health assessment practice questions

Questions 45

ATI RN

Home > ATI RN > Health Assessment > health assessment practice questions
ATI RN Test Bank

health assessment practice questions Questions

Question 1 of 5

During a well-baby checkup, the nurse notices that a 1-week-old infant's face looks small, compared with an enlarged cranium. On further examination, the nurse also notes dilated scalp veins and downcast, or"setting sun," eyes. What condition does the nurse suspect?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Hydrocephalus. The nurse suspects hydrocephalus due to the symptoms presented by the infant: enlarged cranium, small face, dilated scalp veins, and "setting sun" eyes. Hydrocephalus is the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, leading to increased intracranial pressure and characteristic physical signs such as an enlarged head. Craniotabes (A) is softening of the skull bones, not associated with these symptoms. Microcephaly (B) is characterized by a smaller head size, opposite to what is described in the question. Caput succedaneum (D) is swelling of the soft tissues of the infant's scalp, which is unrelated to the symptoms mentioned.

Question 2 of 5

A colleague is assessing an 80-year-old patient who has ear pain and asks him to hold his nose and swallow. Which of the following about this technique is true?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because asking the patient to hold his nose and swallow causes the eustachian tube to open, equalizing pressure in the middle ear. This action will cause the eardrum to bulge slightly outward, making landmarks more visible. Choice A is incorrect as age alone does not preclude the use of this technique. Choice B is incorrect because this technique is not primarily used for assessing otitis media. Choice C is incorrect as it is not specific to upper respiratory infections.

Question 3 of 5

A mother brings her child in to the clinic for scalp and hair examination. She says that the child has developed irregularly shaped patches on her head with broken-off, stublike hair, and she is worried that this could be some form of premature baldness. She tells the nurse that the child's hair is always kept very short. The nurse reassures her by telling her that it is:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: trichotillomania, which may be caused by her child habitually twirling her hair in an absent-minded way. Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder where individuals have an irresistible urge to pull out their hair. In this case, the broken-off, stublike hair and irregularly shaped patches on the child's head are indicative of hair pulling rather than a medical condition like folliculitis (choice A), traumatic alopecia (choice B), or tinea capitis (choice C). The child's hair being kept very short does not align with the characteristic of these conditions, making trichotillomania the most likely explanation.

Question 4 of 5

A patient says that she has recently noticed a lump in the front of her neck below her"Adam's apple" that seems to be getting bigger. During the assessment, the finding that reassures the nurse that this may not be a cancerous thyroid nodule is that the lump (nodule):

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: the lump is mobile and not hard. A cancerous thyroid nodule is typically fixed and hard, whereas a noncancerous nodule is more likely to be mobile and soft. This characteristic suggests it may be a benign condition such as a thyroid cyst rather than a malignant tumor. The other choices are incorrect because A: tenderness does not necessarily indicate benignity or malignancy, C: disappearance when smiling is more related to a salivary gland issue, and D: hardness and fixation are more indicative of a potentially cancerous nodule.

Question 5 of 5

The nurse notices that the mother of a 2-year-old boy brings him to the clinic quite frequently for various injuries and suspects there may be some child abuse involved. The nurse should inspect the young child for:

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: bruising on the buccal mucosa or gums. This is the most relevant choice as it is a common sign of physical abuse in children. Bruising in unusual places or patterns, such as the mouth, should raise suspicion. Swollen, red tonsils (A) are more likely related to infection rather than abuse. Ulcerations on the hard palate (B) can also be due to various non-abuse related reasons. Small yellow papules along the hard palate (D) are typically harmless and not indicative of abuse. It is crucial for the nurse to recognize signs of potential abuse and take appropriate action to protect the child.

Similar Questions

The nurse notices that the mother of a 2-year-old boy brings him to the clinic quite frequently for various injuries and suspects there may be some child abuse involved. The nurse should inspect the young child for:
A patient is at the clinic because he has recently noticed that the left side of his mouth is paralyzed. He states that he cannot raise his eyebrow or whistle. The nurse suspects that he has:
During the examination of a patient in her third trimester of pregnancy, the nurse notices that the patient's thyroid gland is slightly enlarged. No enlargement had been noted previously. The nurse suspects that:
The mother of a 2-year-old is concerned about tympanostomy tubes that are going to be inserted in her son's ears. Which of the following would the nurse include in the teaching plan?
A 60-year-old man is at the clinic for an eye examination. The nurse suspects that he has ptosis of one eye. Ptosis is:

Join Our Community Today!

Join Over 10,000+ nursing students using Nurselytic. Access Comprehensive study Guides curriculum for ATI-RN and 3000+ practice questions to help you pass your ATI-RN exam.

Call to Action Image