NUR 352 EXAM 3 NCO QUESTIONS | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
A patient is admitted to the long term care setting. The nurse notes that the patient does not read or
write well. Which nursing actions are priority while developing a teaching plan to increase adherence?
(Select all that apply.)
(A) Determine the patient's motivation and readiness to learn.
(B) Assess what the patient knows about their health issues.
(C) Include the family in the orientation to the unit and include them in the teaching process.
(D) Assess what grade level the patient can read and write and tailor teaching strategies accordingly.
(E) Give the patient brochures with more pictures and explanations with short sentences - correct
answer ✔✔A, B, C, D
why: It is most important to determine the level at which the patient will understand then the nurse can
avoid teaching over the patient's level of understanding. Motivation is an important component to
learning new information. Assessing what the patient does know will help determine what areas still
need to be addressed. Including the family will aid in the teaching process. The patient may not be able
to read even short sentences. The priority is to assess the patient's reading level first, then choose
appropriate teaching tools.
The nurse is creating a care plan for a patient newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The nurse knows
that the best nursing diagnosis to promote the concept of adherence as an anticipated outcome is:
(A) Individual Management of Therapeutic Regimen, Ineffective
(B) Noncompliance
(C) Individual Management of Therapeutic Regimen, Effective
(D) Obedience management of Therapeutic Regimen - correct answer ✔✔C
The nurse is assessing learning needs for a patient who has coronary heart disease. The nurse finds that
the patient has recently made dietary changes to decrease fat intake and has stopped smoking. The best
initial response by the nurse at this time is
(A) "You did an excellent job of changing your eating habits and quitting smoking. This is so important for
your heart health. Nice work!''
(B) "Although the changes you made are important, it is essential that you make other changes, too."
, (C) "Which additional changes in your lifestyle would you like to implement at this time?"
(D) "Are you having any difficulty in maintaining the changes you have already made?" - correct answer
✔✔A
why: The perceived behavioral expectations (normative beliefs) of family, friends, coworkers, and health
care providers influence an individual's motivation to comply with the perceived social pressures from
these groups (subjective norm) to behave in a certain way. Responses B, C, and F are appropriate, but A
is the best initial response.
The nurse assesses that a patient has not been taking anti hypertension medication as prescribed. How
should the nurse proceed? (Select all that apply.)
(A) Evaluate the teaching plan to determine if there is a need to reeducate the patient.
(B) Assess the patient's perception and attitude towards the risks associated with missing doses of
medication.
(C) Review and reinforce the need to take the medication as prescribed.
(D) Ask the provider to prescribe a different medication because the patient does not want to take this
medication.
(E) Emphasize the risk of stroke or heart attack if the patient does not adhere to the treatment plan. -
correct answer ✔✔A, B, C
why: The patient may need additional information. Assessing what the patient's perceptions are will
provide the nurse with insight on how to proceed next. Reviewing and reinforcing will reaffirm the
importance of taking the medication which leads to adherence. The nurse should first explore why the
patient is not taking the medication before requesting a different medication order from the provider.
Scare tactics may cause the patient to become defensive and may lead to non adherence.
The nurse is developing a teaching plan for a patient with hypertension and heart failure. The patient
would like to know what he could do to prevent complications. Which teaching strategy would be most
effective?
(A) Assure the patient that the nurse is an expert on management of heart failure.
(B) Teach the patient at each meal about the amounts of sodium in various foods.
(C) Discuss the importance of medication control in maintenance of long-term health.
(D) Refer the patient to a home health nurse for instructions on diet and fluid restrictions. - correct
answer ✔✔B
why: Principles of adult learning indicate that if this patient is motivated to learn and is focused on the
problem, this would be a good time to start teaching about diet. The nurse should act as a facilitator for
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
A patient is admitted to the long term care setting. The nurse notes that the patient does not read or
write well. Which nursing actions are priority while developing a teaching plan to increase adherence?
(Select all that apply.)
(A) Determine the patient's motivation and readiness to learn.
(B) Assess what the patient knows about their health issues.
(C) Include the family in the orientation to the unit and include them in the teaching process.
(D) Assess what grade level the patient can read and write and tailor teaching strategies accordingly.
(E) Give the patient brochures with more pictures and explanations with short sentences - correct
answer ✔✔A, B, C, D
why: It is most important to determine the level at which the patient will understand then the nurse can
avoid teaching over the patient's level of understanding. Motivation is an important component to
learning new information. Assessing what the patient does know will help determine what areas still
need to be addressed. Including the family will aid in the teaching process. The patient may not be able
to read even short sentences. The priority is to assess the patient's reading level first, then choose
appropriate teaching tools.
The nurse is creating a care plan for a patient newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The nurse knows
that the best nursing diagnosis to promote the concept of adherence as an anticipated outcome is:
(A) Individual Management of Therapeutic Regimen, Ineffective
(B) Noncompliance
(C) Individual Management of Therapeutic Regimen, Effective
(D) Obedience management of Therapeutic Regimen - correct answer ✔✔C
The nurse is assessing learning needs for a patient who has coronary heart disease. The nurse finds that
the patient has recently made dietary changes to decrease fat intake and has stopped smoking. The best
initial response by the nurse at this time is
(A) "You did an excellent job of changing your eating habits and quitting smoking. This is so important for
your heart health. Nice work!''
(B) "Although the changes you made are important, it is essential that you make other changes, too."
, (C) "Which additional changes in your lifestyle would you like to implement at this time?"
(D) "Are you having any difficulty in maintaining the changes you have already made?" - correct answer
✔✔A
why: The perceived behavioral expectations (normative beliefs) of family, friends, coworkers, and health
care providers influence an individual's motivation to comply with the perceived social pressures from
these groups (subjective norm) to behave in a certain way. Responses B, C, and F are appropriate, but A
is the best initial response.
The nurse assesses that a patient has not been taking anti hypertension medication as prescribed. How
should the nurse proceed? (Select all that apply.)
(A) Evaluate the teaching plan to determine if there is a need to reeducate the patient.
(B) Assess the patient's perception and attitude towards the risks associated with missing doses of
medication.
(C) Review and reinforce the need to take the medication as prescribed.
(D) Ask the provider to prescribe a different medication because the patient does not want to take this
medication.
(E) Emphasize the risk of stroke or heart attack if the patient does not adhere to the treatment plan. -
correct answer ✔✔A, B, C
why: The patient may need additional information. Assessing what the patient's perceptions are will
provide the nurse with insight on how to proceed next. Reviewing and reinforcing will reaffirm the
importance of taking the medication which leads to adherence. The nurse should first explore why the
patient is not taking the medication before requesting a different medication order from the provider.
Scare tactics may cause the patient to become defensive and may lead to non adherence.
The nurse is developing a teaching plan for a patient with hypertension and heart failure. The patient
would like to know what he could do to prevent complications. Which teaching strategy would be most
effective?
(A) Assure the patient that the nurse is an expert on management of heart failure.
(B) Teach the patient at each meal about the amounts of sodium in various foods.
(C) Discuss the importance of medication control in maintenance of long-term health.
(D) Refer the patient to a home health nurse for instructions on diet and fluid restrictions. - correct
answer ✔✔B
why: Principles of adult learning indicate that if this patient is motivated to learn and is focused on the
problem, this would be a good time to start teaching about diet. The nurse should act as a facilitator for
