NCLEX RN [2026/2027] | A+ VERIFIED ANSWERS | UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS | DETAILED EXPLANATIONS | COMPLETE
STUDY GUIDE
• A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences an
episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the medication
error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 2
Rationale: Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform or
not perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same
or similar circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be
the opposite of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different
medication does not fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to
follow a direct order does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may be
correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
,• A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies, "I'm
unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and provides an
explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 4
Rationale: Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This nurse is
acting on the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it back to
the client. Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling the
truth for example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence
means doing good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker
out of sight) that benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted
diet).
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
• An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the seizure, a
nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without stopping to assist.
The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to win a judgement for
which reason?
, 1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time. -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 1
Rationale: To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship with the
client that involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a component
of employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do in this
situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not
prevent the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-
duty, the nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee
at the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's
behalf.
• An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is given
aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The client
subsequently has a bleeding episode because of a drug interaction. The legal
nurse consultant interprets that which necessary elements of malpractice are
missing from this case? Select all that apply.
1. Breech of duty
2. Duty owed
3. Injury experienced
ACTUAL QUESTIONS | DETAILED EXPLANATIONS | COMPLETE
STUDY GUIDE
• A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences an
episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the medication
error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 2
Rationale: Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform or
not perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same
or similar circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be
the opposite of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different
medication does not fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to
follow a direct order does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level: Applying
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may be
correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
,• A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies, "I'm
unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and provides an
explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 4
Rationale: Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This nurse is
acting on the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it back to
the client. Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling the
truth for example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence
means doing good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker
out of sight) that benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted
diet).
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
• An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the seizure, a
nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without stopping to assist.
The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to win a judgement for
which reason?
, 1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time. -✓✓ANSWER: Answer: 1
Rationale: To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship with the
client that involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a component
of employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do in this
situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not
prevent the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-
duty, the nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level: Understanding
Client Need: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee
at the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's
behalf.
• An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is given
aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The client
subsequently has a bleeding episode because of a drug interaction. The legal
nurse consultant interprets that which necessary elements of malpractice are
missing from this case? Select all that apply.
1. Breech of duty
2. Duty owed
3. Injury experienced
