Essential Nursing
Foundations &
Evidence-Based
Practice Examination
2026/2027
,**Question 1**
The nurse is assessing a client's pain using the PQRST mnemonic. Which question addresses the "R"
(radiation) component of pain assessment?
A. "Where is your pain located?"
B. "Does the pain move anywhere?"
C. "What makes the pain worse?"
D. "How would you rate your pain?"
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The "R" in PQRST stands for Radiation, which asks the client if the pain radiates
or moves to another area of the body. This information is important for differential diagnosis. Location is
"P" (provocation/palliation), "What makes it worse" is also "P," and "How would you rate it" is "S"
(severity).
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. "Does the pain move anywhere?"
---
**Question 2**
A client is prescribed amoxicillin for a respiratory infection. The client reports a previous allergic reaction
to penicillin with a rash. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Administer the amoxicillin and observe for a reaction
B. Administer a smaller test dose of amoxicillin
,C. Withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider
D. Administer amoxicillin with an antihistamine
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A history of penicillin allergy, even with a mild reaction like a rash, is a
contraindication to receiving amoxicillin, which is a penicillin-class antibiotic. The nurse should withhold
the medication and notify the provider to order an alternative antibiotic. Cross-reactivity can occur.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider
---
**Question 3**
The nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client. Which finding indicates a potential
problem with cranial nerve III (oculomotor)?
A. Loss of sense of smell
B. Ptosis and diplopia
C. Inability to shrug shoulders
D. Deviation of the tongue to one side
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Cranial nerve III (oculomotor) controls eye movements, pupillary constriction,
and eyelid elevation. Ptosis (drooping eyelid) and diplopia (double vision) indicate a problem with this
nerve. Loss of smell is cranial nerve I, shoulder shrugging is cranial nerve XI, and tongue deviation is
cranial nerve XII.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Ptosis and diplopia
, ---
**Question 4**
The nurse is providing education to a client with a new diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD). Which instruction is most important?
A. "Eat three large meals per day."
B. "Lie down immediately after eating."
C. "Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bedtime."
D. "Increase your intake of spicy foods."
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Avoiding eating 2-3 hours before bedtime helps prevent nighttime reflux by
allowing the stomach to empty before lying down. Small, frequent meals are recommended, and spicy
foods should be avoided. Lying down after eating worsens reflux.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. "Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bedtime."
---
**Question 5**
The nurse is caring for a client with a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. The client asks, "Why do
I need to take insulin?" Which response is most accurate?
A. "Your body does not produce enough insulin."
B. "Your body is resistant to the insulin you produce."
Foundations &
Evidence-Based
Practice Examination
2026/2027
,**Question 1**
The nurse is assessing a client's pain using the PQRST mnemonic. Which question addresses the "R"
(radiation) component of pain assessment?
A. "Where is your pain located?"
B. "Does the pain move anywhere?"
C. "What makes the pain worse?"
D. "How would you rate your pain?"
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The "R" in PQRST stands for Radiation, which asks the client if the pain radiates
or moves to another area of the body. This information is important for differential diagnosis. Location is
"P" (provocation/palliation), "What makes it worse" is also "P," and "How would you rate it" is "S"
(severity).
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. "Does the pain move anywhere?"
---
**Question 2**
A client is prescribed amoxicillin for a respiratory infection. The client reports a previous allergic reaction
to penicillin with a rash. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Administer the amoxicillin and observe for a reaction
B. Administer a smaller test dose of amoxicillin
,C. Withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider
D. Administer amoxicillin with an antihistamine
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A history of penicillin allergy, even with a mild reaction like a rash, is a
contraindication to receiving amoxicillin, which is a penicillin-class antibiotic. The nurse should withhold
the medication and notify the provider to order an alternative antibiotic. Cross-reactivity can occur.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. Withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider
---
**Question 3**
The nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a client. Which finding indicates a potential
problem with cranial nerve III (oculomotor)?
A. Loss of sense of smell
B. Ptosis and diplopia
C. Inability to shrug shoulders
D. Deviation of the tongue to one side
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Cranial nerve III (oculomotor) controls eye movements, pupillary constriction,
and eyelid elevation. Ptosis (drooping eyelid) and diplopia (double vision) indicate a problem with this
nerve. Loss of smell is cranial nerve I, shoulder shrugging is cranial nerve XI, and tongue deviation is
cranial nerve XII.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B. Ptosis and diplopia
, ---
**Question 4**
The nurse is providing education to a client with a new diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD). Which instruction is most important?
A. "Eat three large meals per day."
B. "Lie down immediately after eating."
C. "Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bedtime."
D. "Increase your intake of spicy foods."
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Avoiding eating 2-3 hours before bedtime helps prevent nighttime reflux by
allowing the stomach to empty before lying down. Small, frequent meals are recommended, and spicy
foods should be avoided. Lying down after eating worsens reflux.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C. "Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bedtime."
---
**Question 5**
The nurse is caring for a client with a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. The client asks, "Why do
I need to take insulin?" Which response is most accurate?
A. "Your body does not produce enough insulin."
B. "Your body is resistant to the insulin you produce."
