What type of memory is being tested when a nurse asks the client how they got to the appointment?

The correct choice, recall, is associated with retrieving information from memory without any prompts or cues. When the nurse asks the client to describe how they got to the appointment, the client must access their memory and bring forth the specific details of their journey. This task requires the individual to reconstruct past experiences and is a clear demonstration of recall memory, as the information is retrieved from the individual’s memory rather than being presented as recognizable options.

In contrast, recognition would involve identifying or acknowledging information presented in the context of a question, such as recognizing familiar landmarks or modes of transport related to their journey. Short-term memory pertains to the temporary storage and manipulation of information over a brief time frame, such as remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it. Procedural memory involves the recall of skills and actions, such as riding a bicycle or tying shoes, which doesn't apply to the act of recounting how the client arrived at the appointment. Thus, recall is the most accurately fitting term for the situation described in the question.