Potter et al.: Fundamentals of Nursing, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse is working as a public health nurse. What will be the nurse’s primary focus?
a. The individual as one member of a group
b. Individuals and families
c. Needs of a population
d. Health promotion
ANS: C
Public health nursing primary focus is understanding the needs of a population. Community-
based care focuses on health promotion. Community health nursing focuses on health care of
individuals, families, and groups within the community.
DIF: Understand (comprehension)
OBJ: Explain the relationship between public health and community health nursing.
TOP: Caring MSC: Management of Care
2. A nurse wants to become a specialist in public health nursing. Which educational requirement
will the nurse have to obtain?
a. A baccalaureate degree in nursing
b. Preparation at the basic entry level
c. The same level of education as the community health nurse
d. A graduate level education with a focus in public health science
ANS: D
A specialist in public health has a graduate level education with a focus in public health
science. Public health nursing requires preparation at the basic entry level and sometimes
requires a baccalaureate degree in nursing. A community health nurse is not the same thing as
a public health nursing specialist.
DIF: Understand (comprehension)
OBJ: Explain the relationship between public health and community health nursing.
TOP: Teaching/Learning MSC: Management of Care
3. A nurse is working as a community health nurse. Which action is a priority for this nurse?
a. Provide direct care to subpopulations.
b. Focus on the needs of the ill individual.
c. Provide first level of contact to health care systems.
d. Focus on providing care in various community settings.
ANS: A
, Community health nursing is nursing practice in the community, with the primary focus on the
health care of individuals, families, and groups within the community. In addition, the
community health nurse provides direct care services to subpopulations within a community.
Community-based nursing centers function as the first level of contact between members of a
community and the health care system. Community-based nursing focuses on providing care
in various community settings, such as the home or a clinic and involves acute and chronic
care.
DIF: Apply (application)
OBJ: Differentiate community health nursing from community-based nursing.
TOP: Implementation MSC: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. A nurse is focusing on acute and chronic care of individuals and families within a community
while enhancing patient autonomy. Which type of nursing care is the nurse providing?
a. Public health
b. Community health
c. Community-based
d. Community assessment
ANS: C
Community-based nursing involves acute and chronic care of individuals and families and
enhances their capacity for self-care while promoting autonomy in decision making. Public
health nursing focuses on the needs of a population. Community health nursing cares for the
community as a whole and considers the individual or the family as only one member of a
group at risk. Community assessment is the systematic data collection on the population,
monitoring the health status of the population, and making information available about the
health of the community.
DIF: Understand (comprehension)
OBJ: Differentiate community health nursing from community-based nursing.
TOP: Implementation MSC: Management of Care
5. The community health nurse is administering flu shots to children at a local playground. What
is the rationale for this nurse’s action?
a. To prevent individual illness
b. To prevent community outbreak of illness
c. To prevent outbreak of illness in the family
d. To prevent needs of the local population groups
ANS: B
The nurse is trying to prevent a community outbreak of illness. By focusing on subpopulations
(children), the community health nurse cares for the community as a whole and considers the
individual or the family as only one member of a group at risk. Community-based nursing, as
opposed to community health nursing, focuses on the needs of the individual or family. Public
health nursing focuses on meeting the population groups’ needs.
DIF: Apply (application) OBJ: Discuss the role of the community health nurse.
TOP: Planning MSC: Health Promotion and Maintenance
6. A nurse attended a seminar on community-based health care. Which information indicates the
nurse has a good understanding of community-based health care?