ATI Becoming a Professional Nurse Practice Assessment Questions and Answers

ATI Becoming a Professional Nurse Practice Assessment Questions and Answers 1. A nurse manager just hired several newly licensed nurses. When explaining to the unit staff what to expect from these nurses, he should state that newly licensed nurses apply general rules to all situations. Rationale: The newly licensed nurse is a novice and is unable to draw on real-life experience to differentiate rules to specific situations. Therefore, the newly licensed nurse applies general rules learned in school to all situations. 3. A nurse manager is explaining the purpose of a mentoring system to unit nurses. Which of the following is a characteristic of the mentoring process? Promotes peer support Rationale: One of the benefits of a mentoring system is that it promotes peer support for the provision of high-quality care. 4. A newly licensed nurse asks his nurse mentor why he chose nursing as a career. The nurse mentor replies that he chose nursing because it is a profession, which is characterized by lifelong learning and autonomy. Rationale: Lifelong learning and autonomy are characteristics of a profession. 5. A charge nurse discovers a staff nurse is chemically dependent on opioid analgesics. Which of the following is the most serious outcome if the staff nurse continues to care for clients in a chemically dependent state? Omissions in client care Rationale: Errors or omissions in client care are the most serious outcomes when an impaired nurse continues to practice. 6. A nurse manager is discussing the nurse practice act with staff. Which of the following should the nurse manager identify as the most important function of this act? Defines nursing practice to protect the public Rationale: The most important function of the nurse practice act is to define nursing practice to protect public safety. 7. A newly licensed nurse has been practicing in acute care for six months. Which of the following is the most essential for the nurse to achieve prior to assuming key nursing roles? Recognizing professional identity Rationale: The nurse's ability to recognize professional identity is essential prior to assuming key nursing roles. 8. A nurse is reviewing the nurse practice act in his state. Which of the following is a function of a nurse practice act? Identifies the requirements for licensure Rationale: A function of a state nurse practice act is to identify the requirements for licensure. 10. A newly licensed nurse is working on an acute care unit. Which of the following actions demonstrates the nurse's transition from novice to advanced beginner? Contacting the provider after noting a client's abnormal laboratory results Rationale: This is an example of the nurse making a judgment call, which is characteristic of an advanced beginner. 11. After having worked on an inpatient hospital unit for a month, a newly licensed nurse tells the nurse manager that she is not sure she can do the job any more due to stress and a feeling of incompetence. Which of the following statements by the nurse manager is an appropriate response? "You may be experiencing reality shock. We can discuss ways to reduce stress." Rationale: Novice nurses can experience reality shock upon transitioning into the practice setting. Discussion about ways to reduce stress will assist in overcoming this reaction. 12. Nurses in a hospital unit are discussing the principles of quality improvement in client care. Which of the following statements by a nurse indicates a need for further teaching? "Risk managers are responsible for completing an incident report when a sentinel event occurs." Rationale: The individual who observed the incident is responsible for completing the incident report. 13. A nurse is writing an article for his hospital's newspaper. Which of the following is an example of plagiarism? Reusing content from an article he previously wrote Rationale: Reusing content from a previous article is an example of plagiarism even though the nurse is the author of the original work. 14. A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates the professional characteristic of autonomy? Making a decision about when to administer PRN pain medication Rationale: Administering PRN pain medication is an example of autonomy because it requires the nurse to act based on what is known about the client's pain status and needs. 15. A nurse is caring for a client who is from a culture different from her own. When listening to the client reminisce, the nurse is promoting which of the following? Dignity Rationale: Listening promotes the client's dignity, which is showing respect for the client as a human being. 16. "How do I discuss end-of-life care with a client's family?" Rationale: Self-reflective questions encourage a nurse to explore her own thoughts and feelings and do not have specific right or wrong answers. Therefore, this not is an example of a self-reflective question. 17. A nurse manager observes a staff nurse removing a used narcotic syringe from the sharps disposal container. Which of the following actions should the nurse manager take first? Collect information about the staff nurse's performance. Rationale: Using the nursing process, the first step the nurse manager should take is to gather and document supporting evidence. 18. A staff nurse is compiling evidence on ventilator-associated pneumonia, which will be used to revise the hospital's policy and procedure for care of clients on ventilators. The nurse is acting in which of the following roles? Researcher Rationale: The nurse is helping to identify evidence from research studies to be used to revise a hospital policy and is demonstrating the researcher role. 19. A nurse is planning care for a client who is newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates the value of caring? Building trust with the client and her family Rationale: Clients and family members recognize caring efforts and recognition as individuals, which promotes trust. 20. A nurse working in an acute care facility is aware of the scope of practice and rules of her professional boundaries. Which of the following is an appropriate action for the nurse to take? Receiving a basket of fruit sent for the unit staff from a client who has been discharged Rationale: Receiving a fruit basket sent to the unit staff by a client is within the professional boundaries of the nurse's scope of practice. 21. A nurse is working with an intradisciplinary team to change departmental policy. Which of the following roles is the nurse demonstrating? Collaborator Rationale: The nurse is demonstrating the role of collaborator in order to achieve a change in departmental policy. 22. A nurse manager is meeting with staff nurses to discuss evidence-based practice. The nurse manager should inform the staff nurses that evidence-based practice serves as a catalyst to improve the quality of care. Rationale: Because nursing practices change over time, the nurse should use information from research to determine the best approach for quality care. 23. A nurse is delegating client care to an assistive personnel (AP) and instructs the AP to provide morning care to a client who has left-sided weakness. Which of the following rights should the AP clarify with the nurse? The right direction Rationale: The AP should clarify the directions for performing morning care. The nurse should provide specific instructions for the AP to follow. 24. A nurse is facing charges of professional negligence. Which of the following professional nursing organizations provides resources to demonstrate whether she met the standard of practice? American Nurses Association (ANA) Rationale: The ANA's Scope and Standards of Practice informs decision-making, guides practice, and influences quality of client care. 25. A nurse manager is discussing integrity with the nurses on the unit. Which of the following promotes professional integrity? Streamlined error-reporting system Rationale: A streamlined error-reporting system promotes workplace integrity by operating in accordance with the American Nurses Association's Code of Ethics. 26. A home health nurse is invited to dinner by a client's family on his day off. Which of the following actions by the nurse indicates understanding of his professional role? The nurse declines the invitation for dinner but offers to extend the length of each home visit. Rationale: The nurse declining the invitation for a social dinner is appropriate to maintain professional boundaries. Extending the length of each home visit maintains professional boundaries while addressing client needs. 27. A nurse is assigned to care for a client who is receiving a continuous IV infusion of insulin. The nurse does not possess the skills to care for the client and requests that the charge nurse change her assignment. Which of the following statements by the nurse demonstrates assertiveness? "I don't feel confident managing this client on my own." Rationale: The nurses uses an "I" statement to communicate concerns in a positive manner. This is an example of assertive communication. 28. A nurse is working in an intensive care unit. In which of the following examples is the nurse acting as a change agent? Suggesting ways to improve the visitor check-in policy Rationale: Acting as a change agent involves review of literature and best practice and approaching management about a possible change. 29. A nurse is advocating implementation of a healthy school lunch program at the local middle school. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first to influence health policy development at the local level? Conduct height and weight screenings of the students. Rationale: Assessing the height and weight of the students will provide data to support the need for healthy lunches. Using the nursing process, this is the first step the nurse should take. 30. A nurse orienting a newly licensed nurse is discussing integrity and morals. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching? "I should withhold health information that will cause my clients stress." Rationale: This statement by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching regarding integrity and morals in client care. The nurse should not withhold health information from clients. 31. A newly licensed nurse confides in her mentor that she is feeling overwhelmed and is glad responsibility for her actions extends only to herself and her clients. Which of the following statements by the mentor is the most accurate response? "As a nurse, responsibility for your actions also extends to your peers and society." Rationale: The American Nurses Association's (ANA) Nursing Social Policy Statement states that nurses have a legal and ethical responsibility to self, clients, peers, and ultimately to society. The ANA's Scope and Standards of Practice and the ANA's Code of Ethics for nurses further support this social obligation. 32. A newly licensed nurse is being bullied by an experienced nurse. Which of the following actions should the newly licensed nurse take? Discuss the situation with the nurse manager. Rationale: The newly licensed nurse should report all incidences of bullying directly to the nurse manager to reduce recurrence and to enforce a zero-tolerance policy. 33. A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is caring for a group of clients. The nurse demonstrates respect when he makes which of the following statements? "Do you want your family to be present during your session with the speech therapist?" Rationale: This statement by the nurse indicates that she is checking with the client about his wishes. This behavior demonstrates respect for the client. 34. A group of nurse managers is developing a hospitalwide plan for orienting newly licensed nurses to the facility. Which of the following statements by a new member of the management team indicates a need for further education regarding orientation? "I should provide a brief orientation to allow for independent work right away." Rationale: The newly licensed nurse needs a longer orientation period to become familiar with the profession and the facility. 35. A nurse is pursuing chemotherapy certification. Which of the following is an advantage of receiving certification? Maintaining knowledge of current practice in chemotherapy administration Rationale: By becoming certified in chemotherapy administration, the nurse meets her quest for lifelong learning by maintaining knowledge of current practice. 36. A nurse manager is discussing the concept of dishonesty with nurses on the unit. Which of the following statements by a nurse indicates a need for further teaching? "Dishonesty is giving preferential treatment to one client over another." Rationale: Giving preferential treatment to one client over another is an example of injustice rather than dishonesty. 37. A charge nurse is assisting a staff nurse to perform a new procedure. When the staff nurse is attempting the new procedure, he becomes frustrated and raises his voice at the charge nurse in front of the client. Which of the following actions by the staff nurse is appropriate? Apologizing to the charge nurse and the client Rationale: Apologizing to the charge nurse and the client is an appropriate action and displays respect toward others.