Study Guide

Question 1

NUR 509: Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning
Final Exam Study Guide

✓ Know the age appropriate approach and sequencing for head-to-toe physical exam in the newborn through older adult. What are some special considerations for each of these age groups?
✓ Differentiate between clinical presentation of types of pain (ie. somatic vs. visceral)
✓ Identify causes of pain (ie inflammatory, infectious, etc.)
✓ Reviewing interviewing techniques for the health history
✓ What is the normal range for the BMI? What type of counseling would a patient need if it is low? High? What type of patient is the BMI not considered accurate in?
✓ Differentiate between the clinical presentation of various skin rashes (ie. contact dermatitis, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, tinea infections)
✓ What is the clinical presentation of hypothyroidism? Hyperthyroidism?
✓ Know how to perform various eye exams
✓ What is considered normal findings when assessing the pupils?
✓ Know how to correctly interpret visual acuity findings from the Snellen Eye Chart.
✓ Differentiate between the various hearing acuity exams and normal findings for each.
✓ Know each of the 12 cranial nerves by name, number, what it innervates, and how to assess it.
✓ Be able to describe how to correctly perform percussion and the correlate the correct percussion tones to the body area.
✓ Know the different types of breath sounds and where in the lungs they should be auscultated.
✓ How is liver span measured? What is the normal liver span?
✓ Know the location of each of the heart valves and their corresponding ausculatory site.
✓ What is orthopnea? What type of conditions would you assess this in?
✓ What are the stages of hypertension?
✓ Where is the point of maximal impulse (PMI) palpated on the normal adult? What about a pregnant female? What about a patient with an enlarged heart?
✓ Review recommended health screenings by age group.
✓ When should you advise a menstruating female to perform breast self-exams? What about women who are postmenopausal?
✓ Differentiate between normal and abnormal assessment findings when performing a breast exam.
physical exam versus a focused exam?

Answer 1

✓ What is the correct sequence of assessment of the abdomen? What is the rationale for this sequence?
✓ Differentiate between the clinical presentation of appendicitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and peptic ulcer disease.
✓ Where is the spleen located? How do you assess for splenomegaly? What is the clinical presentation of splenomegaly? What conditions can lead to splenomegaly?
✓ What is an ankle-brachial index (ABI)? What types of conditions would warrant ordering an ABI?
✓ Know the rating scale for documenting the peripheral pulses.
✓ Differentiate between the clinical presentations of arterial versus venous insufficiency.
✓ What is the clinical presentation of a DVT? What assessments should you perform if you suspect a DVT?
✓ What is the clinical presentation of intermittent claudication?
✓ What condition would cause an asymmetrical blood pressure?
✓ Differentiate between conditions that cause scrotal pain and swelling.
✓ What is metorrhagia?
✓ How should a rectal exam be perform?
✓ What does a normal prostate feel like? What about prostate cancer? BPH?
✓ What is the clinical presentation of prostatitis? Epididymitis?
✓ What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?
✓ Differentiate between tics, dystonia, and chorea.
✓ What is the clinical presentation of a Mongolian spot? What population is this a common finding in?
✓ Tanner stages for adolescent males and females.
✓ What clinical presentation is suspicious for child abuse? Domestic violence? Elder abuse?
✓ What clinical findings are consistent with pregnancy during a vaginal exam?
✓ In what circumstances would you perform a complete