Chapter 5: The Complete Health History Flashcards
Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of a health history?
a. To provide an opportunity for interaction between patient and nurse
b. To provide a form for obtaining the patient’s biographical information
c. To document the normal and abnormal findings of a physical assessment
d. To provide a database of subjective information about the patient’s past and current health
d.
When the nurse is evaluating the reliability of a patient’s responses, which of the following would be a correct assessment?
a. The patient has a history of drug abuse and therefore is not reliable.
b. The patient provided consistent information and therefore is reliable.
c. The patient smiled throughout interview and therefore can be presumed reliable.
d. The patient would not answer questions concerning stress and therefore is not reliable.
b.
A 59-year-old patient tells the nurse that he is in the clinic to “check up on his ulcerative colitis.” He has been having “black stools” in the last 24 hours. How would the nurse document his reason for seeking care?
a. J.M. is a 59-year-old male here for “ulcerative colitis.”
b. J.M. came into the clinic complaining of black stools in the past 24 hours.
c. J.M., a 59-year-old male, states he has ulcerative colitis and wants to have it checked up.
d. J.M. is a 59-year-old male here for having “black stools” in the past 24 hours.
d.
A patient tells the nurse that she has been experiencing abdominal pain for the past week. Which of the following would be the best response by the nurse?
a. “Can you point to where it hurts?”
b. “We’ll talk more about that later in the interview.”
c. “What have you had to eat in the last 24 hours?”
d. “Have you ever had any surgeries on your abdomen?”
a.
A 29-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has “excruciating pain” in her back. Which of the following would be an appropriate response by the nurse?
a. “How does your family react to your pain?”
b. “That must be terrible. You probably pinched a nerve.”
c. “I’ve had back pain myself, and I know it can be excruciating.”
d. “How would you say the pain affects your ability to carry on your daily activities?”
d.
In recording the childhood illnesses of a patient, who denies having had any, which of the following notes by the nurse would be most accurate?
a. Patient denies having had the usual childhood illnesses.
b. Patient states he was a “very healthy” child.
c. Patient states sister had measles, but he did not.
d. Patient denies having had measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, or strep throat.
d.
A patient tells the nurse that she has had six pregnancies, with four live births at term and two spontaneous abortions. Her four children are still living. How would the nurse record this information?
a. P-6, B-4, (S)Ab-2
b. G6, P4, A2, L4
c. Patient has had four living babies.
d. Patient has been pregnant six times.
b.
A patient tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. Which of the following would be the nurse’s best response to this information?
a. “Are you allergic to any other drugs?”
b. “How often have you received penicillin?”
c. “I’ll record your allergy information on your chart, so you won’t receive any.”
d. “Please describe what happens to you when you take penicillin.”
d.
The nurse is taking a patient’s family history. Important diseases or problems to ask the patient about include:
a. emphysema.
b. head trauma.
c. mental illness.
d. fractured bones.
c.
The review of systems provides the nurse with:
a. physical findings related to each system.
b. information regarding health promotion practices.
c. an opportunity to teach the patient medical terms.
d. information necessary for the nurse to diagnose the patient’s medical problem.
b.
Which of the following statements represents subjective data about the patient’s skin?
a. Skin appears dry
b. No obvious lesions
c. Denies colour change
d. Lesion noted lateral aspect right arm
c.
- The nurse is obtaining history from a 30-year-old male patient and is concerned about the adequacy of his health promotion activities. Which of the following questions would be appropriate in this situation?
a. “Do you perform testicular self-examinations?”
b. “Have you ever noticed any pain in your testicles?”
c. “Have you had any problems with passing urine?”
d. “Do you have any history of sexually transmitted infection?”
a.
Which of the following responses might the nurse expect during the functional assessment of a patient whose leg is in a cast?
a. “I broke my right leg in a car accident 2 weeks ago.”
b. “The pain is getting less, but I still need to take Tylenol.”
c. “I check the colour of my toes every evening just like I was taught.”
d. “I’m able to transfer myself from the wheelchair to the bed without help.”
d.
In response to a question about stress, a 39-year-old woman tells the nurse that her husband and mother both died in the past year. Which of the following responses by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. “This has been a difficult year for you.”
b. “I don’t know how anyone could handle that much stress in 1 year!”
c. “What did you do to cope with the loss of your husband and your mother?”
d. “That is a lot of stress; now let’s go on to the next section of your history.”
c.
In response to a question about use of alcohol, a patient asks the nurse why the nurse needs that information. What reason would the nurse give the patient?
a. This is necessary to determine the patient’s reliability.
b. Alcohol can interact with medications and can make some diseases worse.
c. The nurse is required to teach the patient about the dangers of alcohol use.
d. It is not really necessary to ask for this information unless there is an obvious drinking problem.
b.
