,Chapter 01: Critical Thinking and Evidence-Informed Assessment
Jarvis: Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which type of data is collected by obtaining vital signs?
a. Objective
b. Reflecting
c. Subjective
d. Introspective
ANS: A
Objective data are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing,
palpating, and auscultating during the physical examination. Subjective data are what the
person says about themselves during history taking. The terms reflective and introspective
are not used to describe data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
2. During an assessment, a patient describes feeling warm, nauseated, and nervous. Which
type of data is collected?
a. Objective
b. Reflective
c. Subjective
d. Introspective
ANS: C
Subjective data are what the person says about themselves during history taking. Objective
data are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing, palpating, and
auscultating during the physical examination. The terms reflective and introspective are
not used to describe data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
3. Which part of a patient’s health record is created when combining laboratory studies,
objective data, and subjective data?
a. Database
b. Admitting data
c. Triage form
d. Discharge summary
ANS: A
Together with the patient’s record and laboratory studies, the objective and subjective data
form the database. The other items are not part of the patient’s record, laboratory studies,
or data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
,4. Which action will the nurse complete if while listening to a patient’s breath sounds, they
are unsure of a sound heard?
a. Immediately notify the patient’s most responsible practitioner.
b. Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
c. Validate the data by asking a coworker to listen to the breath sounds.
d. Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether the sound is still present.
ANS: C
When unsure of a sound heard while listening to a patient’s breath sounds, the nurse
validates the data to ensure accuracy. If the nurse has less experience in an area, then they
would ask an expert to listen.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
5. Which approach do novice nurses utilize when making decisions?
a. Intuition
b. Clear-cut rules
c. Articles in journals
d. Advice from supervisors
ANS: B
Novice nurses operate from a set of defined, structured rules. Expert practitioners use
critical thinking and their substantial background of experience.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) MSC: Client Needs: General
6. Which method moves a nurse from novice to expert?
a. Critical thinking
b. The nursing process
c. Clinical knowledge
d. Diagnostic reasoning
ANS: A
Critical thinking is a multidimensional, dynamic, and interactive thinking process by
which expert nurses assess and make decisions in the clinical area.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) MSC: Client Needs: General
7. Which statement reflects the meaning of evidence-informed practice (EIP)?
a. Best practice techniques to treat patients. Taking note solely from Registered
Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO)
b. Clinician experience and expertise to guide practice. Sometimes reflecting on the
patient perspective
c. Life-long problem-solving approach to clinical decision making using best
available evidence
d. The patient’s own preferences are not important in EIP
ANS: C
, EIP is more than the use of best practice techniques to treat patients; it can be defined as a
paradigm and lifelong problem-solving approach to clinical decision making that involves
the conscientious use of the best available evidence (including a systematic search for and
critical appraisal of the most relevant evidence to answer a clinical question) with one’s
own clinical expertise and patient values and preferences to improve outcomes for
individuals, groups, communities, and systems. EIP is more than simply using the best
practice techniques to treat patients, and questioning tradition is important when no
compelling and supportive research evidence exists.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
8. Which example illustrates a first-level priority problem?
a. Postoperative pain
b. Newly diagnosed diabetes needing diabetic teaching
c. Small laceration on the sole of the foot
d. Shortness of breath and respiratory distress
ANS: D
First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate
(e.g., establishing an airway, supporting breathing, maintaining circulation, monitoring
abnormal vital signs) (see Table 1.1 – Identifying Immediate Priorities).
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
9. Which critical thinking skill recognizes relationships among the data?
a. Validation
b. Clustering related cues
c. Identifying gaps in data
d. Distinguishing relevant data from irrelevant data
ANS: B
Clustering related cues helps the nurse see relationships among the data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
10. Which diagnosis is critical to develop appropriate nursing interventions for a patient?
a. Nursing
b. Medical
c. Admission
d. Collaborative
ANS: A
An accurate nursing diagnosis provides the basis for the selection of nursing interventions
to achieve outcomes for which the nurse is accountable. The other items do not contribute
to the development of appropriate nursing interventions.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Jarvis: Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which type of data is collected by obtaining vital signs?
a. Objective
b. Reflecting
c. Subjective
d. Introspective
ANS: A
Objective data are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing,
palpating, and auscultating during the physical examination. Subjective data are what the
person says about themselves during history taking. The terms reflective and introspective
are not used to describe data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
2. During an assessment, a patient describes feeling warm, nauseated, and nervous. Which
type of data is collected?
a. Objective
b. Reflective
c. Subjective
d. Introspective
ANS: C
Subjective data are what the person says about themselves during history taking. Objective
data are what the health professional observes by inspecting, percussing, palpating, and
auscultating during the physical examination. The terms reflective and introspective are
not used to describe data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
3. Which part of a patient’s health record is created when combining laboratory studies,
objective data, and subjective data?
a. Database
b. Admitting data
c. Triage form
d. Discharge summary
ANS: A
Together with the patient’s record and laboratory studies, the objective and subjective data
form the database. The other items are not part of the patient’s record, laboratory studies,
or data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
,4. Which action will the nurse complete if while listening to a patient’s breath sounds, they
are unsure of a sound heard?
a. Immediately notify the patient’s most responsible practitioner.
b. Document the sound exactly as it was heard.
c. Validate the data by asking a coworker to listen to the breath sounds.
d. Assess again in 20 minutes to note whether the sound is still present.
ANS: C
When unsure of a sound heard while listening to a patient’s breath sounds, the nurse
validates the data to ensure accuracy. If the nurse has less experience in an area, then they
would ask an expert to listen.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
5. Which approach do novice nurses utilize when making decisions?
a. Intuition
b. Clear-cut rules
c. Articles in journals
d. Advice from supervisors
ANS: B
Novice nurses operate from a set of defined, structured rules. Expert practitioners use
critical thinking and their substantial background of experience.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) MSC: Client Needs: General
6. Which method moves a nurse from novice to expert?
a. Critical thinking
b. The nursing process
c. Clinical knowledge
d. Diagnostic reasoning
ANS: A
Critical thinking is a multidimensional, dynamic, and interactive thinking process by
which expert nurses assess and make decisions in the clinical area.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension) MSC: Client Needs: General
7. Which statement reflects the meaning of evidence-informed practice (EIP)?
a. Best practice techniques to treat patients. Taking note solely from Registered
Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO)
b. Clinician experience and expertise to guide practice. Sometimes reflecting on the
patient perspective
c. Life-long problem-solving approach to clinical decision making using best
available evidence
d. The patient’s own preferences are not important in EIP
ANS: C
, EIP is more than the use of best practice techniques to treat patients; it can be defined as a
paradigm and lifelong problem-solving approach to clinical decision making that involves
the conscientious use of the best available evidence (including a systematic search for and
critical appraisal of the most relevant evidence to answer a clinical question) with one’s
own clinical expertise and patient values and preferences to improve outcomes for
individuals, groups, communities, and systems. EIP is more than simply using the best
practice techniques to treat patients, and questioning tradition is important when no
compelling and supportive research evidence exists.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
8. Which example illustrates a first-level priority problem?
a. Postoperative pain
b. Newly diagnosed diabetes needing diabetic teaching
c. Small laceration on the sole of the foot
d. Shortness of breath and respiratory distress
ANS: D
First-level priority problems are those that are emergent, life-threatening, and immediate
(e.g., establishing an airway, supporting breathing, maintaining circulation, monitoring
abnormal vital signs) (see Table 1.1 – Identifying Immediate Priorities).
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
9. Which critical thinking skill recognizes relationships among the data?
a. Validation
b. Clustering related cues
c. Identifying gaps in data
d. Distinguishing relevant data from irrelevant data
ANS: B
Clustering related cues helps the nurse see relationships among the data.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
10. Which diagnosis is critical to develop appropriate nursing interventions for a patient?
a. Nursing
b. Medical
c. Admission
d. Collaborative
ANS: A
An accurate nursing diagnosis provides the basis for the selection of nursing interventions
to achieve outcomes for which the nurse is accountable. The other items do not contribute
to the development of appropriate nursing interventions.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
