NURS 120 Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing Week 1
Comprehensive Quiz 2026 |WCU
1. A medical-surgical nurse is caring for a patient who is post-operative.
According to the QSEN competency of Patient-Centered Care, which action
should the nurse prioritize?
A. Ensuring the patient’s electronic health record is updated immediately.
B. Strictly adhering to the hospital’s standard clinical pathways.
C. Involving the patient and their family in the development of the plan of care.
D. Consulting with the surgical team before explaining procedures to the patient.
Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-Centered Care involves recognizing the patient as the source of control
and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for
patient’s preferences, values, and needs.
2. Which of the following best describes the ‘Informatics’ competency within
the QSEN framework?
A. Using information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, and mitigate error.
B. Using data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and improve methods.
C. The ability to communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
D. Integrating best current evidence with clinical expertise for delivery of optimal health care.
Answer: A
Rationale: Informatics is defined as using information and technology to communicate,
manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
,3. A nurse is preparing to delegate a task to an Unlicensed Assistive Personnel
(UAP). Which task is most appropriate to delegate to the UAP?
A. Evaluating a patient’s response to pain medication.
B. Performing an initial admission assessment on a stable patient.
C. Providing discharge instructions regarding wound care.
D. Assisting a stable post-operative patient with ambulation for the second time.
Answer: D
Rationale: Nurses cannot delegate assessment, planning, or evaluation. UAPs can perform
tasks that are repetitive, non-invasive, and require little supervision, such as ambulating a
stable patient.
4. The nurse uses the SBAR technique during a hand-off report. What does the
‘R’ in SBAR stand for?
A. Reason for admission
B. Response to treatment
C. Recommendation
D. Review of systems
Answer: C
Rationale: SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. It is
a standardized communication tool used to improve patient safety.
5. When applying Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), which is the first step the
nurse should take?
A. Formulate a searchable clinical question using PICO.
B. Integrate evidence with clinical expertise.
C. Critically appraise the evidence found.
D. Evaluate the outcome of the practice change.
Answer: A
, Rationale: The EBP process starts with asking a clinical question in a format like PICO
(Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome).
6. A nurse is caring for an older adult patient with multiple chronic conditions.
Which ethical principle is the nurse practicing by respecting the patient’s
decision to refuse a life-saving surgery?
A. Autonomy
B. Nonmaleficence
C. Justice
D. Beneficence
Answer: A
Rationale: Autonomy is the right of the patient to make their own decisions about their
medical care.
7. The nurse is reviewing the hospital’s ‘Root Cause Analysis’ reports. This
activity is primarily associated with which QSEN competency?
A. Safety
B. Quality Improvement
C. Teamwork and Collaboration
D. Evidence-Based Practice
Answer: B
Rationale: Quality Improvement involves using data to monitor outcomes and using
improvement methods to design and test changes. Root cause analysis is a tool used in QI
to prevent future errors.
Comprehensive Quiz 2026 |WCU
1. A medical-surgical nurse is caring for a patient who is post-operative.
According to the QSEN competency of Patient-Centered Care, which action
should the nurse prioritize?
A. Ensuring the patient’s electronic health record is updated immediately.
B. Strictly adhering to the hospital’s standard clinical pathways.
C. Involving the patient and their family in the development of the plan of care.
D. Consulting with the surgical team before explaining procedures to the patient.
Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-Centered Care involves recognizing the patient as the source of control
and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for
patient’s preferences, values, and needs.
2. Which of the following best describes the ‘Informatics’ competency within
the QSEN framework?
A. Using information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, and mitigate error.
B. Using data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and improve methods.
C. The ability to communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals.
D. Integrating best current evidence with clinical expertise for delivery of optimal health care.
Answer: A
Rationale: Informatics is defined as using information and technology to communicate,
manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
,3. A nurse is preparing to delegate a task to an Unlicensed Assistive Personnel
(UAP). Which task is most appropriate to delegate to the UAP?
A. Evaluating a patient’s response to pain medication.
B. Performing an initial admission assessment on a stable patient.
C. Providing discharge instructions regarding wound care.
D. Assisting a stable post-operative patient with ambulation for the second time.
Answer: D
Rationale: Nurses cannot delegate assessment, planning, or evaluation. UAPs can perform
tasks that are repetitive, non-invasive, and require little supervision, such as ambulating a
stable patient.
4. The nurse uses the SBAR technique during a hand-off report. What does the
‘R’ in SBAR stand for?
A. Reason for admission
B. Response to treatment
C. Recommendation
D. Review of systems
Answer: C
Rationale: SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. It is
a standardized communication tool used to improve patient safety.
5. When applying Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), which is the first step the
nurse should take?
A. Formulate a searchable clinical question using PICO.
B. Integrate evidence with clinical expertise.
C. Critically appraise the evidence found.
D. Evaluate the outcome of the practice change.
Answer: A
, Rationale: The EBP process starts with asking a clinical question in a format like PICO
(Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome).
6. A nurse is caring for an older adult patient with multiple chronic conditions.
Which ethical principle is the nurse practicing by respecting the patient’s
decision to refuse a life-saving surgery?
A. Autonomy
B. Nonmaleficence
C. Justice
D. Beneficence
Answer: A
Rationale: Autonomy is the right of the patient to make their own decisions about their
medical care.
7. The nurse is reviewing the hospital’s ‘Root Cause Analysis’ reports. This
activity is primarily associated with which QSEN competency?
A. Safety
B. Quality Improvement
C. Teamwork and Collaboration
D. Evidence-Based Practice
Answer: B
Rationale: Quality Improvement involves using data to monitor outcomes and using
improvement methods to design and test changes. Root cause analysis is a tool used in QI
to prevent future errors.
