Health Science Quiz
1. Mrs. Tory is a 60-year-old woman who had a cerebrovascular accident 8 months ago with left sided paralysis. A hammer dropped out of her husband’s hand and onto her head two days ago while she was helping him with household repairs. Immediately after the incident, she applied ice to her head. Mrs Tory is able to walk with the aid of a quad can and leg brace and she recently developed pain in her neck and shoulders from improper use of her cane. The practical nurse wants to assess tactile discrimination. Which of the following tests would the nurse use?
a. Kinaesthesia (ability to sense motion of a joint or limb)
b. Graphesthesia (is the ability to “read” a number by having it traced on the skin)
c. Romberg test
d. Deep tendon reflex
2. An older client is being seen for a chronic entropion. The nurse realizes that entropion places the client at risk for which of the following?
a. Ectropion
b. Infection
c. Exophthalmos (bulging of the eye anteriorly out of the orbit)
d. Strabismus (eyes do not properly align)
3. Mr. Tory tells the practical nurse he is concerned because he has noticed since her initial stroke that she has had a change in her emotions. “She’s happy one minute and then crying the next”. Which cerebral lobe is most probably injured?
a. Occipital
b. Frontal
c. Temporal
d. Parietal
4. The practical nurse assesses Mrs. Patel’s neurological vital signs. The practical nurse knows that which of the following scores would indicate that a client would be in a coma based on the Glasgow Coma Scale criteria?
a. 6
b. 8
c. 12
d. 15
5. The practical nurse is conducting the graphesthesia test on Mrs. Patel. What is the purpose of this neurological test and what does it assess?
a. Vibration
b. Position sense
c. Motor coordination
d. Tactile discrimination
6. Which of the following statement best describes client with permanent visual impairment?
a. They feel most comfortable with other visually impaired persons
b. They may feel threatened when others make eye contact during a conversation
c. They usually need others to speak louder so they can communicate appropriately
d. They may experience the same grieving process that is associated with other losses
7. The school nurse is assessing the tympanic membrane of a 3-year-old. Which of the following is a normal assessment finding?
a. Presence of a yellow waxy substance
b. Swollen meatus
c. Discomfort with palpation of the auricle
d. Tenderness in the mastoid area
8. Which of the following statement is true when a practical nurse is testing a client for visual accommodation?
a. Pupillary constriction when looking at a near object
b. Pupillary dilation when looking at a far object
c. Changes in peripheral visual in response to light
d. Involuntary blinking in the presence of bright light
9. Which of the following assessment findings would be considered abnormal during an otoscrope examination of Jonas’ right ear?
a. An absent light reflex with a reddened tympanic membrane
b. A shiny and translucent tympanic membrane
c. A cone shaped light reflection at the 5 o’clock position on the tympanic membrane
d. A cone shaped light reflex with air-fluid levels behind the tympanic membrane
10. The pain perception assessment has taken longer than anticipated. The practical nurse decides to complete the test as quickly as possible because Mrs. Patel is feeling tired. When the practical nurse applies the sharp point of the pin to Mrs. Patel’s arm several times, she is only able to identify these as one “very sharp prick”. What would be the most accurate explanation for this response?
a. Mrs. Patel has hyperesthesia as a result of the aging process starting
b. The nurse was probably not poking hard enough with the pin in the other areas
c. This is most likely the result of the summation effect
d. Mrs. Patel most likely has analgesia in some areas of her arm and hyperalgesia in others
11. The practical nurse is testing the function of cranial nerve XI. Which of the following best describes the response the practical nurse expect if the nerve is intact?
a. Demonstrates full range of motion of the neck
b. Sticks tongue out midline without tremors of deviation
c. Follows an object with the eyes without nystagmus or strabismus
d. Moves the head and shoulders against resistance with equal strength
12. Which of the following findings would be considered abnormal of the tympanic membrane during an otoscope examination of Anna’s left ear?
a. A cone shaped light reflection at the 5:00 position on the tympanic membrane
b. A shiny and translucent tympanic membrane
c. Grey flakes visible on the walls of the auditory canal
d. A semitransparent pearly gray tympanic membrane
13. Now when examining Jonas’s other ear, the practical nurse sees dense white patches on the left tympanic membrane. Otherwise, the tympanic membrane is unremarkable: the light reflex is seen at 7 o’clock and all of the landmarks are visible. What should the practical nurse consider regarding this assessment finding?
a. Consider these findings may be an indication of fungal infection
b. Consider these are scars caused from frequent ear infections
c. Consider seeking a referral for Jonas to see an audiologist
d. Consider these findings may be an indication of blood in the middle ear
14. During the neurological exam, the practical nurse assess Mrs. Tory’s reflexes: the practical nurse records the right patellar reflex as 4+. What is the significance of this finding?
a. Normal reflex
b. Diminished reflex
c. Hyperactive reflex
d. Brisker than normal reflex
15. The practical nurse assesses Mrs. Patel’s cranial nerves. Which of the following nerves are responsible for eliciting a blink reflex when the cornea contacts an irritant?
a. CN V Trigeminal & CN ll Optic
b. CN Vll facial & CN V Trigeminal
c. CN ll optic & CN lll Oculomotor
d. CN lV Trochlear and CN Vl Abducens
16. Mrs. Patel tells the practical nurse she is concerned about the burn on her arm because she has noticed a change in her ability to sense touch and pain. Which cerebral lobe is responsible for lack of sensation?
a. Occipital
b. Parietal
c. Frontal
d. Temporal
17. While performing a voice test to assess hearing in Jonas, which of the following would the practical nurse do?
a. Shield the lips while speaking so that the sound is muffled to Jonas
b. Whisper a set of three random numbers and latter and ask Jonas to repeat them
c. Ask Jonas to place his finger in his ear to occlude outside noise
d. Stand about 120 cm away to ensure that Jonas can really hear at this distance
18. When conducting a hearing exam on Anna, the practical nurse knows which of the following statements about air conduction is true?
a. It is the most efficient pathway for hearing
b. It is caused by the vibration of bones in the skull
c. The amplitude of sound determines the pitch that is heard
d. A loss of air conduction is called conductive hearing loss
19. Mrs. Tory is unable to turn her head against resistance to the right side. The practical nurse suspects damage to which cranial nerve and starts the examination with which of the following assessments?
a. Xl: palpating the anterior and posterior triangles
b. Xll: palpating the sternocleidomastoid and submanibular neck muscles
c. Xll: assessing if client can abduct and adduct her arms
d. Xl: asking the client to shrug her shoulders against resistance
20. Jonas report he’s had hearing issues since age 21. He first noticed this issue when he had to ask people to speak more loudly when talking to him or turning up the volume when watching television. The practical nurse suspects Jonas might be experiencing progressive hearing loss and knows the most likely cause of progressive hearing loss is due to which of the following?
a. Presbycusis (loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older)
b. Trauma to CN Vlll
c. Otosclerosis (abnormal growth of bone of the MIDDLE ear)
d. Past ear infection
21. Which of the following statements is an expected response of the cover-uncover test on Mr. Sun?
a. The cover eye maintains its position when uncovered
b. The covered eye jumps to re-establish fixation when it is uncovered
c. The uncovered eye is unable to maintain its gaze on a fixed object
d. The covered eye moves into a relaxed position
22. What should clients with eye inflammation or an eye infection be taught?
a. Wear eye glasses to prevent irritation from ultraviolet light
b. Acute condition commonly lead to chronic problems
c. Apply a cold compress with pressure to the inflamed area frequently
d. Regular careful hand hygiene may prevent the infection from spreading
23. The practical nurse places a key in the hand of the client and identifies is as a penny. What term would the practical nurse use to describe this finding?
a. Extinction
b. stereognosis
c. Graphesthesia
d. Dysmetria
24. Which of the following cranial nerves is responsible for conducting nerve impulses to the brain from the organ of corti?
a. CN l
b. CN lll
c. CN Vlll
d. CN Xl
25. The practical nurse documents Mr. Sun’s visual acuity as right eye 20/30 – using the Snellen chart. Which of the following best describes this result?
a. He can read with the right eye at 20 feet what a person with normal vision can read at 30 feet without wearing his glasses
b. He can read with both eyes at 30 feet what a person with normal vision can read at 20 feed when wearing his glasses
c. He can read with the right eye at 30 feed what a person with normal vision can read at 20 feed wearing his glasses
d. He can read with the right eye at 20 feet what a person with normal vision can read at 30 feed when wearing his glasses
26. Decreased vision in the older adult may be caused by which of the following conditions
a. Presbyopia
b. Arcu sonilis
c. Macular degeneration
d. Fixation
27. Seventy-year-old Mr. Sun is at the eye clinic. Mr. Sun reports to the practical nurse he has blurred vision to his right eye. The practical nurse observes that his right eyelid appear to be drooping more compared to the left eye. Mr. Sun has been wearing glasses for near – sightedness since he was a teenager and was recently dignoises with glaucoma after noticing a decreased in his peripheral vision. Mr. Sun states to the practical nurse. “I can’t see well from my right eye and my eyelid is drooping more now than it was two days ago”. The practical nurse suspects he has ptosis. How would the practical nurse check for this condition?
a. Perform the confrontation test
b. Observe the distance between the palpebral fissures
c. Assess Mr. Sun’s near vision
d. Perform the Hirschberg test to inspect for symmetry of the light reflex
28. What characteristic might clonus be seen when testing deep tendon reflexes?
a. Parallel response in the opposite extremity
b. Additional contraction of the muscle that is of greater intensity than that of the first
c. Contraction of the muscle that appears the tendon is hit the second time
d. Set of rapid, rhythmic contractions of the same muscle
29. Which of the following normal findings would the practical nurse expect during assessment of the auditory system?
a. Absence of the cone of light
b. Pearl-grey tympanic membrane
c. Lateralization with Weber’s test
d. Bone conduction greater than air conduction
30. Mr. Sun ask the practical nurse what causes most people to need reading glasses as they age. The practical nurse responds that it’s due to a condition called presbyopia. Which of the following responses would be most correct when explaining what presbyopia is to Mr. Sun?
a. “the cornea undergoes degeneration”
b. “the lens loses elasticity”
c. “it’s a decreased adaptation to darkness”
d. “there is a decrease in distance vision abilities”
31. Which of the following would the practical nurse tell the client who is newly fitted with bilateral hearing aid?
a. Replace the batteries monthly
b. Disconnect or remove the batteries when not in use
c. Clean ears with cotton-tipped applicator daily
d. Initially restrict usage to large gathering like work
32. Test results indicate Jonas has conductive hearing loss. During the ear examination, in order to collect further subjective data, it would be important for the practical nurse to do which of the following actions?
a. Speak loudly so Jonas can hear the questions
b. Ask Jonas about the frequency of middle ear infection he has had in his life
c. Enquire what type of medication Jonas is currently taking
d. Assess for potential source of the obstruction in the external ear
33. Twenty-eight-year-old Jonas present at the hospital clinic for the second time in a one-week person with the chief concern of decreased hearing and pain to his right ear, Jonas also reports he has been experiencing signs and symptoms of a cold and sore throat. He states, “I don’t think i’m getting better and this morning I started a fever.” I still have ear pain and hope I am not getting an ear infection like the ones I had when I was a child, they hurt so much”. During the ear examination, Jonas tells the practical nurse. “when I was here last week, the doctor also looked in my ear and said something about my middle ear but never explained what the middle ear does. Could you now tell me what the middle ear does?” what would the practical nurse tell Jonas about the function of the middle ear and how it can affect assessment findings?
a. “the middle ear helps to main your balance”
b. “it helps with conducting vibration of sound to the inner ear”
c. “it increases the amplitude of sound to enable the inner ear to function”
d. “the middle ear helps to interpret sounds as they enter the ear”
34. Which of the following assessments should the practical nurse perform for a client with ophthalmic problems?
a. Visual acuity
b. Papillary reaction
c. Intraocular pressure
d. Confrontation visual fields
35. Further assessment of Mr. Sun’s eye, the practical nurse observe he has a watery left eye with slight redness. The lower lid rolls in. His states, “I always feel like I have something in my eye.” Which of the following terms would be the best way of describing this condition
a. Entropion (eyelid (usually the lower lid) folds inward)
b. Hordeolum (infection of an eyelid)
c. Ptosis (falling of the upper eyelid)
d. Ectropion (eyelid turns outward)
36. The practical nurse ask a 68-year-old client to stand with his feed together, his arms at his sides and his eyes closed. He starts to sway and moves his feet further apart. What is the correct documentation of this client’s findings?
a. Negative Homan’s sign (predicting the actual presence of a clot)
b. Negative Gait sign
c. Positive Tandem sign
d. Positive Romberg’s sign
37. As the neurological assessment continues, the practical nurse assumes Mrs. Patel has had a cerebrovasular accident. The practical nurse assesses Mrs. Patel’s reflexes: the practical nurse records the right patellar reflexes as 4+. What is the significance of this finding?
a. Normal reflex (2+)
b. Diminished reflex (1+)
c. Hyperactive reflex (4+)
d. Brisker than normal reflex (3+)
38. Fifty-year-old Mrs. Patel is visiting the clinic for “weakness in my right arm and leg, feeling pins and needles to the right side of my face” and the practical nurse notices Mrs. Patel has impaired receptive speech. She has also a burn on her right arm and states she was not even aware her arm was burned it last night until the today when she saw the blister. Mrs. Patel’s daughter states that her mother had always been healthy and takes no medications. Which type of neurological examination should the practical nurse perform?
a. Glasgow coma scale
b. Neurological recheck examination
c. Screening neurological examination
d. Complete neurological examination
39. Which of the following statement is true in regard to the result obtained from use of the Snellen chart?
a. The larger the denominator, the poorer is the vision
b. The larger the numberator, the better is the vision
c. The smaller the denominator, the poorer is the vision
d. The smaller the numberator, the poorer is the vision
40. Which of the following statements best describes a client who has sensorineural hearing loss?
a. The client has difficulty understanding speech
b. The client experiences clearer sounds with the use of a hearing aid
c. The client may have a reversal damage caused by ototoxic medication
d. The client hears low-pitched sound better than high pitched sounds
41. The practical nurse also assesses Mrs. Tory’s neurological vital signs. The practical nurse knows that which of the following scores would indicate that a client is fully alert on the Glasgow coma scale criteria?
a. 4
b. 6
c. 8
d. 15
42. The practical nurse becomes concerned because Mrs. Patel is sleeping a lot and suspect a hemorrhagic cerebral vascular accident. To assess for increased intracranical pressure, what would the practical nurse include in the neurological assessment?
a. Cranial nerves, motor function, and sensory function and neurological vital signs
b. Deep tondon reflexes, vital signs, and coordinated movements?
c. Level of consciousness, motor function, pupilary response, and vital signs
d. Mental status, deep tondon reflexes, sensory function, and papillary response
43. What is the most important nursing intervention for clients with Hordeolum (stye)?
a. Applying patches to the affected eyes
b. Accurately measuring intraocular pressure
c. Monitoring near visual acuity every 4 hours
d. Teaching client and family members good hand hygiene techniques
44. The practical nurse is aware from reviewing Mr. Sun’s history that he has glaucoma; the practical nurse knows that glaucoma is due to intraocular pressure. How is intraocular pressure determined?
a. Assessing the thickness of bulging that occurs with the lens
b. Assessing the posterior chamber for increased fluid and resistance to its outflow
c. Assessing for contractions of the ciliary body in response to the aqueous humor within the eye
d. Assessing the amount of aqueous humor and resistance to its outflow in the anterior chamber
45. Which strategies would best assist the practical nurse in communicating with a client who has a hearing loss?
a. Overenunicatte speech
b. Exaggerate facial expressions
c. Raise the voice to a higher pitch
d. Speak normally and slowly
46. When anna is asked to stand with her feet together and to close her eyes for 20 seconds, she has to step out to maintain her balance. How would the practical nurse document finding?
a. Positive Romberg test (no balance)
b. Negative Romberg test (has balance)
c. Positive Dysmetria test
d. Negative Dysmetria test
47. Which of the following is a common age-related change in the auditory system?
a. Tinnitus in both ears
b. Auditory nerve degeneration
c. Atrophy of the tympanic membrane
d. Greater ability to hear high-pitched sounds
48. When the practical nurse is testing the triceps reflex, what is the expected response?
a. Flexion of the hand
b. Pronation of the hand
c. Extension of the forearm
d. Flexion and supination of the forarem
49. The practical nurse is performing an otoscropic examination on an adult. Which of the following is true?
a. Tilt the person’s head forward during the examination
b. Once the speculum is in the ear, release the traction
c. Pull the pinna up and back before inserting the speculum
d. Use the smallest speculum to decrease the amount of discomfort
50. Forty-six-year-old Anna reports that she noticed decreased hearing to her left ear about a week ago. She presents in the hospital clinic because she hears a constant buzzing sound and she feels a bit dizzy. Anna denies having a cold, fever or sore throat but for 2 weeks has been on a antibiotic for a urinary tract infection (UTI). She tells the practical nurse, “I hope i’m not becoming deaf!” During the ear examination, Anna reports she is hearing a buzzing sound and states, “it’s driving me crazy”. What is the name of this symptom when documenting this assessment finding?
a. Pruritis
b. Tinnitus
c.