Evidence-Based Practice, Research, and Quality Improvement for BSN
Exam 2026/2027 UPDATE
1. Which component of the PICOT acronym refers to the specific characteristics
of the individuals the nurse wants to study?
A. Intervention
B. Population
C. Comparison
D. Outcome
Answer: B
Rationale: In PICOT, ‘P’ stands for Population/Patient, identifying the age, gender,
ethnicity, or specific health problem of the group.
2. In the hierarchy of evidence, which of the following is considered the highest
level of evidence?
A. Case-control studies
B. Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
C. Expert opinion and editorials
D. Single descriptive or qualitative studies
Answer: B
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs provide the most rigorous and
reliable evidence for clinical decision-making.
,3. What is the primary goal of Quality Improvement (QI) in a healthcare setting?
A. To generate new knowledge that is generalizable to the public
B. To test a new theory in a controlled environment
C. To fulfill the requirements of a PhD dissertation
D. To improve internal processes and patient outcomes within a specific organization
Answer: D
Rationale: QI focuses on enhancing the performance of local systems and processes to
improve care delivery and patient safety.
4. A nurse researcher is studying the ‘lived experience’ of patients undergoing
chemotherapy. This is an example of which type of research?
A. Quantitative research
B. Correlational research
C. Quasi-experimental research
D. Qualitative research
Answer: D
Rationale: Qualitative research explores human experiences, perceptions, and social
phenomena rather than numerical data.
5. Which phase of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle involves analyzing the
data collected during a small-scale change?
A. Plan
B. Do
C. Study
D. Act
Answer: C
Rationale: During the ‘Study’ phase, the team analyzes results to see if the change led to an
improvement compared to the predictions.
, 6. In a research study, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to
observe its effect is called the:
A. Independent variable
B. Extraneous variable
C. Dependent variable
D. Confounding variable
Answer: A
Rationale: The independent variable is the intervention or treatment being tested to see if
it causes a change in the outcome.
7. What does a p-value of 0.03 indicate in a quantitative research study?
A. There is a 3% chance the results occurred by chance alone
B. The results are clinically significant but not statistically significant
C. The intervention failed to show an effect
D. The study should be discarded due to bias
Answer: A
Rationale: A p-value less than 0.05 is typically considered statistically significant, meaning
the probability of the results happening by chance is low.
8. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is primarily responsible for:
A. Funding research projects
B. Publishing research findings in journals
C. Hiring research assistants
D. Protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects
Answer: D
Rationale: The IRB ensures that research follows ethical guidelines and minimizes risks to
participants.
Exam 2026/2027 UPDATE
1. Which component of the PICOT acronym refers to the specific characteristics
of the individuals the nurse wants to study?
A. Intervention
B. Population
C. Comparison
D. Outcome
Answer: B
Rationale: In PICOT, ‘P’ stands for Population/Patient, identifying the age, gender,
ethnicity, or specific health problem of the group.
2. In the hierarchy of evidence, which of the following is considered the highest
level of evidence?
A. Case-control studies
B. Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
C. Expert opinion and editorials
D. Single descriptive or qualitative studies
Answer: B
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs provide the most rigorous and
reliable evidence for clinical decision-making.
,3. What is the primary goal of Quality Improvement (QI) in a healthcare setting?
A. To generate new knowledge that is generalizable to the public
B. To test a new theory in a controlled environment
C. To fulfill the requirements of a PhD dissertation
D. To improve internal processes and patient outcomes within a specific organization
Answer: D
Rationale: QI focuses on enhancing the performance of local systems and processes to
improve care delivery and patient safety.
4. A nurse researcher is studying the ‘lived experience’ of patients undergoing
chemotherapy. This is an example of which type of research?
A. Quantitative research
B. Correlational research
C. Quasi-experimental research
D. Qualitative research
Answer: D
Rationale: Qualitative research explores human experiences, perceptions, and social
phenomena rather than numerical data.
5. Which phase of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle involves analyzing the
data collected during a small-scale change?
A. Plan
B. Do
C. Study
D. Act
Answer: C
Rationale: During the ‘Study’ phase, the team analyzes results to see if the change led to an
improvement compared to the predictions.
, 6. In a research study, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to
observe its effect is called the:
A. Independent variable
B. Extraneous variable
C. Dependent variable
D. Confounding variable
Answer: A
Rationale: The independent variable is the intervention or treatment being tested to see if
it causes a change in the outcome.
7. What does a p-value of 0.03 indicate in a quantitative research study?
A. There is a 3% chance the results occurred by chance alone
B. The results are clinically significant but not statistically significant
C. The intervention failed to show an effect
D. The study should be discarded due to bias
Answer: A
Rationale: A p-value less than 0.05 is typically considered statistically significant, meaning
the probability of the results happening by chance is low.
8. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is primarily responsible for:
A. Funding research projects
B. Publishing research findings in journals
C. Hiring research assistants
D. Protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects
Answer: D
Rationale: The IRB ensures that research follows ethical guidelines and minimizes risks to
participants.
