KAPLAN CAT PRACTICE EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026
Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Clinical Judgment and Decision-Making
Patient Safety and Risk Reduction
Care Management and Prioritization
Infection Control and Preventive Care
Pharmacology and Medication Safety
Nursing Ethics and Professional Standards
Regulatory Compliance and Legal Issues
Acute and Chronic Care Management
Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration
Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Introduction
This comprehensive assessment is designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities essential for nursing practice and
successful performance on clinical judgment examinations. The exam assesses your capability to make sound clinical decisions, prioritize patient
care, manage risks, and apply evidence-based practices in real-world healthcare scenarios. Through a combination of multiple-choice questions and
scenario-based items, the test emphasizes real-world application, emphasizing how nurses analyze patient data, recognize cues, prioritize actions,
and evaluate outcomes. The structure mirrors professional nursing certification and clinical judgment assessments, ensuring you develop the
decision-making competencies required for safe, effective patient care in diverse healthcare settings.*
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a patient with pneumonia who develops sudden shortness of breath and chest pain. Which action should the nurse prioritize
first?
,A. Administer supplemental oxygen
B. Auscultate lung sounds
C. Obtain vital signs
D. Call the rapid response team
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: Supplemental oxygen is the priority intervention because the patient is experiencing potential respiratory compromise or
pulmonary embolism. Immediate oxygenation prevents hypoxia and tissue damage while the nurse continues assessment and prepares for further
intervention [clinical judgment principle: address life-threatening physiological needs first].
Question 2
Which statement best describes the difference between acute and chronic pain?
A. Acute pain lasts longer than 6 months; chronic pain is sudden
B. Acute pain is sudden and resolves with healing; chronic pain persists beyond normal healing
C. Acute pain has no autonomic response; chronic pain causes tachycardia
D. Acute pain is always psychological; chronic pain is physiological
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Acute pain is sudden in onset, typically related to tissue injury, and resolves as healing occurs. Chronic pain persists beyond the
expected healing period (usually >3 months) and may lack an identifiable cause, requiring different management approaches [foundational theory:
pain classification].
Question 3
A patient on warfarin therapy has a prothrombin time of 45 seconds (normal: 11–13.5 seconds). What is the most appropriate nursing action?
A. Administer the next dose as scheduled
B. Document the finding and continue monitoring
C. Notify the provider immediately
D. Give vitamin K without orders
,🟢 Correct answer: C
🔴 RATIONALE: A prothrombin time of 45 seconds indicates excessive anticoagulation and high bleeding risk. The provider must be notified
immediately to adjust warfarin dosage or intervene; documentation alone is insufficient, and vitamin K requires specific orders [regulatory
compliance: abnormal lab values require immediate provider notification].
Question 4
Which ethical principle is demonstrated when a nurse respects a patient's decision to refuse blood transfusion despite medical recommendation?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Autonomy
D. Paternalism
🟢 Correct answer: C
🔴 RATIONALE: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects a patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care, including refusal
of treatment, even when the decision conflicts with medical recommendations [ethics and professional standards: patient rights].
Question 5
A nurse is preparing to administer IV potassium chloride. Which safety measure is MOST critical?
A. Use an infusion pump with exact rate control
B. Dilute in 100 mL normal saline
C. Administer over 30 minutes
D. Check blood pressure before infusion
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: IV potassium must always be administered via an infusion pump with precise rate control to prevent fatal hyperkalemia or cardiac
arrest. Rapid injection or uncontrolled infusion can cause lethal arrhythmias; dilution and timing are important but secondary to pump use
[pharmacology and medication safety: high-risk medications].
, Question 6
Which finding in a postoperative patient requires the MOST immediate intervention?
A. Heart rate of 98 beats/min
B. Urine output of 15 mL in 2 hours
C. Temperature of 37.8°C (100.1°F)
D. Pain score of 6/10
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Urine output of 15 mL in 2 hours indicates oliguria and potential acute kidney injury or hypovolemia. Normal output is ≥30 mL/hr;
this finding requires immediate assessment and intervention to prevent renal damage [assessment and diagnostic reasoning: critical lab/clinical
values].
Question 7
A patient with diabetes mellitus has a blood glucose of 42 mg/dL. After administering oral glucose, which outcome indicates effective treatment?
A. Blood glucose increases to 95 mg/dL
B. Patient reports reduced hunger
C. Heart rate decreases from 110 to 88 beats/min
D. Skin becomes less diaphoretic
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: The primary goal of hypoglycemia treatment is to restore blood glucose to a safe range (>70 mg/dL). An increase to 95 mg/dL
confirms physiological correction; other symptoms may improve but are secondary to glucose normalization [applied professional knowledge:
diabetes management].
Question 8
Which action violates infection control standards in a clinical setting?
Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Clinical Judgment and Decision-Making
Patient Safety and Risk Reduction
Care Management and Prioritization
Infection Control and Preventive Care
Pharmacology and Medication Safety
Nursing Ethics and Professional Standards
Regulatory Compliance and Legal Issues
Acute and Chronic Care Management
Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration
Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Introduction
This comprehensive assessment is designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities essential for nursing practice and
successful performance on clinical judgment examinations. The exam assesses your capability to make sound clinical decisions, prioritize patient
care, manage risks, and apply evidence-based practices in real-world healthcare scenarios. Through a combination of multiple-choice questions and
scenario-based items, the test emphasizes real-world application, emphasizing how nurses analyze patient data, recognize cues, prioritize actions,
and evaluate outcomes. The structure mirrors professional nursing certification and clinical judgment assessments, ensuring you develop the
decision-making competencies required for safe, effective patient care in diverse healthcare settings.*
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a patient with pneumonia who develops sudden shortness of breath and chest pain. Which action should the nurse prioritize
first?
,A. Administer supplemental oxygen
B. Auscultate lung sounds
C. Obtain vital signs
D. Call the rapid response team
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: Supplemental oxygen is the priority intervention because the patient is experiencing potential respiratory compromise or
pulmonary embolism. Immediate oxygenation prevents hypoxia and tissue damage while the nurse continues assessment and prepares for further
intervention [clinical judgment principle: address life-threatening physiological needs first].
Question 2
Which statement best describes the difference between acute and chronic pain?
A. Acute pain lasts longer than 6 months; chronic pain is sudden
B. Acute pain is sudden and resolves with healing; chronic pain persists beyond normal healing
C. Acute pain has no autonomic response; chronic pain causes tachycardia
D. Acute pain is always psychological; chronic pain is physiological
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Acute pain is sudden in onset, typically related to tissue injury, and resolves as healing occurs. Chronic pain persists beyond the
expected healing period (usually >3 months) and may lack an identifiable cause, requiring different management approaches [foundational theory:
pain classification].
Question 3
A patient on warfarin therapy has a prothrombin time of 45 seconds (normal: 11–13.5 seconds). What is the most appropriate nursing action?
A. Administer the next dose as scheduled
B. Document the finding and continue monitoring
C. Notify the provider immediately
D. Give vitamin K without orders
,🟢 Correct answer: C
🔴 RATIONALE: A prothrombin time of 45 seconds indicates excessive anticoagulation and high bleeding risk. The provider must be notified
immediately to adjust warfarin dosage or intervene; documentation alone is insufficient, and vitamin K requires specific orders [regulatory
compliance: abnormal lab values require immediate provider notification].
Question 4
Which ethical principle is demonstrated when a nurse respects a patient's decision to refuse blood transfusion despite medical recommendation?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Autonomy
D. Paternalism
🟢 Correct answer: C
🔴 RATIONALE: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects a patient's right to make informed decisions about their own care, including refusal
of treatment, even when the decision conflicts with medical recommendations [ethics and professional standards: patient rights].
Question 5
A nurse is preparing to administer IV potassium chloride. Which safety measure is MOST critical?
A. Use an infusion pump with exact rate control
B. Dilute in 100 mL normal saline
C. Administer over 30 minutes
D. Check blood pressure before infusion
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: IV potassium must always be administered via an infusion pump with precise rate control to prevent fatal hyperkalemia or cardiac
arrest. Rapid injection or uncontrolled infusion can cause lethal arrhythmias; dilution and timing are important but secondary to pump use
[pharmacology and medication safety: high-risk medications].
, Question 6
Which finding in a postoperative patient requires the MOST immediate intervention?
A. Heart rate of 98 beats/min
B. Urine output of 15 mL in 2 hours
C. Temperature of 37.8°C (100.1°F)
D. Pain score of 6/10
🟢 Correct answer: B
🔴 RATIONALE: Urine output of 15 mL in 2 hours indicates oliguria and potential acute kidney injury or hypovolemia. Normal output is ≥30 mL/hr;
this finding requires immediate assessment and intervention to prevent renal damage [assessment and diagnostic reasoning: critical lab/clinical
values].
Question 7
A patient with diabetes mellitus has a blood glucose of 42 mg/dL. After administering oral glucose, which outcome indicates effective treatment?
A. Blood glucose increases to 95 mg/dL
B. Patient reports reduced hunger
C. Heart rate decreases from 110 to 88 beats/min
D. Skin becomes less diaphoretic
🟢 Correct answer: A
🔴 RATIONALE: The primary goal of hypoglycemia treatment is to restore blood glucose to a safe range (>70 mg/dL). An increase to 95 mg/dL
confirms physiological correction; other symptoms may improve but are secondary to glucose normalization [applied professional knowledge:
diabetes management].
Question 8
Which action violates infection control standards in a clinical setting?
