Exam #1

Question 1

You are conducting a head to toe examination as part of a patient’s preventive health assessment. The room has adequate lighting, and you have access to both sides of the examining table. What position should you assume while conducting this examination?

a. Behind the patient
b. To the left side of the patient
c. Seated in chair in front of the patient
d. To the right side of the patient
e. Standing in front of the patient

Answer 1

D. To the right side of the patient

Question 2

When examining the abdomen, which technique should be used first?

a. Inspection
b. Light palpation
c. Percussion
d. Auscultation
e. Direct palpation

Answer 2

a. Inspection

Question 3

The value of the use of scales for patients to rate their pain intensity is that:

Select one:
a. the emotional responses are factored in.

b. correlation with others’ expectations is achieved.
c. the patient’s response to therapy can be documented.
d. subjective responses are eliminated.
e. the patient’s perception is minimized.

Answer 3

c. the patient’s response to therapy can be documented.

Question 4

A pedigree diagram is drafted for the purpose of obtaining:

Select one:
a. sexual orientation and history.
b. growth and developmental status.
c. genetic and familial health problems.
d. ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
e.
 the past medical history.

Answer 4

c. genetic and familial health problems.

Question 5

A specific test is one that has the ability to:

Select one:
a. correctly identify those who have the disease.

b. correctly identify those who do not have the disease.
c. be exclusively used to make a diagnosis.
d. suggest the presence of a disease that is not present.
e. exclude competing explanations for another test finding.

Answer 5

b. correctly identify those who do not have the disease.

Question 6

Deficiency of which of the following is a concern in the vegetarian diet?

Select one:

a. Ascorbic acid
b. Vitamin B12
c. Folate
d. Carbohydrates
e. Vitamin K

Answer 6

b. Vitamin B12

The nutrients that may be deficient in a vegetarian diet if not carefully planned include proteins, calcium, iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.

Question 7

Which organ(s) complete(s) physical development more quickly than any other body part?

Select one:

a. Brain
b. Kidneys
c. Heart
d. Lungs
e. Lymphoid tissue

Answer 7

a. Brain

Question 8

The term large for gestational age (LGA) indicates that an infant is larger than ____% of infants born at the same number of weeks’ gestation.

Select one:

a. 10
b. 25
c. 50
d. 75
e. 90

Answer 8

e. 90%

Question 9

Which of the following is most closely related to damage or dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system?

Select one:

a. Chronic pain
b. Neuropathic pain
c. Acute pain
d. Acute inflammation
e. Surgery

Answer 9

b. Neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is a long-term pain associated with damage or dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system (e.g., amputation, complex pain syndrome).

Question 10

Skeletal mass and organ systems double in size during:

Select one:

a. infancy.
b. early childhood.
c. adolescence.
d. early adulthood.
e. mid-life.

Answer 10

c. adolescence.

Question 11

You should measure the child’s head circumference at every health visit until at least age _____ months.

Select one:

a. 3
b. 8
c. 12
d. 18
e. 24

Answer 11

e. 24

Head circumference should be measured at every visit until 2 to 3 years of age.

Question 12

Which statement is true in regard to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Select one:

a. It occurs before 7 years of age.
b. It is usually related to mental retardation.
c. It is usually related to dementia.
d. It is manifested by prolonged periods of catatonic behavior.
e. It usually first manifests with decorticate posturing.

Answer 12

a. It occurs before 7 years of age.

Question 13

In terms of cultural communication differences, Americans are more likely to _____ than other groups of patients.

Select one:

a. emphasize attitudes and feelings
b. maintain eye contact
c. come quickly to the point
d. use silence comfortably
e. speak more softly than other cultures

Answer 13

c. come quickly to the point

Question 14

A state of impaired cognition, consciousness, mood, and behavioral dysfunction of acute onset refers to:

Select one:

a. lethargy.
b. delirium.
c. stupor.
d. coma.
e. confusion.

Answer 14

b. delirium.

Delirium is a state of impaired cognition, consciousness, mood, and behavioral dysfunction of acute onset. Stupor describes arousals for short periods of time after a stimulus for arousal (e.g., visual, verbal, or painful). Lethargy relates to sleepiness with ease of arousal; coma is nonarousal and nonawareness. Confusion relates to inappropriate responses to questions with decreased attention span and memory.

Question 15

By 10 to 12 years of age, lymphatic tissues are about _____ adult size.

Select one:

a. 25% of
b. 50% of
c. the same as
d. twice the
e. five times the

Answer 15

d. twice the

Question 16

Regarding another provider’s documented work, it:

Select one:
a. is not relevant in a legal proceeding.

b. will not affect clinical decisions.
c. may be copied verbatim into your documentation.
d. must be attributed to the source if entered.
e. does not affect patient care.

Answer 16

d. must be attributed to the source if entered.

Question 17

The difference in blood pressure readings between the right and left arms is considered normal up to _____ mm Hg.

Select one:

a. 5
b. 10
c. 20
d. 25
e. 30

Answer 17

b. 10

Question 18

When you enter the examination room of a 3-year-old girl, you find her sitting on her father’s lap. She turns away from you when you greet her. Initially, your best response is to:

Select one:

a. screen the child for sexual abuse.
b. ask the child to be seated on the examination table so you can talk to her father.
c. explain to the child that you will not hurt her and that she will have to trust you.
d. ask the father to persuade the child to cooperate with you.
e. leave the child sitting in the father’s lap while you talk to the father.

Answer 18

e. leave the child sitting in the father’s lap while you talk to the father.

Question 19

An aversion to touch or being held, along with delayed or absent language development, is characteristic of:

Select one:

a. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
b. autism.
c. dementia.
d. mental retardation.
e. schizophrenia.

Answer 19

b. autism.

Question 20

Assessing orientation to person, place, and time helps determine:

Select one:
a. the ability to understand analogies.

b. abstract reasoning.
c. attention span.
d. state of consciousness.
e. emotional status.

Answer 20

d. state of consciousness.

Question 21

A 50-year-old man comes to the primary care clinic. He tells you he is worried because he has had severe chest pains for the past 2 weeks. Which initial history interview question is most appropriate?

Select one:

a. “Can you describe the pain?”
b. “The pain doesn’t radiate to your arm, does it?”
c. “Have you been treated for anxiety before?”
d. “Does your father have heart disease?”
e. “Are the pains worse after you eat?”

Answer 21

a. “Can you describe the pain?”

Question 22

When is the mental status portion of the neurologic system examination performed?

Select one:

a. During the history-taking process
b. Immediately after the vital signs are taken
c. During the time when questions related to memory are asked
d. Constantly, throughout the entire interaction with a patient
e. During assessment of cranial nerves and deep tendon reflexes

Answer 22

d. Constantly, throughout the entire interaction with a patient

Question 23

J.M. has been seen in your clinic for 5 years. She presents today with signs and symptoms of acute sinusitis. The type of history that is warranted is a(n) _____ history.

Select one:

a. complete
b. inventory
c. problem or focused
d. interim
e. family

Answer 23

c. problem or focused

Question 24

When you ask the patient to tell you the meaning of a proverb or metaphor, you are assessing which of the following?

Select one:

a. Level of consciousness
b. Abstract reasoning
c. Emotional stability
d. Memory
e. Impaired judgment

Answer 24

b. Abstract reasoning

Question 25

Infants normally increase their birth length by ____% during the first year of life.

Select one:

a. 10
b. 25
c. 50
d. 100
e. 200

Answer 25

c. 50

Question 26

When questioning the patient regarding his or her sexual history, which question should be asked initially?

Select one:

a. “Do you have any particular sexual likes or dislikes?”
b. “Do you have any worries or concerns regarding your sex life?”
c. “How often do you have intercourse and with whom?”
d. “Do you have any reason to think you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection?”
e. “What sexually transmitted diseases have you had in the past?”

Answer 26

b. “Do you have any worries or concerns regarding your sex life?”

Question 27

While interviewing a patient, you ask him to explain “a stitch in time saves nine” to assess:

Select one:

a. reading comprehension.
b. attention span.
c. mood and feeling.
d. reasoning skills.
e. perceptual distortions.

Answer 27

d. reasoning skills.

Question 28

The attitudes of the healthcare professional are largely:

Select one:

a. acculturated and cannot be changed.
b. uninfluenced by patient behavior.
c. difficult for the patient to sense.
d. culturally derived.
e. irrelevant to the success of relationships with the patient.

Answer 28

d. culturally derived.

Question 29

Auscultation should be carried out last except when examining:

Select one:

a. the neck area.
b. the abdomen.
c. the lungs.
d. the heart.
e. none of the above; auscultation is always carried out last in a proper physical examination.

Answer 29

b. the abdomen.

Question 30

The heart rate of a pregnant woman may increase to a level at term that is _____ higher than normal.

Select one:

a. 5% to 10%
b. 10% to 30%
c. 40% to 60%
d. 60% to 80%
e. 80% to 100%

Answer 30

b. 10% to 30%

Question 31

An infant should be placed in which position to have his or her height or length measured?

Select one:

a. Vertical, with the examiner’s hands under the infant’s axilla
b. Supine on a measuring board
c. While being held by a parent
d. In the lateral position with the toes against a measuring board
e. Prone on a measuring board

Answer 31

b. Supine on a measuring board