Deck 2: Clinical Reasoning, Assessment, and Recording Your Findings

Question 1

A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with breathing. Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?

A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine

Answer 1

Musculoskeletal

Question 2

A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath. To which anatomic region would you assign the symptom?

A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic

Answer 2

Cardiac

Question 3

A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions can be responsible for a cough?

A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine

Answer 3

Cardiac

Question 4

A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is new, located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient denies a rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family history significant for rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the following pathologic processes would be the most correct?

A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic

Question 5

A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been intermittent for several years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, but this time they haven't worked as well, and he still has discomfort. He recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which caused him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever, chills, rash, upper respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based on this description, what is the most likely pathologic process?

A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic

Question 6

A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-week history of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and nonproductive cough. Which is the most likely pathologic process?

A) Infection
B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular

Question 7

A 19-year-old-college student presents to the emergency room with fever, headache, and neck pain/stiffness. She is concerned about the possibility of meningococcal meningitis. Several of her dorm mates have been vaccinated, but she hasn't been. Which of the following physical examination descriptions is most consistent with meningitis?

A) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs, neck supple with full range of motion
B) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with sharp discs, neck with paraspinous muscle spasm and limited range of motion to the right
C) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc margins, neck tender to palpation, unable to perform range of motion
D) Head is normocephalic and atraumatic, fundi with blurred disc margins, neck supple with full range of motion

Question 8

A 37-year-old nurse comes for evaluation of colicky right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The pain is associated with nausea and vomiting and occurs 1 to 2 hours after eating greasy foods. Which one of the following physical examination descriptions would be most consistent with the diagnosis of cholecystitis?

A) Abdomen is soft, nontender, and nondistended, without hepatosplenomegaly or masses.
B) Abdomen is soft and tender to palpation in the right lower quadrant, without rebound or guarding.
C) Abdomen is soft and tender to palpation in the right upper quadrant with inspiration, to the point of stopping inspiration, and there is no rebound or guarding.
D) Abdomen is soft and tender to palpation in the mid-epigastric area, without rebound or guarding.

Question 9

A 55-year-old data entry operator comes to the clinic to establish care. She has the following symptoms: headache, neck pain, sinus congestion, sore throat, ringing in ears, sharp brief chest pains at rest, burning abdominal pain with spicy foods, constipation, urinary frequency that is worse with coughing and sneezing, and swelling in legs. This cluster of symptoms is explained by:

A) One disease process
B) More than one disease process

Question 10

A 62-year-old teacher presents to the clinic for evaluation of the following symptoms: fever, headache, sinus congestion, sore throat, green nasal discharge, and cough. This cluster of symptoms is best explained by:

A) One disease process
B) More than one disease process

Question 11

Steve has just seen a 5-year-old girl who wheezes when exposed to cats. The patient's family history is positive for asthma. You think the child most likely has asthma. What have you just accomplished?

A) You have tested your hypothesis.
B) You have developed a plan.
C) You have established a working diagnosis.
D) You have created a hypothesis.

Question 12

Ms. Washington is a 67-year-old who had a heart attack last month. Now she complains of shortness of breath and not being able to sleep in a flat position (orthopnea). On examination you note increased jugular venous pressure, an S3 gallop, crackles low in the lung fields, and swollen ankles (edema). This is an example of a:

A) Pathophysiologic problem
B) Psychopathologic problem

Question 13

On the way to see your next patient, you glance at the calendar and make a mental note to buy a Mother's Day card. Your patient is Ms. Hernandez, a 76-year-old widow who lost her husband in May, two years ago. She comes in today with a headaches, abdominal pain, and general malaise. This happened once before, about a year ago, according to your detailed office notes. You have done a thorough evaluation but are unable to arrive at a consistent picture to tie these symptoms together. This is an example of a:

A) Pathophysiologic problem
B) Psychopathologic problem

Question 14

Mr. Larson is a 42-year-old widowed father of two children, ages 4 and 11. He works in a sales office to support his family. Recently he has injured his back and you are thinking he would benefit from physical therapy, three times a week, for an hour per session. What would be your next step?

A) Write the physical therapy prescription.
B) Have your office staff explain directions to the physical therapy center.
C) Discuss the plan with Mr. Larson.
D) Tell Mr. Larson that he will be going to physical therapy three times a week.

Question 15

You are seeing an elderly man with multiple complaints. He has chronic arthritis, pain from an old war injury, and headaches. Today he complains of these pains, as well as dull chest pain under his sternum. What would the order of priority be for your problem list?

A) Arthritis, war injury pain, headaches, chest pain
B) War injury pain, arthritis, headaches, chest pain
C) Headaches, arthritis, war injury pain, chest pain
D) Chest pain, headaches, arthritis, war injury pain

Question 16

You are excited about a positive test finding you have just noticed on physical examination of your patient. You go on to do more examination, laboratory work, and diagnostic tests, only to find that there is no sign of the disease you thought would correlate with the finding. This same experience happens several times. What should you conclude?

A) Consider not doing this test routinely.
B) Use this test when you have a higher suspicion for a certain correlating condition.
C) Continue using the test, perhaps doing less laboratory work and diagnostics.
D) Omit this test from future examinations.

Question 17

You are growing fatigued of performing a maneuver on examination because you have never found a positive and are usually pressed for time. How should you next approach this maneuver?

A) Use this test when you have a higher suspicion for a certain correlating condition.
B) Omit this test from future examinations.
C) Continue doing the test, but rely more heavily on laboratory work and diagnostics.
D) Continue performing it on all future examinations.

Question 18

You have recently returned from a medical missions trip to sub-Saharan Africa, where you learned a great deal about malaria. You decide to use some of the same questions and maneuvers in your "routine" when examining patients in the midwestern United States. You are disappointed to find that despite getting some positive answers and findings, on further workup, none of your patients has malaria except one, who recently emigrated from Ghana. How should you next approach these questions and maneuvers?

A) Continue asking these questions in a more selective way.
B) Stop asking these questions, because they are low yield.
C) Question the validity of the questions.
D) Ask these questions of all your patients.