,Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
Multiple-Choice Questions (30 Questions)
1. A nurse is using the nursing process to care for a patient. Which step involves the nurse collecting
subjective and objective data about the patient?
A) Planning
B) Assessment
C) Implementation
D) Evaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment is the first step of the nursing process and involves systematic collection of
subjective data (what the patient reports) and objective data (what the nurse observes or measures) to
form the basis for clinical decision-making .
2. A nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis for a patient with chronic pain. Which component is essential
when writing a nursing diagnosis?
A) Physician's order
B) Problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
C) Vital signs only
D) Insurance coverage
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A correctly written nursing diagnosis includes the problem (what is happening), the etiology
(related to/cause), and defining characteristics (evidence/signs and symptoms), following the PES format
used in clinical practice .
3. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates patient-centered care?
A) Completing all tasks on time
B) Following physician orders without question
C) Including the patient in developing the care plan
D) Administering medications promptly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-centered care is defined by involving the patient as an active partner in all aspects of
care, including planning. This approach respects autonomy, improves outcomes, and reflects core
principles of modern nursing practice .
4. A nurse is preparing to teach a newly diagnosed diabetic patient. Which factor should the nurse assess
first before beginning education?
A) The patient's insurance coverage
,B) The physician's teaching plan
C) The patient's readiness to learn D) Available educational materials
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Readiness to learn is the most critical factor in patient education. A patient who is in pain,
anxious, or in denial will not retain information effectively. Assessing readiness ensures that teaching is
timely and effective .
5. Which ethical principle is the nurse upholding when ensuring a patient has enough information to
make an informed decision about surgery?
A) Autonomy
B) Nonmaleficence
C) Beneficence
D) Justice
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Autonomy refers to the patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care. By
ensuring the patient has sufficient information, the nurse supports this principle and respects the
patient's self-determination .
6. A nurse notices a colleague documenting care that was not performed. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Ignore it as it is not your responsibility
B) Confront the colleague aggressively
C) Document the incident yourself in the chart
D) Report the behavior to the charge nurse or appropriate authority
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Falsifying documentation is a serious breach of professional and legal standards. The nurse
has an ethical and professional obligation to report such behavior through the appropriate chain of
command to protect patient safety .
7. A nurse is caring for a patient from a different cultural background who refuses a blood transfusion.
What is the nurse's best response?
A) Administer the transfusion as ordered
B) Convince the patient to accept treatment
C) Respect the patient's decision and notify the physician
D) Contact the patient's family to override the decision
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Respecting cultural and religious beliefs is fundamental to ethical nursing care. The nurse
should respect the patient's decision, document the refusal, and notify the physician .
, 8. A nurse has been offered a position on an obstetric unit and has learned that the unit offers
therapeutic abortions, a procedure that contradicts the nurse's personal beliefs. What is the nurse's
ethical obligation?
A) The nurse should adhere to professional standards and offer service to these clients.
B) The nurse should make the choice to decline this position and pursue a different nursing role.
C) The nurse should decline to care for the clients considering abortion.
D) The nurse should express alternatives to women considering terminating their pregnancy.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: To avoid facing the ethical dilemma of providing care that contradicts the nurse's personal
beliefs, the nurse should consider working in an area of nursing that would not pose this dilemma. The
nurse should not deny care to these clients as this would be a breach in the Code of Ethics for nurses .
9. An 80-year-old client is admitted with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. During
admission the client states, "I have a living will." What implication of this should the nurse recognize? A)
This document is always honored, regardless of circumstances.
B) This document specifies the client's wishes before hospitalization.
C) This document is binding for the duration of the client's life.
D) This document has been drawn up by the client's family to determine DNR status.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A living will is one type of advance directive. In most situations, living wills are limited to
situations in which the client's medical condition is deemed terminal. The other answers are incorrect
because living wills are not always honored in every circumstance, they are not binding for the duration
of the client's life, and they are not drawn up by the client's family .
10. A nurse has been providing ethical care for many years and is aware of the need to maintain the
ethical principle of nonmaleficence. Which of the following actions would be considered a violation of
this principle?
A) Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client
B) Assisting a semi-independent client with ADLs
C) Refusing to administer pain medication as prescribed
D) Providing education about advance directives
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nonmaleficence means "do no harm." Refusing to administer prescribed pain medication
causes unnecessary suffering and violates this principle. The other actions are appropriate nursing
interventions .
11. Which characteristic best defines professional nursing practice?
A) Performing tasks delegated by physicians
B) Applying evidence-based knowledge and clinical judgment
C) Following institutional routines strictly
Multiple-Choice Questions (30 Questions)
1. A nurse is using the nursing process to care for a patient. Which step involves the nurse collecting
subjective and objective data about the patient?
A) Planning
B) Assessment
C) Implementation
D) Evaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment is the first step of the nursing process and involves systematic collection of
subjective data (what the patient reports) and objective data (what the nurse observes or measures) to
form the basis for clinical decision-making .
2. A nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis for a patient with chronic pain. Which component is essential
when writing a nursing diagnosis?
A) Physician's order
B) Problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
C) Vital signs only
D) Insurance coverage
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A correctly written nursing diagnosis includes the problem (what is happening), the etiology
(related to/cause), and defining characteristics (evidence/signs and symptoms), following the PES format
used in clinical practice .
3. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates patient-centered care?
A) Completing all tasks on time
B) Following physician orders without question
C) Including the patient in developing the care plan
D) Administering medications promptly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-centered care is defined by involving the patient as an active partner in all aspects of
care, including planning. This approach respects autonomy, improves outcomes, and reflects core
principles of modern nursing practice .
4. A nurse is preparing to teach a newly diagnosed diabetic patient. Which factor should the nurse assess
first before beginning education?
A) The patient's insurance coverage
,B) The physician's teaching plan
C) The patient's readiness to learn D) Available educational materials
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Readiness to learn is the most critical factor in patient education. A patient who is in pain,
anxious, or in denial will not retain information effectively. Assessing readiness ensures that teaching is
timely and effective .
5. Which ethical principle is the nurse upholding when ensuring a patient has enough information to
make an informed decision about surgery?
A) Autonomy
B) Nonmaleficence
C) Beneficence
D) Justice
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Autonomy refers to the patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care. By
ensuring the patient has sufficient information, the nurse supports this principle and respects the
patient's self-determination .
6. A nurse notices a colleague documenting care that was not performed. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Ignore it as it is not your responsibility
B) Confront the colleague aggressively
C) Document the incident yourself in the chart
D) Report the behavior to the charge nurse or appropriate authority
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Falsifying documentation is a serious breach of professional and legal standards. The nurse
has an ethical and professional obligation to report such behavior through the appropriate chain of
command to protect patient safety .
7. A nurse is caring for a patient from a different cultural background who refuses a blood transfusion.
What is the nurse's best response?
A) Administer the transfusion as ordered
B) Convince the patient to accept treatment
C) Respect the patient's decision and notify the physician
D) Contact the patient's family to override the decision
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Respecting cultural and religious beliefs is fundamental to ethical nursing care. The nurse
should respect the patient's decision, document the refusal, and notify the physician .
, 8. A nurse has been offered a position on an obstetric unit and has learned that the unit offers
therapeutic abortions, a procedure that contradicts the nurse's personal beliefs. What is the nurse's
ethical obligation?
A) The nurse should adhere to professional standards and offer service to these clients.
B) The nurse should make the choice to decline this position and pursue a different nursing role.
C) The nurse should decline to care for the clients considering abortion.
D) The nurse should express alternatives to women considering terminating their pregnancy.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: To avoid facing the ethical dilemma of providing care that contradicts the nurse's personal
beliefs, the nurse should consider working in an area of nursing that would not pose this dilemma. The
nurse should not deny care to these clients as this would be a breach in the Code of Ethics for nurses .
9. An 80-year-old client is admitted with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. During
admission the client states, "I have a living will." What implication of this should the nurse recognize? A)
This document is always honored, regardless of circumstances.
B) This document specifies the client's wishes before hospitalization.
C) This document is binding for the duration of the client's life.
D) This document has been drawn up by the client's family to determine DNR status.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A living will is one type of advance directive. In most situations, living wills are limited to
situations in which the client's medical condition is deemed terminal. The other answers are incorrect
because living wills are not always honored in every circumstance, they are not binding for the duration
of the client's life, and they are not drawn up by the client's family .
10. A nurse has been providing ethical care for many years and is aware of the need to maintain the
ethical principle of nonmaleficence. Which of the following actions would be considered a violation of
this principle?
A) Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client
B) Assisting a semi-independent client with ADLs
C) Refusing to administer pain medication as prescribed
D) Providing education about advance directives
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nonmaleficence means "do no harm." Refusing to administer prescribed pain medication
causes unnecessary suffering and violates this principle. The other actions are appropriate nursing
interventions .
11. Which characteristic best defines professional nursing practice?
A) Performing tasks delegated by physicians
B) Applying evidence-based knowledge and clinical judgment
C) Following institutional routines strictly
