CNO Nursing Jurisprudence Exam Review
2025 Study Set | 400 Original Questions
Ontario nursing regulation | Laws, practice standards, professional judgment and client rights
Independent study resource — not an official CNO exam. This booklet contains original practice questions, not actual
CNO exam items. It has not been graded or endorsed by CNO or a professor; no A+ result or exam outcome is claimed. The
requested filename is retained, but “Verified” refers only to structural checks of this PDF, not official verification of every
answer.
Official-format distinction: CNO describes its jurisprudence requirement as an online learning module plus multiple-choice
examination, available open-book and without a time limit. This independent 400-question PDF is not the CNO examination
and does not reproduce its questions.
2025 framework note: Section 2 maps the former “Professional Standards” and “Ethics” topics to CNO’s consolidated Code
of Conduct, effective in 2023. This set uses the Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship framework in place during 2025.
CNO’s replacement Professional Boundaries and Nurse-Client Relationships standard took effect March 1, 2026; a revised
Documentation standard took effect February 1, 2026. Laws and standards change—check current CNO and Ontario e-Laws
materials before applying this study set to practice.
Source basis: CNO jurisprudence examination guidance, Code of Conduct (2025), Scope of Practice (July 2025),
Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship (2025 framework), consent, privacy and documentation guidance; Ontario’s
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, Nursing Act, 1991, Health Care Consent Act, 1996, Personal Health Information
Protection Act, 2004 and, where applicable, Patient Restraints Minimization Act, 2001. This is educational material, not legal
or clinical advice.
Official references
- CNO jurisprudence examination
- CNO standards and guidelines
- Ontario e-Laws: RHPA, 1991
- Ontario e-Laws: Nursing Act, 1991
- Ontario e-Laws: Health Care Consent Act, 1996
- Ontario e-Laws: PHIPA, 2004
- Ontario e-Laws: Patient Restraints Minimization Act, 2001
Suggested use: answer each question before reviewing the marked option and rationale. Scenario facts are hypothetical and
do not replace current policy, law, CNO standards or clinical judgment.
Page 1 of 122
,Contents
Section 1: CNO Mandate, Regulatory Framework & Nursing Act (Questions 1–40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Section 2: Professional Standards & Accountability (Questions 41–80) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 3: Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship & Boundaries (Questions 81–120) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 4: Health Care Consent Act & Capacity (Questions 121–160) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 5: Privacy, Confidentiality & Documentation (Questions 161–200) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 6: Ethics, Patient Choice & Advocacy (Questions 201–240) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Section 7: Controlled Acts, Delegation & Authorizing Mechanisms (Questions 241–280) . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Section 8: Mandatory Reporting, Professional Misconduct & Discipline (Questions 281–320) . . . . . . . . . 87
Section 9: Restraints, Safety & Quality Practice Settings (Questions 321–360) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Section 10: Scope of Practice, Competence & Continuing Education (Questions 361–400) . . . . . . . . . 111
Page 2 of 122
,Section 1: CNO Mandate, Regulatory Framework & Nursing Act
(Questions 1–40)
Q1: A client asks what CNO does after a concern is raised about a nurse's unsafe
practice. The nurse explains that CNO's central purpose is to:
A. Regulate nursing in the public interest [CORRECT]
B. Negotiate nurses' wages
C. Manage the hospital's staffing schedule
D. Represent nurses in collective bargaining
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: CNO is the regulator for Ontario nursing and acts to protect the public; unions
and employers have different roles. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q2: A new graduate confuses CNO with a professional association. Which explanation is
accurate?
A. CNO is the union that negotiates wages
B. CNO is the statutory regulator; a professional association advocates for members
[CORRECT]
C. CNO is a nursing school that grants degrees
D. CNO is the employer for all Ontario nurses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CNO regulates registration and practice standards in the public interest, rather
than serving as a union or school. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q3: A nurse wants to know which statute governs nursing-specific scope and authorized
acts, alongside the umbrella law for regulated professions. Which pair is most relevant?
A. PHIPA and HCCA only
B. Nursing Act, 1991 and RHPA, 1991 [CORRECT]
C. Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act
D. Public Hospitals Act and Highway Traffic Act only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Nursing Act is profession-specific and works with the RHPA's common
framework and procedural code. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or substitute
an employer, union or school role.
Q4: What is CNO's central regulatory purpose?
A. Negotiate nurses' wages
Page 3 of 122
, B. Employ all Ontario nurses
C. Award nursing degrees
D. Protect the public by regulating nursing [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: CNO regulates nursing in the public interest; employment and collective
bargaining are separate functions. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q5: A nurse is asked to treat a condition through supportive, preventive, therapeutic,
palliative and rehabilitative means to maintain function. This activity is most closely
related to the legislated:
A. Practice of medicine only
B. Scope of a nursing union
C. CNO quality-assurance assessment
D. Practice of nursing [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Nursing Act defines nursing practice broadly around health promotion,
assessment, care and treatment of health conditions. The alternatives misstate the
regulator's remit or substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q6: A client requests confirmation that a nurse is registered and whether public terms
apply. Which resource is most appropriate?
A. A private staffing agency's roster only
B. The nurse's social-media profile
C. CNO's public register [CORRECT]
D. A union membership list
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: CNO's public register provides registration information and specified public
regulatory information. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or substitute an
employer, union or school role.
Q7: A manager says that a hospital policy can authorize any employee to perform any
nursing task. Which response is best?
A. A manager's direction always creates legal authority
B. A policy can authorize a non-nurse to use a protected title
C. Workplace rules override the Nursing Act
D. Employer policy cannot expand legislated authority or replace individual competence
[CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Page 4 of 122
2025 Study Set | 400 Original Questions
Ontario nursing regulation | Laws, practice standards, professional judgment and client rights
Independent study resource — not an official CNO exam. This booklet contains original practice questions, not actual
CNO exam items. It has not been graded or endorsed by CNO or a professor; no A+ result or exam outcome is claimed. The
requested filename is retained, but “Verified” refers only to structural checks of this PDF, not official verification of every
answer.
Official-format distinction: CNO describes its jurisprudence requirement as an online learning module plus multiple-choice
examination, available open-book and without a time limit. This independent 400-question PDF is not the CNO examination
and does not reproduce its questions.
2025 framework note: Section 2 maps the former “Professional Standards” and “Ethics” topics to CNO’s consolidated Code
of Conduct, effective in 2023. This set uses the Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship framework in place during 2025.
CNO’s replacement Professional Boundaries and Nurse-Client Relationships standard took effect March 1, 2026; a revised
Documentation standard took effect February 1, 2026. Laws and standards change—check current CNO and Ontario e-Laws
materials before applying this study set to practice.
Source basis: CNO jurisprudence examination guidance, Code of Conduct (2025), Scope of Practice (July 2025),
Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship (2025 framework), consent, privacy and documentation guidance; Ontario’s
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, Nursing Act, 1991, Health Care Consent Act, 1996, Personal Health Information
Protection Act, 2004 and, where applicable, Patient Restraints Minimization Act, 2001. This is educational material, not legal
or clinical advice.
Official references
- CNO jurisprudence examination
- CNO standards and guidelines
- Ontario e-Laws: RHPA, 1991
- Ontario e-Laws: Nursing Act, 1991
- Ontario e-Laws: Health Care Consent Act, 1996
- Ontario e-Laws: PHIPA, 2004
- Ontario e-Laws: Patient Restraints Minimization Act, 2001
Suggested use: answer each question before reviewing the marked option and rationale. Scenario facts are hypothetical and
do not replace current policy, law, CNO standards or clinical judgment.
Page 1 of 122
,Contents
Section 1: CNO Mandate, Regulatory Framework & Nursing Act (Questions 1–40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Section 2: Professional Standards & Accountability (Questions 41–80) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 3: Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship & Boundaries (Questions 81–120) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 4: Health Care Consent Act & Capacity (Questions 121–160) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 5: Privacy, Confidentiality & Documentation (Questions 161–200) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 6: Ethics, Patient Choice & Advocacy (Questions 201–240) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Section 7: Controlled Acts, Delegation & Authorizing Mechanisms (Questions 241–280) . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Section 8: Mandatory Reporting, Professional Misconduct & Discipline (Questions 281–320) . . . . . . . . . 87
Section 9: Restraints, Safety & Quality Practice Settings (Questions 321–360) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Section 10: Scope of Practice, Competence & Continuing Education (Questions 361–400) . . . . . . . . . 111
Page 2 of 122
,Section 1: CNO Mandate, Regulatory Framework & Nursing Act
(Questions 1–40)
Q1: A client asks what CNO does after a concern is raised about a nurse's unsafe
practice. The nurse explains that CNO's central purpose is to:
A. Regulate nursing in the public interest [CORRECT]
B. Negotiate nurses' wages
C. Manage the hospital's staffing schedule
D. Represent nurses in collective bargaining
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: CNO is the regulator for Ontario nursing and acts to protect the public; unions
and employers have different roles. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q2: A new graduate confuses CNO with a professional association. Which explanation is
accurate?
A. CNO is the union that negotiates wages
B. CNO is the statutory regulator; a professional association advocates for members
[CORRECT]
C. CNO is a nursing school that grants degrees
D. CNO is the employer for all Ontario nurses
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CNO regulates registration and practice standards in the public interest, rather
than serving as a union or school. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q3: A nurse wants to know which statute governs nursing-specific scope and authorized
acts, alongside the umbrella law for regulated professions. Which pair is most relevant?
A. PHIPA and HCCA only
B. Nursing Act, 1991 and RHPA, 1991 [CORRECT]
C. Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act
D. Public Hospitals Act and Highway Traffic Act only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Nursing Act is profession-specific and works with the RHPA's common
framework and procedural code. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or substitute
an employer, union or school role.
Q4: What is CNO's central regulatory purpose?
A. Negotiate nurses' wages
Page 3 of 122
, B. Employ all Ontario nurses
C. Award nursing degrees
D. Protect the public by regulating nursing [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: CNO regulates nursing in the public interest; employment and collective
bargaining are separate functions. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or
substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q5: A nurse is asked to treat a condition through supportive, preventive, therapeutic,
palliative and rehabilitative means to maintain function. This activity is most closely
related to the legislated:
A. Practice of medicine only
B. Scope of a nursing union
C. CNO quality-assurance assessment
D. Practice of nursing [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Nursing Act defines nursing practice broadly around health promotion,
assessment, care and treatment of health conditions. The alternatives misstate the
regulator's remit or substitute an employer, union or school role.
Q6: A client requests confirmation that a nurse is registered and whether public terms
apply. Which resource is most appropriate?
A. A private staffing agency's roster only
B. The nurse's social-media profile
C. CNO's public register [CORRECT]
D. A union membership list
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: CNO's public register provides registration information and specified public
regulatory information. The alternatives misstate the regulator's remit or substitute an
employer, union or school role.
Q7: A manager says that a hospital policy can authorize any employee to perform any
nursing task. Which response is best?
A. A manager's direction always creates legal authority
B. A policy can authorize a non-nurse to use a protected title
C. Workplace rules override the Nursing Act
D. Employer policy cannot expand legislated authority or replace individual competence
[CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Page 4 of 122
