North Palm College Health Assessment

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Sample questions from North Palm College Health Assessment

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

1. 1.Refer to the client's chart. Which findings require prompt follow-up? Select all that apply.

   • A.The abdomen is soft without guarding.
   • B.Bowel sounds are present in all four quadrants.
   • C.Temperature has risen from 37.2 C to 38.1 C.
   • D.The pain is localized to the right lower quadrant and has intensified over 3 hours.
   • E.The client reports nausea and loss of appetite.

   Rationale: Increasing right lower quadrant pain, nausea with appetite loss, and a rising temperature together warrant prompt further assessment; no single finding alone establishes a diagnosis. Bowel sounds in all quadrants and a soft abdomen without guarding are not, by themselves, abnormal findings. The combination and change over time matter more than any isolated cue.

2. 2.During an abdominal examination, which sequence best minimizes alteration of bowel sounds by the examination itself?

   • A.Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
   • B.Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
   • C.Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion
   • D.Inspection, percussion, auscultation, palpation

   Rationale: The correct sequence is inspection, auscultation, percussion, then palpation. Percussion and palpation can stimulate bowel activity and change the sounds heard, so auscultation comes first after inspection. Beginning with palpation or percussion, or auscultating before inspection, does not follow the standard abdominal sequence.

3. 3.Which organ is most commonly associated with the right upper quadrant?

   • A.Liver
   • B.Spleen
   • C.Urinary bladder
   • D.Sigmoid colon

   Rationale: The liver occupies much of the right upper quadrant, along with structures such as the gallbladder. The spleen is primarily in the left upper quadrant, the sigmoid colon is in the left lower quadrant, and the bladder is in the pelvic midline when distended. Quadrant location helps organize assessment but does not independently diagnose disease.

4. 4.A client states, "My stomach looks bigger than usual." Which assessment best objectively evaluates abdominal distention?

   • A.Palpate deeply before observing the abdominal contour.
   • B.Percuss the abdomen once and document the result as distended.
   • C.Measure abdominal girth at a consistent landmark and position.
   • D.Ask the client to rate the appearance on a scale of 1 to 10.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.Which bowel-sound finding should be documented as an observation rather than interpreted as a diagnosis?

   • A.No sounds heard after a brief listen
   • B.High-pitched, frequent sounds in all quadrants
   • C.A bruit over the abdominal aorta
   • D.Auscultated sounds heard in each quadrant

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.