, Chapter1: Foundations of Nursing Practice
Stem: Which statement best reflects the ANA’s definition of
professional nursing practice?
A. Nursing primarily provides personal care and household
assistance.
B. Nursing focuses exclusively on diagnosing disease and
prescribing treatment.
C. Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of
health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation
of healing, alleviation of suffering, and advocacy.
D. Nursing only implements orders written by physicians.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale (Correct): The ANA defines nursing broadly to include
health promotion, prevention, restoration, and advocacy; this
captures nursing’s holistic and autonomous responsibilities. It
explicitly includes monitoring and administering medications
safely as part of protecting and promoting patient health.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Too narrow; personal care is a component but not the full
professional definition.
B — Incorrect; diagnosis and prescribing are primarily medical
functions, though nurses participate in assessment and
collaborative care planning.
D — Incorrect; nursing is autonomous and collaborative, not
solely an implementing role.
,Teaching Point: Nursing is a holistic, autonomous profession
focused on health promotion, prevention, and advocacy.
2.
Chapter Reference: Chapter 1 — Section 1: Standards of
Practice (ADPIE)
Stem: Under the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, which
activity best exemplifies the “assessment” standard?
A. Writing a discharge medication prescription.
B. Collecting a complete medication history including allergies
and current OTC use.
C. Delegating vital-sign checks to assistive personnel without
review.
D. Approving a colleague’s clinical documentation.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Assessment requires systematic collection
of data, and a comprehensive medication history (including
allergies and OTCs) is essential for safe care and pharmacologic
decision-making.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Prescribing is not within RN assessment; this is a
prescriptive action.
C — Delegation without review does not fulfill the nurse’s
responsibility to ensure accurate assessment data.
, D — Approving another’s documentation is unrelated to initial
assessment.
Teaching Point: Comprehensive medication assessment is a
core nursing assessment responsibility.
3.
Chapter Reference: Chapter 1 — Section 1: Standards of
Practice (Diagnosis & Outcome Identification)
Stem: A nurse identifies a patient’s risk for falls related to new
antihypertensive therapy. This action best represents which
ANA standard?
A. Implementation
B. Outcome identification
C. Professional performance
D. Environmental health
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Outcome identification involves
determining expected outcomes and recognizing risks (e.g., fall
risk related to postural hypotension from antihypertensives) to
guide planning and safety interventions.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Implementation follows planning and outcome
identification; the nurse hasn’t yet taken interventions.
C — Professional performance relates to how nurses carry out
duties, not this clinical risk identification.
Stem: Which statement best reflects the ANA’s definition of
professional nursing practice?
A. Nursing primarily provides personal care and household
assistance.
B. Nursing focuses exclusively on diagnosing disease and
prescribing treatment.
C. Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of
health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation
of healing, alleviation of suffering, and advocacy.
D. Nursing only implements orders written by physicians.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale (Correct): The ANA defines nursing broadly to include
health promotion, prevention, restoration, and advocacy; this
captures nursing’s holistic and autonomous responsibilities. It
explicitly includes monitoring and administering medications
safely as part of protecting and promoting patient health.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Too narrow; personal care is a component but not the full
professional definition.
B — Incorrect; diagnosis and prescribing are primarily medical
functions, though nurses participate in assessment and
collaborative care planning.
D — Incorrect; nursing is autonomous and collaborative, not
solely an implementing role.
,Teaching Point: Nursing is a holistic, autonomous profession
focused on health promotion, prevention, and advocacy.
2.
Chapter Reference: Chapter 1 — Section 1: Standards of
Practice (ADPIE)
Stem: Under the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, which
activity best exemplifies the “assessment” standard?
A. Writing a discharge medication prescription.
B. Collecting a complete medication history including allergies
and current OTC use.
C. Delegating vital-sign checks to assistive personnel without
review.
D. Approving a colleague’s clinical documentation.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Assessment requires systematic collection
of data, and a comprehensive medication history (including
allergies and OTCs) is essential for safe care and pharmacologic
decision-making.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Prescribing is not within RN assessment; this is a
prescriptive action.
C — Delegation without review does not fulfill the nurse’s
responsibility to ensure accurate assessment data.
, D — Approving another’s documentation is unrelated to initial
assessment.
Teaching Point: Comprehensive medication assessment is a
core nursing assessment responsibility.
3.
Chapter Reference: Chapter 1 — Section 1: Standards of
Practice (Diagnosis & Outcome Identification)
Stem: A nurse identifies a patient’s risk for falls related to new
antihypertensive therapy. This action best represents which
ANA standard?
A. Implementation
B. Outcome identification
C. Professional performance
D. Environmental health
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Outcome identification involves
determining expected outcomes and recognizing risks (e.g., fall
risk related to postural hypotension from antihypertensives) to
guide planning and safety interventions.
Rationale (Incorrects):
A — Implementation follows planning and outcome
identification; the nurse hasn’t yet taken interventions.
C — Professional performance relates to how nurses carry out
duties, not this clinical risk identification.
