HESI Prep – Health Assessment Practice
Questions
- In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid his
or her memory later. Which statement is true regarding note-taking?
A) Note-taking may impede the nurse’s observation of the patient’s
nonverbal behaviors.
B) Note-taking allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as
the nurse records what is said.
C) Note-taking allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient,
resulting in an increased comfort level.
D) Note-taking allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient,
which may increase his or her level of comfort.(Answer) – A) Notetaking may impede the nurse’s observation of the patient’s nonverbal
behaviors.
Page: 31 Some use of history forms and note-taking may be
unavoidable. But be aware that note-taking during the interview has
disadvantages. It breaks eye contact too often, and it shifts attention
away from the patient, which diminishes his or her sense of importance.
It also may interrupt the patient’s narrative flow, and it impedes the
observation of the patient’s nonverbal behavior. - During an interview, the nurse states, “You mentioned shortness of
breath. Tell me more about that.” Which verbal skill is used with this
statement?
A) Reflection
B) Facilitation
C) Direct question
D) Open-ended question(Answer) – D) Open-ended question
Page: 32 The open-ended question asks for narrative information. It
states the topic to be discussed but only in general terms. The nurse
should use it to begin the interview, to introduce a new section of
questions, and whenever the person introduces a new topic.
- A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the patients
attending a wellness workshop. On the history form, one of the written
questions asks, “You don’t smoke, drink, or take drugs, do you?” This
question is an example of:
A) talking too much.
B) using confrontation.
C) using biased or leading questions.
D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics.(Answer) – C)
using biased or leading questions.
Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions.
Asking, “You don’t smoke, do you?” implies that one answer is “better”
than another. If the person wants to please someone, he or she is either
forced to answer in a way corresponding to their implied values or is
made to feel guilty when admitting the other answer. - During an interview, a parent of a hospitalized child is sitting in an
open position. As the interviewer begins to discuss his son’s treatment,
however, he suddenly crosses his arms against his chest and crosses his
legs. This would suggest that the parent is:
A) just changing positions.
B) more comfortable in this position.
C) tired and needs a break from the interview.
D) uncomfortable talking about his son’s treatment.(Answer) – D)
uncomfortable talking about his son’s treatment.
Page: 37 Note the person’s position. An open position with the extension
of large muscle groups shows relaxation, physical comfort, and a
willingness to share information. A closed position with the arms and
legs crossed tends to look defensive and anxious. Note any change in
posture. If a person in a relaxed position suddenly tenses, it suggests
possible discomfort with the new topic.
- The nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing impairment.
What techniques would be most beneficial in communicating with this
patient?
A) Determine the communication method he prefers.
B) Avoid using facial and hand gestures because most hearing-impaired
people find this degrading.
C) Request a sign language interpreter before meeting with him to help
facilitate the communication.
D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated facial movement when talking
with him because this helps with lip reading.(Answer) – A) Determine
the communication method he prefers.
Pages: 40-41 The nurse should ask the deaf person the preferred way to
communicate—by signing, lip reading, or writing. If the person prefers
lip reading, then the nurse should be sure to face him or her squarely and
have good lighting on the nurse’s face. The nurse should not exaggerate
lip movements because this distorts words. Similarly, shouting distorts
the reception of a hearing aid the person may wear. The nurse should
speak slowly and should supplement his or her voice with appropriate
hand gestures or pantomime. - The nurse is performing a health interview on a patient who has a
language barrier, and no interpreter is available. Which is the best
example of an appropriate question for the nurse to ask in this situation?
A) “Do you take medicine?”
B) “Do you sterilize the bottles?”
C) “Do you have nausea and vomiting?”
D) “You have been taking your medicine, haven’t you?”(Answer) – A)
“Do you take medicine?”
Page: 46 In a situation where there is a language barrier and no
interpreter available, use simple words avoiding medical jargon. Avoid
using contractions and pronouns. Use nouns repeatedly and discuss one
topic at a time.
- A female patient does not speak English well, and the nurse needs to
choose an interpreter. Which of the following would be the most
appropriate choice?
A) A trained interpreter
B) A male family member
C) A female family member
D) A volunteer college student from the foreign language studies
department(Answer) – A) A trained interpreter
Page: 46 whenever possible, the nurse should use a trained interpreter,
preferably one who knows medical terminology. In general, an older,
more mature interpreter is preferred to a younger, less experienced one,
and the same gender is preferred when possible. - The nurse is conducting an interview. Which of these statements is
true regarding open-ended questions? Select all that apply.
A) They elicit cold facts.
B) They allow for self-expression.
C) They build and enhance rapport.
D) They leave interactions neutral.
E) They call for short one- to two-word answers.
F) They are used when narrative information is needed.(Answer) – B)
They allow for self-expression.
C) They build and enhance rapport.
F) They are used when narrative information