ATI RN Scope ANd STANdARdS of pRAcTIce
ASSeSSmeNT 2.0 | 200 QueSTIoNS wITh VeRIfIed
ANSweRS A+ GRAde | ATI NuRSING | 2026/2027
compReheNSIVe STudy GuIde
SECTION 1: SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND DEFINITION OF NURSING (Questions 1–30)
1. A nurse is reviewing the scope of nursing practice. Which of the following is the purpose of
the nursing scope of practice?
A. Provide recommendations for nursing practice
B. Provides competencies for the nurse to achieve before receiving initial licensure
C. Serves as a contractual documentation between the nurse and employer
D. Defines the who, what, when, where, how, and why of nursing practice
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The scope of practice statement answers the who, what, when, where, how, and why
questions of nursing . It defines the services a qualified health professional is competent to
perform and permitted to undertake in keeping with their professional license .
2. A nurse is reviewing the definition of nursing. Which of the following describes the "what"
of nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
B. Protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities
C. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
D. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge and expertise
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The "what" of nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and
abilities; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; alleviation of suffering through
[Date] 1
,the diagnosis and treatment of human response; and advocacy in the care of individuals,
families, groups, communities, and populations .
3. A nurse is reviewing the scope of practice. Which of the following describes the "who" of
nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)
B. Patients and their families
C. Healthcare administrators
D. Licensed Practical Nurses only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "who" constituency comprises Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice
Registered Nurses (APRN) who have been educated, titled, and maintain active licensure to
practice nursing .
4. A nurse is providing client care using the nursing process. The nurse should identify that
which of the following guidelines includes the criteria?
A. Standards of care
B. Clinical practice guidelines
C. Standards of practice
D. Standard to plan nursing care
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Standards of practice are authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that
all registered nurses are expected to competently perform, regardless of role, population,
specialty, and setting .
5. A newly licensed nurse is reviewing the standards of care when performing client care.
Which of the following describes a standard of care?
A. Explanatory statements that describe the competent level of care for all nurses to follow in
practice
B. A component of the nursing scope of practice that specifies the competent level of behavior
expected in the professional care
[Date] 2
,C. Part of the nursing scope of practice that specifies the nurse's role alleviating client suffering
and promoting client health
D. The level of care a nurse provides that is the same for all nurses who have comparable
education, competence, and experience
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A standard of care is the level of care a nurse provides that is the same for all nurses
who have comparable education, competency, and experience . This establishes the minimum
acceptable level of practice.
6. A nurse is reviewing the components of the nursing scope of practice. Which of the
following describes the "where" of nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
B. Protection and promotion of health
C. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
D. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The "where" of nursing practice is wherever there is a patient in need of care .
7. A nurse is reviewing the ANA Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition. How
many national standards of practice and professional performance does it contain?
A. 9
B. 12
C. 18
D. 24
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The 4th Edition contains 18 national standards of practice and professional
performance and their accompanying competencies .
8. A nurse is reviewing the scope of nursing practice. Which of the following describes the
"when" of nursing practice?
[Date] 3
, A. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge, compassion, and expertise
B. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
C. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
D. Protection and promotion of health
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "when" of nursing practice is whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge,
compassion, and expertise .
9. A nurse is reviewing the purpose of the nursing scope of practice. Which of the following is
the "why" of nursing practice?
A. To achieve the most positive patient outcomes in keeping with nursing's social contract and
obligation to society
B. To provide employment for nurses
C. To generate revenue for healthcare organizations
D. To satisfy regulatory requirements
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The profession exists to achieve the most positive patient outcomes in keeping with
nursing's social contract and obligation to society .
10. A nurse is reviewing the ANA Standards of Practice. Which standard involves the collection
of comprehensive data pertinent to the healthcare consumer's health or the situation?
A. Diagnosis
B. Assessment
C. Outcomes Identification
D. Planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Assessment standard involves the registered nurse collecting comprehensive
data pertinent to the healthcare consumer's health or the situation .
[Date] 4
ASSeSSmeNT 2.0 | 200 QueSTIoNS wITh VeRIfIed
ANSweRS A+ GRAde | ATI NuRSING | 2026/2027
compReheNSIVe STudy GuIde
SECTION 1: SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND DEFINITION OF NURSING (Questions 1–30)
1. A nurse is reviewing the scope of nursing practice. Which of the following is the purpose of
the nursing scope of practice?
A. Provide recommendations for nursing practice
B. Provides competencies for the nurse to achieve before receiving initial licensure
C. Serves as a contractual documentation between the nurse and employer
D. Defines the who, what, when, where, how, and why of nursing practice
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The scope of practice statement answers the who, what, when, where, how, and why
questions of nursing . It defines the services a qualified health professional is competent to
perform and permitted to undertake in keeping with their professional license .
2. A nurse is reviewing the definition of nursing. Which of the following describes the "what"
of nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
B. Protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities
C. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
D. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge and expertise
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The "what" of nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and
abilities; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; alleviation of suffering through
[Date] 1
,the diagnosis and treatment of human response; and advocacy in the care of individuals,
families, groups, communities, and populations .
3. A nurse is reviewing the scope of practice. Which of the following describes the "who" of
nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)
B. Patients and their families
C. Healthcare administrators
D. Licensed Practical Nurses only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "who" constituency comprises Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice
Registered Nurses (APRN) who have been educated, titled, and maintain active licensure to
practice nursing .
4. A nurse is providing client care using the nursing process. The nurse should identify that
which of the following guidelines includes the criteria?
A. Standards of care
B. Clinical practice guidelines
C. Standards of practice
D. Standard to plan nursing care
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Standards of practice are authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that
all registered nurses are expected to competently perform, regardless of role, population,
specialty, and setting .
5. A newly licensed nurse is reviewing the standards of care when performing client care.
Which of the following describes a standard of care?
A. Explanatory statements that describe the competent level of care for all nurses to follow in
practice
B. A component of the nursing scope of practice that specifies the competent level of behavior
expected in the professional care
[Date] 2
,C. Part of the nursing scope of practice that specifies the nurse's role alleviating client suffering
and promoting client health
D. The level of care a nurse provides that is the same for all nurses who have comparable
education, competence, and experience
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A standard of care is the level of care a nurse provides that is the same for all nurses
who have comparable education, competency, and experience . This establishes the minimum
acceptable level of practice.
6. A nurse is reviewing the components of the nursing scope of practice. Which of the
following describes the "where" of nursing practice?
A. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
B. Protection and promotion of health
C. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
D. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The "where" of nursing practice is wherever there is a patient in need of care .
7. A nurse is reviewing the ANA Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition. How
many national standards of practice and professional performance does it contain?
A. 9
B. 12
C. 18
D. 24
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The 4th Edition contains 18 national standards of practice and professional
performance and their accompanying competencies .
8. A nurse is reviewing the scope of nursing practice. Which of the following describes the
"when" of nursing practice?
[Date] 3
, A. Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge, compassion, and expertise
B. Wherever there is a patient in need of care
C. Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
D. Protection and promotion of health
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "when" of nursing practice is whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge,
compassion, and expertise .
9. A nurse is reviewing the purpose of the nursing scope of practice. Which of the following is
the "why" of nursing practice?
A. To achieve the most positive patient outcomes in keeping with nursing's social contract and
obligation to society
B. To provide employment for nurses
C. To generate revenue for healthcare organizations
D. To satisfy regulatory requirements
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The profession exists to achieve the most positive patient outcomes in keeping with
nursing's social contract and obligation to society .
10. A nurse is reviewing the ANA Standards of Practice. Which standard involves the collection
of comprehensive data pertinent to the healthcare consumer's health or the situation?
A. Diagnosis
B. Assessment
C. Outcomes Identification
D. Planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Assessment standard involves the registered nurse collecting comprehensive
data pertinent to the healthcare consumer's health or the situation .
[Date] 4
