ATI Leadership | Healthcare Systems, Policy & Advocacy | Exam 8
Practice Questions 2026 |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse is advocating for a client who has been diagnosed with a terminal
illness and refuses further chemotherapy. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
A. Explain to the client why the treatment is necessary for survival.
B. Inform the provider of the client’s decision to refuse treatment.
C. Ask the client’s family to persuade them to change their mind.
D. Contact the hospital’s legal department to obtain a court order.
Answer: B
Rationale: Advocacy involves supporting the client’s right to make their own healthcare
decisions (autonomy) and communicating those decisions to the healthcare team.
2. A nurse manager is explaining the concept of benchmarking to a group of
staff nurses. Which of the following statements should the manager include?
A. It is a method of determining the root cause of an unexpected event.
B. It is the process of comparing one’s performance against the best-performing organizations.
C. It is a tool used to track individual nursing errors over a period of time.
D. It is a clinical pathway used to standardize care for a specific diagnosis.
Answer: B
Rationale: Benchmarking is a quality improvement process where an organization
compares its performance metrics against industry leaders to identify areas for
improvement.
,3. A nurse is obtaining informed consent from a client prior to a surgical
procedure. Which of the following responsibilities belongs solely to the
provider?
A. Explaining the risks and benefits of the procedure to the client.
B. Witnessing the client’s signature on the consent form.
C. Verifying that the client is competent to give consent.
D. Confirming the client understands the information provided.
Answer: A
Rationale: The provider is responsible for explaining the procedure, risks, benefits, and
alternatives. The nurse’s role is to witness the signature and ensure the client received the
information.
4. Which of the following documents is required by the Patient Self-
Determination Act (PSDA) upon a client’s admission to a healthcare facility?
A. The facility’s policy on organ donation.
B. A signed HIPAA privacy notification.
C. Information regarding the client’s right to refuse treatment.
D. The facility’s cost-of-care estimates.
Answer: C
Rationale: The PSDA requires that all clients admitted to a healthcare facility be informed
of their right to accept or refuse medical treatment and their right to prepare advance
directives.
, 5. A nurse is sued for professional negligence. Which of the following elements
must be proven by the plaintiff to win the case?
A. The nurse was working outside their assigned shift hours.
B. The nurse intended to cause harm to the client.
C. The nurse did not follow the facility’s dress code policy.
D. There was a breach of duty that resulted in injury or damage.
Answer: D
Rationale: Negligence requires proof of duty, breach of duty, causation (the breach caused
the harm), and actual injury or damages.
6. A nurse ensures that a group of clients on the unit receive the same quality of
care regardless of their socioeconomic status. Which ethical principle is the
nurse demonstrating?
A. Justice
B. Beneficence
C. Autonomy
D. Fidelity
Answer: A
Rationale: Justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources and care to all
individuals.
7. A nurse is delegating tasks to an Assistive Personnel (AP). Which of the
following tasks is appropriate for the nurse to delegate?
A. Teaching a client how to use a glucometer.
B. Evaluating the effectiveness of a client’s pain medication.
C. Measuring the intake and output of a client who is stable.
D. Performing a sterile dressing change on a post-operative wound.
Answer: C
Practice Questions 2026 |Answers |Rationales
1. A nurse is advocating for a client who has been diagnosed with a terminal
illness and refuses further chemotherapy. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
A. Explain to the client why the treatment is necessary for survival.
B. Inform the provider of the client’s decision to refuse treatment.
C. Ask the client’s family to persuade them to change their mind.
D. Contact the hospital’s legal department to obtain a court order.
Answer: B
Rationale: Advocacy involves supporting the client’s right to make their own healthcare
decisions (autonomy) and communicating those decisions to the healthcare team.
2. A nurse manager is explaining the concept of benchmarking to a group of
staff nurses. Which of the following statements should the manager include?
A. It is a method of determining the root cause of an unexpected event.
B. It is the process of comparing one’s performance against the best-performing organizations.
C. It is a tool used to track individual nursing errors over a period of time.
D. It is a clinical pathway used to standardize care for a specific diagnosis.
Answer: B
Rationale: Benchmarking is a quality improvement process where an organization
compares its performance metrics against industry leaders to identify areas for
improvement.
,3. A nurse is obtaining informed consent from a client prior to a surgical
procedure. Which of the following responsibilities belongs solely to the
provider?
A. Explaining the risks and benefits of the procedure to the client.
B. Witnessing the client’s signature on the consent form.
C. Verifying that the client is competent to give consent.
D. Confirming the client understands the information provided.
Answer: A
Rationale: The provider is responsible for explaining the procedure, risks, benefits, and
alternatives. The nurse’s role is to witness the signature and ensure the client received the
information.
4. Which of the following documents is required by the Patient Self-
Determination Act (PSDA) upon a client’s admission to a healthcare facility?
A. The facility’s policy on organ donation.
B. A signed HIPAA privacy notification.
C. Information regarding the client’s right to refuse treatment.
D. The facility’s cost-of-care estimates.
Answer: C
Rationale: The PSDA requires that all clients admitted to a healthcare facility be informed
of their right to accept or refuse medical treatment and their right to prepare advance
directives.
, 5. A nurse is sued for professional negligence. Which of the following elements
must be proven by the plaintiff to win the case?
A. The nurse was working outside their assigned shift hours.
B. The nurse intended to cause harm to the client.
C. The nurse did not follow the facility’s dress code policy.
D. There was a breach of duty that resulted in injury or damage.
Answer: D
Rationale: Negligence requires proof of duty, breach of duty, causation (the breach caused
the harm), and actual injury or damages.
6. A nurse ensures that a group of clients on the unit receive the same quality of
care regardless of their socioeconomic status. Which ethical principle is the
nurse demonstrating?
A. Justice
B. Beneficence
C. Autonomy
D. Fidelity
Answer: A
Rationale: Justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources and care to all
individuals.
7. A nurse is delegating tasks to an Assistive Personnel (AP). Which of the
following tasks is appropriate for the nurse to delegate?
A. Teaching a client how to use a glucometer.
B. Evaluating the effectiveness of a client’s pain medication.
C. Measuring the intake and output of a client who is stable.
D. Performing a sterile dressing change on a post-operative wound.
Answer: C
