Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of
Medical-Surgical Nursing
16th Edition
• Author(s)Janice L. Hinkle; Kerry H.
Cheever; Kristen J. Overbaugh; Carolyn
E. Bradley
ISBN: 9781975221133
Question 1
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is planning care for a newly
admitted client. Which activity is the best example of an RN-
only responsibility?
Options:
A. Reinforcing teaching about incentive spirometer use
B. Collecting a routine set of vital signs on a stable client
,C. Performing the initial nursing assessment
D. Assisting the client to ambulate after surgery
Correct Answer:
C. Performing the initial nursing assessment
Rationale for A:
Reinforcing teaching is an appropriate RN task, but it is not
exclusive to the RN. Licensed practical/vocational nurses may
reinforce previously taught material depending on policy, and
unlicensed assistive personnel should not provide teaching.
Rationale for B:
Collecting routine vital signs on a stable client may be
delegated to trained assistive personnel in many settings. This
task does not require the full scope of RN assessment judgment
unless the client is unstable or the findings are unexpected.
Rationale for C:
The initial nursing assessment requires clinical reasoning, data
interpretation, and development of the plan of care. The RN
must gather and analyze the first comprehensive assessment
data to establish priorities and identify nursing problems.
Rationale for D:
Assisting with ambulation after surgery is a common supportive
task that may be delegated or performed by nursing staff based
on the client’s condition and facility policy. It does not require
RN-only licensure-level judgment.
,Key Takeaway:
The RN is responsible for the initial assessment because it
requires independent clinical judgment.
Question 2
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
Which situation is the best example of a social determinant of
health that can influence a person’s ability to stay healthy?
Options:
A. The client prefers to eat three small meals each day
B. The client lives in housing that has frequent mold exposure
C. The client takes prescribed medication at the same time daily
D. The client says they enjoy walking for exercise
Correct Answer:
B. The client lives in housing that has frequent mold exposure
Rationale for A:
Meal pattern preference may influence self-care, but it is not a
social determinant. It does not directly reflect the broader
economic, environmental, or social conditions that shape
health outcomes.
Rationale for B:
Housing quality is a major social determinant of health. Mold
exposure can worsen respiratory symptoms, increase health
, care use, and reflect environmental conditions that limit
wellness and safety.
Rationale for C:
Medication adherence is an individual health behavior rather
than a social determinant. It may affect health outcomes, but it
does not describe the social and environmental conditions
surrounding the client.
Rationale for D:
Enjoying exercise is a personal preference and a positive health
behavior. It is not, by itself, a social determinant of health.
Key Takeaway:
Social determinants of health are the conditions in which
people live, work, and age.
Question 3
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
A client is scheduled for a procedure that requires informed
consent. The client tells the nurse, “I do not really understand
what the doctor said.” What is the nurse’s best action?
Options:
A. Explain the procedure in more detail and ask the client to
sign
B. Notify the provider that the client needs further explanation
Medical-Surgical Nursing
16th Edition
• Author(s)Janice L. Hinkle; Kerry H.
Cheever; Kristen J. Overbaugh; Carolyn
E. Bradley
ISBN: 9781975221133
Question 1
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is planning care for a newly
admitted client. Which activity is the best example of an RN-
only responsibility?
Options:
A. Reinforcing teaching about incentive spirometer use
B. Collecting a routine set of vital signs on a stable client
,C. Performing the initial nursing assessment
D. Assisting the client to ambulate after surgery
Correct Answer:
C. Performing the initial nursing assessment
Rationale for A:
Reinforcing teaching is an appropriate RN task, but it is not
exclusive to the RN. Licensed practical/vocational nurses may
reinforce previously taught material depending on policy, and
unlicensed assistive personnel should not provide teaching.
Rationale for B:
Collecting routine vital signs on a stable client may be
delegated to trained assistive personnel in many settings. This
task does not require the full scope of RN assessment judgment
unless the client is unstable or the findings are unexpected.
Rationale for C:
The initial nursing assessment requires clinical reasoning, data
interpretation, and development of the plan of care. The RN
must gather and analyze the first comprehensive assessment
data to establish priorities and identify nursing problems.
Rationale for D:
Assisting with ambulation after surgery is a common supportive
task that may be delegated or performed by nursing staff based
on the client’s condition and facility policy. It does not require
RN-only licensure-level judgment.
,Key Takeaway:
The RN is responsible for the initial assessment because it
requires independent clinical judgment.
Question 2
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
Which situation is the best example of a social determinant of
health that can influence a person’s ability to stay healthy?
Options:
A. The client prefers to eat three small meals each day
B. The client lives in housing that has frequent mold exposure
C. The client takes prescribed medication at the same time daily
D. The client says they enjoy walking for exercise
Correct Answer:
B. The client lives in housing that has frequent mold exposure
Rationale for A:
Meal pattern preference may influence self-care, but it is not a
social determinant. It does not directly reflect the broader
economic, environmental, or social conditions that shape
health outcomes.
Rationale for B:
Housing quality is a major social determinant of health. Mold
exposure can worsen respiratory symptoms, increase health
, care use, and reflect environmental conditions that limit
wellness and safety.
Rationale for C:
Medication adherence is an individual health behavior rather
than a social determinant. It may affect health outcomes, but it
does not describe the social and environmental conditions
surrounding the client.
Rationale for D:
Enjoying exercise is a personal preference and a positive health
behavior. It is not, by itself, a social determinant of health.
Key Takeaway:
Social determinants of health are the conditions in which
people live, work, and age.
Question 3
Question Type: MCQ
Question Stem:
A client is scheduled for a procedure that requires informed
consent. The client tells the nurse, “I do not really understand
what the doctor said.” What is the nurse’s best action?
Options:
A. Explain the procedure in more detail and ask the client to
sign
B. Notify the provider that the client needs further explanation
