NU 155 Exam 3 Medical-Surgical Nursing I
Galen College 2026/2027 – Questions and
Answers | 100% Verified | Detailed Rationales
– Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
NU 155 Exam 3 Medical-Surgical Nursing I Galen College
2026/2027 Edition | 100 Questions with Verified Answers and Detailed
Rationales
SECTION 1: Evidence-Based Practice & Research
1. A nurse on a surgical unit notices a rise in post-op wound infections and begins
to wonder if using chlorhexidine for pre-op skin cleansing is more effective than
povidone-iodine. Which step of the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) process is the
nurse demonstrating?
A. Searching for the most relevant evidence
B. Cultivating a spirit of inquiry
C. Integrating evidence with patient preferences
D. Evaluating outcomes of practice changes
Answer: B
Rationale: Cultivating a spirit of inquiry is the first step of EBP, where the nurse
identifies a clinical problem and formulates a question . Searching for evidence
occurs after developing a PICOT question. Integration and evaluation occur later in
the process.
2. A nurse is implementing a new evidence-based protocol for preventing surgical
site infections. After implementation, the nurse monitors infection rates on the
unit. Which step of the EBP process is being performed?
,A. Asking a clinical question
B. Searching for evidence
C. Appraising the evidence
D. Evaluating outcomes
Answer: D
Rationale: Evaluating outcomes is the final step of the EBP process, measuring
whether the change improved patient outcomes . The nurse is monitoring
infection rates to determine effectiveness of the new protocol.
3. A nurse in the ICU wants to know if elevating the head of the bed to 45 degrees,
compared to 30 degrees, decreases ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates
within 7 days of intubation. Which part of the PICOT format does "within 7 days of
intubation" represent?
A. Patient population (P)
B. Intervention (I)
C. Comparison (C)
D. Time (T)
Answer: D
Rationale: "Within 7 days of intubation" represents the Time (T) component of
PICOT . The patient population is intubated ICU patients, intervention is elevating
the head to 45 degrees, and comparison is 30 degrees.
4. A new graduate nurse is unsure where to find reliable information about best
practices for preventing pressure injuries. She plans to use her old class notes, ask
coworkers, and check social media groups. Which of the following are appropriate
sources of evidence for Evidence-Based Practice? (Select all that apply)
A. Peer-reviewed nursing and health care literature
B. Infection control data from the hospital
C. Benchmarking and chart review studies
,D. Social media nursing groups
E. Standards of care from professional organizations
Answer: A, B, C, E
Rationale: Valid sources of evidence include peer-reviewed literature, infection
control data, benchmarking/chart reviews, and standards of care from
professional organizations . Social media groups are not reliable sources for EBP.
5. After reviewing recent research on fall prevention, a hospital introduces hourly
rounding. Nurses also individualize care by asking patients if they prefer dim
lighting or a nightlight at bedtime. Which EBP step is demonstrated by integrating
research evidence with patient preferences?
A. Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence
B. Step 4: Integrate evidence with clinical expertise and patient values
C. Step 5: Evaluate the outcomes of practice changes
D. Step 6: Share the outcomes with others
Answer: B
Rationale: This scenario reflects Step 4 — integrating research evidence with
both nurse expertise and patient preferences/values . The nurse is combining
evidence-based practice (hourly rounding) with individualized patient preferences.
6. A fall-prevention team found that adding hourly rounding decreased patient
falls by 30% on their medical-surgical unit. The nurse manager decides to present
the findings at a staff meeting and submit the results to the hospital's quality
committee. Which step of the EBP process does this represent?
A. Cultivate a spirit of inquiry
B. Critically appraise the evidence
C. Evaluate outcomes
D. Share the outcomes with others
, Answer: D
Rationale: Disseminating outcomes is Step 6 of EBP. The goal is to communicate
results to peers, councils, or broader professional communities .
7. A nurse is synthesizing and critiquing articles about a clinical problem,
considering scientific rigor and application to practice. Which step of the EBP
process is the nurse performing?
A. Search for evidence
B. Critically appraise the evidence
C. Integrate evidence into practice
D. Evaluate outcomes
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is synthesizing and critiquing articles, considering scientific
rigor and application, which is Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence . Searching
happens earlier, integrating and evaluating come later.
8. Research shows that using a standardized fall risk assessment tool reduces falls
in acute care settings. A nurse educator helps the staff implement this tool during
admission documentation and creates a teaching plan for new hires. Which
example best reflects integrating the evidence into practice?
A. Reading multiple fall-prevention research articles
B. Evaluating fall rates after a practice change
C. Embedding the fall risk tool into admission paperwork
D. Sharing fall-prevention outcomes at a professional conference
Answer: C
Rationale: Integrating evidence means applying it through teaching, tools,
guidelines, or policies . Embedding the fall risk tool into admission paperwork is a
concrete example of integration. Evaluating and sharing are later steps.
Galen College 2026/2027 – Questions and
Answers | 100% Verified | Detailed Rationales
– Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
NU 155 Exam 3 Medical-Surgical Nursing I Galen College
2026/2027 Edition | 100 Questions with Verified Answers and Detailed
Rationales
SECTION 1: Evidence-Based Practice & Research
1. A nurse on a surgical unit notices a rise in post-op wound infections and begins
to wonder if using chlorhexidine for pre-op skin cleansing is more effective than
povidone-iodine. Which step of the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) process is the
nurse demonstrating?
A. Searching for the most relevant evidence
B. Cultivating a spirit of inquiry
C. Integrating evidence with patient preferences
D. Evaluating outcomes of practice changes
Answer: B
Rationale: Cultivating a spirit of inquiry is the first step of EBP, where the nurse
identifies a clinical problem and formulates a question . Searching for evidence
occurs after developing a PICOT question. Integration and evaluation occur later in
the process.
2. A nurse is implementing a new evidence-based protocol for preventing surgical
site infections. After implementation, the nurse monitors infection rates on the
unit. Which step of the EBP process is being performed?
,A. Asking a clinical question
B. Searching for evidence
C. Appraising the evidence
D. Evaluating outcomes
Answer: D
Rationale: Evaluating outcomes is the final step of the EBP process, measuring
whether the change improved patient outcomes . The nurse is monitoring
infection rates to determine effectiveness of the new protocol.
3. A nurse in the ICU wants to know if elevating the head of the bed to 45 degrees,
compared to 30 degrees, decreases ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates
within 7 days of intubation. Which part of the PICOT format does "within 7 days of
intubation" represent?
A. Patient population (P)
B. Intervention (I)
C. Comparison (C)
D. Time (T)
Answer: D
Rationale: "Within 7 days of intubation" represents the Time (T) component of
PICOT . The patient population is intubated ICU patients, intervention is elevating
the head to 45 degrees, and comparison is 30 degrees.
4. A new graduate nurse is unsure where to find reliable information about best
practices for preventing pressure injuries. She plans to use her old class notes, ask
coworkers, and check social media groups. Which of the following are appropriate
sources of evidence for Evidence-Based Practice? (Select all that apply)
A. Peer-reviewed nursing and health care literature
B. Infection control data from the hospital
C. Benchmarking and chart review studies
,D. Social media nursing groups
E. Standards of care from professional organizations
Answer: A, B, C, E
Rationale: Valid sources of evidence include peer-reviewed literature, infection
control data, benchmarking/chart reviews, and standards of care from
professional organizations . Social media groups are not reliable sources for EBP.
5. After reviewing recent research on fall prevention, a hospital introduces hourly
rounding. Nurses also individualize care by asking patients if they prefer dim
lighting or a nightlight at bedtime. Which EBP step is demonstrated by integrating
research evidence with patient preferences?
A. Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence
B. Step 4: Integrate evidence with clinical expertise and patient values
C. Step 5: Evaluate the outcomes of practice changes
D. Step 6: Share the outcomes with others
Answer: B
Rationale: This scenario reflects Step 4 — integrating research evidence with
both nurse expertise and patient preferences/values . The nurse is combining
evidence-based practice (hourly rounding) with individualized patient preferences.
6. A fall-prevention team found that adding hourly rounding decreased patient
falls by 30% on their medical-surgical unit. The nurse manager decides to present
the findings at a staff meeting and submit the results to the hospital's quality
committee. Which step of the EBP process does this represent?
A. Cultivate a spirit of inquiry
B. Critically appraise the evidence
C. Evaluate outcomes
D. Share the outcomes with others
, Answer: D
Rationale: Disseminating outcomes is Step 6 of EBP. The goal is to communicate
results to peers, councils, or broader professional communities .
7. A nurse is synthesizing and critiquing articles about a clinical problem,
considering scientific rigor and application to practice. Which step of the EBP
process is the nurse performing?
A. Search for evidence
B. Critically appraise the evidence
C. Integrate evidence into practice
D. Evaluate outcomes
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is synthesizing and critiquing articles, considering scientific
rigor and application, which is Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence . Searching
happens earlier, integrating and evaluating come later.
8. Research shows that using a standardized fall risk assessment tool reduces falls
in acute care settings. A nurse educator helps the staff implement this tool during
admission documentation and creates a teaching plan for new hires. Which
example best reflects integrating the evidence into practice?
A. Reading multiple fall-prevention research articles
B. Evaluating fall rates after a practice change
C. Embedding the fall risk tool into admission paperwork
D. Sharing fall-prevention outcomes at a professional conference
Answer: C
Rationale: Integrating evidence means applying it through teaching, tools,
guidelines, or policies . Embedding the fall risk tool into admission paperwork is a
concrete example of integration. Evaluating and sharing are later steps.
