NURSING NOW
TODAY'S ISSUES, TOMORROW'S
TRENDS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JOSEPH CATALANO
TEST BANK
1) Professional characteristics
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Characteristics of a profession
Stem: A new RN tells a nurse manager, “I follow orders, but I do
not think of nursing as a profession like medicine.” The manager
wants to reinforce what distinguishes a profession from a task-
based job. Which statement best reflects a professional nursing
role?
,A. “A profession is defined mainly by the amount of direct
supervision it requires.”
B. “A profession uses a specialized knowledge base and
exercises accountable judgment.”
C. “A profession is any job that requires technical skill and shift
work.”
D. “A profession is primarily identified by the length of the
workday.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Correct: A profession is grounded in a specialized body of
knowledge, autonomous judgment, accountability, and service
to society. Nursing is not simply task completion; it requires
clinical reasoning and professional responsibility.
A: Supervision level does not define a profession. Many
professional roles involve varying degrees of supervision
depending on context.
C: Technical skill alone does not make a profession. Professions
require a deeper knowledge base and standards of practice.
D: Work hours are unrelated to professional status.
Teaching Point: Professions require specialized knowledge,
autonomy, accountability, and service.
Citation: Catalano, J. (2024). Nursing Now: Today’s Issues,
Tomorrow’s Trends (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
,2) Autonomy and accountability
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Autonomy and accountability
Stem: During orientation, a student nurse says, “If the provider
enters a questionable order, I should just carry it out because
the RN is responsible for the patient.” Which response by the
preceptor best demonstrates professional accountability?
A. “Yes, once the order is written, nursing should implement it
immediately.”
B. “The provider is always responsible for the order, so nursing
has no duty to question it.”
C. “You are responsible for assessing whether the order is safe
and clarifying concerns before acting.”
D. “You should wait until the charge nurse decides whether the
order is appropriate.”
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Correct: Professional accountability requires nurses to use
judgment, identify unsafe or unclear orders, and advocate for
safe care. Nursing practice includes the duty to question and
clarify inappropriate orders.
A: Nurses are not obligated to implement orders blindly.
B: Shared responsibility does not eliminate the nurse’s duty to
protect the patient.
, D: Escalation may be appropriate, but the bedside nurse still
has immediate accountability to assess and act safely.
Teaching Point: Accountability includes questioning unsafe
orders before implementation.
Citation: Catalano, J. (2024). Nursing Now: Today’s Issues,
Tomorrow’s Trends (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Specialized knowledge base
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Knowledge base of nursing
Stem: A hospital is redesigning roles to improve efficiency. One
administrator suggests that experienced unlicensed staff can
replace RNs on a medical-surgical unit because “most nursing
care is common sense.” Which response best reflects the
professional knowledge base of nursing?
A. “That could work because nursing care is mostly routine.”
B. “RNs bring assessment, clinical judgment, and integration of
evidence to care.”
C. “The main difference is that RNs document more
thoroughly.”
D. “Licensed nurses are needed only for medication
administration.”
Correct Answer: B
TODAY'S ISSUES, TOMORROW'S
TRENDS
9TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)JOSEPH CATALANO
TEST BANK
1) Professional characteristics
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Characteristics of a profession
Stem: A new RN tells a nurse manager, “I follow orders, but I do
not think of nursing as a profession like medicine.” The manager
wants to reinforce what distinguishes a profession from a task-
based job. Which statement best reflects a professional nursing
role?
,A. “A profession is defined mainly by the amount of direct
supervision it requires.”
B. “A profession uses a specialized knowledge base and
exercises accountable judgment.”
C. “A profession is any job that requires technical skill and shift
work.”
D. “A profession is primarily identified by the length of the
workday.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Correct: A profession is grounded in a specialized body of
knowledge, autonomous judgment, accountability, and service
to society. Nursing is not simply task completion; it requires
clinical reasoning and professional responsibility.
A: Supervision level does not define a profession. Many
professional roles involve varying degrees of supervision
depending on context.
C: Technical skill alone does not make a profession. Professions
require a deeper knowledge base and standards of practice.
D: Work hours are unrelated to professional status.
Teaching Point: Professions require specialized knowledge,
autonomy, accountability, and service.
Citation: Catalano, J. (2024). Nursing Now: Today’s Issues,
Tomorrow’s Trends (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
,2) Autonomy and accountability
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Autonomy and accountability
Stem: During orientation, a student nurse says, “If the provider
enters a questionable order, I should just carry it out because
the RN is responsible for the patient.” Which response by the
preceptor best demonstrates professional accountability?
A. “Yes, once the order is written, nursing should implement it
immediately.”
B. “The provider is always responsible for the order, so nursing
has no duty to question it.”
C. “You are responsible for assessing whether the order is safe
and clarifying concerns before acting.”
D. “You should wait until the charge nurse decides whether the
order is appropriate.”
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Correct: Professional accountability requires nurses to use
judgment, identify unsafe or unclear orders, and advocate for
safe care. Nursing practice includes the duty to question and
clarify inappropriate orders.
A: Nurses are not obligated to implement orders blindly.
B: Shared responsibility does not eliminate the nurse’s duty to
protect the patient.
, D: Escalation may be appropriate, but the bedside nurse still
has immediate accountability to assess and act safely.
Teaching Point: Accountability includes questioning unsafe
orders before implementation.
Citation: Catalano, J. (2024). Nursing Now: Today’s Issues,
Tomorrow’s Trends (9th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Specialized knowledge base
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Development of a Profession —
Knowledge base of nursing
Stem: A hospital is redesigning roles to improve efficiency. One
administrator suggests that experienced unlicensed staff can
replace RNs on a medical-surgical unit because “most nursing
care is common sense.” Which response best reflects the
professional knowledge base of nursing?
A. “That could work because nursing care is mostly routine.”
B. “RNs bring assessment, clinical judgment, and integration of
evidence to care.”
C. “The main difference is that RNs document more
thoroughly.”
D. “Licensed nurses are needed only for medication
administration.”
Correct Answer: B
