Page 1 of 118
NUR 155 EXAMS 2, 3, AND 4 COMBINED PREP 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED
A+
Part I: Nursing Process & Critical Thinking (Questions 1–35)
1. A nurse is performing a head-to-toe assessment on a patient admitted for
pneumonia and notes the anteroposterior diameter of the thorax appears equal to
the lateral diameter. Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Document this as a normal finding for the patient’s age
B. Auscultate breath sounds in all lung fields
C. Notify the provider immediately of a barrel chest deformity
D. Palpate for tactile fremitus
Rationale: An AP diameter equal to the lateral diameter (1:1 ratio) indicates a
barrel chest, commonly seen in COPD. The nurse must first complete a
comprehensive respiratory assessment by auscultating breath sounds before
determining significance.
2. Which statement best describes the nursing process?
A. A linear process that ends with evaluation
B. A cyclical, dynamic process that guides nursing care
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C. A process used only for medical diagnoses
D. A process that does not require reassessment
Rationale: The nursing process is cyclical and dynamic, including Assessment,
Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE).
3. Data defined as what the patient says is which type of data?
A. Objective data
B. Subjective data
C. Secondary data
D. Tertiary data
Rationale: Subjective data is what the patient reports or says, such as pain level or
nausea.
4. Data defined as what is observed by the nurse is which type of data?
A. Subjective data
B. Objective data
C. Primary data
D. Secondary data
Rationale: Objective data is what the nurse observes through assessment, such as
vital signs, wound appearance, or lung sounds.
5. The nurse obtains information directly from the patient. This is which kind of
source?
A. Secondary source
B. Primary source
C. Tertiary source
D. Ancillary source
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,Page 3 of 118
Rationale: The patient is the primary source of information; family members and
records are secondary sources.
6. A nurse is using clinical judgment to prioritize care. Which framework is most
commonly used to guide this process?
A. Maslow’s hierarchy only
B. Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model
C. The medical model
D. The nursing process only
Rationale: Tanner’s model describes the process of noticing, interpreting,
responding, and reflecting, which is foundational to clinical judgment in nursing.
7. During the evaluation phase of the nursing process, the nurse should do which of
the following?
A. Collect subjective data
B. Formulate a nursing diagnosis
C. Compare the patient’s current status to the expected outcomes
D. Initiate the plan of care
Rationale: Evaluation involves determining whether the goals and expected
outcomes have been met and revising the plan as needed.
8. A nurse is formulating a nursing diagnosis. Which component is essential to
include?
A. Only the medical diagnosis
B. The problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
C. Only the problem statement
D. The provider’s orders
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Rationale: A complete nursing diagnosis includes the problem, related factors
(etiology), and defining characteristics (signs/symptoms).
9. Which of the following is an example of a correctly written goal statement?
A. “The patient will be less anxious.”
B. “The patient will report a pain level of 3 or less within 30 minutes of
receiving analgesia.”
C. “The nurse will administer pain medication.”
D. “The patient will feel better.”
Rationale: Goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-
bound (SMART).
10. A nurse is collecting data and notes that the patient is restless, confused, and
tachycardic. Which step of the nursing process is the nurse performing?
A. Planning
B. Assessment
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation
Rationale: Assessment involves the systematic collection of data through
observation, interviews, and physical examination.
11. Critical thinking in nursing requires the nurse to do which of the following?
A. Accept all information at face value
B. Question assumptions and analyze data objectively
C. Rely on intuition only
D. Avoid making decisions under pressure
4|Page
NUR 155 EXAMS 2, 3, AND 4 COMBINED PREP 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED
A+
Part I: Nursing Process & Critical Thinking (Questions 1–35)
1. A nurse is performing a head-to-toe assessment on a patient admitted for
pneumonia and notes the anteroposterior diameter of the thorax appears equal to
the lateral diameter. Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Document this as a normal finding for the patient’s age
B. Auscultate breath sounds in all lung fields
C. Notify the provider immediately of a barrel chest deformity
D. Palpate for tactile fremitus
Rationale: An AP diameter equal to the lateral diameter (1:1 ratio) indicates a
barrel chest, commonly seen in COPD. The nurse must first complete a
comprehensive respiratory assessment by auscultating breath sounds before
determining significance.
2. Which statement best describes the nursing process?
A. A linear process that ends with evaluation
B. A cyclical, dynamic process that guides nursing care
1|Page
,Page 2 of 118
C. A process used only for medical diagnoses
D. A process that does not require reassessment
Rationale: The nursing process is cyclical and dynamic, including Assessment,
Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE).
3. Data defined as what the patient says is which type of data?
A. Objective data
B. Subjective data
C. Secondary data
D. Tertiary data
Rationale: Subjective data is what the patient reports or says, such as pain level or
nausea.
4. Data defined as what is observed by the nurse is which type of data?
A. Subjective data
B. Objective data
C. Primary data
D. Secondary data
Rationale: Objective data is what the nurse observes through assessment, such as
vital signs, wound appearance, or lung sounds.
5. The nurse obtains information directly from the patient. This is which kind of
source?
A. Secondary source
B. Primary source
C. Tertiary source
D. Ancillary source
2|Page
,Page 3 of 118
Rationale: The patient is the primary source of information; family members and
records are secondary sources.
6. A nurse is using clinical judgment to prioritize care. Which framework is most
commonly used to guide this process?
A. Maslow’s hierarchy only
B. Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model
C. The medical model
D. The nursing process only
Rationale: Tanner’s model describes the process of noticing, interpreting,
responding, and reflecting, which is foundational to clinical judgment in nursing.
7. During the evaluation phase of the nursing process, the nurse should do which of
the following?
A. Collect subjective data
B. Formulate a nursing diagnosis
C. Compare the patient’s current status to the expected outcomes
D. Initiate the plan of care
Rationale: Evaluation involves determining whether the goals and expected
outcomes have been met and revising the plan as needed.
8. A nurse is formulating a nursing diagnosis. Which component is essential to
include?
A. Only the medical diagnosis
B. The problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
C. Only the problem statement
D. The provider’s orders
3|Page
, Page 4 of 118
Rationale: A complete nursing diagnosis includes the problem, related factors
(etiology), and defining characteristics (signs/symptoms).
9. Which of the following is an example of a correctly written goal statement?
A. “The patient will be less anxious.”
B. “The patient will report a pain level of 3 or less within 30 minutes of
receiving analgesia.”
C. “The nurse will administer pain medication.”
D. “The patient will feel better.”
Rationale: Goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-
bound (SMART).
10. A nurse is collecting data and notes that the patient is restless, confused, and
tachycardic. Which step of the nursing process is the nurse performing?
A. Planning
B. Assessment
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation
Rationale: Assessment involves the systematic collection of data through
observation, interviews, and physical examination.
11. Critical thinking in nursing requires the nurse to do which of the following?
A. Accept all information at face value
B. Question assumptions and analyze data objectively
C. Rely on intuition only
D. Avoid making decisions under pressure
4|Page
