NCLEX-RN PRACTICE QUESTIONS
FOR 2026-2027 QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED DETAILED ANSWERS
GRADED A+
A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences an
episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the medication
error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician
Answer: 2
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
Rationale:
Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform or not perform
an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same or similar
circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be the opposite
of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different medication does not
fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to follow a direct order
does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
Content Area: Fundamentals
,Strategy: Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may be
correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies, "I'm
unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and provides an
explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity
Answer: 4
4. Fidelity
Rationale:
Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This nurse is acting on
the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it back to the client.
Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling the truth for
example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence means doing
good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker out of sight) that
benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted diet).
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
, An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the seizure, a
nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without stopping to assist.
The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to win a judgement for which
reason?
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time.
Answer: 1
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
Rationale:
To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship with the client that
involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a component of
employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do in this
situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not prevent
the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-duty, the
nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee at
the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's behalf.
An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is given
aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The client
FOR 2026-2027 QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED DETAILED ANSWERS
GRADED A+
A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences an
episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the medication
error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician
Answer: 2
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
Rationale:
Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform or not perform
an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same or similar
circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be the opposite
of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different medication does not
fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to follow a direct order
does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
Content Area: Fundamentals
,Strategy: Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may be
correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies, "I'm
unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and provides an
explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity
Answer: 4
4. Fidelity
Rationale:
Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This nurse is acting on
the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it back to the client.
Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling the truth for
example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence means doing
good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker out of sight) that
benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted diet).
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
, An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the seizure, a
nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without stopping to assist.
The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to win a judgement for which
reason?
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time.
Answer: 1
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
Rationale:
To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship with the client that
involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a component of
employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do in this
situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not prevent
the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-duty, the
nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee at
the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's behalf.
An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is given
aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The client
