Health Assessment Quizzes

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Sample questions from Health Assessment Quizzes

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.A 68-year-old client is in the emergency department with sudden shortness of breath. The nurse notes a respiratory rate of 30/min, oxygen saturation of 86% on room air, and new confusion. Which assessment finding requires the most immediate action?

   • A.New confusion
   • B.Respiratory rate of 30/min
   • C.Oxygen saturation of 86%
   • D.Sudden onset of shortness of breath

   Rationale: An oxygen saturation of 86% signals significant hypoxemia and requires immediate support and reassessment. Confusion and tachypnea are also urgent cues, but they do not replace addressing the measured oxygenation deficit. Sudden dyspnea is important history, yet the current low saturation is the most direct indicator of impaired oxygenation. Prioritize airway and breathing findings.

2. 2.A 54-year-old client is seen in a primary care clinic for a routine assessment. The client has a blood pressure of 164/92 mm Hg and denies symptoms; the cuff used is visibly too small for the client's upper arm. What should the nurse do first?

   • A.Document the reading as hypertension
   • B.Repeat the measurement with an appropriately sized cuff
   • C.Ask the client to begin a low-sodium diet
   • D.Notify the provider of an urgent blood pressure elevation

   Rationale: An undersized cuff can produce a falsely elevated reading, so the nurse should repeat the measurement with the correct cuff before interpreting it. Documenting hypertension or notifying the provider based on an unreliable measurement is premature. Dietary teaching may be appropriate after accurate assessment, but it does not correct the immediate measurement problem. Use proper technique before acting on vital signs.

3. 3.A 72-year-old client is admitted to a medical unit with weakness. The client takes a beta blocker, has a heart rate of 58/min, and reports dizziness when standing; blood pressure changes from 138/76 mm Hg supine to 110/64 mm Hg standing. Which action is most appropriate?

   • A.Assist the client to sit or lie down and institute fall precautions
   • B.Encourage the client to walk to improve circulation
   • C.Recheck the blood pressure after the client walks
   • D.Document the findings as an expected age-related change

   Rationale: The symptomatic orthostatic blood pressure drop creates an immediate risk of syncope and falls, so the client should be supported and protected. Walking could result in injury, and reassessing after ambulation increases risk rather than clarifying the current problem. These findings should not be dismissed as normal aging. Assess medications and notify the appropriate clinician after ensuring safety.

4. 4.A 46-year-old client is in an outpatient clinic for evaluation of fatigue. The nurse palpates a thyroid enlargement and hears a bruit over the gland; the client has a heart rate of 112/min and reports heat intolerance. Which assessment should the nurse perform next?

   • A.Palpate the thyroid more firmly to define its borders
   • B.Assess for exophthalmos and ask about recent weight change
   • C.Auscultate the carotid arteries while the client holds the breath
   • D.Percuss the anterior chest to estimate cardiac size

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A 63-year-old client is in a community clinic for a health assessment and reports intermittent calf pain while walking that resolves with rest. The client has a 40-pack-year smoking history; the affected foot is cool and pedal pulses are weak. Which additional assessment finding best supports peripheral arterial disease?

   • A.Brown pigmentation around the ankle with edema
   • B.Pain relieved by elevating the leg
   • C.Pallor when the leg is elevated and dependent rubor
   • D.Warm skin with a shallow irregular ulcer near the medial ankle

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.