Standards of Practice & Standards of Professional
Performance
Stem: Which statement best reflects the ANA’s definition of the
professional scope of nursing?
A. Nursing is primarily the execution of physician orders and
administrative tasks.
B. Nursing focuses on caring, prevention, health promotion, and
restoration across settings.
C. Nursing only includes acute hospital care for medically
complex patients.
D. Nursing is limited to technical skills such as medication
administration and wound care.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): The ANA defines nursing broadly to include
caring, health promotion, prevention, restoration, and advocacy
across all settings and populations; this reflects the profession’s
full scope.
Rationale (A): Incorrect — While nurses implement orders, the
ANA scope emphasizes independent nursing responsibilities
beyond executing orders.
Rationale (C): Incorrect — Nursing practice spans community,
public health, long-term care, ambulatory, and acute settings.
Rationale (D): Incorrect — Technical skills are part of nursing
but do not encompass the profession’s holistic scope.
,Teaching Point: Nursing encompasses holistic care, prevention,
and health promotion across diverse settings.
2. Chapter 1, Section 2: Standards of Practice (ADPIE)
Stem: A nurse conducts a comprehensive assessment,
interprets data, and develops a plan of care. Which ANA
standard is being applied?
A. Standard I: Professional Performance
B. Standard II: Diagnosis and Outcomes Identification
C. Standard III: Outcomes Identification
D. Standard IV: Planning
Correct Answer: D
Rationale (Correct): Planning corresponds to development of
individualized strategies and measurable outcomes after
assessment and diagnosis; it’s the standard guiding plan
creation.
Rationale (A): Incorrect — Professional performance standards
address behaviors and responsibilities, not the care planning
sequence.
Rationale (B): Incorrect — Diagnosis and outcomes
identification focuses on problem identification, not the
subsequent planning step.
Rationale (C): Incorrect — Outcomes identification is separate;
planning organizes interventions to meet those outcomes.
, Teaching Point: Use the standards sequence (assessment →
diagnosis → outcomes → planning → implementation →
evaluation).
3. Chapter 1, Section 2: Standards of Practice
(Implementation)
Stem: During implementation, a nurse administers a prescribed
medication and teaches the patient about side effects. Which
element of the nursing process is illustrated?
A. Evaluation
B. Implementation
C. Diagnosis
D. Assessment
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Implementation includes carrying out
interventions (e.g., medication administration) and teaching,
both actions to achieve identified outcomes.
Rationale (A): Incorrect — Evaluation assesses effectiveness
after interventions, not the action itself.
Rationale (C): Incorrect — Diagnosis is the analysis of
assessment data to identify problems.
Rationale (D): Incorrect — Assessment is data collection prior
to intervention.
Teaching Point: Implementation translates plans into actionable
nursing interventions and education.