, erythema, and swelling of his left great
toe. The clinician suspects acute gout. Which of the following should the clinician expect in
the initial test results for this patient?
A. Elevated uric acid level
B. Elevated blood urea nitrogen
C. Decreased urine pH
D. Decreased C-reactive protein - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Elevated uric acid level
Debbie is a 43-year-old female being evaluated for a wrist injury. The clinician is assessing
for median nerve compression by having Debbie maintain forced flexion of her wrist for 1
minute with the dorsal surface of each hand pressed together. Which of these tests did the
clinician just perform?
A. Allen's test
B. Phalen's test
C. Tinel's sign
D. Finkelstein's test - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Phalen's test
, Sam is a 25-year-old who has been diagnosed with low back strain based on his history of
localized low back pain and muscle spasm along with a normal neurological examination. As
the clinician, you explain to Sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of exclusion. Which of the
following symptoms would alert the clinician to the more serious finding of a herniated
nucleus pulposus or ruptured disc?
A. Morning stiffness and limited mobility of the lumbar spine
B. Unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or
greater than the back pain
C. Fever, chills, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate
D. Pathologic fractures, severe night pain, weight loss, and fatigue - CORRECT ANSWER-B.
Unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or greater
than the back pain
Felice is a 66-year-old female who complains that walking and prolonged standing causes
pain and weakness in her legs and buttocks. She expresses that she has short-term relief
when she leans on the shopping cart. When she sleeps on her back, she sometimes wakes
up in the night in pain. Which of the following diagnoses is most likely?
A. Multiple sclerosis
B. Herniated lumbar disc
C. Lumbar spinal stenosis
D. Cervical spondylosis - CORRECT ANSWER-C. Lumbar spinal stenosis
To diagnose fibromyalgia, there must be tenderness on digital palpation in at least 11 of 18
(nine pairs) tender point sites, which would include the
A. occiput, low cervical, trapezius, and supraspinatus
A+ Graded 2025–2026 Update
Janet is a 30-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with a herniated disc at the level of
L5-S1. She is currently in the emergency room with suspicion of cauda equina compression.
Which of the following is a sign or symptom of cauda equina compression?
A. Gastrocnemius weakness
B. A reduced or absent ankle reflex
C. Numbness in the lateral foot
D. Paresthesia of the perineum and buttocks - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Paresthesia of the
perineum and buttocks
Mr. Jackson is a 65-year-old man recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The clinician has
explained to Mr. Jackson that the goals for managing osteoarthritis include controlling pain,
maximizing functional independence and mobility, minimizing disability, and preserving
quality of life. Mr. Jackson explains to the clinician that his first choice would be to use
complementary therapies to control his condition and asks what therapies are most effective
in treating osteoarthritis. What would be the most appropriate response from the clinician?
A. "Complementary therapies should be considered only if surgical interventions are not
successful."
B. "I am unfamiliar with the available complementary therapies for osteoarthritis and prefer
to discuss more mainstream treatments, such as NSAIDs and physical therapy, to manage
your condition."
C. "I would be happy to discuss all the treatment options available to you. Compleme -
CORRECT ANSWER-C. "I would be happy to discuss all the treatment options available to
you. Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, acupressure, and tai-chi, are being
,studied for use in the treatment of osteoarthritis and have shown promise when used with
standard medical therapy."
John is a 16-year-old boy who presents to the emergency room after hurting his knee in a
football game. He described twisting his knee and then being unable to extend it
completely. John tells the clinician that he heard a pop when the injury occurred and has
been experiencing localized pain. The clinician suspects a meniscal tear. Which test would be
most appropriate to assess for the presence of a meniscal tear?
A. Valgus stress test
B. McMurray circumduction test
C. Lachman test
D. Varus stress test - CORRECT ANSWER-B. McMurray circumduction test
The clinician suspects that a client has patellar instability. In order to test for this, the client
is seated with the quadriceps relaxed, and the knee is placed in extension. Next the patella
is displaced laterally, and the knee flexed to 30°. If instability is present, this maneuver
displaces the patella to an abnormal position on the lateral femoral condyle, and the client
will perceive pain. Testing for patellar instability in this way is known as:
A. Apprehension sign
B. Bulge sign
C. Thumb sign
D. None of the above - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Apprehension sign
A clinician has performed a synovial fluid analysis and the results are as follows: visual
analysis: turbid and yellow, viscosity: decreased, 52,000 white blood cells (WBCs) per mm3,
,polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs): 75%, protein: 5 g/dL. Which of the following
conditions could this result be attributed to?
A. Rheumatoid arthritis
B. Osteoarthritis
C. Gout
D. Septic arthritis - CORRECT ANSWER-D. Septic arthritis
Mr. S presents in the clinic with pain, tenderness, erythema, and swelling of his left great
toe. The clinician suspects acute gout. Which of the following should the clinician expect in
the initial test results for this patient?
A. Elevated uric acid level
B. Elevated blood urea nitrogen
C. Decreased urine pH
D. Decreased C-reactive protein - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Elevated uric acid level
Debbie is a 43-year-old female being evaluated for a wrist injury. The clinician is assessing
for median nerve compression by having Debbie maintain forced flexion of her wrist for 1
minute with the dorsal surface of each hand pressed together. Which of these tests did the
clinician just perform?
A. Allen's test
B. Phalen's test
C. Tinel's sign
D. Finkelstein's test - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Phalen's test
, Sam is a 25-year-old who has been diagnosed with low back strain based on his history of
localized low back pain and muscle spasm along with a normal neurological examination. As
the clinician, you explain to Sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of exclusion. Which of the
following symptoms would alert the clinician to the more serious finding of a herniated
nucleus pulposus or ruptured disc?
A. Morning stiffness and limited mobility of the lumbar spine
B. Unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or
greater than the back pain
C. Fever, chills, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate
D. Pathologic fractures, severe night pain, weight loss, and fatigue - CORRECT ANSWER-B.
Unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or greater
than the back pain
Felice is a 66-year-old female who complains that walking and prolonged standing causes
pain and weakness in her legs and buttocks. She expresses that she has short-term relief
when she leans on the shopping cart. When she sleeps on her back, she sometimes wakes
up in the night in pain. Which of the following diagnoses is most likely?
A. Multiple sclerosis
B. Herniated lumbar disc
C. Lumbar spinal stenosis
D. Cervical spondylosis - CORRECT ANSWER-C. Lumbar spinal stenosis
To diagnose fibromyalgia, there must be tenderness on digital palpation in at least 11 of 18
(nine pairs) tender point sites, which would include the
A. occiput, low cervical, trapezius, and supraspinatus
