COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF POPULATIONS
NIES PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS
UNIT I: FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY/PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
1. Which concept best distinguishes community health nursing from acute care
nursing?
A. Focus on episodic disease treatment
B. Emphasis on individual client care
C. Focus on health promotion and disease prevention for populations
D. Use of advanced technology in care delivery
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Community health nursing emphasizes prevention, health
promotion, and population-focused care rather than episodic treatment of illness.
Acute care nursing primarily focuses on treating existing disease in individuals.
While individual care is part of community health nursing, the defining
characteristic is the population-level, prevention-oriented approach.
2. A population is best defined as:
A. Individuals living in the same household
B. A group of people with a common health concern or characteristic
C. Clients receiving care from the same facility
D. Residents of a hospital unit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A population shares common characteristics, conditions, or
health concerns that can be addressed through public health interventions. This
,definition distinguishes populations from mere geographic groupings. Community
health nurses work with aggregates—subpopulations within a larger population
who share common characteristics.
3. Which level of prevention includes immunizations and health education?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Quaternary
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs
through measures such as vaccines and education. Secondary prevention focuses
on early detection, and tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and
preventing complications. Quaternary prevention (not universally recognized)
refers to avoiding unnecessary medical interventions.
4. Secondary prevention focuses on:
A. Rehabilitation after illness
B. Preventing complications
C. Early detection and prompt treatment
D. Health promotion activities
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Secondary prevention seeks early identification of disease to
halt progression. Examples include blood pressure screening, Pap smears, and
mammograms. Rehabilitation and preventing complications are tertiary
prevention. Health promotion is primary prevention.
5. Which example reflects tertiary prevention?
,A. Blood pressure screening
B. Smoking cessation classes
C. Physical therapy after a stroke
D. Nutrition education in schools
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and restoring
function after disease has occurred. Physical therapy after a stroke aims to
maximize recovery and prevent further disability. Blood pressure screening is
secondary prevention, while smoking cessation and nutrition education are
primary prevention.
6. Which historical figure is credited with founding the Henry Street Settlement
and establishing public health nursing in the United States?
A. Florence Nightingale
B. Lillian Wald
C. Mary Breckinridge
D. Dorothea Dix
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lillian Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement in New York
City in 1893, which became the model for public health nursing in the United
States. Florence Nightingale established modern nursing and sanitary reform in
England. Mary Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in rural
Appalachia. Dorothea Dix advocated for mental health reform.
7. Which of the following are core public health functions? Select all that apply.
A. Assessment
B. Policy development
C. Assurance
D. Direct clinical care
E. Rehabilitation services
, Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: The three core functions of public health are assessment
(monitoring health status), policy development (developing laws and regulations),
and assurance (ensuring access to services). Direct clinical care and rehabilitation
services are components of the healthcare delivery system but are not core public
health functions.
8. A community health nurse is working to develop alliances among various
community organizations toward improving health in the community. This
action is called:
A. Building coalitions
B. Collaboration
C. Communication
D. Community cooperation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Coalition building involves establishing cooperative alliances
among organizations toward a common goal. Collaboration focuses more on
enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups. The nurse is establishing alliances
but not yet working with them toward a specific goal, which would be
collaboration.
9. Which statement best describes the difference between community-based
nursing and community-oriented nursing?
A. Community-based nursing focuses on populations; community-oriented
nursing focuses on individuals
B. Community-based nursing focuses on individuals and families; community-
oriented nursing focuses on populations
C. Both focus exclusively on populations
D. Both focus exclusively on individuals
Correct Answer: B
PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF POPULATIONS
NIES PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS
UNIT I: FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY/PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
1. Which concept best distinguishes community health nursing from acute care
nursing?
A. Focus on episodic disease treatment
B. Emphasis on individual client care
C. Focus on health promotion and disease prevention for populations
D. Use of advanced technology in care delivery
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Community health nursing emphasizes prevention, health
promotion, and population-focused care rather than episodic treatment of illness.
Acute care nursing primarily focuses on treating existing disease in individuals.
While individual care is part of community health nursing, the defining
characteristic is the population-level, prevention-oriented approach.
2. A population is best defined as:
A. Individuals living in the same household
B. A group of people with a common health concern or characteristic
C. Clients receiving care from the same facility
D. Residents of a hospital unit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A population shares common characteristics, conditions, or
health concerns that can be addressed through public health interventions. This
,definition distinguishes populations from mere geographic groupings. Community
health nurses work with aggregates—subpopulations within a larger population
who share common characteristics.
3. Which level of prevention includes immunizations and health education?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Quaternary
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs
through measures such as vaccines and education. Secondary prevention focuses
on early detection, and tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and
preventing complications. Quaternary prevention (not universally recognized)
refers to avoiding unnecessary medical interventions.
4. Secondary prevention focuses on:
A. Rehabilitation after illness
B. Preventing complications
C. Early detection and prompt treatment
D. Health promotion activities
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Secondary prevention seeks early identification of disease to
halt progression. Examples include blood pressure screening, Pap smears, and
mammograms. Rehabilitation and preventing complications are tertiary
prevention. Health promotion is primary prevention.
5. Which example reflects tertiary prevention?
,A. Blood pressure screening
B. Smoking cessation classes
C. Physical therapy after a stroke
D. Nutrition education in schools
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and restoring
function after disease has occurred. Physical therapy after a stroke aims to
maximize recovery and prevent further disability. Blood pressure screening is
secondary prevention, while smoking cessation and nutrition education are
primary prevention.
6. Which historical figure is credited with founding the Henry Street Settlement
and establishing public health nursing in the United States?
A. Florence Nightingale
B. Lillian Wald
C. Mary Breckinridge
D. Dorothea Dix
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lillian Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement in New York
City in 1893, which became the model for public health nursing in the United
States. Florence Nightingale established modern nursing and sanitary reform in
England. Mary Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in rural
Appalachia. Dorothea Dix advocated for mental health reform.
7. Which of the following are core public health functions? Select all that apply.
A. Assessment
B. Policy development
C. Assurance
D. Direct clinical care
E. Rehabilitation services
, Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: The three core functions of public health are assessment
(monitoring health status), policy development (developing laws and regulations),
and assurance (ensuring access to services). Direct clinical care and rehabilitation
services are components of the healthcare delivery system but are not core public
health functions.
8. A community health nurse is working to develop alliances among various
community organizations toward improving health in the community. This
action is called:
A. Building coalitions
B. Collaboration
C. Communication
D. Community cooperation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Coalition building involves establishing cooperative alliances
among organizations toward a common goal. Collaboration focuses more on
enhancing the capacity of individuals or groups. The nurse is establishing alliances
but not yet working with them toward a specific goal, which would be
collaboration.
9. Which statement best describes the difference between community-based
nursing and community-oriented nursing?
A. Community-based nursing focuses on populations; community-oriented
nursing focuses on individuals
B. Community-based nursing focuses on individuals and families; community-
oriented nursing focuses on populations
C. Both focus exclusively on populations
D. Both focus exclusively on individuals
Correct Answer: B
