NCLEX RN Fundamentals 2026/2027 Ultimate
Study Guide with 300+ Practice Questions and
Detailed Rationales for First-Attempt Success
The nurse on the medical unit is caring for a patient who does not
speak English, and the nurse does not understand the patient's
language. Which of the following is most appropriate for the nurse
to do when speaking with the patient?
a. Have the patient's wife translate
b. Speak using medical terminology to avoid misunderstanding
c. Keep in mind translation is more important than nonverbal
communication
d. Have a certified medical interpreter translate
......ANSWER.....d. Have a certified medical interpreter
translate
Medical interpreters are certified in translation for scenarios
like this. Rigorous training and testing is performed before
becoming a medical interpreter, so this is the best way to
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interpret for a patient and prevent mistakes and
misunderstandings.
The nurse is completing the preoperative checklist for a patient
scheduled for surgery. In reviewing the chart, the nurse finds the
consent has not been signed by the patient. When the patient
starts asking questions regarding the surgery, what is the next
action the nurse should take?
a. Have the patient sign the consent
b. Tell the patient all questions will be answered by the surgeon
before the anesthesiologist administers anesthetic
c. Contact the surgeon to inform them the patient has
questions regarding the procedure
d. Answer all the patient's questions ......ANSWER.....c. Contact the
surgeon to inform them the patient has questions regarding the
procedure
Before any invasive procedure, the surgeon must inform the
patient of what the procedure entails, the purpose for the
procedure, and the potential risks associated with that
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procedure before the consent is signed by the patient. (Hence
the term "informed consent.") If the consent has not been
signed and the patient has questions, the healthcare provider
has not reviewed the procedure and risks involved and needs
to do so before the procedure.
The nurse is caring for a patient who had an endoscopic total
hysterectomy and is now experiencing urinary retention. The nurse
is preparing to contact the healthcare provider using SBAR
(situation background assessment recommendation). Which of the
following questions is a part of SBAR communication?
a. "Could you tell me what I need to do?"
b. "What do you need to know about the patient?"
c. "I believe the patient needs a urinary catheter."
d. "Why do you think the patient is unable to urinate?"
......ANSWER.....c. "I believe the patient needs a urinary catheter."
Making a recommendation to the healthcare provider is part
of SBAR.
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The following is an example of how the nurse could
effectively use SBAR in this patient situation:
• Situation: "Mrs. Jones is experiencing urinary retention."
• Background: "She had an endoscopic total hysterectomy."
• Assessment: "Her vital signs have been stable today. She is
taking PO fluids but has had no urine output in the last five
hours. Her bladder is distended."
• Recommendation: "I recommend that you see her and we
insert an indwelling urinary Foley catheter and measure
urine output every two hours."
A patient is recovering from a total abdominal hysterectomy.
When assessed by the nurse eight hours after the procedure, which
of the following would the nurse identify as an early sign of shock?
a. Restlessness
b. Warm, dry skin that is pale
c. Heart rate of 115 bpm
d. Urine output 50 mL/hr ......ANSWER.....a. Restlessness