NURS110 INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL
NURSING EXAM with Questions and Answers/Plus a
Rationale Updated 2026 A+/Instant Download PDF
EXAM COVERAGE
1. Historical Foundations and Theoretical Frameworks of Nursing
2. Nursing Ethics, Values, and Social Justice
3. Legal Scope of Practice and Regulatory Standards
4. The Nursing Process and Clinical Judgment
5. Therapeutic Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration
6. Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Evidence-Based Practice
7. Culturally Congruent Care and Social Determinants of Health
8. Health Promotion, Illness Prevention, and Patient Education
1. A registered nurse is reviewing the legacy of Florence Nightingale to guide quality improvement
initiatives in an acute care setting. Which clinical action best reflects Nightingale’s
environmental theory of nursing?
A. Administering broad-spectrum prophylactic antibiotics immediately upon unit admission to
prevent healthcare-associated infections.
B. Ensuring proper sanitation, adequate ventilation, direct sunlight, and noise control in
patient rooms.
C. Conducting daily psychoeducational sessions to enhance the patient's coping mechanisms and
self-efficacy.
, D. Developing personalized physical rehabilitation goals in direct collaboration with physical
therapy.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory emphasizes that pure air, pure water,
efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light are essential to facilitate the body's natural restorative
processes. Option B accurately reflects these core environmental factors. Option A describes
medical pharmacological management, Option C relates more to psychological or behavioral
models, and Option D describes interprofessional therapy planning.
2. An emergency room nurse treats a patient who requires an emergency blood transfusion. The
patient, who is a devout Jehovah’s Witness, refuses the life-saving procedure while fully oriented
and alert. Which ethical principle must the nurse prioritize in this situation?
A. Beneficence
B. Nonmaleficence
C. Autonomy
D. Justice
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Autonomy recognizes a competent individual's moral right to self-determination and
to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare, including refusing treatment.
Beneficence and nonmaleficence focus on doing good and avoiding harm, but they cannot
override a competent adult patient's autonomous refusal. Justice focuses on the fair distribution
of healthcare resources.
3. A bedside nurse recognizes that a newly prescribed medication dose for a pediatric patient
significantly exceeds the recommended safe weight-based range. The prescribing physician
insists the dose is correct. What is the nurse's legal and ethical responsibility?
A. Administer the drug as prescribed because the physician holds prescribing authority and
assumes legal liability.
B. Administer half of the prescribed dose and monitor the patient for adverse therapeutic effects.
C. Withhold the medication, document the concern, and immediately elevate the issue
through the appropriate chain of command.
D. Ask another registered nurse to administer the medication to avoid legal liability.
CORRECT ANSWER : C
, Rationale: Registered nurses are independently accountable for their clinical actions and must
withhold medications that are unsafe or unclear, immediately escalating through the formal
chain of command. Option A incorrectly delegates ethical and legal liability, Option B
constitutes unauthorized prescribing, and Option D leaves the patient exposed to severe harm.
4. A medical-surgical nurse performs a comprehensive assessment on a patient newly admitted with
heart failure. Which clinical activity represents the primary focus of the assessment phase of the
nursing process?
A. Formulation of nursing diagnoses related to fluid volume overload and activity intolerance.
B. Systematic collection, verification, and organization of subjective and objective patient
data.
C. Re-evaluating the patient's physiological response to administered intravenous diuretics.
D. Establishing realistic, measurable patient-centered outcomes for discharge planning.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Assessment is the initial step of the nursing process, dedicated to gathering
comprehensive subjective and objective data through history, physical examination, and lab
review. Option A represents Diagnosis, Option C represents Evaluation, and Option D
represents Planning.
5. A novice nurse is attempting to communicate therapeutically with a patient who has received a
terminal cancer diagnosis. The patient states, "I don't know why God is punishing me like this."
Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
A. "You shouldn't feel that way; God doesn't punish people through illness."
B. "Everything happens for a reason, so try to remain positive for your family."
C. "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed and seeking meaning right now. I am here
to listen."
D. "Let's talk about your discharge plan to distract you from these negative thoughts."
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Therapeutic communication requires active listening, validation of emotions, and
open-ended support without false reassurance or judgment. Options A and B offer non-
therapeutic false reassurance and dismiss the patient's feelings, while Option D changes the
subject prematurely.
, 6. A charge nurse is evaluating a sentinel event involving a wrong-site surgery. During the root
cause analysis, which systemic intervention is prioritized to prevent future occurrences?
A. Immediately terminating the employment contracts of the surgical team members involved.
B. Implementing a mandatory, standardized pre-operative "timeout" protocol verified by
all surgical team members.
C. Requiring patients to sign an additional liability waiver prior to entering the operating room.
D. Assigning full responsibility for surgical site verification to the circulating nurse alone.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Standardized pre-operative timeouts verified by the entire multidisciplinary surgical
team are proven safety measures to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person
surgeries. Option A focuses on individual punishment rather than systemic improvement, Option
C does not address clinical safety, and Option D breaches shared team accountability.
7. A community health nurse is conducting an initial assessment on an immigrant family
experiencing language barriers and financial hardship. Which nursing action exemplifies
culturally congruent care?
A. Assuming the family shares the exact health beliefs of the majority culture in their
neighborhood.
B. Utilizing a certified medical interpreter and assessing the family's specific cultural
beliefs regarding health and illness.
C. Requesting a family member who speaks fluent English to translate all clinical information.
D. Providing standard English educational pamphlets and asking the family to sign them.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Culturally congruent care involves integrating the patient's values, beliefs, and
language needs into care delivery using professional resources like certified medical
interpreters. Option A relies on stereotyping, Option C violates patient privacy (HIPAA) and
risks inaccurate medical translation, and Option D creates a language barrier.
8. An occupational health nurse is designing a health promotion program for industrial factory
workers. Which action represents a primary prevention intervention?
A. Administering annual influenza vaccinations and providing ergonomic safety training.
B. Screening workers for elevated blood pressure and fasting blood glucose levels.
NURSING EXAM with Questions and Answers/Plus a
Rationale Updated 2026 A+/Instant Download PDF
EXAM COVERAGE
1. Historical Foundations and Theoretical Frameworks of Nursing
2. Nursing Ethics, Values, and Social Justice
3. Legal Scope of Practice and Regulatory Standards
4. The Nursing Process and Clinical Judgment
5. Therapeutic Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration
6. Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Evidence-Based Practice
7. Culturally Congruent Care and Social Determinants of Health
8. Health Promotion, Illness Prevention, and Patient Education
1. A registered nurse is reviewing the legacy of Florence Nightingale to guide quality improvement
initiatives in an acute care setting. Which clinical action best reflects Nightingale’s
environmental theory of nursing?
A. Administering broad-spectrum prophylactic antibiotics immediately upon unit admission to
prevent healthcare-associated infections.
B. Ensuring proper sanitation, adequate ventilation, direct sunlight, and noise control in
patient rooms.
C. Conducting daily psychoeducational sessions to enhance the patient's coping mechanisms and
self-efficacy.
, D. Developing personalized physical rehabilitation goals in direct collaboration with physical
therapy.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory emphasizes that pure air, pure water,
efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light are essential to facilitate the body's natural restorative
processes. Option B accurately reflects these core environmental factors. Option A describes
medical pharmacological management, Option C relates more to psychological or behavioral
models, and Option D describes interprofessional therapy planning.
2. An emergency room nurse treats a patient who requires an emergency blood transfusion. The
patient, who is a devout Jehovah’s Witness, refuses the life-saving procedure while fully oriented
and alert. Which ethical principle must the nurse prioritize in this situation?
A. Beneficence
B. Nonmaleficence
C. Autonomy
D. Justice
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Autonomy recognizes a competent individual's moral right to self-determination and
to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare, including refusing treatment.
Beneficence and nonmaleficence focus on doing good and avoiding harm, but they cannot
override a competent adult patient's autonomous refusal. Justice focuses on the fair distribution
of healthcare resources.
3. A bedside nurse recognizes that a newly prescribed medication dose for a pediatric patient
significantly exceeds the recommended safe weight-based range. The prescribing physician
insists the dose is correct. What is the nurse's legal and ethical responsibility?
A. Administer the drug as prescribed because the physician holds prescribing authority and
assumes legal liability.
B. Administer half of the prescribed dose and monitor the patient for adverse therapeutic effects.
C. Withhold the medication, document the concern, and immediately elevate the issue
through the appropriate chain of command.
D. Ask another registered nurse to administer the medication to avoid legal liability.
CORRECT ANSWER : C
, Rationale: Registered nurses are independently accountable for their clinical actions and must
withhold medications that are unsafe or unclear, immediately escalating through the formal
chain of command. Option A incorrectly delegates ethical and legal liability, Option B
constitutes unauthorized prescribing, and Option D leaves the patient exposed to severe harm.
4. A medical-surgical nurse performs a comprehensive assessment on a patient newly admitted with
heart failure. Which clinical activity represents the primary focus of the assessment phase of the
nursing process?
A. Formulation of nursing diagnoses related to fluid volume overload and activity intolerance.
B. Systematic collection, verification, and organization of subjective and objective patient
data.
C. Re-evaluating the patient's physiological response to administered intravenous diuretics.
D. Establishing realistic, measurable patient-centered outcomes for discharge planning.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Assessment is the initial step of the nursing process, dedicated to gathering
comprehensive subjective and objective data through history, physical examination, and lab
review. Option A represents Diagnosis, Option C represents Evaluation, and Option D
represents Planning.
5. A novice nurse is attempting to communicate therapeutically with a patient who has received a
terminal cancer diagnosis. The patient states, "I don't know why God is punishing me like this."
Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
A. "You shouldn't feel that way; God doesn't punish people through illness."
B. "Everything happens for a reason, so try to remain positive for your family."
C. "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed and seeking meaning right now. I am here
to listen."
D. "Let's talk about your discharge plan to distract you from these negative thoughts."
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Therapeutic communication requires active listening, validation of emotions, and
open-ended support without false reassurance or judgment. Options A and B offer non-
therapeutic false reassurance and dismiss the patient's feelings, while Option D changes the
subject prematurely.
, 6. A charge nurse is evaluating a sentinel event involving a wrong-site surgery. During the root
cause analysis, which systemic intervention is prioritized to prevent future occurrences?
A. Immediately terminating the employment contracts of the surgical team members involved.
B. Implementing a mandatory, standardized pre-operative "timeout" protocol verified by
all surgical team members.
C. Requiring patients to sign an additional liability waiver prior to entering the operating room.
D. Assigning full responsibility for surgical site verification to the circulating nurse alone.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Standardized pre-operative timeouts verified by the entire multidisciplinary surgical
team are proven safety measures to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person
surgeries. Option A focuses on individual punishment rather than systemic improvement, Option
C does not address clinical safety, and Option D breaches shared team accountability.
7. A community health nurse is conducting an initial assessment on an immigrant family
experiencing language barriers and financial hardship. Which nursing action exemplifies
culturally congruent care?
A. Assuming the family shares the exact health beliefs of the majority culture in their
neighborhood.
B. Utilizing a certified medical interpreter and assessing the family's specific cultural
beliefs regarding health and illness.
C. Requesting a family member who speaks fluent English to translate all clinical information.
D. Providing standard English educational pamphlets and asking the family to sign them.
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Culturally congruent care involves integrating the patient's values, beliefs, and
language needs into care delivery using professional resources like certified medical
interpreters. Option A relies on stereotyping, Option C violates patient privacy (HIPAA) and
risks inaccurate medical translation, and Option D creates a language barrier.
8. An occupational health nurse is designing a health promotion program for industrial factory
workers. Which action represents a primary prevention intervention?
A. Administering annual influenza vaccinations and providing ergonomic safety training.
B. Screening workers for elevated blood pressure and fasting blood glucose levels.
