Community/Public Health Nursing Exam
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf
1. Which statement best describes the primary goal of community/public
health nursing?
A. Providing specialized treatment to individuals with acute illnesses
B. Focusing primarily on hospital-based curative services
C. Promoting health, preventing disease, and improving population health
D. Providing only rehabilitation services to people with disabilities
Answer: C. Promoting health, preventing disease, and improving population health
Rationale: Community/public health nursing emphasizes health promotion, disease
prevention, risk reduction, and improvement of health outcomes for individuals,
families, groups, and populations. Although treatment and rehabilitation may be
included, the major emphasis is prevention and population health rather than
hospital-based acute care.
2. Which level of prevention aims to prevent a disease or injury before it
occurs?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
Answer: A. Primary prevention
Rationale: Primary prevention occurs before disease or injury develops. Examples
include immunization, health education, exercise promotion, nutrition counseling,
,sanitation, and use of protective equipment. Secondary prevention focuses on early
detection, while tertiary prevention limits complications after disease has
developed.
3. A nurse conducts blood pressure screenings at a community health fair.
Which level of prevention is being implemented?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Palliative
Answer: B. Secondary
Rationale: Screening identifies disease or risk at an early stage in people who may
not yet have symptoms. Early detection of hypertension through blood pressure
screening is therefore a secondary prevention activity.
4. Which activity is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Administering an influenza vaccine
B. Teaching adolescents about healthy eating
C. Screening adults for diabetes
D. Providing rehabilitation after a stroke
Answer: D. Providing rehabilitation after a stroke
Rationale: Tertiary prevention is directed toward people who already have a disease
or disability. Rehabilitation after a stroke helps restore function, prevent
complications, and maximize quality of life. Immunization is primary prevention,
while screening is secondary prevention.
5. What is the most appropriate first step when a public health nurse begins a
community assessment?
A. Develop a treatment plan
B. Collect information about the community
,C. Begin health education immediately
D. Refer all identified clients to hospitals
Answer: B. Collect information about the community
Rationale: Community assessment begins with systematic collection of information
about population characteristics, health conditions, resources, environmental
factors, socioeconomic conditions, and community perceptions. This information
provides the foundation for identifying priorities and developing appropriate
interventions.
6. Which source provides the nurse with information about the population size,
age distribution, and other demographic characteristics of a community?
A. Census data
B. Medication administration record
C. Hospital discharge summary
D. Individual nursing care plan
Answer: A. Census data
Rationale: Census data provide demographic information about populations,
including population size, age, sex, household characteristics, and other
characteristics. Public health nurses use these data to understand population
structure and plan services.
7. A nurse identifies a high incidence of diarrheal illness associated with
contaminated drinking water. Which intervention should receive priority?
A. Increase hospital admission rates
B. Improve water sanitation and safety
C. Increase the number of intensive care beds
D. Provide rehabilitation services
Answer: B. Improve water sanitation and safety
, Rationale: Unsafe water is an environmental risk factor for many communicable
diseases. Addressing contamination at its source is a population-level intervention
that can prevent disease in large numbers of people.
8. Which principle is most important when establishing priorities in community
health nursing?
A. Address every problem simultaneously
B. Select problems based only on nurse preference
C. Consider the magnitude, seriousness, and preventability of problems
D. Address only problems affecting hospitalized individuals
Answer: C. Consider the magnitude, seriousness, and preventability of problems
Rationale: Community health priorities should reflect factors such as the number of
people affected, severity of the problem, community concern, available resources,
feasibility of intervention, and potential for prevention. This approach helps ensure
that limited resources are used effectively.
9. Which finding represents a community health risk factor rather than an
individual health diagnosis?
A. One client has asthma
B. A neighborhood has widespread exposure to polluted air
C. One patient has pneumonia
D. One adult has hypertension
Answer: B. A neighborhood has widespread exposure to polluted air
Rationale: A community health risk factor affects a population or group and can
contribute to disease across that population. Widespread air pollution is an
environmental risk that may increase respiratory and cardiovascular disease among
community members.
10.Which action best demonstrates the concept of community participation?
A. The nurse makes all decisions independently
B. Community members help identify problems and develop solutions
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf
1. Which statement best describes the primary goal of community/public
health nursing?
A. Providing specialized treatment to individuals with acute illnesses
B. Focusing primarily on hospital-based curative services
C. Promoting health, preventing disease, and improving population health
D. Providing only rehabilitation services to people with disabilities
Answer: C. Promoting health, preventing disease, and improving population health
Rationale: Community/public health nursing emphasizes health promotion, disease
prevention, risk reduction, and improvement of health outcomes for individuals,
families, groups, and populations. Although treatment and rehabilitation may be
included, the major emphasis is prevention and population health rather than
hospital-based acute care.
2. Which level of prevention aims to prevent a disease or injury before it
occurs?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
Answer: A. Primary prevention
Rationale: Primary prevention occurs before disease or injury develops. Examples
include immunization, health education, exercise promotion, nutrition counseling,
,sanitation, and use of protective equipment. Secondary prevention focuses on early
detection, while tertiary prevention limits complications after disease has
developed.
3. A nurse conducts blood pressure screenings at a community health fair.
Which level of prevention is being implemented?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Palliative
Answer: B. Secondary
Rationale: Screening identifies disease or risk at an early stage in people who may
not yet have symptoms. Early detection of hypertension through blood pressure
screening is therefore a secondary prevention activity.
4. Which activity is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Administering an influenza vaccine
B. Teaching adolescents about healthy eating
C. Screening adults for diabetes
D. Providing rehabilitation after a stroke
Answer: D. Providing rehabilitation after a stroke
Rationale: Tertiary prevention is directed toward people who already have a disease
or disability. Rehabilitation after a stroke helps restore function, prevent
complications, and maximize quality of life. Immunization is primary prevention,
while screening is secondary prevention.
5. What is the most appropriate first step when a public health nurse begins a
community assessment?
A. Develop a treatment plan
B. Collect information about the community
,C. Begin health education immediately
D. Refer all identified clients to hospitals
Answer: B. Collect information about the community
Rationale: Community assessment begins with systematic collection of information
about population characteristics, health conditions, resources, environmental
factors, socioeconomic conditions, and community perceptions. This information
provides the foundation for identifying priorities and developing appropriate
interventions.
6. Which source provides the nurse with information about the population size,
age distribution, and other demographic characteristics of a community?
A. Census data
B. Medication administration record
C. Hospital discharge summary
D. Individual nursing care plan
Answer: A. Census data
Rationale: Census data provide demographic information about populations,
including population size, age, sex, household characteristics, and other
characteristics. Public health nurses use these data to understand population
structure and plan services.
7. A nurse identifies a high incidence of diarrheal illness associated with
contaminated drinking water. Which intervention should receive priority?
A. Increase hospital admission rates
B. Improve water sanitation and safety
C. Increase the number of intensive care beds
D. Provide rehabilitation services
Answer: B. Improve water sanitation and safety
, Rationale: Unsafe water is an environmental risk factor for many communicable
diseases. Addressing contamination at its source is a population-level intervention
that can prevent disease in large numbers of people.
8. Which principle is most important when establishing priorities in community
health nursing?
A. Address every problem simultaneously
B. Select problems based only on nurse preference
C. Consider the magnitude, seriousness, and preventability of problems
D. Address only problems affecting hospitalized individuals
Answer: C. Consider the magnitude, seriousness, and preventability of problems
Rationale: Community health priorities should reflect factors such as the number of
people affected, severity of the problem, community concern, available resources,
feasibility of intervention, and potential for prevention. This approach helps ensure
that limited resources are used effectively.
9. Which finding represents a community health risk factor rather than an
individual health diagnosis?
A. One client has asthma
B. A neighborhood has widespread exposure to polluted air
C. One patient has pneumonia
D. One adult has hypertension
Answer: B. A neighborhood has widespread exposure to polluted air
Rationale: A community health risk factor affects a population or group and can
contribute to disease across that population. Widespread air pollution is an
environmental risk that may increase respiratory and cardiovascular disease among
community members.
10.Which action best demonstrates the concept of community participation?
A. The nurse makes all decisions independently
B. Community members help identify problems and develop solutions
