Nursing Final Test Question Examples Flashcards
The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain the expected outcome. Which standard of
nursing practice is the nurse following?
a. Assessment
b. Diagnosis
c. Planning
d. Implementation
ANS: C
In planning, the registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain
expected outcomes. During the assessment, the registered nurse collects comprehensive data pertinent to
the patient’s health and/or the situation. In diagnosis, the registered nurse analyzes the assessment
data to determine the diagnoses or issues. During implementation, the registered nurse implements
(carries out) the identified plan.
- An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which level of proficiency is
the nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor?
a. Novice
b. Proficient
c. Competent
d. Advanced beginner
ANS: A
A beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a situation in which there is no previous level of
experience (e.g., an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice in home health) is an
example of a novice nurse. A proficient nurse perceives a patient’s clinical situation as a whole, is
able to assess an entire situation, and can readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple previous
experiences to a situation. A competent nurse understands the organization and specific care required
by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology, or orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent
practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing care and establish long-range goals. A nurse who has
had some level of experience with the situation is an advanced beginner. This experience may only
be observational in nature, but the nurse is able to identify meaningful aspects or principles of
nursing care.
A nurse assesses a patient’s fluid status and decides that the patient needs to drink more fluids. The
nurse then encourages the patient to drink more fluids. Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Licensure
b. Autonomy
c. Certification
d. Accountability
ANS: B
Autonomy is an essential element of professional nursing that involves the initiation of independent
nursing interventions without medical orders. To obtain licensure in the United States, the RN
candidate must pass the NCLEX-RN®. Beyond the NCLEX-RN®, the nurse may choose to work
toward certification in a specific area of nursing practice. Accountability means that you are
responsible, professionally and legally, for the type and quality of nursing care provided.
. A nurse prepares the budget and policies for an intensive care unit. Which role is the nurse implementing? a. Educator b. Manager c. Advocate d. Caregiver
ANS: B
A manager coordinates the activities of members of the nursing staff in delivering nursing care and
has personnel, policy, and budgetary responsibility for a specific nursing unit or facility. As an
educator, you explain concepts and facts about health, describe the reason for routine care activities,
demonstrate procedures such as self-care activities, reinforce learning or patient behavior, and
evaluate the patient’s progress in learning. As a patient advocate, you protect your patient’s human
and legal rights and provide assistance in asserting these rights if the need arises. As a caregiver, you
help patients maintain and regain health, manage disease and symptoms, and attain a maximal level
function and independence through the healing process.
A nurse teaches a group of nursing students about nurse practice acts. Which information
is most important to include in the teaching session about nurse practice acts?
a. Protects the nurse
b. Protects the public
c. Protects the provider
d. Protects the hospital
ANS: B
The nurse practice acts regulate the scope of nursing practice and protect public health, safety, and
welfare. They do not protect the nurse, provider, or hospital.
A nurse is using a guide that provides principles of right and wrong to provide care to patients.
Which guide is the nurse using?
a. Code of ethics
b. Standards of practice
c. Standards of professional performance
d. Quality and safety education for nurses
ANS: A
The code of ethics is the philosophical ideals of right and wrong that define the principles you will
use to provide care to your patients. The Standards of Practice describe a competent level of nursing
care. The ANA Standards of Professional Performance describe a competent level of behavior in the
professional role. Quality and safety education for nurses addresses the challenge to prepare nurses
with the competencies needed to continuously improve the quality of care in their work
environments.
A nurse is preparing a teaching session about contemporary influences on nursing. Which
examples should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)
a. Human rights
b. Affordable Care Act
c. Demographic changes
d. Medically underserved
e. Decreasing health care costs
ANS: A, B, C, D
Multiple external forces affect nursing, including the need for nurses’ self-care, Affordable Care Act
(ACA) and rising (not decreasing) health care costs, demographic changes of the population, human
rights, and increasing numbers of medically underserved.
. A nurse wants to become an advanced practice registered nurse. Which options should the nurse consider? (Select all that apply.) a. Patient advocate b. Nurse administrator c. Certified nurse-midwife d. Clinical nurse specialist e. Certified nurse practitioner
ANS: C, D, E
Although all nurses should function as patient advocates, “advanced practice nurse” is an umbrella
term for an advanced clinical nurse such as a certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist,
certified registered nurse anesthetist, or certified nurse-midwife. A nurse administrator is not an
example of advanced practice.
A nurse is teaching the staff about managed care. Which information should the nurse include in
the teaching session?
a. Managed care insures full coverage of health care costs.
b. Managed care only assumes the financial risk involved.
c. Managed care allows providers to focus on illness care.
d. Managed care causes providers to focus on prevention.
ANS: D
Managed care describes health care systems in which the provider or the health care system receives
a predetermined capitated (fixed amount) payment for each patient enrolled in the program.
Therefore, the focus of care shifts from individual illness care to prevention, early intervention, and
outpatient care. The actual cost of care is the responsibility of the provider. The managed care
organization (provider) assumes financial risk, in addition to providing patient care.
The nurse is applying for a position with a home care organization that specializes in spinal cord
injury. In which type of health care facility does the nurse want to work?
a. Secondary acute
b. Continuing
c. Restorative
d. Tertiary
ANS: C
Patients recovering from an acute or chronic illness or disability often require additional services
(restorative care) to return to their previous level of function or reach a new level of function limited
by their illness or disability. Restorative care includes cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation,
sports medicine, spinal cord injury programs, and home care. Secondary acute care involves
emergency care, acute medical-surgical care, and radiological procedures. Continuing care involves
assisted living, psychiatric care, and older-adult day care. Tertiary care includes intensive care and
subacute care.
A nurse provides immunization to children and adults through the public healthdepartment.
Which type of health care is the nurse providing?
a. Primary care
b. Preventive care
c. Restorative care
d. Continuing care
ANS: B
Preventive care includes immunizations, screenings, counseling, crisis prevention, and community
safety legislation. Primary care is health promotion that includes prenatal and well-baby care,
nutrition counseling, family planning, and exercise classes. Restorative care includes rehabilitation,
sports medicine, spinal cord injury programs, and home care. Continuing care is assisted living and
psychiatric care and older-adult day care
An older adult patient has extensive wound care needs after discharge from the hospital.Which
facility should the nurse discuss with the patient?
a. Hospice
b. Respite care
c. Assisted living
d. Skilled nursing
ANS: D
An intermediate care or skilled nursing facility offers skilled care from a licensed nursing staff. This
often includes administration of IV fluids, wound care, long-term ventilator management, and
physical rehabilitation. A hospice is a system of family-centered care that allows patients to live with
comfort, independence, and dignity while easing the pains of terminal illness. Respite care is a
service that provides short-term relief or “time off” for people providing home care to an individual
who is ill, disabled, or frail. Assisted living offers an attractive long-term care setting with an
environment more like home and greater resident autonomy
A nurse working in a community hospital’s emergency department provides care to a patient
having chest pain. Which level of care is the nurse providing?
a. Continuing care
b. Restorative care
c. Preventive care
d. Tertiary care
ANS: D
Hospital emergency departments, urgent care centers, critical care units, and inpatient medicalsurgical units provide secondary and tertiary levels of care. Patients recovering from an acute or
chronic illness or disability often require additional services (restorative care) to return to their
previous level of function or reach a new level of function limited by their illness or disability.
Continuing care is available within institutional settings (e.g., nursing centers or nursing homes,
group homes, and retirement communities), communities (e.g., adult day care and senior centers), or
the home (e.g., home care, home-delivered meals, and hospice). Preventive care is more disease
oriented and focused on reducing and controlling risk factors for disease through activities such as
immunization and occupational health programs.
A nurse is teaching the staff about the Institute of Medicine competencies. Which examples
indicate the staff has a correct understanding of the teaching? (Select all that apply.)
a. Use informatics.
b. Use transparency.
c. Apply globalization.
d. Apply quality improvement.
e. Use evidence-based practice.
ANS: A, D, E
The Institute of Medicine competencies include: Provide patient-centered care; work in
interdisciplinary teams; use evidence-based practice; apply quality improvement; and use
informatics. Transparency is included in the 10 rules of performance in a redesigned health care
system, not a competency. While globalization is important in health care, it is not a competency
A nurse uses evidence-based practice (EBP) to provide nursing care. What is the best rationale for
the nurse’s behavior?
a. EBP is a guide for nurses in making clinical decisions.
b. EBP is based on the latest textbook information.
c. EBP is easily attained at the bedside.
d. EBP is always right for all situations.
ANS: A
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a guide for nurses to structure how to make appropriate, timely,
and effective clinical decisions. A textbook relies on the scientific literature, which may be outdated
by the time the book is published. Unfortunately, much of the best evidence never reaches the
bedside. EBP is not to be blindly applied without using good judgment and critical thinking skills.
In caring for patients, what must the nurse remember about evidence-based practice (EBP)?
a. EBP is the only valid source of knowledge that should be used.
b. EBP is secondary to traditional or convenient care knowledge.
c. EBP is dependent on patient values and expectations.
d. EBP is not shown to provide better patient outcomes.
ANS: C
Even when the best evidence available is used, application and outcomes will differ based on patient
values, preferences, concerns, and/or expectations. Nurses often care for patients on the basis of
tradition or convenience. Although these sources have value, it is important to learn to rely more on
research evidence than on nonresearch evidence. Evidence-based care improves quality, safety,
patient outcomes, and nurse satisfaction while reducing costs.
A patient has a head injury and damages the hypothalamus. Which vital sign will the nurse monitor most closely? a. Pulse b. Respirations c. Temperature d. Blood pressure
ANS: C
Disease or trauma to the hypothalamus or the spinal cord, which carries hypothalamic messages,
causes serious alterations in temperature control. The hypothalamus does not control pulse,
respirations, or blood pressure.
The patient with heart failure is restless with a temperature of 102.2° F (39° C). Which action will
the nurse take?
a. Place the patient on oxygen.
b. Encourage the patient to cough.
c. Restrict the patient’s fluid intake.
d. Increase the patient’s metabolic rate.
ANS: A
Interventions during a fever include oxygen therapy. During a fever, cellular metabolism increases
and oxygen consumption rises. Myocardial hypoxia produces angina. Cerebral hypoxia produces
confusion. Dehydration is a serious problem through increased respiration and diaphoresis. The
patient is at risk for fluid volume deficit. Fluids should not be restricted, even though the patient has
heart failure; the patient needs fluids at this time due to the fever. Increasing the metabolic rate
further would not be advisable. Coughing will increase muscular activity, which will increase fever.
The nurse is caring for an infant and is obtaining the patient’s vital signs. Which artery will the
nurse use to bestobtain the infant’s pulse?
a. Radial
b. Brachial
c. Femoral
d. Popliteal
ANS: B
The brachial or apical pulse is the best site for assessing an infant’s or a young child’s pulse because
other peripheral pulses such as the radial, femoral, and popliteal arteries are deep and difficult to
palpate accurately.
The patient is found to be unresponsive and not breathing. Which pulse site will the nurse use?
a. Radial
b. Apical
c. Carotid
d. Brachial
ANS: C
The heart continues to deliver blood through the carotid artery to the brain as long as possible. The
carotid pulse is easily accessible during physiological shock or cardiac arrest. The radial pulse is used
to assess peripheral circulation or to assess the status of circulation to the hand. The brachial site is
used to assess the status of circulation to the lower arm. The apical pulse is used to auscultate the
apical area.
The nurse needs to obtain a radial pulse from a patient. What must the nurse do to obtain a
correct measurement?
a. Place the tips of the first two fingers over the groove along the thumb side of the patient’s wrist.
b. Place the tips of the first two fingers over the groove along the little finger side of the patient’s wrist.
c. Place the thumb over the groove along the little finger side of the patient’s wrist.
d. Place the thumb over the groove along the thumb side of the patient’s wrist
ANS: A
Place the tips of the first two or middle three fingers of the hand over the groove along the radial or
thumb side of the patient’s inner wrist. Fingertips are the most sensitive parts of the hand to palpate
arterial pulsation. The thumb has a pulsation that interferes with accuracy. The groove along the little
finger is the ulnar pulse.
The nurse is assessing the patient’s respirations. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. Inform the patient that she is counting respirations.
b. Do not touch the patient until completed.
c. Obtain without the patient knowing.
d. Estimate respirations
ANS: C
Do not let a patient know that you are assessing respirations. A patient aware of the assessment can
alter the rate and depth of breathing. Assess respirations immediately after measuring pulse rate, with
your hand still on the patient’s wrist as it rests over the chest or abdomen. Respirations are the easiest
of all vital signs to assess, but they are often the most haphazardly measured. Do not estimate
respirations.
The patient is being admitted to the emergency department with reports of shortness of breath.
The patient has had chronic lung disease for many years but still smokes. What will the nursedo?
a. Allow the patient to breathe into a paper bag.
b. Use oxygen cautiously in this patient.
c. Administer high levels of oxygen.
d. Give CO2 via mask
ANS: B
Oxygen must be used cautiously in these types of patients. Hypoxemia helps to control ventilation in
patients with chronic lung disease. Because low levels of arterial O2 provide the stimulus that allows
a patient to breathe, administration of high oxygen levels may be fatal for patients with chronic lung
disease. Patients with chronic lung disease have ongoing hypercarbia (elevated CO2 levels) and do
not need to have CO2 administered or “rebreathed” with a paper bag.
The patient was found unresponsive in an apartment and is being brought to the emergency
department. The patient has arm, hand, and leg edema, temperature is 95.6° F, and hands are cold
secondary to a history of peripheral vascular disease. It is reported that the patient has a latex allergy.
What should the nurse do to quickly measure the patient’s oxygen saturation?
a. Attach a finger probe to the patient’s index finger.
b. Place a nonadhesive sensor on the patient’s earlobe.
c. Attach a disposable adhesive sensor to the bridge of the patient’s nose.
d. Place the sensor on the same arm that the electronic blood pressure cuff is on.
ANS: B
A nonadhesive sensor is best for latex allergy, and the earlobe site is the best choice for this patient
with peripheral vascular disease and edema. Select forehead, ear or bridge of nose if an adult patient
has a history of peripheral vascular disease. Do not attach probe to finger, ear, forehead, or bridge of
nose if area is edematous or skin integrity is compromised. Do not use disposable adhesive probes if
the patient has latex allergy. Do not attach probe to fingers that are hypothermic. Do not place the
sensor on the same extremity as the electronic blood pressure cuff because blood flow to the finger
will be temporarily interrupted when the cuff inflates.