Critical Care Nursing: A Holistic Approach 12th
Edition by Morton and Thurman
, CHAPTER 1: Critical Care Nursing Practice: Promoting Excellence-
Caring, Collaboration Evidence
1. A nurse in the ICU is the only one without certification in critical care. She often asks colleagues for guidance
because she doubts her own knowledge and instincts. Though passionate about her job, she wants to feel more
competent. What would certification most likely improve in her nursing practice?
A) Recognition from colleagues
B) A higher salary and job rank
C) Greater job flexibility
✅ D) Increased confidence in decision-making
2. Two ICU applicants have similar experience and references. One of them holds a certification in critical care.
What is the best reason for selecting the certified candidate?
✅ A) The certified nurse has more clinical expertise
B) The certified nurse will act more ethically
C) The certified nurse will be more compassionate
D) The certified nurse will be a better team player
3. A nurse in the ICU uses a new cognitive test from a journal, gives a dry-lipped patient water, insists on
wheelchair transport per policy, and quickly recognizes signs of a second stroke, notifying the physician.
Which action reflects evidence-based practice?
A) Offering water to the patient
B) Transporting by wheelchair
✅ C) Administering the cognitive test
D) Paging the physician immediately
4. An ICU nurse is reviewing literature to find the best ways to prevent hospital-acquired infections but finds
conflicting sources. Which is the most reliable?
A) An AACN expert panel report
✅ B) A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in a nursing journal
, C) A systematic review of qualitative studies
D) One randomized controlled trial in a journal
5. A new ICU nurse manager wants to promote evidence-based practice among staff. What is the best strategy?
A) Hire only certified nurses
B) Place journals in the break room
C) Show staff how to search using Google
✅ D) Teach staff how to use PubMed and assign research topics
6. A physician discusses pain relief with a nurse outside a patient's room. The nurse explains the morphine
infusion started 20 minutes ago and needs more time. The physician relays this to the patient. Which healthy
work environment component is demonstrated?
A) Skilled communication
B) Appropriate staffing
✅ C) True collaboration
D) Staff recognition
7. An ICU nurse is the only one available when one patient has a cardiac arrest and another suffers anaphylactic
shock. She struggles to prioritize. What is lacking in this environment?
A) Sound decision-making
✅ B) Appropriate staffing
C) Strong leadership
D) Staff appreciation
8. A nurse provides outstanding care to a child and her family in the ICU. Which form of recognition would
likely be most meaningful to the nurse?
✅ A) A thank-you card from the family
B) A plaque from doctors
C) A letter from hospital administration
D) A bouquet from her supervisor
, 9. A patient newly diagnosed with diabetes is about to be discharged and needs to learn about diet, insulin use,
and emergency response. Which competency is essential?
A) Clinical judgment
B) Advocacy
C) Caring behaviors
✅ D) Facilitation of learning
10. A critically ill elderly patient has multiple chronic illnesses and a large, interdisciplinary care team. Her
husband is overwhelmed. Which competencies are most important? (Select all that apply)
A) Clinical judgment
✅ B) Caring practices
✅ C) Collaboration
D) Response to diversity
11. An Ethiopian patient with AIDS and pneumonia, new to the U.S., has no insurance but may qualify for
Medicaid. What competencies are needed? (Select all that apply)
A) Clinical judgment
✅ B) Advocacy and moral agency
✅ D) Systems thinking
✅ E) Response to diversity
C) Collaboration
F) Clinical inquiry
12. A nurse chooses to pursue certification in critical care. What is the greatest individual benefit?
A) Higher pay
B) Requirement for ICU work
✅ C) Recognition of expertise
D) Employer mandate
13. What is the most important benefit of critical care certification for the nursing profession?
A) Good publicity for nurses
Edition by Morton and Thurman
, CHAPTER 1: Critical Care Nursing Practice: Promoting Excellence-
Caring, Collaboration Evidence
1. A nurse in the ICU is the only one without certification in critical care. She often asks colleagues for guidance
because she doubts her own knowledge and instincts. Though passionate about her job, she wants to feel more
competent. What would certification most likely improve in her nursing practice?
A) Recognition from colleagues
B) A higher salary and job rank
C) Greater job flexibility
✅ D) Increased confidence in decision-making
2. Two ICU applicants have similar experience and references. One of them holds a certification in critical care.
What is the best reason for selecting the certified candidate?
✅ A) The certified nurse has more clinical expertise
B) The certified nurse will act more ethically
C) The certified nurse will be more compassionate
D) The certified nurse will be a better team player
3. A nurse in the ICU uses a new cognitive test from a journal, gives a dry-lipped patient water, insists on
wheelchair transport per policy, and quickly recognizes signs of a second stroke, notifying the physician.
Which action reflects evidence-based practice?
A) Offering water to the patient
B) Transporting by wheelchair
✅ C) Administering the cognitive test
D) Paging the physician immediately
4. An ICU nurse is reviewing literature to find the best ways to prevent hospital-acquired infections but finds
conflicting sources. Which is the most reliable?
A) An AACN expert panel report
✅ B) A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in a nursing journal
, C) A systematic review of qualitative studies
D) One randomized controlled trial in a journal
5. A new ICU nurse manager wants to promote evidence-based practice among staff. What is the best strategy?
A) Hire only certified nurses
B) Place journals in the break room
C) Show staff how to search using Google
✅ D) Teach staff how to use PubMed and assign research topics
6. A physician discusses pain relief with a nurse outside a patient's room. The nurse explains the morphine
infusion started 20 minutes ago and needs more time. The physician relays this to the patient. Which healthy
work environment component is demonstrated?
A) Skilled communication
B) Appropriate staffing
✅ C) True collaboration
D) Staff recognition
7. An ICU nurse is the only one available when one patient has a cardiac arrest and another suffers anaphylactic
shock. She struggles to prioritize. What is lacking in this environment?
A) Sound decision-making
✅ B) Appropriate staffing
C) Strong leadership
D) Staff appreciation
8. A nurse provides outstanding care to a child and her family in the ICU. Which form of recognition would
likely be most meaningful to the nurse?
✅ A) A thank-you card from the family
B) A plaque from doctors
C) A letter from hospital administration
D) A bouquet from her supervisor
, 9. A patient newly diagnosed with diabetes is about to be discharged and needs to learn about diet, insulin use,
and emergency response. Which competency is essential?
A) Clinical judgment
B) Advocacy
C) Caring behaviors
✅ D) Facilitation of learning
10. A critically ill elderly patient has multiple chronic illnesses and a large, interdisciplinary care team. Her
husband is overwhelmed. Which competencies are most important? (Select all that apply)
A) Clinical judgment
✅ B) Caring practices
✅ C) Collaboration
D) Response to diversity
11. An Ethiopian patient with AIDS and pneumonia, new to the U.S., has no insurance but may qualify for
Medicaid. What competencies are needed? (Select all that apply)
A) Clinical judgment
✅ B) Advocacy and moral agency
✅ D) Systems thinking
✅ E) Response to diversity
C) Collaboration
F) Clinical inquiry
12. A nurse chooses to pursue certification in critical care. What is the greatest individual benefit?
A) Higher pay
B) Requirement for ICU work
✅ C) Recognition of expertise
D) Employer mandate
13. What is the most important benefit of critical care certification for the nursing profession?
A) Good publicity for nurses
