5. Clinical Skills & Communication

Physical Examination — Quiz

Test your understanding of physical examination with 5 practice questions.

Practice Questions

Question 1

During a physical examination, a patient reports difficulty breathing and a cough. Upon auscultation of the lungs, the nurse hears high-pitched, whistling sounds, particularly on expiration. This finding is most consistent with which of the following conditions?

Question 2

When performing a cardiovascular examination, the nurse palpates a thrill over the precordium. This finding is indicative of which of the following?

Question 3

A patient presents with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. During the physical examination, the nurse elicits pain upon rebound of deep palpation in the right lower quadrant (Blumberg's sign). This finding is highly suggestive of which of the following?

Question 4

During a neurological examination, the nurse assesses the patient's gait. A wide-based, unsteady gait with difficulty turning is observed. This type of gait abnormality is most consistent with dysfunction in which part of the brain?

Question 5

When examining the head and neck, the nurse palpates the lymph nodes. Which of the following characteristics of a palpable lymph node would be most concerning for malignancy?