NSG 3100 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
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Core Domains
- Professional nursing roles and scope of practice
- Legal and ethical principles in nursing
- Regulatory frameworks (Nurse Practice Act, HIPAA, EMTALA)
- Standards of care and negligence
- Informed consent and patient autonomy
- Confidentiality and information security
- Professional boundaries and reporting obligations
- Critical thinking and clinical decision-making
- Ethical theories and moral distress
- Documentation and legal risk management
Introduction
*This comprehensive examination is designed to assess foundational knowledge in legal, ethical, and regulatory
aspects of professional nursing practice. It evaluates the student’s ability to apply Nurse Practice Act provisions,
recognize standards of care, manage informed consent, protect patient confidentiality under HIPAA, and
identify professional boundary violations. The exam includes 200 multiple-choice questions combining
theoretical principles with realistic clinical scenarios. Emphasis is placed on real-world decision-making, ethical
reasoning, and regulatory compliance essential for safe, legal, and competent nursing practice. Each question is
followed by a verified correct answer and a clear rationale to reinforce learning and exam readiness.*
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A newly licensed nurse is reviewing the state’s Nurse Practice Act. Which action falls within the scope of practice
for a registered nurse?
A. Diagnosing a medical condition independently
B. Prescribing scheduled medications without supervision
C. Delegating vital sign measurement to an unlicensed assistive personnel
D. Performing a surgical incision and drainage
🟢C
🔴 RATIONALE: Delegating routine tasks such as vital signs to trained UAP is within RN scope when appropriate
supervision is maintained. Diagnosis, prescribing, and surgical procedures are beyond RN scope without
advanced practice authorization.
Question 2
A nurse witnesses a colleague diverting opioids from a patient’s PCA pump. What is the nurse’s most
appropriate initial action?
A. Confront the colleague in the medication room
B. Report the observation to the nursing supervisor immediately
C. Ignore the incident to avoid workplace conflict
D. Document the event in the patient’s medical record
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Suspected drug diversion must be reported immediately to a supervisor to protect patient
,safety and comply with legal and ethical reporting obligations. Confrontation or ignoring delays action; the
patient record is not the correct channel.
Question 3
A patient refuses a life-saving blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. The nurse should:
A. Administer the transfusion under implied consent
B. Notify the provider and respect the patient’s refusal
C. Ask the family to override the patient’s decision
D. Document the refusal but administer the transfusion
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Competent adults have the right to refuse treatment, even if refusal leads to death. The nurse
must respect autonomy, notify the provider, and document the refusal.
Question 4
Which scenario represents a violation of HIPAA privacy rules?
A. Discussing patient care with another nurse involved in the patient’s treatment
B. Leaving a printed lab report face-up at the nurses’ station
C. Faxing records to a receiving hospital with a cover sheet
D. Asking a patient for permission to speak with family
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Leaving identifiable patient information visible to unauthorized individuals constitutes a HIPAA
breach. The other options are permissible under treatment, continuity of care, or patient permission.
, Question 5
A nurse administers the wrong medication to a patient. The patient experiences no harm. This is best described
as:
A. Negligence without injury
B. Assault
C. Battery
D. Malpractice with damages
🟢A
🔴 RATIONALE: Negligence is breach of duty causing harm or risk. Here duty was breached (wrong med), but
no injury occurred. Malpractice requires damages. Assault/battery are intentional torts.
Question 6
A patient tells the nurse, “If you don’t bring me pain medicine now, I’ll sue you for neglect.” The nurse
understands this threat as:
A. Libel
B. Slander
C. Assault
D. Battery
🟢C
🔴 RATIONALE: Assault is the threat of harmful or offensive contact causing reasonable fear. No physical
contact (battery) occurred. Slander/libel are defamation.
| INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
- Professional nursing roles and scope of practice
- Legal and ethical principles in nursing
- Regulatory frameworks (Nurse Practice Act, HIPAA, EMTALA)
- Standards of care and negligence
- Informed consent and patient autonomy
- Confidentiality and information security
- Professional boundaries and reporting obligations
- Critical thinking and clinical decision-making
- Ethical theories and moral distress
- Documentation and legal risk management
Introduction
*This comprehensive examination is designed to assess foundational knowledge in legal, ethical, and regulatory
aspects of professional nursing practice. It evaluates the student’s ability to apply Nurse Practice Act provisions,
recognize standards of care, manage informed consent, protect patient confidentiality under HIPAA, and
identify professional boundary violations. The exam includes 200 multiple-choice questions combining
theoretical principles with realistic clinical scenarios. Emphasis is placed on real-world decision-making, ethical
reasoning, and regulatory compliance essential for safe, legal, and competent nursing practice. Each question is
followed by a verified correct answer and a clear rationale to reinforce learning and exam readiness.*
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A newly licensed nurse is reviewing the state’s Nurse Practice Act. Which action falls within the scope of practice
for a registered nurse?
A. Diagnosing a medical condition independently
B. Prescribing scheduled medications without supervision
C. Delegating vital sign measurement to an unlicensed assistive personnel
D. Performing a surgical incision and drainage
🟢C
🔴 RATIONALE: Delegating routine tasks such as vital signs to trained UAP is within RN scope when appropriate
supervision is maintained. Diagnosis, prescribing, and surgical procedures are beyond RN scope without
advanced practice authorization.
Question 2
A nurse witnesses a colleague diverting opioids from a patient’s PCA pump. What is the nurse’s most
appropriate initial action?
A. Confront the colleague in the medication room
B. Report the observation to the nursing supervisor immediately
C. Ignore the incident to avoid workplace conflict
D. Document the event in the patient’s medical record
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Suspected drug diversion must be reported immediately to a supervisor to protect patient
,safety and comply with legal and ethical reporting obligations. Confrontation or ignoring delays action; the
patient record is not the correct channel.
Question 3
A patient refuses a life-saving blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. The nurse should:
A. Administer the transfusion under implied consent
B. Notify the provider and respect the patient’s refusal
C. Ask the family to override the patient’s decision
D. Document the refusal but administer the transfusion
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Competent adults have the right to refuse treatment, even if refusal leads to death. The nurse
must respect autonomy, notify the provider, and document the refusal.
Question 4
Which scenario represents a violation of HIPAA privacy rules?
A. Discussing patient care with another nurse involved in the patient’s treatment
B. Leaving a printed lab report face-up at the nurses’ station
C. Faxing records to a receiving hospital with a cover sheet
D. Asking a patient for permission to speak with family
🟢B
🔴 RATIONALE: Leaving identifiable patient information visible to unauthorized individuals constitutes a HIPAA
breach. The other options are permissible under treatment, continuity of care, or patient permission.
, Question 5
A nurse administers the wrong medication to a patient. The patient experiences no harm. This is best described
as:
A. Negligence without injury
B. Assault
C. Battery
D. Malpractice with damages
🟢A
🔴 RATIONALE: Negligence is breach of duty causing harm or risk. Here duty was breached (wrong med), but
no injury occurred. Malpractice requires damages. Assault/battery are intentional torts.
Question 6
A patient tells the nurse, “If you don’t bring me pain medicine now, I’ll sue you for neglect.” The nurse
understands this threat as:
A. Libel
B. Slander
C. Assault
D. Battery
🟢C
🔴 RATIONALE: Assault is the threat of harmful or offensive contact causing reasonable fear. No physical
contact (battery) occurred. Slander/libel are defamation.
