Assessment Practice Questions

Which of the following guidelines should a nursing instructor provide to nursing students who are now responsible for assessing their clients? A) "Assessment data about the client should be collected continuously." B) "Assess your client after receiving the nursing report and again before giving a report to the next shift of nurses." "Assess your client at least hourly if the client's vital signs are unstable, and every two hours if the vital signs are C) stable." D) "Assessment data should be collected prior to the physician rounding on the unit."

A) Assessment data about the client should be collected continuously

After assessment of a client in an ambulatory clinic, the nurse records the data on the computer. The nurse recognizes which of the following as objective data? A) Auscultation of the lungs B) Complaint of nausea C) Sensation of burning in her epigastric area D) Belief that demons are in her stomach

A) Auscultation of the lungs

The nurse is conducting a nursing history of a client with a respiratory rate of 30, audible wheezing, and nasal flaring. During the interview, the client denies problems with breathing. What action should the nurse take next? A) Clarify discrepancies of assessment data with the client. B) Validate client data with members of the health care team. C) Document all data collected in the nursing history and physical examination. D) Seek input from family members regarding the client's breathing at home.

A) Clarify discrepancies of assessment data with the client

A client is brought to the emergency department in an unconscious condition. The client's wife hands over the previous medical files and points out that the client had suddenly fallen unconscious after trying to get out of bed. Which of the following is a primary source of information? A) Client's wife B) Medical documents C) Test results D) Assessment data

A) Client's wife

A novice nurse collects data on a newly admitted client. Upon evaluation of this data, the nurse provides an erroneous interpretation. What is a corrective action for this interpretation? A) Encourage the novice nurse to independently observe the same situation with a peer, validate the data, and discuss the situation afterward. B) Encourage the novice nurse to develop his or her own tool for data collection. Encourage the novice nurse to collect and interpret the data for the client repeatedly, until the novice nurse arrives at the C) correct interpretation. Encourage the novice nurse to meet with the nurse manager to discuss the situation and seek mentoring for D) communication skills.

A) Encourage the novice nurse to independently observe the same situation with a peer, validate the data, and discuss the situation afterward

The nurse is using a systematic approach to the collection of assessment data. The nurse uses an assessment guide that uses a hierarchy of five life requirements universal to all persons. What model for organizing the assessment data is the nurse using? A) Human Needs (Maslow) model B) Functional Health Patterns model C) Human Response Patterns model D) Body System model

A) Human needs (Maslow) model

The nurse observes the client as he walks into the room. What information will this provide the nurse? A) Information regarding the client's gait B) Information regarding the client's personality C) Information regarding the client's psychosocial status D) Information on the rate of recovery from surgery

A) Information regarding the client's gait

The nurse has entered a client's room to find the client diaphoretic (sweat-covered) and shivering, inferring that the client has a fever. How should the nurse best follow up this cue and inference? A) Measure the client's oral temperature. B) Ask a colleague for assistance. C) Give the client a clean gown and warm blankets. D) Obtain an order for blood cultures.

A) Measure the client's oral temperature

The nurse has entered a client's room to find the client diaphoretic (sweat-covered) and shivering, inferring that the client has a fever. How should the nurse best follow up this cue and inference? A) Measure the client's oral temperature. B) Ask a colleague for assistance. C) Give the client a clean gown and warm blankets. D) Obtain an order for blood cultures

A) Measure the client's oral temperature

An unconscious patient is brought to the emergency department. Which of the following assessments should be implemented first? A) The client's airway should be assessed. B) The nurse should determine the reason for admission. C) The nurse should review the client's medications. D) The client's past medical history is assessed.

A) The client's airway should be assessed

The nurse is performing an assessment of a client who has a small wound on the knee, collecting cues about the client's health status. Which of the following would the nurse identify as a subjective cue? A) Sharp pain in the knee B) Small bloody drainage on dressing C) Temperature of 102 degrees F D) Pulse rate of 90 beats per minute

A) Sharp pain in the knee

A nurse who collected and organized data during a client history realizes that there is not enough information to plan interventions. Which of the following would be the best remedy to prevent this from happening in the future? A) The nurse should practice interviewing strategies. B) The nurse should modify data collection tool. C) The nurse should determine specific purpose of data collection. D) The nurse should update the database.

A) The nurse should practice interviewing strategies

A nurse is assisting with lunch at a nursing home. Suddenly, one of the residents begins to choke and is unable to breathe. The nurse assesses the resident's ability to breathe and then begins CPR. Why did the nurse assess respiratory status? A) To identify a life-threatening problem B) To establish a database for medical care C) To practice respiratory assessment skills D) To facilitate the resident's ability to breathe

A) To identify a life-threatening problem

When documenting subjective data, the nurse should do which of the following? A) Use the client's own words placed in quotation marks. B) Paraphrase the information stated by the client. C) Validate the information with the client's family prior to documentation. D) Record the information using nonspecific words.

A) Use the client's own words placed in quotation marks

Which of the following examples of client data needs to be validated? Select all that apply. A) A client has trouble reading an informed consent, but states he does not need glasses. B) An elderly client explains that the black and blue marks on his arms and legs are due to a fall. C) A nurse examining a client with a respiratory infection documents fever and chills. D) A client in a nursing home states that she is unable to eat the food being served. E) A pregnant client is experiencing contractions that are two minutes apart.

A, B

Which of the following are examples of common factors in a client that may influence assessment priorities? Select all that apply. A) Diet and exercise program B) Standing in the community C) Ability to pay for services D) Developmental stage E) Need for nursing

A, D, E

Which of the following data regarding a client with a diagnosis of colon cancer are subjective? Select all that apply. A) The client's chemotherapy causes him nausea and loss of appetite B) The client became teary when his daughter from out of state came to the bedside. C) The client's ileostomy put out 125 mL of effluent in the past four hours. D) The patient is unwilling to manipulate or empty his ostomy bag. E) The patient has been experiencing fatigue in recent weeks.

A, E

Which of the following questions or statements would be an appropriate termination of the health history interview? A) "Well, I can't think of anything else to ask you right now." B) "Can you think of anything else you would like to tell me?" C) "I wish you could have remembered more about your illness." D) "Perhaps we can talk again sometime. Goodbye."

B) "Can you think of anything else you would like to tell me?"

When the nurse inspects a postoperative incision site for infection, which one of the following types of assessments is being performed? A) Complete B) Focused C) General D) Time-lapse

B) Focused

A client comes to her health care provider's office because she is having abdominal pain. She has been seen for this problem before. What type of assessment would the nurse do? A) Initial assessment B) Focused assessment C) Emergency assessment D) Time-lapsed assessment

B) Focused assessment

A nurse caring for a client admitted to the intensive care unit with a stroke assesses the client's vital signs, pupils, and orientation every few minutes. The nurse is performing which type of assessment? A) Initial assessment B) Focused assessment C) Time-lapsed reassessment D) Emergency assessment

B) Focused assessment

A client is being prepared for cardiac catheterization. The nurse performs an initial assessment and records the vital signs. Which of the following data collected can be classified as subjective data? A) Blood pressure B) Nausea C) Heart rate D) Respiratory rate

B) Nausea

A nurse is collecting data from a home care client. In addition to information about the client's health status, what is another observation the nurse should make? A) Number of rooms in the house B) Safety of the immediate environment C) Frequency of home visits to be made D) Friendliness of the client and family

B) Safety of the immediate enviornment

A nurse is conducting a health history interview for a woman at an assisted-living facility. The woman says, "I have been so constipated lately." How should the nurse respond? A) "Do you have a family history of chest problems?" B) "Why don't you use a laxative every night?" C) "Do you take anything to help your constipation?" D) "Everyone who ages has bowel problems."

C) "Do you take anything to help your constipation?"

A nurse is collecting information from a client with dementia. The client's daughter accompanies the client. Which of the following statements by the nurse would recognize the client's value as an individual? A) "Can you tell me how long your father has been this way?" B) "Sarah, I have to go and read your father's old charts before we talk." C) "Mr. Koeppe, tell me what you do to take care of yourself." D) "Mr. Koeppe, I know you can't answer my questions, but it's okay."

C) "Mr. Koeppe, tell what you do to take care of yourself"

Which of the following questions or statements would be appropriate in eliciting further information when conducting a health history interview? A) "Why didn't you go to the doctor when you began to have this pain?" B) "Are you feeling better now than you did during the night?" C) "Tell me more about what caused your pain." D) "If I were you, I would not wait to get medical help next time."

C) "Tell me more about what caused your pain"

The nurse is reviewing information about a client and notes the following documentation Client is confused. The nurse recognizes this information is an example of what? A) Subjective data B) A data cue C) An inference D) Primary data

C) An inference

While bathing the client, the nurse observes the client grimacing. The nurse asks if the client is experiencing pain. The client nods yes and refuses to continue the bath. The nurse removes the wash basin, makes the client comfortable, and documents the event in the client's chart. Which of the following actions clearly demonstrates assessing? A) The nurse bathing the client B) The nurse documenting the incident C) The nurse asking if the client is having pain D) The nurse removing the wash basin

C) The nurse asking if the client is having pain

A nurse performs an assessment of a client in a long-term care facility and records baseline data. The nurse reassesses the client a month later and makes revisions in the plan of care. What type of assessment is the second assessment? A) Comprehensive B) Focused C) Time-lapsed D) Emergency

C) Time-lapsed

Of the following information collected during a nursing assessment, which are subjective data? A) vomiting, pulse 96 B) respirations 22, blood pressure 130/80 C) nausea, abdominal pain D) pale skin, thick toenails

C) nausea, abdominal pain

A nurse performing triage in an emergency room makes assessments of clients using critical thinking skills. Which of the following are critical thinking activities linked to assessment? Select all that apply. A) Carrying out a physician's order to intubate a client B) Educating a novice nurse on the principles of triage C) Using the nursing process to diagnose a blocked airway D) Interviewing privately a client suspected of being a victim of abuse E) Checking with the family about the data supplied by a client suffering from dementia

C, D, E

A nurse in the emergency department is completing an emergency assessment for a teenager just admitted from a car crash. Which of the following is objective data? A) "My leg hurts so bad. I can't stand it." B) "Appears anxious and frightened." C) "I am so sick; I am about to throw up." D) "Unable to palpate femoral pulse in left leg."

D) "Unable to palpate femoral pulse in left leg"

The nurse completes a health history and physical assessment on a client who has been admitted to the hospital for surgery. What is the purpose of this initial assessment? A) To gather data about a specific and current health problem B) To identify life-threatening problems that require immediate attention C) To compare and contrast current health status to baseline data D) To establish a database to identify problems and strengths

D) To establish a database to identify problems and strengths

What is the primary purpose of validation as a part of assessment? A) To identify data to be validated B) To establish an effective nurse-client communication C) To maintain effective relationships with coworkers D) To plan appropriate nursing care

D) To plan appropriate nursing care

A nurse is preparing to conduct a health history for a client who is confined to bed. How should the nurse position herself? A) Standing at the end of the bed B) Standing at the side of the bed C) Sitting at least six feet from the beside D) sitting at a 45-degree angle to the bed

D) sitting at a 45-degree angle to the bed