KAPLAN FUNDAMENTALS INTEGRATED EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Nursing Fundamentals and Basic Care
Health Promotion and Maintenance
Psychosocial Adaptation and Ethics
Regulatory and Legal Compliance in Nursing
Infection Control and Safety Principles
Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy
Wound Care and Pressure Injury Prevention
Vital Signs and Physical Assessment
Medication Administration and Pharmacology Basics
Communication and Documentation Standards
This comprehensive assessment is designed to prepare nursing students for the Kaplan Fundamentals Integrated Exam by evaluating essential
knowledge and clinical judgment skills required for safe, effective nursing practice at the fundamentals level. The exam assesses competency
across foundational nursing theory, applied professional knowledge, regulatory compliance, ethics, and real-world clinical scenarios that reflect
everyday decision-making in healthcare settings.
The assessment consists of 100 multiple-choice questions featuring both direct knowledge items and scenario-based clinical judgments. Questions
emphasize critical thinking, priority setting, care planning, and the application of evidence-based practices. Success on this exam requires not only
recall of factual information but also the ability to analyze situations, prioritize interventions, and make sound clinical decisions aligned with
professional standards and patient safety principles.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who has just been admitted with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The patient asks the nurse to explain what informed
consent means for their upcoming procedures. Which response is most accurate?
, A. Informed consent means the patient must sign all forms before any treatment begins.
B. Informed consent ensures the patient understands the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
C. Informed consent is only required for surgical procedures and not for medication administration.
D. Informed consent can be obtained by any healthcare staff member involved in the patient's care.
🟢 B. Informed consent ensures the patient understands the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
🔴 RATIONALE: Informed consent is a legal and ethical process that protects patient autonomy by ensuring the patient understands the procedure,
risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
2. A patient with a pressure injury on the sacrum is being evaluated. The nurse notes the wound has full-thickness tissue loss with visible subcutaneous
fat but no exposed bone or muscle. How should this wound be classified?
A. Stage 1 pressure injury.
B. Stage 2 pressure injury.
C. Stage 3 pressure injury.
D. Stage 4 pressure injury.
🟢 C. Stage 3 pressure injury.
🔴 RATIONALE: Stage 3 pressure injuries involve full-thickness tissue loss with visible subcutaneous fat but no exposed bone, tendon, or muscle.
3. During medication administration, a nurse realizes they have given the wrong medication to a patient. What is the FIRST action the nurse should
take?
A. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
B. Assess the patient for any adverse effects.
C. Complete an incident report.
D. Tell the family about the error.
🟢 B. Assess the patient for any adverse effects.
🔴 RATIONALE: The first priority after a medication error is patient safety, so the nurse must assess the patient for any immediate harm or adverse
effects.
4. A nurse is teaching a patient about proper hand hygiene to prevent infection. Which statement by the patient indicates correct understanding?
, A. “I only need to wash my hands when they look dirty.”
B. “I should use alcohol-based sanitizer even when my hands are visibly soiled.”
C. “I need to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom.”
D. “Hand hygiene is only necessary before eating meals.”
🟢 C. “I need to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom.”
🔴 RATIONALE: Soap and water are required when hands are visibly soiled, and hand hygiene is essential after bathroom use and other
contamination risks.
5. Which action best demonstrates patient advocacy by the nurse?
A. Administering a medication early to save time.
B. Questioning a prescription that appears unsafe.
C. Reassuring the patient without reporting concerns.
D. Delegating all patient teaching to unlicensed assistive personnel.
🟢 B. Questioning a prescription that appears unsafe.
🔴 RATIONALE: Advocacy requires the nurse to protect the patient’s interests, including questioning an order that could be harmful.
6. A patient with shortness of breath has oxygen saturation of 88% on room air. What should the nurse do first?
A. Place the patient in high Fowler’s position.
B. Encourage oral fluids.
C. Document the finding.
D. Ambulate the patient.
🟢 A. Place the patient in high Fowler’s position.
🔴 RATIONALE: Positioning the patient upright improves lung expansion and is an immediate supportive intervention for respiratory distress.
7. Which finding is most consistent with dehydration?
A. Bounding pulse.
B. Poor skin turgor.
C. Jugular vein distention.
D. Crackles in the lungs.
, 🟢 B. Poor skin turgor.
🔴 RATIONALE: Poor skin turgor is a common sign of fluid volume deficit, especially when combined with dry mucous membranes and
concentrated urine.
8. A nurse is preparing to administer oral medication to a patient who is nauseated and actively vomiting. What is the best nursing action?
A. Give the medication with a full glass of water.
B. Hold the medication and notify the provider if needed.
C. Crush the medication and mix it with food.
D. Administer it slowly with the patient lying down.
🟢 B. Hold the medication and notify the provider if needed.
🔴 RATIONALE: Oral medication should not be given when the patient cannot safely retain it, because absorption and aspiration risk are concerns.
9. Which statement by a patient indicates understanding of a low-sodium diet?
A. “I should choose fresh foods instead of processed foods.”
B. “I can eat canned soups as long as I drink more water.”
C. “I should avoid all fruits and vegetables.”
D. “Salt substitutes always contain no potassium.”
🟢 A. “I should choose fresh foods instead of processed foods.”
🔴 RATIONALE: Fresh foods generally contain less sodium than processed and packaged foods, making them more appropriate for a low-sodium
diet.
0. A nurse enters a patient’s room and finds the patient on the floor. What is the nurse’s priority action?
A. Complete a safety report immediately.
B. Assess the patient for injury.
C. Notify the family.
D. Ask the patient what happened.
🟢 B. Assess the patient for injury.
RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains
Nursing Fundamentals and Basic Care
Health Promotion and Maintenance
Psychosocial Adaptation and Ethics
Regulatory and Legal Compliance in Nursing
Infection Control and Safety Principles
Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy
Wound Care and Pressure Injury Prevention
Vital Signs and Physical Assessment
Medication Administration and Pharmacology Basics
Communication and Documentation Standards
This comprehensive assessment is designed to prepare nursing students for the Kaplan Fundamentals Integrated Exam by evaluating essential
knowledge and clinical judgment skills required for safe, effective nursing practice at the fundamentals level. The exam assesses competency
across foundational nursing theory, applied professional knowledge, regulatory compliance, ethics, and real-world clinical scenarios that reflect
everyday decision-making in healthcare settings.
The assessment consists of 100 multiple-choice questions featuring both direct knowledge items and scenario-based clinical judgments. Questions
emphasize critical thinking, priority setting, care planning, and the application of evidence-based practices. Success on this exam requires not only
recall of factual information but also the ability to analyze situations, prioritize interventions, and make sound clinical decisions aligned with
professional standards and patient safety principles.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who has just been admitted with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The patient asks the nurse to explain what informed
consent means for their upcoming procedures. Which response is most accurate?
, A. Informed consent means the patient must sign all forms before any treatment begins.
B. Informed consent ensures the patient understands the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
C. Informed consent is only required for surgical procedures and not for medication administration.
D. Informed consent can be obtained by any healthcare staff member involved in the patient's care.
🟢 B. Informed consent ensures the patient understands the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
🔴 RATIONALE: Informed consent is a legal and ethical process that protects patient autonomy by ensuring the patient understands the procedure,
risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing.
2. A patient with a pressure injury on the sacrum is being evaluated. The nurse notes the wound has full-thickness tissue loss with visible subcutaneous
fat but no exposed bone or muscle. How should this wound be classified?
A. Stage 1 pressure injury.
B. Stage 2 pressure injury.
C. Stage 3 pressure injury.
D. Stage 4 pressure injury.
🟢 C. Stage 3 pressure injury.
🔴 RATIONALE: Stage 3 pressure injuries involve full-thickness tissue loss with visible subcutaneous fat but no exposed bone, tendon, or muscle.
3. During medication administration, a nurse realizes they have given the wrong medication to a patient. What is the FIRST action the nurse should
take?
A. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
B. Assess the patient for any adverse effects.
C. Complete an incident report.
D. Tell the family about the error.
🟢 B. Assess the patient for any adverse effects.
🔴 RATIONALE: The first priority after a medication error is patient safety, so the nurse must assess the patient for any immediate harm or adverse
effects.
4. A nurse is teaching a patient about proper hand hygiene to prevent infection. Which statement by the patient indicates correct understanding?
, A. “I only need to wash my hands when they look dirty.”
B. “I should use alcohol-based sanitizer even when my hands are visibly soiled.”
C. “I need to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom.”
D. “Hand hygiene is only necessary before eating meals.”
🟢 C. “I need to wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom.”
🔴 RATIONALE: Soap and water are required when hands are visibly soiled, and hand hygiene is essential after bathroom use and other
contamination risks.
5. Which action best demonstrates patient advocacy by the nurse?
A. Administering a medication early to save time.
B. Questioning a prescription that appears unsafe.
C. Reassuring the patient without reporting concerns.
D. Delegating all patient teaching to unlicensed assistive personnel.
🟢 B. Questioning a prescription that appears unsafe.
🔴 RATIONALE: Advocacy requires the nurse to protect the patient’s interests, including questioning an order that could be harmful.
6. A patient with shortness of breath has oxygen saturation of 88% on room air. What should the nurse do first?
A. Place the patient in high Fowler’s position.
B. Encourage oral fluids.
C. Document the finding.
D. Ambulate the patient.
🟢 A. Place the patient in high Fowler’s position.
🔴 RATIONALE: Positioning the patient upright improves lung expansion and is an immediate supportive intervention for respiratory distress.
7. Which finding is most consistent with dehydration?
A. Bounding pulse.
B. Poor skin turgor.
C. Jugular vein distention.
D. Crackles in the lungs.
, 🟢 B. Poor skin turgor.
🔴 RATIONALE: Poor skin turgor is a common sign of fluid volume deficit, especially when combined with dry mucous membranes and
concentrated urine.
8. A nurse is preparing to administer oral medication to a patient who is nauseated and actively vomiting. What is the best nursing action?
A. Give the medication with a full glass of water.
B. Hold the medication and notify the provider if needed.
C. Crush the medication and mix it with food.
D. Administer it slowly with the patient lying down.
🟢 B. Hold the medication and notify the provider if needed.
🔴 RATIONALE: Oral medication should not be given when the patient cannot safely retain it, because absorption and aspiration risk are concerns.
9. Which statement by a patient indicates understanding of a low-sodium diet?
A. “I should choose fresh foods instead of processed foods.”
B. “I can eat canned soups as long as I drink more water.”
C. “I should avoid all fruits and vegetables.”
D. “Salt substitutes always contain no potassium.”
🟢 A. “I should choose fresh foods instead of processed foods.”
🔴 RATIONALE: Fresh foods generally contain less sodium than processed and packaged foods, making them more appropriate for a low-sodium
diet.
0. A nurse enters a patient’s room and finds the patient on the floor. What is the nurse’s priority action?
A. Complete a safety report immediately.
B. Assess the patient for injury.
C. Notify the family.
D. Ask the patient what happened.
🟢 B. Assess the patient for injury.
