Nursing 170 Final Exam: (Latest 2026/2027 Update) Foundations of
Nursing Practice | Critical Thinking, Theory, Caring, Ethics, EBP &
Professionalism | Q&A Grade A
Complete Review: Nursing Process, Strengths‑Based Care, Relational Inquiry, Emancipatory Knowing, Legal Obligations, and
Regulatory Bodies
SUBJECT SOURCE FORMAT
Foundations of Nursing / NUR 170 Galen Final Exam Study Guide Q&A Guide with Rationale
2026/2027
Q1
Define critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, and reflection.
CORRECT ANSWER
Critical thinking: testing and refining nursing approaches, applying research, ensuring holistic care.
Clinical reasoning: thinking about patient issues, making inferences, planning actions. Clinical judgment:
conclusion about patient's needs or decision to take action. Reflection: reviewing experiences to learn and
improve.
RATIONALE
• Critical thinking is central to professional nursing practice.
• Clinical reasoning involves synthesizing information to make decisions.
• Reflection allows nurses to learn from both successes and failures.
Q2
What are the competencies of critical thinking in clinical situations?
CORRECT ANSWER
Diagnostic reasoning, clinical inference, clinical reasoning, clinical decision making
RATIONALE
• Diagnostic reasoning determines health status after observations.
• Clinical inference draws conclusions from evidence.
• Clinical decision making defines problems and chooses interventions.
, Q3
What is nursing theory?
CORRECT ANSWER
A purposeful set of assumptions that identify relationships between concepts, providing a systematic view
for explaining, predicting, and prescribing phenomena.
RATIONALE
• Theory provides perspective to view client situations and organize data.
• Grand theories are broad; middle‑range theories address specific phenomena.
• Theory informs practice, research, and professional identity.
Q4
Why is nursing theory important?
CORRECT ANSWER
Guides practice, prioritization, approach to issues, and provides an organized framework for better
outcomes; informs nursing research.
RATIONALE
• Theory helps nurses organize and interpret information.
• Without theory, practice becomes random and unsystematic.
• Theory also guides research and evidence‑based practice.
Q5
Describe Strengths‑Based Care (SBC).
CORRECT ANSWER
Patient‑centered, empowers persons to achieve goals, collaborative relationship, uses biological and social
strengths, focuses on development and self‑care.
RATIONALE
• SBC moves away from deficit‑based (focusing on problems).
• Addresses challenges by building on existing strengths.
• Encourages patient responsibility and health promotion.
Nursing Practice | Critical Thinking, Theory, Caring, Ethics, EBP &
Professionalism | Q&A Grade A
Complete Review: Nursing Process, Strengths‑Based Care, Relational Inquiry, Emancipatory Knowing, Legal Obligations, and
Regulatory Bodies
SUBJECT SOURCE FORMAT
Foundations of Nursing / NUR 170 Galen Final Exam Study Guide Q&A Guide with Rationale
2026/2027
Q1
Define critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, and reflection.
CORRECT ANSWER
Critical thinking: testing and refining nursing approaches, applying research, ensuring holistic care.
Clinical reasoning: thinking about patient issues, making inferences, planning actions. Clinical judgment:
conclusion about patient's needs or decision to take action. Reflection: reviewing experiences to learn and
improve.
RATIONALE
• Critical thinking is central to professional nursing practice.
• Clinical reasoning involves synthesizing information to make decisions.
• Reflection allows nurses to learn from both successes and failures.
Q2
What are the competencies of critical thinking in clinical situations?
CORRECT ANSWER
Diagnostic reasoning, clinical inference, clinical reasoning, clinical decision making
RATIONALE
• Diagnostic reasoning determines health status after observations.
• Clinical inference draws conclusions from evidence.
• Clinical decision making defines problems and chooses interventions.
, Q3
What is nursing theory?
CORRECT ANSWER
A purposeful set of assumptions that identify relationships between concepts, providing a systematic view
for explaining, predicting, and prescribing phenomena.
RATIONALE
• Theory provides perspective to view client situations and organize data.
• Grand theories are broad; middle‑range theories address specific phenomena.
• Theory informs practice, research, and professional identity.
Q4
Why is nursing theory important?
CORRECT ANSWER
Guides practice, prioritization, approach to issues, and provides an organized framework for better
outcomes; informs nursing research.
RATIONALE
• Theory helps nurses organize and interpret information.
• Without theory, practice becomes random and unsystematic.
• Theory also guides research and evidence‑based practice.
Q5
Describe Strengths‑Based Care (SBC).
CORRECT ANSWER
Patient‑centered, empowers persons to achieve goals, collaborative relationship, uses biological and social
strengths, focuses on development and self‑care.
RATIONALE
• SBC moves away from deficit‑based (focusing on problems).
• Addresses challenges by building on existing strengths.
• Encourages patient responsibility and health promotion.
