CN Patient Assessment & Documentation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nutritionist calculates a patient's BMI as 24.8 kg/m². How should this value be classified?
- Normal weight (Correct answer)
- Overweight
- Underweight
- Obese Class I
Correct answer: Normal weight
A BMI of 18.5–24.9 kg/m² falls within the normal weight category.
Question 2: Which component of the SOAP note would include a patient's statement that they 'feel bloated after every meal'?
- Subjective (Correct answer)
- Objective
- Assessment
- Plan
Correct answer: Subjective
Patient-reported symptoms and complaints are documented in the Subjective section.
Question 3: During a nutrition-focused physical exam, temporal wasting and loss of subcutaneous fat at the triceps most strongly suggest which condition?
- Protein-energy malnutrition (Correct answer)
- Fluid overload
- Vitamin C deficiency
- Iron toxicity
Correct answer: Protein-energy malnutrition
Muscle wasting and subcutaneous fat loss are hallmark physical signs of protein-energy malnutrition.
Question 4: Which laboratory value is most affected by inflammation, limiting its reliability as a marker of protein status?
- Serum albumin (Correct answer)
- Hemoglobin A1c
- Serum sodium
- Blood urea nitrogen
Correct answer: Serum albumin
Albumin is a negative acute-phase protein that falls during inflammation regardless of protein intake.
Question 5: A 24-hour dietary recall is limited primarily by which of the following?
- Reliance on the patient's memory and honesty (Correct answer)
- Excessive cost to administer
- Inability to capture portion sizes
- Requirement for laboratory confirmation
Correct answer: Reliance on the patient's memory and honesty
The 24-hour recall depends on accurate memory and truthful reporting, making underreporting common.
Question 6: Which measurement is required to calculate a patient's waist-to-hip ratio?
- Circumference at the waist and at the widest part of the hips (Correct answer)
- Height and weight only
- Triceps skinfold and mid-arm circumference
- Waist circumference and standing height
Correct answer: Circumference at the waist and at the widest part of the hips
Waist-to-hip ratio divides waist circumference by hip circumference measured at its widest point.
Question 7: In the Nutrition Care Process, a PES statement documents which element of care?
- The nutrition diagnosis (Correct answer)
- The intervention schedule
- The reimbursement code
- The referral source
Correct answer: The nutrition diagnosis
A PES statement (Problem, Etiology, Signs/Symptoms) is the standardized format for stating a nutrition diagnosis.
CN Patient Assessment & Documentation 2
A nutritionist calculates a patient's BMI as 24.8 kg/m².
How should this value be classified?