KAPLAN CLINICAL JUDGMENT ASSESSMENT PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Clinical Cue Recognition and Assessment
Cue Analysis and Clinical Interpretation
Hypothesis Prioritization and Decision-Making
Nursing Intervention Planning and Solutions Generation
Implementation of Clinical Actions
Outcome Evaluation and Quality Assessment
Patient Safety and Risk Reduction
Pharmacological Therapies and Medication Safety
Ethics and Professional Nursing Standards
Regulatory Compliance and Legal Considerations
This comprehensive practice assessment is designed to prepare nursing students and professionals for the Kaplan Clinical Judgment Examination,
a critical evaluation of clinical reasoning skills essential for safe and effective nursing practice. The exam assesses six core cognitive functions of
clinical judgment: recognizing cues, analyzing cues, prioritizing hypotheses, generating solutions, taking actions, and evaluating outcomes.
Through 100 multiple-choice and scenario-based questions, this test evaluates both theoretical knowledge and applied decision-making abilities in
real-world clinical situations. The assessment emphasizes critical thinking, prioritization, patient safety, pharmacological management, ethical
practice, and regulatory compliance. Success on this examination demonstrates readiness for clinical practice and readiness for licensing
examinations such as the NGN-NCLEX, where clinical judgment is the central measurement model.
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected pneumonia. Which finding should the nurse recognize as the most critical cue requiring immediate
intervention?
A. Mild cough with scant white sputum
B. Oxygen saturation of 88% on room air
C. Temperature of 99.8°F (37.7°C)
D. Heart rate of 92 beats per minute
🟢 B. Oxygen saturation of 88% on room air
🔴 RATIONALE: Oxygen saturation of 88% indicates hypoxemia and represents an immediate threat to airway and breathing, which are priority
concerns according to ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) prioritization. Hypoxemia requires immediate intervention such as oxygen administration
and further respiratory assessment.
Question 2
A patient with diabetes mellitus reports feeling shaky, sweaty, and confused at 3:00 AM. The nurse checks the blood glucose and finds it to be 52
mg/dL. Which hypothesis should the nurse prioritize?
A. The patient is experiencing hyperglycemia
B. The patient is experiencing insulin-induced hypoglycemia
C. The patient has a bacterial infection
D. The patient is experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis
🟢 B. The patient is experiencing insulin-induced hypoglycemia
🔴 RATIONALE: Blood glucose of 52 mg/dL with symptoms of shakiness, sweating, and confusion are classic signs of hypoglycemia. This is a
common complication in patients receiving insulin therapy and requires immediate treatment with fast-acting carbohydrates.
Question 3
A nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who received morphine 30 minutes ago. The patient's respiratory rate is 8 breaths per minute, and the
patient is difficult to arouse. What action should the nurse take first?
,A. Administer naloxone (Narcan)
B. Call the rapid response team
C. Stimulate the patient and assess oxygen saturation
D. Document the findings and continue monitoring
🟢 C. Stimulate the patient and assess oxygen saturation
🔴 RATIONALE: The priority action is to immediately stimulate the patient to increase respiratory effort and assess oxygen saturation to determine
the severity of opioid-induced respiratory depression. Aggressive interventions like naloxone may follow if stimulation is ineffective.
Question 4
A patient with chronic heart failure presents with shortness of breath, bilateral crackles, and 3+ edema in the lower extremities. Which intervention
should the nurse generate as the most appropriate solution?
A. Administer diuretics as prescribed and monitor fluid status
B. Increase the patient's oral fluid intake
C. Apply warm compresses to the edematous areas
D. Encourage the patient to walk for 30 minutes
🟢 A. Administer diuretics as prescribed and monitor fluid status
🔴 RATIONALE: The clinical presentation indicates fluid overload in heart failure. Diuretics are the standard treatment to reduce fluid volume, and
monitoring fluid status helps evaluate treatment effectiveness.
Question 5
A nurse is preparing to administer IV potassium chloride to a patient with hypokalemia. Which action is essential for safe implementation?
A. Administer the potassium as a rapid IV push
B. Use an infusion pump and monitor the infusion rate
C. Mix potassium with dextrose-containing solutions only
D. Administer without monitoring cardiac rhythm
🟢 B. Use an infusion pump and monitor the infusion rate
, 🔴 RATIONALE: IV potassium must always be administered via an infusion pump at a controlled rate to prevent cardiac complications. Rapid IV
administration can cause fatal cardiac arrest.
Question 6
A patient with community-acquired pneumonia is receiving oxygen therapy. After 2 hours, the oxygen saturation improves from 88% to 94%. What
should the nurse conclude about the outcome?
A. The intervention was ineffective and needs modification
B. The intervention was partially effective and should continue
C. The intervention was highly effective and the patient is resolved
D. The patient requires immediate intubation
🟢 B. The intervention was partially effective and should continue
🔴 RATIONALE: Oxygen saturation of 94% indicates improvement but may still be below optimal targets (typically 95%+). The intervention shows
partial effectiveness and should continue with ongoing monitoring.
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a patient with a history of falls. Which cue should the nurse recognize as highest priority for fall risk prevention?
A. Patient's age is 72 years
B. Patient uses a walking aid inconsistently
C. Patient's room is near the nurses' station
D. Patient has a family member present
🟢 B. Patient uses a walking aid inconsistently
🔴 RATIONALE: Inconsistent use of a walking aid indicates mobility impairment and poor judgment about safety, which is a direct and modifiable
fall risk factor. Age is a risk factor but not as immediately actionable.
Question 8
A patient with hypertension is prescribed lisinopril. The nurse notes the patient's blood pressure is 108/68 mmHg and potassium is 5.4 mEq/L.
What analysis should the nurse make?
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Clinical Cue Recognition and Assessment
Cue Analysis and Clinical Interpretation
Hypothesis Prioritization and Decision-Making
Nursing Intervention Planning and Solutions Generation
Implementation of Clinical Actions
Outcome Evaluation and Quality Assessment
Patient Safety and Risk Reduction
Pharmacological Therapies and Medication Safety
Ethics and Professional Nursing Standards
Regulatory Compliance and Legal Considerations
This comprehensive practice assessment is designed to prepare nursing students and professionals for the Kaplan Clinical Judgment Examination,
a critical evaluation of clinical reasoning skills essential for safe and effective nursing practice. The exam assesses six core cognitive functions of
clinical judgment: recognizing cues, analyzing cues, prioritizing hypotheses, generating solutions, taking actions, and evaluating outcomes.
Through 100 multiple-choice and scenario-based questions, this test evaluates both theoretical knowledge and applied decision-making abilities in
real-world clinical situations. The assessment emphasizes critical thinking, prioritization, patient safety, pharmacological management, ethical
practice, and regulatory compliance. Success on this examination demonstrates readiness for clinical practice and readiness for licensing
examinations such as the NGN-NCLEX, where clinical judgment is the central measurement model.
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected pneumonia. Which finding should the nurse recognize as the most critical cue requiring immediate
intervention?
A. Mild cough with scant white sputum
B. Oxygen saturation of 88% on room air
C. Temperature of 99.8°F (37.7°C)
D. Heart rate of 92 beats per minute
🟢 B. Oxygen saturation of 88% on room air
🔴 RATIONALE: Oxygen saturation of 88% indicates hypoxemia and represents an immediate threat to airway and breathing, which are priority
concerns according to ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) prioritization. Hypoxemia requires immediate intervention such as oxygen administration
and further respiratory assessment.
Question 2
A patient with diabetes mellitus reports feeling shaky, sweaty, and confused at 3:00 AM. The nurse checks the blood glucose and finds it to be 52
mg/dL. Which hypothesis should the nurse prioritize?
A. The patient is experiencing hyperglycemia
B. The patient is experiencing insulin-induced hypoglycemia
C. The patient has a bacterial infection
D. The patient is experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis
🟢 B. The patient is experiencing insulin-induced hypoglycemia
🔴 RATIONALE: Blood glucose of 52 mg/dL with symptoms of shakiness, sweating, and confusion are classic signs of hypoglycemia. This is a
common complication in patients receiving insulin therapy and requires immediate treatment with fast-acting carbohydrates.
Question 3
A nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who received morphine 30 minutes ago. The patient's respiratory rate is 8 breaths per minute, and the
patient is difficult to arouse. What action should the nurse take first?
,A. Administer naloxone (Narcan)
B. Call the rapid response team
C. Stimulate the patient and assess oxygen saturation
D. Document the findings and continue monitoring
🟢 C. Stimulate the patient and assess oxygen saturation
🔴 RATIONALE: The priority action is to immediately stimulate the patient to increase respiratory effort and assess oxygen saturation to determine
the severity of opioid-induced respiratory depression. Aggressive interventions like naloxone may follow if stimulation is ineffective.
Question 4
A patient with chronic heart failure presents with shortness of breath, bilateral crackles, and 3+ edema in the lower extremities. Which intervention
should the nurse generate as the most appropriate solution?
A. Administer diuretics as prescribed and monitor fluid status
B. Increase the patient's oral fluid intake
C. Apply warm compresses to the edematous areas
D. Encourage the patient to walk for 30 minutes
🟢 A. Administer diuretics as prescribed and monitor fluid status
🔴 RATIONALE: The clinical presentation indicates fluid overload in heart failure. Diuretics are the standard treatment to reduce fluid volume, and
monitoring fluid status helps evaluate treatment effectiveness.
Question 5
A nurse is preparing to administer IV potassium chloride to a patient with hypokalemia. Which action is essential for safe implementation?
A. Administer the potassium as a rapid IV push
B. Use an infusion pump and monitor the infusion rate
C. Mix potassium with dextrose-containing solutions only
D. Administer without monitoring cardiac rhythm
🟢 B. Use an infusion pump and monitor the infusion rate
, 🔴 RATIONALE: IV potassium must always be administered via an infusion pump at a controlled rate to prevent cardiac complications. Rapid IV
administration can cause fatal cardiac arrest.
Question 6
A patient with community-acquired pneumonia is receiving oxygen therapy. After 2 hours, the oxygen saturation improves from 88% to 94%. What
should the nurse conclude about the outcome?
A. The intervention was ineffective and needs modification
B. The intervention was partially effective and should continue
C. The intervention was highly effective and the patient is resolved
D. The patient requires immediate intubation
🟢 B. The intervention was partially effective and should continue
🔴 RATIONALE: Oxygen saturation of 94% indicates improvement but may still be below optimal targets (typically 95%+). The intervention shows
partial effectiveness and should continue with ongoing monitoring.
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a patient with a history of falls. Which cue should the nurse recognize as highest priority for fall risk prevention?
A. Patient's age is 72 years
B. Patient uses a walking aid inconsistently
C. Patient's room is near the nurses' station
D. Patient has a family member present
🟢 B. Patient uses a walking aid inconsistently
🔴 RATIONALE: Inconsistent use of a walking aid indicates mobility impairment and poor judgment about safety, which is a direct and modifiable
fall risk factor. Age is a risk factor but not as immediately actionable.
Question 8
A patient with hypertension is prescribed lisinopril. The nurse notes the patient's blood pressure is 108/68 mmHg and potassium is 5.4 mEq/L.
What analysis should the nurse make?
