ATI Community Health Nursing: Home Health and Community Care
Study Guide 2026 |Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. Which criteria must be met for a client to qualify for home health services
under Medicare?
A. The client must be confined to the home (homebound).
B. The client must be able to perform all ADLs independently.
C. The client must require 24-hour skilled nursing care.
D. The client must have a diagnosis of a terminal illness with less than 6 months to live.
Answer: A
Rationale: Medicare home health requirements include being homebound, under the care
of a physician, and needing intermittent skilled nursing or therapy services.
2. A home health nurse is conducting an initial assessment. Which action is the
priority to ensure client safety?
A. Evaluating the client’s ability to pay for services.
B. Teaching the family how to change a sterile dressing.
C. Scheduling the next physical therapy session.
D. Assessing the home for potential fall hazards.
Answer: D
Rationale: Safety is a priority in home health. Assessing for fall hazards (rugs, lighting,
cords) is essential to prevent injury in the home environment.
,3. In the home setting, which is a key principle of infection control when a nurse
performs a dressing change?
A. The nurse should use only sterile gloves for all parts of the procedure.
B. Hand hygiene should be performed before and after care.
C. The nurse’s bag should be placed on the floor for easy access.
D. Soiled dressings should be disposed of in the kitchen trash can without bagging.
Answer: B
Rationale: Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection.
Nursing bags should be placed on a clean barrier, not the floor.
4. What is the primary goal of palliative care?
A. To provide a cure for chronic illnesses.
B. To provide end-of-life care only when death is imminent within 48 hours.
C. To improve the quality of life through symptom management.
D. To limit the use of all medications except for pain control.
Answer: C
Rationale: Palliative care focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life
for clients with serious illnesses, regardless of prognosis.
5. An occupational health nurse is conducting a screening for hypertension
among factory workers. This is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Tertiary prevention
C. Secondary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
Answer: C
Rationale: Screenings are secondary prevention because they focus on early detection and
intervention for a condition.
, 6. Which member of the home health team is responsible for helping a client
improve their fine motor skills and adapt to ADLs?
A. Physical Therapist
B. Medical Social Worker
C. Speech-Language Pathologist
D. Occupational Therapist
Answer: D
Rationale: Occupational therapists focus on ADLs and fine motor skills to help clients
regain independence.
7. A nurse is caring for a client who is terminally ill. The client’s family asks
about the difference between hospice and palliative care. Which statement is
correct?
A. Palliative care is only for clients who have less than 6 months to live.
B. Hospice care focuses on curative treatments.
C. Hospice care is specifically for clients with a prognosis of 6 months or less.
D. Palliative care requires the client to stop all life-sustaining treatments.
Answer: C
Rationale: Hospice is a sub-type of palliative care specifically for those with a terminal
prognosis of 6 months or less.
8. What should a home health nurse do with the nursing bag upon entering a
client’s home?
A. Place it on the floor next to the client’s chair.
B. Keep it in the car and only bring in needed items in pockets.
C. Place it on a clean, dry surface with a disposable barrier underneath.
D. Place it on the kitchen counter near the sink.
Answer: C
Study Guide 2026 |Questions |Answers |Rationales
1. Which criteria must be met for a client to qualify for home health services
under Medicare?
A. The client must be confined to the home (homebound).
B. The client must be able to perform all ADLs independently.
C. The client must require 24-hour skilled nursing care.
D. The client must have a diagnosis of a terminal illness with less than 6 months to live.
Answer: A
Rationale: Medicare home health requirements include being homebound, under the care
of a physician, and needing intermittent skilled nursing or therapy services.
2. A home health nurse is conducting an initial assessment. Which action is the
priority to ensure client safety?
A. Evaluating the client’s ability to pay for services.
B. Teaching the family how to change a sterile dressing.
C. Scheduling the next physical therapy session.
D. Assessing the home for potential fall hazards.
Answer: D
Rationale: Safety is a priority in home health. Assessing for fall hazards (rugs, lighting,
cords) is essential to prevent injury in the home environment.
,3. In the home setting, which is a key principle of infection control when a nurse
performs a dressing change?
A. The nurse should use only sterile gloves for all parts of the procedure.
B. Hand hygiene should be performed before and after care.
C. The nurse’s bag should be placed on the floor for easy access.
D. Soiled dressings should be disposed of in the kitchen trash can without bagging.
Answer: B
Rationale: Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection.
Nursing bags should be placed on a clean barrier, not the floor.
4. What is the primary goal of palliative care?
A. To provide a cure for chronic illnesses.
B. To provide end-of-life care only when death is imminent within 48 hours.
C. To improve the quality of life through symptom management.
D. To limit the use of all medications except for pain control.
Answer: C
Rationale: Palliative care focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life
for clients with serious illnesses, regardless of prognosis.
5. An occupational health nurse is conducting a screening for hypertension
among factory workers. This is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Tertiary prevention
C. Secondary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
Answer: C
Rationale: Screenings are secondary prevention because they focus on early detection and
intervention for a condition.
, 6. Which member of the home health team is responsible for helping a client
improve their fine motor skills and adapt to ADLs?
A. Physical Therapist
B. Medical Social Worker
C. Speech-Language Pathologist
D. Occupational Therapist
Answer: D
Rationale: Occupational therapists focus on ADLs and fine motor skills to help clients
regain independence.
7. A nurse is caring for a client who is terminally ill. The client’s family asks
about the difference between hospice and palliative care. Which statement is
correct?
A. Palliative care is only for clients who have less than 6 months to live.
B. Hospice care focuses on curative treatments.
C. Hospice care is specifically for clients with a prognosis of 6 months or less.
D. Palliative care requires the client to stop all life-sustaining treatments.
Answer: C
Rationale: Hospice is a sub-type of palliative care specifically for those with a terminal
prognosis of 6 months or less.
8. What should a home health nurse do with the nursing bag upon entering a
client’s home?
A. Place it on the floor next to the client’s chair.
B. Keep it in the car and only bring in needed items in pockets.
C. Place it on a clean, dry surface with a disposable barrier underneath.
D. Place it on the kitchen counter near the sink.
Answer: C
