Concepts in Nursing Final Exam Study
Guide Latest Update 2026 Exam
Nursing - Answer--the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities,
prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the
diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals,
families, groups, communities, and populations
Professional identity - Answer--a sense of oneself, and in relation to others, that is
influenced by characteristics, norms, and values of the nursing discipline, resulting in an
individual thinking, acting, and feeling like a nurse
Personal identity attributes - Answer--- Hearing expectations clearly
- Value debriefing & feedback from role models
- Engage in reflection
- Actively adopt a professional identity
- Understand your own responsibilities for learning & be accountable
- Build relationships with those around you
- Develop personal self care habits
- Embrace any opportunity or experiences with clients
Standards of practice - Answer--a competent level of nursing care demonstrated by the
nursing process
Standards of professional performance - Answer--a competent level of behavior in the
professional role to ensure clients receive high-quality care
,Code of ethics - Answer--philosophical ideals of right and wrong that define principles
you will use to provide care to your clients
Quality and safety education for nurses (QSEN) - Answer--addresses the challenge to
prepare nurses with competencies needed to continuously improve the quality of care in
their work environments
Nurse practice acts - Answer--regulate the scope of nursing
- Protect public health, safety, and welfare from unqualified and unsafe nurses
- Each state defines for itself the scope of nursing practice, but most have similar NPAs
- The Alabama NPA establishes the Alabama Board of Nursing as the state's regulatory
authority for RNs, APRNs, & LPNs
Ethics - Answer--study or examination of morality through a variety of different
approaches
- Deals specifically with the concepts of right and wrong
- Involves critical thinking and actions
Ethical sensitivity - Answer--helps us recognize when there is an ethical problem or
dilemma
Ethical reflection and analysis - Answer--enable us to thinking critically to rank our
ethical obligations and priorities
Ethical decision making - Answer--a method of ensuring that the action we take is well
reasoned and can be justified
Moral courage - Answer--enables us to act on our decisions even under the most
challenging circumstances
Societal ethics - Answer--- Healthcare law
- Scope of nursing practice
Organizational ethics - Answer--Systems, practices, policies, and procedures
Bioethics/clinical/research ethics - Answer--research using humans as test subjects
Professional ethics - Answer--- American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for
Nurses
- Ethical standards and expectations of a profession
,- Nurses are held to a higher standard because of the privileged role we have in society
- Ethics become a fundamental element of your professional identity and character
- Codes of conduct are aimed at the highest ideals of practice
Personal ethics - Answer--may differ from those of the society or organization in which
we work
Ethical problem - Answer--a problem with an ethical dimension, most with reasonably
clear solutions & others more complex
Ethical dilemma - Answer--a problem for which something wrong must be done in order
to do something right
- Impossible to meet all the ethical requirements in the situation
- Must be sensitive to the ethical dimensions of a situation
- Able to use ethical concepts to analyze and reflect on the ethical conflicts within the
dilemma
Autonomy - Answer--respect for persons
Beneficence - Answer--to do good
Non-maleficence - Answer--to do no harm
Justice - Answer--treating others equitably, fairly, and appropriately
Fidelity - Answer--loyalty, faithfulness, being trustworthy
Veracity - Answer--the duty to tell the truth
Deontology - Answer--What is the right thing to do? What is my moral duty?
Utilitarianism - Answer--What action will create the greatest good for the greatest
number?
Ethics of character (virtue) - Answer--What is right based on my life experiences?
Ethics of relationship (caring) - Answer--What is the most caring response?
Ethical issues - Answer--- Protecting clients' rights and human dignity
- Not respecting informed consent treatment
, - Providing care with risk to the health of the nurse
- Using or not using chemical or physical restraints
- Understaffing
- Prolonging the living and dying process with inappropriate measures
- Policies that could threaten the quality of care
- Working with unethical or impaired colleagues
Collaboration - Answer--the development of partnerships to achieve best possible
outcomes that reflect the particular needs of the patient, family, or community, requiring
an understanding of what others have to offer
- involves a joint responsibility for patient outcomes
Nurse-patient collaboration - Answer--nurses collaborate with patients as fully functional
members of the healthcare team
Nurse-nurse collaboration (intraprofessional) - Answer--nurses collaborate when
performing nursing activities and in more defined roles; development of teams on
hospital units, in clinics, and in community settings
Interprofessional collaboration - Answer--partnership between a team of health
providers and patient in a participatory, collaborative, and coordinated approach to
share in decision-making
Interorganizational collaboration - Answer--pooling of information and resources
between organizations that can benefit patients and communities at regional, national,
or international levels
Collaboration attributes - Answer--- values/ethics: work together for safer, more efficient,
and more effective systems of care
- roles/responsibilities: understand the personal skill sets and legal constraints of each
team member
- communication: avoid professional jargon and use safe, respectful language
- teamwork: shared accountability, problem solving, and decision-making
Delegation - Answer--the process in which responsibility and authority are transferred to
another individual
Accountability - Answer--the ability and the willingness to accept responsibility for
actions & related consequences
Guide Latest Update 2026 Exam
Nursing - Answer--the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities,
prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the
diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals,
families, groups, communities, and populations
Professional identity - Answer--a sense of oneself, and in relation to others, that is
influenced by characteristics, norms, and values of the nursing discipline, resulting in an
individual thinking, acting, and feeling like a nurse
Personal identity attributes - Answer--- Hearing expectations clearly
- Value debriefing & feedback from role models
- Engage in reflection
- Actively adopt a professional identity
- Understand your own responsibilities for learning & be accountable
- Build relationships with those around you
- Develop personal self care habits
- Embrace any opportunity or experiences with clients
Standards of practice - Answer--a competent level of nursing care demonstrated by the
nursing process
Standards of professional performance - Answer--a competent level of behavior in the
professional role to ensure clients receive high-quality care
,Code of ethics - Answer--philosophical ideals of right and wrong that define principles
you will use to provide care to your clients
Quality and safety education for nurses (QSEN) - Answer--addresses the challenge to
prepare nurses with competencies needed to continuously improve the quality of care in
their work environments
Nurse practice acts - Answer--regulate the scope of nursing
- Protect public health, safety, and welfare from unqualified and unsafe nurses
- Each state defines for itself the scope of nursing practice, but most have similar NPAs
- The Alabama NPA establishes the Alabama Board of Nursing as the state's regulatory
authority for RNs, APRNs, & LPNs
Ethics - Answer--study or examination of morality through a variety of different
approaches
- Deals specifically with the concepts of right and wrong
- Involves critical thinking and actions
Ethical sensitivity - Answer--helps us recognize when there is an ethical problem or
dilemma
Ethical reflection and analysis - Answer--enable us to thinking critically to rank our
ethical obligations and priorities
Ethical decision making - Answer--a method of ensuring that the action we take is well
reasoned and can be justified
Moral courage - Answer--enables us to act on our decisions even under the most
challenging circumstances
Societal ethics - Answer--- Healthcare law
- Scope of nursing practice
Organizational ethics - Answer--Systems, practices, policies, and procedures
Bioethics/clinical/research ethics - Answer--research using humans as test subjects
Professional ethics - Answer--- American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for
Nurses
- Ethical standards and expectations of a profession
,- Nurses are held to a higher standard because of the privileged role we have in society
- Ethics become a fundamental element of your professional identity and character
- Codes of conduct are aimed at the highest ideals of practice
Personal ethics - Answer--may differ from those of the society or organization in which
we work
Ethical problem - Answer--a problem with an ethical dimension, most with reasonably
clear solutions & others more complex
Ethical dilemma - Answer--a problem for which something wrong must be done in order
to do something right
- Impossible to meet all the ethical requirements in the situation
- Must be sensitive to the ethical dimensions of a situation
- Able to use ethical concepts to analyze and reflect on the ethical conflicts within the
dilemma
Autonomy - Answer--respect for persons
Beneficence - Answer--to do good
Non-maleficence - Answer--to do no harm
Justice - Answer--treating others equitably, fairly, and appropriately
Fidelity - Answer--loyalty, faithfulness, being trustworthy
Veracity - Answer--the duty to tell the truth
Deontology - Answer--What is the right thing to do? What is my moral duty?
Utilitarianism - Answer--What action will create the greatest good for the greatest
number?
Ethics of character (virtue) - Answer--What is right based on my life experiences?
Ethics of relationship (caring) - Answer--What is the most caring response?
Ethical issues - Answer--- Protecting clients' rights and human dignity
- Not respecting informed consent treatment
, - Providing care with risk to the health of the nurse
- Using or not using chemical or physical restraints
- Understaffing
- Prolonging the living and dying process with inappropriate measures
- Policies that could threaten the quality of care
- Working with unethical or impaired colleagues
Collaboration - Answer--the development of partnerships to achieve best possible
outcomes that reflect the particular needs of the patient, family, or community, requiring
an understanding of what others have to offer
- involves a joint responsibility for patient outcomes
Nurse-patient collaboration - Answer--nurses collaborate with patients as fully functional
members of the healthcare team
Nurse-nurse collaboration (intraprofessional) - Answer--nurses collaborate when
performing nursing activities and in more defined roles; development of teams on
hospital units, in clinics, and in community settings
Interprofessional collaboration - Answer--partnership between a team of health
providers and patient in a participatory, collaborative, and coordinated approach to
share in decision-making
Interorganizational collaboration - Answer--pooling of information and resources
between organizations that can benefit patients and communities at regional, national,
or international levels
Collaboration attributes - Answer--- values/ethics: work together for safer, more efficient,
and more effective systems of care
- roles/responsibilities: understand the personal skill sets and legal constraints of each
team member
- communication: avoid professional jargon and use safe, respectful language
- teamwork: shared accountability, problem solving, and decision-making
Delegation - Answer--the process in which responsibility and authority are transferred to
another individual
Accountability - Answer--the ability and the willingness to accept responsibility for
actions & related consequences
