TEST BANK - FUNDAMENTALS OF
NURSING CARE: CONCEPTS,
CONNECTIONS AND SKILLS, 4TH
EDITION BY DAVID BURTON,
MARTI; SMITH ALL CHAPTER
Chapter 1: Evolution of Nursing Thought & Action
1. Which of the following statements accurately describe an element of nursing?
Select all that apply.
A) The skills involved in nursing are primarily technical in nature.
B) The primary focus of nursing is to assist individuals to recover from illness.
C) The science of nursing is the knowledge base for the care that is given.
D) The art of nursing is the collection of knowledge through research.
E) Nursing is considered to be both an art and a science.
F) Nursing is a profession that uses specialized knowledge and skills.
Rationale: Nursing is both an art (caring, interpersonal skills) and a science (knowledge
base from research). The skills are not primarily technical; the focus extends beyond
recovery to health promotion and disease prevention .
2. Which of the following set of terms best describes nursing at the end of the
Middle Ages?
A) continuity, caring, critical thinking
B) purpose, direction, leadership
C) assessment, interventions, outcomes
D) advocacy, research, education
Rationale: At the end of the Middle Ages, nursing began to develop purpose, direction,
and leadership as it moved from a purely spiritual focus toward organized care .
,3. Which of the following is a characteristic of nursing practiced from early
civilization to the 16th century?
A) Most early civilizations believed that illness had supernatural causes.
B) The physician was the priest who treated disease with prayer.
C) The nurse was a nun committed to caring for the needy and homeless.
D) Nursing changed from a spiritual focus to an emphasis on knowledge expansion.
Rationale: Early civilizations attributed illness to supernatural forces. The nurse was not
a nun until later; nursing did not shift to knowledge expansion until after the 16th
century .
4. Which of the following nursing groups provides a definition and scope of
practice for nursing?
A) ICN
B) AAN
C) ANA
D) The Joint Commission
Rationale: The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing and establishes the
scope and standards of practice. The ICN provides an international definition, but the
ANA is the primary U.S. body .
5. Teaching a woman about breast self-examination is an example of what broad
aim of nursing?
A) promoting health
B) preventing illness
C) restoring health
D) facilitating coping with disability and death
Rationale: Teaching self-examination is aimed at preventing illness by detecting
potential problems early. Promoting health focuses on lifestyle and wellness .
6. A nurse caring for a patient with diabetes chooses an appropriate plan of care
and devises interventions to accomplish the desired outcomes. This is an example
of using which type of nursing skills?
A) Technical
B) Cognitive
C) Interpersonal
D) Ethical/Legal
,Rationale: Cognitive skills involve critical thinking, problem-solving, and clinical
judgment. Technical skills are hands-on procedures; interpersonal skills involve
communication .
7. Which one of the following examples of nursing actions would be considered an
ethical/legal skill?
A) A nurse helps a patient prepare a living will.
B) A nurse obtains a urine sample for a urinalysis.
C) A nurse explains the rationale for a patient's plan of care.
D) A nurse holds the hand of a woman whose baby died in childbirth.
Rationale: Helping a patient prepare a living will involves ethical and legal knowledge
(advance directives, patient rights). Obtaining a urine sample is technical; holding a hand
is interpersonal .
8. A nurse is providing nursing care in a neighborhood clinic to single pregnant
teens. Which of the following actions is the best example of using the collaborator
role as a nurse?
A) Discussing the legal aspects of adoption for teens wishing to place their infants with a
family
B) Searching the Internet for information on child care for the teens who wish to return
to school
C) Conducting a patient interview and documenting the information on the patient's
chart
D) Referring a teen who admits having suicidal thoughts to a mental healthcare
specialist
Rationale: The collaborator role involves working with other healthcare professionals to
coordinate care. Referral to a specialist is the clearest example. Discussing adoption and
searching for information are more educator/counselor roles .
9. Which of the following is a criteria that defines nursing as a profession?
A) an undefined body of knowledge
B) a dependence on the medical profession
C) an ability to diagnose medical problems
D) a strong service orientation
Rationale: A strong service orientation is a defining criterion of a profession. Nursing
has a defined body of knowledge, is autonomous, and does not diagnose medical
problems (it diagnoses nursing problems) .
, 10. Although all of the following are nursing responsibilities, which one would be
expected of a nurse with a baccalaureate degree?
A) providing direct physical care
B) using research findings to improve practice
C) administering medications as prescribed
D) collaborating with other healthcare providers
Rationale: Baccalaureate-prepared nurses are expected to use research evidence to
improve practice. Direct care, medication administration, and collaboration are expected
of all nurses .
11. Amy Jones, a high school senior, wants to become a geriatric nurse
practitioner. What nursing degree will she need to attain this goal?
A) licensed practical nurse
B) associate degree
C) baccalaureate degree
D) master's degree
Rationale: Nurse practitioners require a master's degree (or doctoral degree) in nursing.
LPN, ADN, and BSN do not prepare for advanced practice roles .
12. What is the primary purpose of standards of nursing practice?
A) to provide a method by which nurses perform skills safely
B) to ensure knowledgeable, safe, comprehensive nursing care
Rationale: Standards of nursing practice are established to ensure that all patients
receive knowledgeable, safe, and comprehensive care. They provide a framework for
evaluation and accountability .
Chapter 2: Critical Thinking & Nursing Process
13. Which of the following is an essential feature of professional nursing? Select all
that apply.
A) provision of a caring relationship to facilitate health and healing
B) attention to a range of human experiences and responses to health and illness
C) use of objective data to negate the patient's subjective experience
D) use of judgment and critical thinking to form a medical diagnosis
NURSING CARE: CONCEPTS,
CONNECTIONS AND SKILLS, 4TH
EDITION BY DAVID BURTON,
MARTI; SMITH ALL CHAPTER
Chapter 1: Evolution of Nursing Thought & Action
1. Which of the following statements accurately describe an element of nursing?
Select all that apply.
A) The skills involved in nursing are primarily technical in nature.
B) The primary focus of nursing is to assist individuals to recover from illness.
C) The science of nursing is the knowledge base for the care that is given.
D) The art of nursing is the collection of knowledge through research.
E) Nursing is considered to be both an art and a science.
F) Nursing is a profession that uses specialized knowledge and skills.
Rationale: Nursing is both an art (caring, interpersonal skills) and a science (knowledge
base from research). The skills are not primarily technical; the focus extends beyond
recovery to health promotion and disease prevention .
2. Which of the following set of terms best describes nursing at the end of the
Middle Ages?
A) continuity, caring, critical thinking
B) purpose, direction, leadership
C) assessment, interventions, outcomes
D) advocacy, research, education
Rationale: At the end of the Middle Ages, nursing began to develop purpose, direction,
and leadership as it moved from a purely spiritual focus toward organized care .
,3. Which of the following is a characteristic of nursing practiced from early
civilization to the 16th century?
A) Most early civilizations believed that illness had supernatural causes.
B) The physician was the priest who treated disease with prayer.
C) The nurse was a nun committed to caring for the needy and homeless.
D) Nursing changed from a spiritual focus to an emphasis on knowledge expansion.
Rationale: Early civilizations attributed illness to supernatural forces. The nurse was not
a nun until later; nursing did not shift to knowledge expansion until after the 16th
century .
4. Which of the following nursing groups provides a definition and scope of
practice for nursing?
A) ICN
B) AAN
C) ANA
D) The Joint Commission
Rationale: The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing and establishes the
scope and standards of practice. The ICN provides an international definition, but the
ANA is the primary U.S. body .
5. Teaching a woman about breast self-examination is an example of what broad
aim of nursing?
A) promoting health
B) preventing illness
C) restoring health
D) facilitating coping with disability and death
Rationale: Teaching self-examination is aimed at preventing illness by detecting
potential problems early. Promoting health focuses on lifestyle and wellness .
6. A nurse caring for a patient with diabetes chooses an appropriate plan of care
and devises interventions to accomplish the desired outcomes. This is an example
of using which type of nursing skills?
A) Technical
B) Cognitive
C) Interpersonal
D) Ethical/Legal
,Rationale: Cognitive skills involve critical thinking, problem-solving, and clinical
judgment. Technical skills are hands-on procedures; interpersonal skills involve
communication .
7. Which one of the following examples of nursing actions would be considered an
ethical/legal skill?
A) A nurse helps a patient prepare a living will.
B) A nurse obtains a urine sample for a urinalysis.
C) A nurse explains the rationale for a patient's plan of care.
D) A nurse holds the hand of a woman whose baby died in childbirth.
Rationale: Helping a patient prepare a living will involves ethical and legal knowledge
(advance directives, patient rights). Obtaining a urine sample is technical; holding a hand
is interpersonal .
8. A nurse is providing nursing care in a neighborhood clinic to single pregnant
teens. Which of the following actions is the best example of using the collaborator
role as a nurse?
A) Discussing the legal aspects of adoption for teens wishing to place their infants with a
family
B) Searching the Internet for information on child care for the teens who wish to return
to school
C) Conducting a patient interview and documenting the information on the patient's
chart
D) Referring a teen who admits having suicidal thoughts to a mental healthcare
specialist
Rationale: The collaborator role involves working with other healthcare professionals to
coordinate care. Referral to a specialist is the clearest example. Discussing adoption and
searching for information are more educator/counselor roles .
9. Which of the following is a criteria that defines nursing as a profession?
A) an undefined body of knowledge
B) a dependence on the medical profession
C) an ability to diagnose medical problems
D) a strong service orientation
Rationale: A strong service orientation is a defining criterion of a profession. Nursing
has a defined body of knowledge, is autonomous, and does not diagnose medical
problems (it diagnoses nursing problems) .
, 10. Although all of the following are nursing responsibilities, which one would be
expected of a nurse with a baccalaureate degree?
A) providing direct physical care
B) using research findings to improve practice
C) administering medications as prescribed
D) collaborating with other healthcare providers
Rationale: Baccalaureate-prepared nurses are expected to use research evidence to
improve practice. Direct care, medication administration, and collaboration are expected
of all nurses .
11. Amy Jones, a high school senior, wants to become a geriatric nurse
practitioner. What nursing degree will she need to attain this goal?
A) licensed practical nurse
B) associate degree
C) baccalaureate degree
D) master's degree
Rationale: Nurse practitioners require a master's degree (or doctoral degree) in nursing.
LPN, ADN, and BSN do not prepare for advanced practice roles .
12. What is the primary purpose of standards of nursing practice?
A) to provide a method by which nurses perform skills safely
B) to ensure knowledgeable, safe, comprehensive nursing care
Rationale: Standards of nursing practice are established to ensure that all patients
receive knowledgeable, safe, and comprehensive care. They provide a framework for
evaluation and accountability .
Chapter 2: Critical Thinking & Nursing Process
13. Which of the following is an essential feature of professional nursing? Select all
that apply.
A) provision of a caring relationship to facilitate health and healing
B) attention to a range of human experiences and responses to health and illness
C) use of objective data to negate the patient's subjective experience
D) use of judgment and critical thinking to form a medical diagnosis
