AMBULATORY CARE NURSING
CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS UPDATED 2026-
2027
# Term Definition
1 Primary Prevention
-Prevent health problems before they start. -Ex:
vaccines, patient education (nutrition education, sex
education, use of seat belts, avoidance of allergens)
2 Secondary Prevention
-Early detection, diagnosis & treatment. -Ex:
screenings - colonoscopy, lumpectomy, mastectomy,
chemo.
3 Tertiary Prevention
-Recovery, rehabilitation, and specific measures to
minimize disability & increase functioning.
-Ex: breast reconstruction
4 Definition of ambulatory care nursing
-Professional ambulatory care nursing is a complex,
multifaceted specialty that encompasses independent
and collaborative practice. -Nurses are accountable for
care provided (Standards of Care, Regulatory Standards,
& Nurse Practice Acts) -Encounters are episodic (less
than 24 hours in duration)
5 Clinical Role Dimensions
-Patient education -advocacy -care
coordination/transition management -assess, screen,
triage, prioritize, outcome management -protocol
development/usage -communication using technology -
collaboration with healthcare teams & patient -resource
identification -appropriate referral -clinical procedures
-independent, interdependent -documentation
, 6 Professional Role Dimensions
-evidence-based practice -leadership -inquiry &
research utilization -clinical quality improvement -staff
development/self care -regulatory compliance/risk
management -ethics/advocacy -workload/staffing -
patient navigator
7 Case Management
-Collaborated process of assessment, planning,
facilitation and advocacy for options and services to
meet individuals needs -Focus: improve patient health
status & reduce utilization of expensive health services,
targeted services
# Term Definition
8 Community Expectations
-Access to healthcare primary & specialties
-reasonable cost - includes full disclosure -high-quality
care
9 Continuum of Health Care
A concept involves a systems that guides and tracks
patients over time through a comprehensive array of
health services spanning all levels and intensity of care.
10 Primary Care
-Principle point of contact within a health care system -
integrates primary services with other levels of care -
Primary care involves the widest scope of health care
11 Secondary Care Synonymous with hospital services
12 Tertiary Care
Highly specialized, highly technological hospital services
,13 Mass Casualty Triaging & START
-START - Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment -
Immediate (red), Delayed (yellow), Walking
wounded/minor (green), Deceased/expectant (black) -
Red = breathing but unconscious, resp > 30, capillary
refill >2 sec or no radial pulse control bleeding, unable
to follow simple commands -Yellow = all other
situations, resp up to 30, perfusion up to 2 sec, follows
commands
14 Primary Care Departments
-Adult medicine -OB/GYN -Pediatrics -Family
Medicine
15 Communicating with patients with
sensory impairment hearing loss -speak clearly at a slow to moderate pace -look directly
at the person while speaking -write down key words -
shouting distorts facial expression
16 Communication with patients with
-speak clearly & be explicit when giving
sensory impairment - vision
instructions/directions -consider room lighting -provide
large print versions of materials -use contrast (black ink
on white background preferable) -establish your exact
location
17
-cultural knowledge -cultural skills -cultural encounters -
Components of Cultural Competence
cultural awareness -cultural desire
# Term Definition
18 Elements of Cultural Differences
-Communication styles - modify patterns of
communication, identify & avoid gestures that could be
misinterpreted -Space - physical distance, distinct zones
-Social organization who is primary decision maker? -
Time - includes clock & calendar, orientation to past,
present, future
19 Ethno-Pharmacology
-effect of cultural & genetic factors on absorption,
metabolism, distribution & elimination of
pharmaceuticals - may be enzyme response (ultra
metabolizers/poor metabolizers)
, 20 Assessment Types: Comprehensive
-Used for new patients/new symptoms
-Provides baseline information as foundation of care
planning -New patients, changes in condition/new
problems, pre-op or pre-procedure -Collects clinical
data - head to toe assessment, body systems approach
-Also includes psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual
assessments. Evaluate patient strengths
(family/caregiver support, financial & emotional
resources)
21 Assessment Types: Problem-Focused
-Symptomatic call or visit -Assessment of appropriate
associated systems -Differential diagnosis (ex: bowel
patterns, left/right sided, upper/lower quadrant, recent
urination/pain with urination, LMP
22 Assessment Types: Time-lapsed
-Management of chronic illness (e.g. HTN, DM) -Periodic
Assessment/Reassessment
assessment, logs, nutrition intake, medications, exercise,
improvement/decline
23 Assessment Types: Population
Assessment -Risk of lead poisoning or prevalence of obesity -Ex:
age of buildings, community programs, nutrition and
exercise, ethnic/culture prevalence
24
Assessment Types: Emergency -Unconscious/unresponsive pt -Rapid assessment - call
Assessment the code, initiate CPR (CAB)
25 Physical Assessment
-Performed in the order of: Inspection, palpitation,
percussion, auscultation -Except for abdominal
assessment: inspection, auscultation, percussion,
palpitation
# Term Definition
CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS UPDATED 2026-
2027
# Term Definition
1 Primary Prevention
-Prevent health problems before they start. -Ex:
vaccines, patient education (nutrition education, sex
education, use of seat belts, avoidance of allergens)
2 Secondary Prevention
-Early detection, diagnosis & treatment. -Ex:
screenings - colonoscopy, lumpectomy, mastectomy,
chemo.
3 Tertiary Prevention
-Recovery, rehabilitation, and specific measures to
minimize disability & increase functioning.
-Ex: breast reconstruction
4 Definition of ambulatory care nursing
-Professional ambulatory care nursing is a complex,
multifaceted specialty that encompasses independent
and collaborative practice. -Nurses are accountable for
care provided (Standards of Care, Regulatory Standards,
& Nurse Practice Acts) -Encounters are episodic (less
than 24 hours in duration)
5 Clinical Role Dimensions
-Patient education -advocacy -care
coordination/transition management -assess, screen,
triage, prioritize, outcome management -protocol
development/usage -communication using technology -
collaboration with healthcare teams & patient -resource
identification -appropriate referral -clinical procedures
-independent, interdependent -documentation
, 6 Professional Role Dimensions
-evidence-based practice -leadership -inquiry &
research utilization -clinical quality improvement -staff
development/self care -regulatory compliance/risk
management -ethics/advocacy -workload/staffing -
patient navigator
7 Case Management
-Collaborated process of assessment, planning,
facilitation and advocacy for options and services to
meet individuals needs -Focus: improve patient health
status & reduce utilization of expensive health services,
targeted services
# Term Definition
8 Community Expectations
-Access to healthcare primary & specialties
-reasonable cost - includes full disclosure -high-quality
care
9 Continuum of Health Care
A concept involves a systems that guides and tracks
patients over time through a comprehensive array of
health services spanning all levels and intensity of care.
10 Primary Care
-Principle point of contact within a health care system -
integrates primary services with other levels of care -
Primary care involves the widest scope of health care
11 Secondary Care Synonymous with hospital services
12 Tertiary Care
Highly specialized, highly technological hospital services
,13 Mass Casualty Triaging & START
-START - Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment -
Immediate (red), Delayed (yellow), Walking
wounded/minor (green), Deceased/expectant (black) -
Red = breathing but unconscious, resp > 30, capillary
refill >2 sec or no radial pulse control bleeding, unable
to follow simple commands -Yellow = all other
situations, resp up to 30, perfusion up to 2 sec, follows
commands
14 Primary Care Departments
-Adult medicine -OB/GYN -Pediatrics -Family
Medicine
15 Communicating with patients with
sensory impairment hearing loss -speak clearly at a slow to moderate pace -look directly
at the person while speaking -write down key words -
shouting distorts facial expression
16 Communication with patients with
-speak clearly & be explicit when giving
sensory impairment - vision
instructions/directions -consider room lighting -provide
large print versions of materials -use contrast (black ink
on white background preferable) -establish your exact
location
17
-cultural knowledge -cultural skills -cultural encounters -
Components of Cultural Competence
cultural awareness -cultural desire
# Term Definition
18 Elements of Cultural Differences
-Communication styles - modify patterns of
communication, identify & avoid gestures that could be
misinterpreted -Space - physical distance, distinct zones
-Social organization who is primary decision maker? -
Time - includes clock & calendar, orientation to past,
present, future
19 Ethno-Pharmacology
-effect of cultural & genetic factors on absorption,
metabolism, distribution & elimination of
pharmaceuticals - may be enzyme response (ultra
metabolizers/poor metabolizers)
, 20 Assessment Types: Comprehensive
-Used for new patients/new symptoms
-Provides baseline information as foundation of care
planning -New patients, changes in condition/new
problems, pre-op or pre-procedure -Collects clinical
data - head to toe assessment, body systems approach
-Also includes psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual
assessments. Evaluate patient strengths
(family/caregiver support, financial & emotional
resources)
21 Assessment Types: Problem-Focused
-Symptomatic call or visit -Assessment of appropriate
associated systems -Differential diagnosis (ex: bowel
patterns, left/right sided, upper/lower quadrant, recent
urination/pain with urination, LMP
22 Assessment Types: Time-lapsed
-Management of chronic illness (e.g. HTN, DM) -Periodic
Assessment/Reassessment
assessment, logs, nutrition intake, medications, exercise,
improvement/decline
23 Assessment Types: Population
Assessment -Risk of lead poisoning or prevalence of obesity -Ex:
age of buildings, community programs, nutrition and
exercise, ethnic/culture prevalence
24
Assessment Types: Emergency -Unconscious/unresponsive pt -Rapid assessment - call
Assessment the code, initiate CPR (CAB)
25 Physical Assessment
-Performed in the order of: Inspection, palpitation,
percussion, auscultation -Except for abdominal
assessment: inspection, auscultation, percussion,
palpitation
# Term Definition
