2026 ATI RN Community Health Practice
Exam Practice Questions with Answers
and Rationales
Question 1
A community health nurse is assessing a rural community
with a high rate of uncontrolled hypertension. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Establish a community exercise program
B. Distribute educational pamphlets about hypertension
C. Conduct a community assessment to identify barriers to
blood pressure management
D. Refer all clients with hypertension to a cardiologist
Rationale: A community assessment is the first step in
determining the population's specific needs, resources,
cultural factors, and barriers. Interventions should be based
on identified community health problems rather than
assumptions.
Question 2
A nurse is planning a primary prevention program for
adolescents. Which activity should the nurse include?
A. Screening adolescents for scoliosis
B. Providing rehabilitation for adolescents with injuries
,C. Performing blood glucose testing for adolescents with
obesity
D. Teaching adolescents about safe sexual practices before
sexual activity begins
Rationale: Primary prevention prevents disease or injury
before it occurs. Education about safer sexual practices is
intended to prevent sexually transmitted infections and
unintended pregnancy.
Question 3
A community health nurse is evaluating a tuberculosis
prevention program. Which finding best demonstrates an
outcome of secondary prevention?
A. A decrease in smoking initiation among adolescents
B. Increased access to tuberculosis treatment
C. Increased identification of clients with latent tuberculosis
infection
D. Reduced disability among clients with active tuberculosis
Rationale: Secondary prevention focuses on early detection
and prompt treatment. Identifying latent tuberculosis
infection allows intervention before progression to active
disease.
Question 4 — Difficulty: Hard
,A nurse is providing tertiary prevention to a client who
experienced a cerebrovascular accident. Which intervention
is appropriate?
A. Teaching the client how to prevent hypertension
B. Screening family members for hypertension
C. Performing blood pressure screening in the community
D. Arranging rehabilitation services to improve the client's
functional abilities
Rationale: Tertiary prevention reduces complications and
disability associated with an established disease or injury.
Rehabilitation after a stroke is a classic tertiary prevention
intervention.
Question 5 — Difficulty: Hard
A public health nurse is conducting a windshield survey.
Which observation should the nurse document as part of the
community assessment?
A. The prevalence of diabetes in the community
B. The percentage of residents with health insurance
C. The availability of public transportation and grocery
stores
D. The number of residents diagnosed with depression
Rationale: A windshield survey involves systematic
observation of the physical environment and social
characteristics of a community. Transportation and food
access are important environmental determinants of health.
, Question 6 — Difficulty: Hard
A nurse is using the epidemiologic triangle to investigate an
outbreak of foodborne illness. Which factor represents the
"environment"?
A. Salmonella bacteria
B. Restaurant employee
C. Improper food refrigeration temperature
D. Client who consumed contaminated food
Rationale: The epidemiologic triangle consists of agent, host,
and environment. Improper refrigeration creates
environmental conditions that facilitate pathogen growth and
transmission.
Question 7 — Difficulty: Hard
A community health nurse identifies an increasing incidence
of measles in a region with declining vaccination rates. Which
action should the nurse prioritize?
A. Provide antibiotics to exposed individuals
B. Isolate all community residents
C. Implement vaccination outreach and education for
eligible populations
D. Provide vitamin supplements to all residents
Rationale: Measles is vaccine-preventable, and increasing
vaccination coverage is a key population-level intervention to
reduce transmission and prevent outbreaks.
Exam Practice Questions with Answers
and Rationales
Question 1
A community health nurse is assessing a rural community
with a high rate of uncontrolled hypertension. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Establish a community exercise program
B. Distribute educational pamphlets about hypertension
C. Conduct a community assessment to identify barriers to
blood pressure management
D. Refer all clients with hypertension to a cardiologist
Rationale: A community assessment is the first step in
determining the population's specific needs, resources,
cultural factors, and barriers. Interventions should be based
on identified community health problems rather than
assumptions.
Question 2
A nurse is planning a primary prevention program for
adolescents. Which activity should the nurse include?
A. Screening adolescents for scoliosis
B. Providing rehabilitation for adolescents with injuries
,C. Performing blood glucose testing for adolescents with
obesity
D. Teaching adolescents about safe sexual practices before
sexual activity begins
Rationale: Primary prevention prevents disease or injury
before it occurs. Education about safer sexual practices is
intended to prevent sexually transmitted infections and
unintended pregnancy.
Question 3
A community health nurse is evaluating a tuberculosis
prevention program. Which finding best demonstrates an
outcome of secondary prevention?
A. A decrease in smoking initiation among adolescents
B. Increased access to tuberculosis treatment
C. Increased identification of clients with latent tuberculosis
infection
D. Reduced disability among clients with active tuberculosis
Rationale: Secondary prevention focuses on early detection
and prompt treatment. Identifying latent tuberculosis
infection allows intervention before progression to active
disease.
Question 4 — Difficulty: Hard
,A nurse is providing tertiary prevention to a client who
experienced a cerebrovascular accident. Which intervention
is appropriate?
A. Teaching the client how to prevent hypertension
B. Screening family members for hypertension
C. Performing blood pressure screening in the community
D. Arranging rehabilitation services to improve the client's
functional abilities
Rationale: Tertiary prevention reduces complications and
disability associated with an established disease or injury.
Rehabilitation after a stroke is a classic tertiary prevention
intervention.
Question 5 — Difficulty: Hard
A public health nurse is conducting a windshield survey.
Which observation should the nurse document as part of the
community assessment?
A. The prevalence of diabetes in the community
B. The percentage of residents with health insurance
C. The availability of public transportation and grocery
stores
D. The number of residents diagnosed with depression
Rationale: A windshield survey involves systematic
observation of the physical environment and social
characteristics of a community. Transportation and food
access are important environmental determinants of health.
, Question 6 — Difficulty: Hard
A nurse is using the epidemiologic triangle to investigate an
outbreak of foodborne illness. Which factor represents the
"environment"?
A. Salmonella bacteria
B. Restaurant employee
C. Improper food refrigeration temperature
D. Client who consumed contaminated food
Rationale: The epidemiologic triangle consists of agent, host,
and environment. Improper refrigeration creates
environmental conditions that facilitate pathogen growth and
transmission.
Question 7 — Difficulty: Hard
A community health nurse identifies an increasing incidence
of measles in a region with declining vaccination rates. Which
action should the nurse prioritize?
A. Provide antibiotics to exposed individuals
B. Isolate all community residents
C. Implement vaccination outreach and education for
eligible populations
D. Provide vitamin supplements to all residents
Rationale: Measles is vaccine-preventable, and increasing
vaccination coverage is a key population-level intervention to
reduce transmission and prevent outbreaks.
