NSG 100 Exam 1 Review questions and answers
2025-2026 update
Systematic decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals o
groups to actual or potential alterations in health best describes:
A.Critical Thinking
B.Clinical Reasoning
C.Clinical Judgement
D.Nursing Process - ANS >>: D
According to NANDA, the nursing process is a five-part systematic decision-making method focusing o
identifying and treating responses of individuals or groups to actual or potential alterations in health
ACEN defines critical thinking as, the deliberate nonlinear process of collecting, interpreting, analyzing
drawing conclusions about, presenting, and evaluating information that is both factual and belief-based
Clinical reasoning-thinking process by which a nurse reaches a clinical judgement. A clinical judgment i
the nurse's determination and provision of appropriate care to the patient, refers to the result (outcome
of critical thinking or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion made.
A nurse is caring for a group of clients. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates the us
of critical thinking skills?
A.Administer an influenza vaccine after asking a client about allergies.
B.Check a client's armband before dispensing daily thyroid medication to a client who ha
hypothyroidism.
C.Give a client who has type 1 diabetes mellitus her morning dose of insulin after checking her bloo
glucose level.
D.Intervene after reviewing arterial blood gas results for a client who is on mechanical ventilation. - AN
>>: D
The nurse is using critical thinking when analyzing a client's critical issues and then planning to interven
with an appropriate action.
The registered nurse (RN) is explaining Tanner's clinical judgment model to a student nurse. Whic
element should the RN explain is needed first to make a clinical judgment?
,A.Intuition
B.Initiation of practice
C.Nursing school education
D.Multiple years of experience - ANS >>: C
According to Tanner's clinical judgment model, thinking like a nurse begins with nursing education, whic
teaches fundamental nursing skills and knowledge. Intuition develops from experience and nursin
knowledge over time. Initiation of practice does improve critical thinking skills but is not the initiatin
factor.
During the process of reflection, what is the most appropriate question for a nurse to ask himself o
herself?
A."What could I have done differently?"
B."What's going on right now?"
C."How can the patient's status change?"
D."What should I do to communicate this information?" - ANS >>: A
Reflection is the action of retrospectively making sense of occurrences, experiences, situations, o
decisions and learning from them. What did or did not work? What could have been done differently t
achieve better outcomes?
Entering a room at 2:00 am, a nurse notes that the patient is not in bed; the patient is sitting in the cha
and states that she is having difficulty sleeping. Employing critical thinking, the nurse responds by:
A.Assisting the patient back into bed
B.Asking more about the patient's sleep problem
C.Positioning the patient and providing a warm blanket
D.Obtaining an order for a hypnotic medication - ANS >>: B
Critical thinking involves collecting, interpreting, analyzing, drawing conclusions first prior to acting. A
C and D are interventions.
Which of the following definitions best describes Critical Thinking?
A. The thinking process by which a nurse reaches a clinical judgement.
B.The result (outcome) of critical thinking or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion mad
C.Systematic decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals o
groups to actual or potential alterations in health.
D.The deliberate nonlinear process of collecting, interpreting, analyzing, drawing conclusions abou
presenting, and evaluating information. - ANS >>: D
Critical thinking is a broad/umbrella term that includes reasoning outside and inside of the clinical setting
Definition is from The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Critical thinking skill
are necessary for sound clinical decision making. Clinical Reasoning is the thinking process by which
, nurse reaches a clinical judgement. Clinical Judgement refers to the result (outcome) of critical thinkin
or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion made. Nursing Process: Five-part systemati
decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals or groups to actua
or potential alterations in health. (NANDA: North American Nursing Diagnosis Association)
A nurse completes an initial assessment of a client. The nurse clusters related data, recognizes a pattern
signs and symptoms and determines a diagnosis. The nurse is engaged in which step of Tanner's clinica
judgment model?
A.Noticing
B.Interpreting
C.Responding
D.Reflecting - ANS >>: B
The step of interpreting in Tanner's clinal judgment model includes: Comparing and contrasting data
clustering related information, recognizing inconsistencies, checking accuracy and reliability
distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information and determining the importance of information
Which of the statements best describes the purpose of the nursing process?
A.Deliver care to a client in an organized way.
B.Implement a plan that is close to the medical model.
C.Identify client needs and deliver care to meet those needs.
D.Make sure that standardized care is available to clients. - ANS >>: C
The purpose of the nursing process is to diagnose and treat human responses to actual or potential healt
problems. Simply described as identifying a client's actual or potential healthcare problems or needs
establishing plans to meet the identified needs, and delivering specific nursing interventions to mee
those needs. The Nursing Process is the framework within which nurses provide care to patients in a
organized and effective manner, it is not the purpose. The nursing process is not part of the medica
model. The nursing process is individualized for each client's care plan. It is not about standardizing care
The nurse is planning care for a new patient with unstable blood glucose levels. Which should be th
priority action by the nurse?
A.Establish a specific nursing diagnosis.
B.Complete an assessment on the client.
C.Create a plan of nursing care for the client.
D.Carry out solutions to manage the problem. - ANS >>: B
The five steps of the nursing process are assessment, diagnosis, planning implementation, an
evaluation. The nurse should first perform a thorough assessment and then create a nursing diagnosi
2025-2026 update
Systematic decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals o
groups to actual or potential alterations in health best describes:
A.Critical Thinking
B.Clinical Reasoning
C.Clinical Judgement
D.Nursing Process - ANS >>: D
According to NANDA, the nursing process is a five-part systematic decision-making method focusing o
identifying and treating responses of individuals or groups to actual or potential alterations in health
ACEN defines critical thinking as, the deliberate nonlinear process of collecting, interpreting, analyzing
drawing conclusions about, presenting, and evaluating information that is both factual and belief-based
Clinical reasoning-thinking process by which a nurse reaches a clinical judgement. A clinical judgment i
the nurse's determination and provision of appropriate care to the patient, refers to the result (outcome
of critical thinking or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion made.
A nurse is caring for a group of clients. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates the us
of critical thinking skills?
A.Administer an influenza vaccine after asking a client about allergies.
B.Check a client's armband before dispensing daily thyroid medication to a client who ha
hypothyroidism.
C.Give a client who has type 1 diabetes mellitus her morning dose of insulin after checking her bloo
glucose level.
D.Intervene after reviewing arterial blood gas results for a client who is on mechanical ventilation. - AN
>>: D
The nurse is using critical thinking when analyzing a client's critical issues and then planning to interven
with an appropriate action.
The registered nurse (RN) is explaining Tanner's clinical judgment model to a student nurse. Whic
element should the RN explain is needed first to make a clinical judgment?
,A.Intuition
B.Initiation of practice
C.Nursing school education
D.Multiple years of experience - ANS >>: C
According to Tanner's clinical judgment model, thinking like a nurse begins with nursing education, whic
teaches fundamental nursing skills and knowledge. Intuition develops from experience and nursin
knowledge over time. Initiation of practice does improve critical thinking skills but is not the initiatin
factor.
During the process of reflection, what is the most appropriate question for a nurse to ask himself o
herself?
A."What could I have done differently?"
B."What's going on right now?"
C."How can the patient's status change?"
D."What should I do to communicate this information?" - ANS >>: A
Reflection is the action of retrospectively making sense of occurrences, experiences, situations, o
decisions and learning from them. What did or did not work? What could have been done differently t
achieve better outcomes?
Entering a room at 2:00 am, a nurse notes that the patient is not in bed; the patient is sitting in the cha
and states that she is having difficulty sleeping. Employing critical thinking, the nurse responds by:
A.Assisting the patient back into bed
B.Asking more about the patient's sleep problem
C.Positioning the patient and providing a warm blanket
D.Obtaining an order for a hypnotic medication - ANS >>: B
Critical thinking involves collecting, interpreting, analyzing, drawing conclusions first prior to acting. A
C and D are interventions.
Which of the following definitions best describes Critical Thinking?
A. The thinking process by which a nurse reaches a clinical judgement.
B.The result (outcome) of critical thinking or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion mad
C.Systematic decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals o
groups to actual or potential alterations in health.
D.The deliberate nonlinear process of collecting, interpreting, analyzing, drawing conclusions abou
presenting, and evaluating information. - ANS >>: D
Critical thinking is a broad/umbrella term that includes reasoning outside and inside of the clinical setting
Definition is from The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Critical thinking skill
are necessary for sound clinical decision making. Clinical Reasoning is the thinking process by which
, nurse reaches a clinical judgement. Clinical Judgement refers to the result (outcome) of critical thinkin
or clinical reasoning-the conclusion, decision, or opinion made. Nursing Process: Five-part systemati
decision-making method focusing on identifying and treating responses of individuals or groups to actua
or potential alterations in health. (NANDA: North American Nursing Diagnosis Association)
A nurse completes an initial assessment of a client. The nurse clusters related data, recognizes a pattern
signs and symptoms and determines a diagnosis. The nurse is engaged in which step of Tanner's clinica
judgment model?
A.Noticing
B.Interpreting
C.Responding
D.Reflecting - ANS >>: B
The step of interpreting in Tanner's clinal judgment model includes: Comparing and contrasting data
clustering related information, recognizing inconsistencies, checking accuracy and reliability
distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information and determining the importance of information
Which of the statements best describes the purpose of the nursing process?
A.Deliver care to a client in an organized way.
B.Implement a plan that is close to the medical model.
C.Identify client needs and deliver care to meet those needs.
D.Make sure that standardized care is available to clients. - ANS >>: C
The purpose of the nursing process is to diagnose and treat human responses to actual or potential healt
problems. Simply described as identifying a client's actual or potential healthcare problems or needs
establishing plans to meet the identified needs, and delivering specific nursing interventions to mee
those needs. The Nursing Process is the framework within which nurses provide care to patients in a
organized and effective manner, it is not the purpose. The nursing process is not part of the medica
model. The nursing process is individualized for each client's care plan. It is not about standardizing care
The nurse is planning care for a new patient with unstable blood glucose levels. Which should be th
priority action by the nurse?
A.Establish a specific nursing diagnosis.
B.Complete an assessment on the client.
C.Create a plan of nursing care for the client.
D.Carry out solutions to manage the problem. - ANS >>: B
The five steps of the nursing process are assessment, diagnosis, planning implementation, an
evaluation. The nurse should first perform a thorough assessment and then create a nursing diagnosi
