Fundamentals of Nursing (11th
Edition) by Patricia A. Potter –
Complete Test Bank
1. Which nurse most likely kept records on sanitation techniques and the effects
on health?
A. Florence Nightingale
B. Mary Nutting
C. Clara Barton
D. Lillian Wald
Answer: A. Florence Nightingale
Rationale: Nightingale was the first practicing nurse epidemiologist. Her statistical
analyses connected poor sanitation with cholera and dysentery. Mary Nutting was
instrumental in moving nursing education into universities, Clara Barton founded
the American Red Cross, and Lillian Wald helped open the Henry Street
Settlement .
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome.
Which standard of nursing practice is the nurse following?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Answer: C. Planning
Rationale: In the planning phase, the registered nurse develops a plan that
prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes. Assessment
involves collecting data, diagnosis involves analyzing data, and implementation
involves carrying out the identified plan .
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which
level of proficiency is the nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor?
,A. Novice
B. Proficient
C. Competent
D. Advanced beginner
Answer: A. Novice
Rationale: A novice is a beginner with no previous level of experience in a new
situation. Even an experienced nurse entering a new specialty area is considered a
novice in that context. A proficient nurse perceives the situation as a whole, and a
competent nurse understands the specific care required by the type of patient .
4. A nurse assesses a patient's fluid status and decides that the patient needs to
drink more fluids. The nurse then encourages the patient to drink more fluids.
Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Licensure
B. Autonomy
C. Certification
D. Accountability
Answer: B. Autonomy
Rationale: Autonomy involves the initiation of independent nursing interventions
without medical orders. Accountability means being responsible for the type and
quality of nursing care provided. Licensure is obtained by passing the NCLEX-RN,
and certification is voluntary in a specialty area .
5. A nurse prepares the budget and policies for an intensive care unit. Which
role is the nurse implementing?
A. Educator
B. Manager
C. Advocate
D. Caregiver
Answer: B. Manager
Rationale: A manager coordinates the activities of nursing staff and has
personnel, policy, and budgetary responsibility for a specific nursing unit. As an
educator, the nurse explains health concepts, and as an advocate, the nurse
protects the patient's rights .
,6. The nurse has been working in the clinical setting for several years as an
advanced practice nurse. However, the nurse has a strong desire to pursue
research and theory development. To fulfill this desire, which program should
the nurse attend?
A. Doctor of Nursing Science degree (DNSc)
B. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
C. Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP)
D. Doctor in the Science of Nursing degree (DSN)
Answer: B. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
Rationale: Some doctoral programs prepare nurses for rigorous research and
theory development and award the research-oriented PhD. Professional doctoral
programs (DSN or DNSc) prepare graduates to apply research findings to clinical
nursing, and the DNP is a practice doctorate for advanced practice nurses .
7. A nurse attends a workshop on current nursing issues provided by the
American Nurses Association. Which type of education did the nurse receive?
A. Graduate education
B. Inservice education
C. Continuing education
D. Registered nurse education
Answer: C. Continuing education
Rationale: Continuing education involves formal, organized educational programs
offered by universities, hospitals, and professional nursing organizations.
Inservice education is training provided by a health care facility, and graduate
education leads to a master's or doctoral degree .
8. A nurse identifies gaps between local and best practices. Which Quality and
Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Safety
B. Patient-centered care
C. Quality improvement
D. Teamwork and collaboration
Answer: C. Quality improvement
Rationale: Quality improvement identifies gaps between local and best practices.
Safety minimizes risk of harm, patient-centered care recognizes the patient as a
, partner in care, and teamwork and collaboration involve functioning effectively
within interprofessional teams .
9. A patient is scheduled for surgery. When getting ready to obtain the informed
consent, the patient tells the nurse, "I have no idea what is going to happen. I
couldn't ask any questions." The nurse does not allow the patient to sign the
permit and notifies the health care provider of the situation. Which role is the
nurse displaying?
A. Manager
B. Patient educator
C. Patient advocate
D. Clinical nurse specialist
Answer: C. Patient advocate
Rationale: As a patient advocate, the nurse protects the patient's human and
legal rights, including the right to understand procedures before signing permits.
The nurse notifies the health care provider to ensure the patient's right to
informed consent is upheld .
10. The patient requires routine gynecological services after giving birth to her
son, and while seeing the nurse-midwife, the patient asks for a referral to a
pediatrician for the newborn. Which action should the nurse-midwife take
initially?
A. Provide the referral as requested.
B. Offer to provide the newborn care.
C. Refer the patient to the supervising provider.
D. Tell the patient that is not allowed to make referrals.
Answer: B. Offer to provide the newborn care.
Rationale: The practice of nurse-midwifery involves providing independent care
for women during normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as care for the
newborn. If the patient insists on seeing a pediatrician after being apprised of the
midwifery role, the nurse-midwife should then provide the referral .
11. The nurse has a goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist
(CRNA). Which activity is appropriate for a CRNA?
A. Manages gynecological services such as PAP smears.
B. Works under the guidance of an anesthesiologist.
Edition) by Patricia A. Potter –
Complete Test Bank
1. Which nurse most likely kept records on sanitation techniques and the effects
on health?
A. Florence Nightingale
B. Mary Nutting
C. Clara Barton
D. Lillian Wald
Answer: A. Florence Nightingale
Rationale: Nightingale was the first practicing nurse epidemiologist. Her statistical
analyses connected poor sanitation with cholera and dysentery. Mary Nutting was
instrumental in moving nursing education into universities, Clara Barton founded
the American Red Cross, and Lillian Wald helped open the Henry Street
Settlement .
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome.
Which standard of nursing practice is the nurse following?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Answer: C. Planning
Rationale: In the planning phase, the registered nurse develops a plan that
prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes. Assessment
involves collecting data, diagnosis involves analyzing data, and implementation
involves carrying out the identified plan .
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which
level of proficiency is the nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor?
,A. Novice
B. Proficient
C. Competent
D. Advanced beginner
Answer: A. Novice
Rationale: A novice is a beginner with no previous level of experience in a new
situation. Even an experienced nurse entering a new specialty area is considered a
novice in that context. A proficient nurse perceives the situation as a whole, and a
competent nurse understands the specific care required by the type of patient .
4. A nurse assesses a patient's fluid status and decides that the patient needs to
drink more fluids. The nurse then encourages the patient to drink more fluids.
Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Licensure
B. Autonomy
C. Certification
D. Accountability
Answer: B. Autonomy
Rationale: Autonomy involves the initiation of independent nursing interventions
without medical orders. Accountability means being responsible for the type and
quality of nursing care provided. Licensure is obtained by passing the NCLEX-RN,
and certification is voluntary in a specialty area .
5. A nurse prepares the budget and policies for an intensive care unit. Which
role is the nurse implementing?
A. Educator
B. Manager
C. Advocate
D. Caregiver
Answer: B. Manager
Rationale: A manager coordinates the activities of nursing staff and has
personnel, policy, and budgetary responsibility for a specific nursing unit. As an
educator, the nurse explains health concepts, and as an advocate, the nurse
protects the patient's rights .
,6. The nurse has been working in the clinical setting for several years as an
advanced practice nurse. However, the nurse has a strong desire to pursue
research and theory development. To fulfill this desire, which program should
the nurse attend?
A. Doctor of Nursing Science degree (DNSc)
B. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
C. Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP)
D. Doctor in the Science of Nursing degree (DSN)
Answer: B. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
Rationale: Some doctoral programs prepare nurses for rigorous research and
theory development and award the research-oriented PhD. Professional doctoral
programs (DSN or DNSc) prepare graduates to apply research findings to clinical
nursing, and the DNP is a practice doctorate for advanced practice nurses .
7. A nurse attends a workshop on current nursing issues provided by the
American Nurses Association. Which type of education did the nurse receive?
A. Graduate education
B. Inservice education
C. Continuing education
D. Registered nurse education
Answer: C. Continuing education
Rationale: Continuing education involves formal, organized educational programs
offered by universities, hospitals, and professional nursing organizations.
Inservice education is training provided by a health care facility, and graduate
education leads to a master's or doctoral degree .
8. A nurse identifies gaps between local and best practices. Which Quality and
Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Safety
B. Patient-centered care
C. Quality improvement
D. Teamwork and collaboration
Answer: C. Quality improvement
Rationale: Quality improvement identifies gaps between local and best practices.
Safety minimizes risk of harm, patient-centered care recognizes the patient as a
, partner in care, and teamwork and collaboration involve functioning effectively
within interprofessional teams .
9. A patient is scheduled for surgery. When getting ready to obtain the informed
consent, the patient tells the nurse, "I have no idea what is going to happen. I
couldn't ask any questions." The nurse does not allow the patient to sign the
permit and notifies the health care provider of the situation. Which role is the
nurse displaying?
A. Manager
B. Patient educator
C. Patient advocate
D. Clinical nurse specialist
Answer: C. Patient advocate
Rationale: As a patient advocate, the nurse protects the patient's human and
legal rights, including the right to understand procedures before signing permits.
The nurse notifies the health care provider to ensure the patient's right to
informed consent is upheld .
10. The patient requires routine gynecological services after giving birth to her
son, and while seeing the nurse-midwife, the patient asks for a referral to a
pediatrician for the newborn. Which action should the nurse-midwife take
initially?
A. Provide the referral as requested.
B. Offer to provide the newborn care.
C. Refer the patient to the supervising provider.
D. Tell the patient that is not allowed to make referrals.
Answer: B. Offer to provide the newborn care.
Rationale: The practice of nurse-midwifery involves providing independent care
for women during normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as care for the
newborn. If the patient insists on seeing a pediatrician after being apprised of the
midwifery role, the nurse-midwife should then provide the referral .
11. The nurse has a goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist
(CRNA). Which activity is appropriate for a CRNA?
A. Manages gynecological services such as PAP smears.
B. Works under the guidance of an anesthesiologist.
