Study with our free AANP Practice Questions, Qbank Test 2. The questions include answers and detailed rationales. Nursing topics focus on diagnosis, diagnostic tests, critical thinking, priorities of care, safe and effective care, treatments, and AANP clinical management. Achieve your highest score on the AANP Exam!
AANP Exam Questions
A 45-year-old female patient presents with palpitations, weight loss, and nervousness. She reports feeling unusually warm and has noticed a fine tremor in her hands. For the last 3 months, she has had amenorrhea. On examination, you observe an enlarged thyroid gland. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Hypothyroidism
B) Graves’ disease
C) Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
D) Estrogen deficiency
E) Addison’s disease
Rationale: This patient’s symptoms, including palpitations, weight loss, nervousness, and an enlarged thyroid gland, are indicative of hyperthyroidism. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease (choice B), an autoimmune disorder characterized by excessive thyroid hormone production. Hypothyroidism (choice A) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (choice C) result in low thyroid hormone levels and are not consistent with these findings. Thyroid cancer (choice D) typically presents with different symptoms, and Addison’s disease (choice E) is related to adrenal gland dysfunction, not thyroid issues.
A 38-year-old male patient complains of heat intolerance, excessive sweating, and unintentional weight loss over the past few months. Physical examination reveals an enlarged thyroid gland and prominent eye protrusion. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Hypothyroidism
B) Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
C) Graves’ disease
D) Thyroid nodules
E) Cushing’s syndrome
Rationale: The patient’s symptoms, including heat intolerance, excessive sweating, weight loss, an enlarged thyroid gland, and eye protrusion, are characteristic of Graves’ disease (choice C), an autoimmune condition causing hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism (choice A) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (choice B) result in low thyroid hormone levels and do not present with these symptoms. Thyroid nodules (choice D) typically have different clinical features, and Cushing’s syndrome (choice E) is unrelated to hyperthyroidism.
A 65-year-old male patient presents with chest pain that radiates to his left arm. He also complains of shortness of breath and diaphoresis. On examination, you note decreased breath sounds on the left side. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
B) Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
C) Pneumonia
D) Aortic dissection
E) Pericarditis
Rationale: The patient’s presentation of chest pain radiating to the left arm, shortness of breath, diaphoresis, and decreased breath sounds on the left side suggests an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). While other conditions may present with chest pain, the combination of symptoms and clinical findings is highly suggestive of AMI.
A 55-year-old female patient with a history of hypertension presents with a severe headache, blurred vision, and epistaxis (nosebleed). On examination, her blood pressure is markedly elevated. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Migraine headache
B) Hypertensive urgency
C) Cluster headache
D) Intracranial hemorrhage
E) Sinusitis
Rationale: The patient’s severe headache, blurred vision, epistaxis, and markedly elevated blood pressure are indicative of hypertensive urgency. This condition requires prompt blood pressure management to prevent end-organ damage, such as stroke or renal injury.
A 40-year-old male smoker presents with calf pain, swelling, and redness in his left leg. On examination, you notice warmth and tenderness over the calf, along with positive Homan’s sign. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Muscle strain
B) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
C) Cellulitis
D) Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
E) Gout
Rationale: The combination of calf pain, swelling, redness, warmth, tenderness, and a positive Homan’s sign suggests deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This condition is a critical consideration in patients with risk factors such as smoking.
A 62-year-old obese patient presents with chronic ankle swelling, fatigue, and shortness of breath. On examination, you note pitting edema in the lower extremities. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Congestive heart failure (CHF)
B) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
C) Cirrhosis
D) Nephrotic syndrome
E) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Rationale: The patient’s presentation of chronic ankle swelling, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pitting edema in the lower extremities is highly suggestive of congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF can result in fluid retention and edema due to the heart’s inability to pump effectively.
A 58-year-old male with a history of smoking presents with sudden-onset severe chest pain and dyspnea. On examination, you note decreased breath sounds on the left side. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
B) Pulmonary embolism (PE)
C) Pneumothorax
D) Aortic dissection
E) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Rationale: The patient’s sudden-onset chest pain, dyspnea, and decreased breath sounds on the left side are indicative of a pneumothorax. This condition requires immediate attention and may mimic other cardiac or pulmonary conditions.
A 45-year-old female patient presents with intermittent chest pain that worsens with exertion and improves with rest. She also experiences dyspnea during physical activity. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
B) Stable angina
C) Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
D) Aortic stenosis
E) Anxiety disorder
Rationale: The patient’s presentation of chest pain worsened with exertion and relieved by rest is characteristic of stable angina. This type of chest pain is often associated with coronary artery disease and is not indicative of an acute myocardial infarction (choice C).
A 50-year-old male patient presents with pain and cramping in his legs upon walking, which improves with rest. On examination, you note decreased pedal pulses and cool extremities. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
B) Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
C) Chronic venous insufficiency
D) Cellulitis
E) Fibromyalgia
Rationale: The patient’s symptoms of leg pain upon walking, improved with rest, decreased pedal pulses, and cool extremities are consistent with peripheral artery disease (PAD). This condition is caused by atherosclerosis and results in reduced blood flow to the extremities.
A 65-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension presents with sudden-onset severe chest pain radiating to the back. On examination, you note a difference in blood pressure between the arms. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
B) Pulmonary embolism (PE)
C) Aortic dissection
D) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
E) Peptic ulcer disease
Rationale: The patient’s sudden-onset chest pain radiating to the back and a difference in blood pressure between the arms are suggestive of aortic dissection, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
A 68-year-old male patient presents with pain and swelling in his left calf. On examination, you note a palpable cord-like structure in the calf. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Muscular strain
B) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
C) Achilles tendonitis
D) Gout
E) Rheumatoid arthritis
Rationale: The patient’s presentation of pain, swelling, and a palpable cord-like structure in the calf is consistent with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This condition can be associated with risk factors such as immobility and should be promptly evaluated.
A 60-year-old male patient presents with sudden-onset chest pain, diaphoresis, and dyspnea. On examination, you note crackles in the lung bases. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
B) Pulmonary embolism (PE)
C) Congestive heart failure (CHF)
D) Pneumonia
E) Anxiety attack
Rationale: The patient’s sudden-onset chest pain, diaphoresis, and dyspnea, along with crackles in the lung bases, are indicative of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The presence of pulmonary crackles suggests associated congestive heart failure (CHF).