Deck 1: The History and Interviewing Process

Question 1

When interviewing older adults, the examiner should:

A) speak extremely loudly, because most older adults have significant hearing impairment.
B) provide a written questionnaire in place of an interview.
C) position himself or herself facing the patient.
D) dim the lights to decrease anxiety.

Answer 1

position himself or herself facing the patient.

Question 2

When taking a history, the nurse should:

A) ask the patient to give you any information he or she can recall about his or her health.
B) start the interview with the patient's family history.
C) use a chronologic and sequential framework.
D) use a holistic and eclectic structure.

Answer 2

use a chronologic and sequential framework.

Question 3

To what extent should the patient with a physical disability or emotional disorder be involved in providing health history information to the health professional?

A) The patient should be present during information collection but should not be addressed directly.
B) All information should be collected from past records and family members while the patient is in another room.
C) The patient should be involved only when you sense that he or she may feel ignored.
D) The patient should be fully involved to the limit of his or her ability.

Answer 3

The patient should be fully involved to the limit of his or her ability.

Question 4

After you ask a patient about her family history, she says, "Tell me about your family now." Which response is generally most appropriate?

A) Ignore the patient's comment and continue with the interview.
B) Give a brief, undetailed answer.
C) Ask the patient why she needs to know.
D) Tell the patient that you do not discuss your family with patients.

Question 5

When are open-ended questions generally most useful?

A) During sensitive area part of the interview
B) After several closed-ended questions have been asked
C) While designing the genogram
D) During the review of systems

Question 6

You are collecting a history from a 16-year-old girl. Her mother is sitting next to her in the examination room. When collecting history from older children or adolescents, they should be:

A) given the opportunity to be interviewed without the parent at some point during the interview.
B) mailed a questionnaire in advance to avoid the need for them to talk.
C) ignored while you address all questions to the parent.
D) allowed to direct the flow of the interview.

Question 7

When questioning the patient regarding his or her sexual history, which question should be asked initially?

A) "Do you have any particular sexual likes or dislikes?"
B) "Do you have any worries or concerns regarding your sex life?"
C) "How often do you have intercourse and with whom?"
D) "Do you have any reason to think you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection?"

Question 8

Information that is needed during the initial interview of a pregnant woman includes all the following except:

A) the gender that the woman hopes the baby will be.
B) past medical history.
C) healthcare practices.
D) the woman's remembering (knowledge) about pregnancy.

Question 9

Direct questioning about domestic violence in the home should be:

A) a routine component of history taking with female patients.
B) avoided for fear of offending the woman's partner.
C) conducted only in cases in which there is a history of abuse.
D) used only when the patient is obviously being victimized.

Question 10

A 36-year-old woman complains that she has had crushing chest pain for the past 2 days. She seems nervous as she speaks to you. An appropriate response is to:

A) continue to collect information regarding the chief complaint in an unhurried manner.
B) finish the interview as rapidly as possible.
C) ask the patient to take a deep breath and calm down.
D) ask the patient if she wants to wait until another day to talk to you.

Question 11

A tool used to screen adolescents for alcoholism is the:

A) CAGE.
B) CRAFFT.
C) PACES.
D) HITS.

Question 12

Ms. A states, "My life is just too painful. It isn't worth it." She appears depressed. Which one of the following statements is the most appropriate caregiver response?

A) "Try to think about the good things in life."
B) "What in life is causing you such pain?"
C) "You can't mean what you're saying."
D) "If you think about it, nothing is worth getting this upset about."

Question 13

Mr. Franklin is speaking with you, the healthcare provider, about his respiratory problem. Mr. Franklin says, "I've had this cough for 3 days, and it's getting worse." You reply, "Tell me more about your cough." Mr. Franklin states, "I wish I could tell you more. That's why I'm here. You tell me what's wrong!" Which caregiver response would be most appropriate for enhancing communication?

A) "After 3 days, you're tired of coughing. Have you had a fever?"
B) "I'd like to hear more about your experiences. Where were you born?"
C) "I don't know what's wrong. You could have almost any disease."
D) "I'll examine you and figure out later what the problem is."

Question 14

Periods of silence during the interview can serve important purposes, such as:

A) allowing the clinician to catch up on documentation.
B) promoting calm.
C) providing time for reflection.
D) increasing the length of the visit.

Question 15

Constitutional symptoms in the ROS refer to:

A) height, weight, and body mass index.
B) fever, chills, fatigue, and malaise.
C) hearing loss, tinnitus, and diplopia.
D) rashes, skin turgor, and temperature.

Question 16

Which question would be considered a "leading question?"

A) "What do you think is causing your headaches?"
B) "You don't get headaches often, do you?"
C) "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the severity of your headaches?"
D) "At what time of the day are your headaches the most severe?"

Question 17

Mr. D complains of a headache. During the history, he mentions his use of alcohol and illicit drugs. This information would most likely belong in the:

A) chief complaint.
B) past medical history.
C) personal and social history.
D) review of systems.

Question 18

Mr. Mills is a 55-year-old patient who presents to the office for an initial visit for health promotion. A survey of mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) is part of a(n):

A) ethnic assessment.
B) functional assessment.
C) genetic examination.
D) social history.

Question 19

Tom is a 16-year-old diabetic who does not follow his diet. He enjoys his dirt bike and seems unconcerned about any consequences of his activities. Which factor is typical of adolescence and pertinent to Tom's health?

A) Attachment to parents
B) High self-esteem
C) Low peer support needs
D) Propensity for risk taking

Question 20

A guideline for history taking is for caregivers to:

A) ask direct questions before open-ended questions so that data move from simple to complex.
B) ask for a complete history at once so that data are not forgotten between meetings.
C) make notes sparingly so that the patient can be observed during the history taking.
D) write detailed information as stated by patients so that their priorities are reflected.

Question 21

Which are appropriate for the interview setting with a patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Playing music in the background
B) Ensuring comfort for all involved
C) Maintaining eye contact
D) Using a conversational tone
E) Keeping the door open
F) Removing physical barriers

Question 22

JM has been seen in your clinic for 5 years. She presents today with signs and symptoms of acute sinusitis. The type of history that is warranted is a(n) _________ history.

A) complete
B) inventory
C) problem or focused
D) interim