1. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care and
discharge goals will be developed with the patients input. The
... [Show More] patient states, How is
this different from what the doctor does? Which response would be most appropriate
for the nurse to make?
a. The role of the nurse is to administer medications and other treatments
prescribed by your doctor.
b. The nurses job is to help the doctor by collecting information and
communicating any problems that occur.
c. Nurses perform many of the same procedures as the doctor, but nurses
are with the patients for a longer time than the doctor.
d. In addition to caring for you while you are sick, the nurses will assist
you to develop an individualized plan to maintain your health.
ANS: D
This response is consistent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition
of nursing, which describes the role of nurses in promoting health. The other
responses describe some of the dependent and collaborative functions of the nursing
role but do not accurately describe the nurses role in the health care system.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 3
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
2. The nurse describes to a student nurse how to use evidence-based practice
guidelines when caring for patients. Which statement, if made by the nurse, would be
the most accurate?
a. Inferences from clinical research studies are used as a guide.
b. Patient care is based on clinical judgment, experience, and traditions.
c. Data are evaluated to show that the patient outcomes are consistently
met.
d. Recommendations are based on research, clinical expertise, and patient
preferences.
ANS: D
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence
combined with clinician expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurses clinical
experience is part of EBP, but clinical decision making should also incorporate
current research and research-based guidelines. Evaluation of patient outcomes is
important, but interventions should be based on research from randomized control
studies with a large number of subjects.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember (knowledge) REF: 11
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
3. The nurse teaches a student nurse about how to apply the nursing process when
providing patient care. Which statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates that
teaching was successful?
a. The nursing process is a scientific-based method of diagnosing the
patients health care problems.
b. The nursing process is a problem-solving tool used to identify and treat
patients health care needs.
c. The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the
biopsychosocial nature of humans.
d. The nursing process is used primarily to explain nursing interventions to
other health care professionals.
ANS: B
The nursing process is a problem-solving approach to the identification and treatment
of patients problems. Diagnosis is only one phase of the nursing process. The primary
use of the nursing process is in patient care, not to establish nursing theory or explain
nursing interventions to other health care professionals.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
4. A patient has been admitted to the hospital for surgery and tells the nurse, I do not
feel comfortable leaving my children with my parents. Which action should the nurse
take next?
a. Reassure the patient that these feelings are common for parents.
b. Have the patient call the children to ensure that they are doing well.
c. Gather more data about the patients feelings about the child-care
arrangements.
d. Call the patients parents to determine whether adequate child care is
being provided.
ANS: C
Since a complete assessment is necessary in order to identify a problem and choose an
appropriate intervention, the nurses first action should be to obtain more information.
The other actions may be appropriate, but more assessment is needed before the best
intervention can be chosen.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 6-7
OBJ: Special Questions: Prioritization TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial Integrity
5. A patient who is paralyzed on the left side of the body after a stroke develops a
pressure ulcer on the left hip. Which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?
a. Impaired physical mobility related to left-sided paralysis
b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to left-sided weakness
c. Impaired skin integrity related to altered circulation and pressure
d. Ineffective tissue perfusion related to inability to move independently
ANS: C
The patients major problem is the impaired skin integrity as demonstrated by the
presence of a pressure ulcer. The nurse is able to treat the cause of altered circulation
and pressure by frequently repositioning the patient. Although left-sided weakness is a
problem for the patient, the nurse cannot treat the weakness. The risk for diagnosis is
not appropriate for this patient, who already has impaired tissue integrity. The patient
does have ineffective tissue perfusion, but the impaired skin integrity diagnosis
indicates more clearly what the health problem is.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 7-9
TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
6. A patient with a bacterial infection has a nursing diagnosis of deficient fluid volume
related to excessive diaphoresis. Which outcome would the nurse recognize as most
appropriate for this patient?
a. Patient has a balanced intake and output.
b. Patients bedding is changed when it becomes damp.
c. Patient understands the need for increased fluid intake.
d. Patients skin remains cool and dry throughout hospitalization.
ANS: A
This statement gives measurable data showing resolution of the problem of deficient
fluid volume that was identified in the nursing diagnosis statement. The other
statements would not indicate that the problem of deficient fluid volume was resolved.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 7-9
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
7. A nurse asks the patient if pain was relieved after receiving medication. What is the
purpose of the evaluation phase of the nursing process?
a. To determine if interventions have been effective in meeting patient
outcomes
b. To document the nursing care plan in the progress notes of the medical
record
c. To decide whether the patients health problems have been completely
resolved
d. To establish if the patient agrees that the nursing care provided was
satisfactory
ANS: A
Evaluation consists of determining whether the desired patient outcomes have been
met and whether the nursing interventions were appropriate. The other responses do
not describe the evaluation phase.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7-9
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
8. The nurse interviews a patient while completing the health history and physical
examination. What is the purpose of the assessment phase of the nursing process?
a. To teach interventions that relieve health problems
b. To use patient data to evaluate patient care outcomes
c. To obtain data with which to diagnose patient problems
d. To help the patient identify realistic outcomes for health problems
ANS: C
During the assessment phase, the nurse gathers information about the patient to
diagnose patient problems. The other responses are examples of the planning,
intervention, and evaluation phases of the nursing process.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7-9
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
9. Which nursing diagnosis statement is written correctly?
a. Altered tissue perfusion related to heart failure
b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to sacral redness
c. Ineffective coping related to response to biopsy test results
d. Altered urinary elimination related to urinary tract infection
ANS: C
This diagnosis statement includes a NANDA nursing diagnosis and an etiology that
describes a patients response to a health problem that can be treated by nursing. The
use of a medical diagnosis as an etiology (as in the responses beginning Altered tissue
perfusion and Altered urinary elimination) is not appropriate. The response beginning
Risk for impaired tissue integrity uses the defining characteristic as the etiology.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7
TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
10. The nurse admits a patient to the hospital and develops a plan of care. What
components should the nurse include in the nursing diagnosis statement?
a. The problem and the suggested patient goals or outcomes
b. The problem with possible causes and the planned interventions
c. The problem, its cause, and objective data that support the problem
d. The problem with an etiology and the signs and symptoms of the
problem
ANS: D
When writing nursing diagnoses, this format should be used: problem, etiology, and
signs and symptoms. The subjective, as well as objective, data should be included in
the defining characteristics. Interventions and outcomes are not included in the
nursing diagnosis statement.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember (knowledge) REF: 8-9
TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
11. A nurse is caring for a patient with heart failure. Which task is appropriate for the
nurse to delegate to experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
a. Monitor for shortness of breath or fatigue after ambulation.
b. Instruct the patient about the need to alternate activity and rest.
c. Obtain the patients blood pressure and pulse rate after ambulation.
d. Determine whether the patient is ready to increase the activity level.
ANS: C
UAP education includes accurate vital sign measurement. Assessment and patient
teaching require registered nurse education and scope of practice and cannot be
delegated.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 15
OBJ: Special Questions: Delegation TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
12. A nurse is caring for a group of patients on the medical-surgical unit with the help
of one float registered nurse (RN), one unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), and one
licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN). Which assignment, if delegated by
the nurse, would be inappropriate?
a. Measurement of a patients urine output by UAP
b. Administration of oral medications by LPN/LVN
c. Check for the presence of bowel sounds and flatulence by UAP
d. Care of a patient with diabetes by RN who usually works on the
pediatric unit
ANS: C
Assessment requires RN education and scope of practice and cannot be delegated to
an LPN/LVN or UAP. The other assignments made by the RN are appropriate.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 15-16
OBJ: Special Questions: Delegation TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
13. Which task is appropriate for the nurse to delegate to a licensed
practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN)?
a. Complete the initial admission assessment and plan of care.
b. Document teaching completed before a diagnostic procedure.
c. Instruct a patient about low-fat, reduced sodium dietary restrictions.
d. Obtain bedside blood glucose on a patient before insulin administration.
ANS: D
The education and scope of practice of the LPN/LVN include activities such as
obtaining glucose testing using a finger stick. Patient teaching and the initial
assessment and development of the plan of care are nursing actions that require
registered nurse education and scope of practice.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 15-16
OBJ: Special Questions: Delegation TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
14. A nurse is assigned as a case manager for a hospitalized patient with a spinal cord
injury. The patient can expect the nurse functioning in this role to perform which
activity?
a. Care for the patient during hospitalization for the injuries.
b. Assist the patient with home care activities during recovery.
c. Determine what medical care the patient needs for optimal
rehabilitation.
d. Coordinate the services that the patient receives in the hospital and at
home.
ANS: D
The role of the case manager is to coordinate the patients care through multiple
settings and levels of care to allow the maximal patient benefit at the least cost. The
case manager does not provide direct care in either the acute or home setting. The case
manager coordinates and advocates for care but does not determine what medical care
is needed; that would be completed by the health care provider or other provider.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 15
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
15. The nurse is caring for an older adult patient who had surgery to repair a fractured
hip. The patient needs continued nursing care and physical therapy to improve
mobility before returning home. The nurse will help to arrange for transfer of this
patient to which facility?
a. A skilled care facility
b. A residential care facility
c. A transitional care facility
d. An intermediate care facility
ANS: C
Transitional care settings are appropriate for patients who need continued
rehabilitation before discharge to home or to long-term care settings. The patient is no
longer in need of the more continuous assessment and care given in acute care
settings. There is no indication that the patient will need the permanent and ongoing
medical and nursing services available in intermediate or skilled care. The patient is
not yet independent enough to transfer to a residential care facility.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application)
REF: eTable 1-1 | eTable 1-2 | eTable 1-3 TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment
16. A home care nurse is planning care for a patient who has just been diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Which task is appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the [Show Less]