ATI RN CRITICAL THINKING ENTRANCE/EXIT EXAM – 200 QUESTIONS | 40 MINUTES |
100% CORRECT ANSWERS – VERIFIED & A+ GRADED – 2025/2026 EDITION
SECTION 1: LOGICAL REASONING AND INFERENCE
1. Consider the statement: "All nurses must complete continuing education credits to
maintain licensure. Sarah is a nurse." Therefore, Sarah:
A. Is exempt from continuing education
B. Must complete continuing education credits to maintain licensure
C. May choose whether to complete continuing education credits
D. Has already completed all continuing education requirements
Answer: B
Rationale: This is a classic syllogism. If all nurses must complete continuing education and
Sarah is a nurse, then Sarah must complete continuing education credits.
2. A hospital policy states that "patients may be discharged only when their vital signs have
been stable for 24 hours." A patient's vital signs have been stable for 24 hours. Which
conclusion is valid?
A. The patient will definitely be discharged today
B. The patient meets one criterion for discharge
C. The patient should not be discharged
D. The patient's physician will automatically discharge them
Answer: B
Rationale: The policy establishes a necessary condition but not a sufficient one. Meeting
the vital signs criterion is required but other factors may also influence discharge
decisions.
3. A student nurse observes that every time a particular patient receives medication X, the
patient's blood pressure decreases. The student concludes that medication X causes
decreased blood pressure. This is an example of:
A. Deductive reasoning
B. Inductive reasoning
,C. Circular reasoning
D. Ad hominem fallacy
Answer: B
Rationale: Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to general conclusions.
While the observation suggests a pattern, it does not prove causation definitively.
4. If a patient has diabetes, then the patient must monitor blood glucose levels. John does
not monitor his blood glucose levels. What can be concluded?
A. John does not have diabetes
B. John has diabetes
C. John is noncompliant with treatment
D. John's diabetes is well-controlled
Answer: A
Rationale: This is modus tollens. If P implies Q, and not Q is true, then not P must be true. If
having diabetes requires monitoring glucose, and John does not monitor, then John cannot
have diabetes.
5. "All sick people should see a doctor. An elderly man is ill." Therefore, the man:
A. Should see a doctor
B. Should see a doctor if he does not get well
C. Is like most ill people
D. May not get well unless he sees a doctor
Answer: A
Rationale: This is a straightforward application of universal generalization. If all sick people
should see a doctor and the man is sick, then he should see a doctor.
6. A nurse reads in a patient's chart that the patient has a history of hypertension. The
nurse concludes the patient is at risk for cardiovascular disease. This reasoning is:
A. Deductive
B. Inductive
C. Abductive
D. Intuitive
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse moves from a specific known fact (hypertension history) to a probable
conclusion (cardiovascular disease risk) based on known associations, which is inductive
reasoning.
,7. Consider the following: Statement 1 - "In ancient times, civilizations recorded their
religious and cultural ideas in clay." Statement 2 - "Both famous and common people were
honored in clay." Statement 3 - "Most of what we know of ancient civilizations comes from
studying clay pottery." Statement 4 - "All of the pots and bowls were made of clay."
Assuming the preceding statements are true, statements two, three, and four:
A. Prove statement one conclusively
B. Explain why statement one is false
C. Describe all of the uses for clay
D. Provide support for statement one
Answer: D
Rationale: Statements 2, 3, and 4 provide supporting evidence for the claim that
civilizations recorded their ideas in clay by demonstrating the widespread use and
significance of clay artifacts.
8. A patient tells the nurse, "I always feel worse after I eat spicy food." The nurse concludes
that spicy food causes the patient's symptoms. This conclusion is:
A. Certainly true
B. Possibly true but requires further assessment
C. Definitely false
D. Irrelevant to patient care
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient's report suggests an association but does not establish causation.
Other factors may be involved, and further assessment is needed.
9. If a medication is administered intravenously, it enters the bloodstream directly. A
medication is given orally. What can be inferred?
A. The medication enters the bloodstream directly
B. The medication does not enter the bloodstream directly
C. The medication is less effective
D. The medication should be given intravenously
Answer: B
Rationale: The premise states that IV medications enter directly. Oral medications follow a
different route and do not enter directly; they undergo absorption.
10. A nurse notices that three patients with the same diagnosis all developed the same
complication. The nurse concludes that the diagnosis is associated with this complication.
This is an example of:
A. Deductive reasoning
, B. Inductive reasoning
C. Confirmation bias
D. Hasty generalization
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is generalizing from a small sample (three patients) to a broader
conclusion about the diagnosis-complication association, which is inductive reasoning.
11. "If a patient is febrile, then the patient has an infection. This patient is not febrile."
Therefore:
A. The patient does not have an infection
B. The patient may still have an infection
C. The patient definitely has an infection
D. The patient's temperature is normal
Answer: B
Rationale: The absence of fever does not rule out infection. Many infections occur without
fever, especially in elderly or immunocompromised patients.
12. A science student watches a television debate on genetic cloning. To make a reasoned
decision, the student must first:
A. Justify the opinions presented in the televised debate
B. Accept the views of the most qualified expert
C. Engage in a debate with others
D. Consider all points of view
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking requires considering multiple perspectives and evaluating
evidence before forming a conclusion.
13. Which statement represents a logical fallacy?
A. The patient's blood pressure is elevated, so we should administer antihypertensive
medication
B. The patient is from a rural area, so they must not understand modern medicine
C. The patient has a fever, so we should assess for infection
D. The patient reports pain, so we should assess pain characteristics
Answer: B
Rationale: This is a stereotyping fallacy—making an assumption about an individual based
on group membership without evidence.
100% CORRECT ANSWERS – VERIFIED & A+ GRADED – 2025/2026 EDITION
SECTION 1: LOGICAL REASONING AND INFERENCE
1. Consider the statement: "All nurses must complete continuing education credits to
maintain licensure. Sarah is a nurse." Therefore, Sarah:
A. Is exempt from continuing education
B. Must complete continuing education credits to maintain licensure
C. May choose whether to complete continuing education credits
D. Has already completed all continuing education requirements
Answer: B
Rationale: This is a classic syllogism. If all nurses must complete continuing education and
Sarah is a nurse, then Sarah must complete continuing education credits.
2. A hospital policy states that "patients may be discharged only when their vital signs have
been stable for 24 hours." A patient's vital signs have been stable for 24 hours. Which
conclusion is valid?
A. The patient will definitely be discharged today
B. The patient meets one criterion for discharge
C. The patient should not be discharged
D. The patient's physician will automatically discharge them
Answer: B
Rationale: The policy establishes a necessary condition but not a sufficient one. Meeting
the vital signs criterion is required but other factors may also influence discharge
decisions.
3. A student nurse observes that every time a particular patient receives medication X, the
patient's blood pressure decreases. The student concludes that medication X causes
decreased blood pressure. This is an example of:
A. Deductive reasoning
B. Inductive reasoning
,C. Circular reasoning
D. Ad hominem fallacy
Answer: B
Rationale: Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to general conclusions.
While the observation suggests a pattern, it does not prove causation definitively.
4. If a patient has diabetes, then the patient must monitor blood glucose levels. John does
not monitor his blood glucose levels. What can be concluded?
A. John does not have diabetes
B. John has diabetes
C. John is noncompliant with treatment
D. John's diabetes is well-controlled
Answer: A
Rationale: This is modus tollens. If P implies Q, and not Q is true, then not P must be true. If
having diabetes requires monitoring glucose, and John does not monitor, then John cannot
have diabetes.
5. "All sick people should see a doctor. An elderly man is ill." Therefore, the man:
A. Should see a doctor
B. Should see a doctor if he does not get well
C. Is like most ill people
D. May not get well unless he sees a doctor
Answer: A
Rationale: This is a straightforward application of universal generalization. If all sick people
should see a doctor and the man is sick, then he should see a doctor.
6. A nurse reads in a patient's chart that the patient has a history of hypertension. The
nurse concludes the patient is at risk for cardiovascular disease. This reasoning is:
A. Deductive
B. Inductive
C. Abductive
D. Intuitive
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse moves from a specific known fact (hypertension history) to a probable
conclusion (cardiovascular disease risk) based on known associations, which is inductive
reasoning.
,7. Consider the following: Statement 1 - "In ancient times, civilizations recorded their
religious and cultural ideas in clay." Statement 2 - "Both famous and common people were
honored in clay." Statement 3 - "Most of what we know of ancient civilizations comes from
studying clay pottery." Statement 4 - "All of the pots and bowls were made of clay."
Assuming the preceding statements are true, statements two, three, and four:
A. Prove statement one conclusively
B. Explain why statement one is false
C. Describe all of the uses for clay
D. Provide support for statement one
Answer: D
Rationale: Statements 2, 3, and 4 provide supporting evidence for the claim that
civilizations recorded their ideas in clay by demonstrating the widespread use and
significance of clay artifacts.
8. A patient tells the nurse, "I always feel worse after I eat spicy food." The nurse concludes
that spicy food causes the patient's symptoms. This conclusion is:
A. Certainly true
B. Possibly true but requires further assessment
C. Definitely false
D. Irrelevant to patient care
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient's report suggests an association but does not establish causation.
Other factors may be involved, and further assessment is needed.
9. If a medication is administered intravenously, it enters the bloodstream directly. A
medication is given orally. What can be inferred?
A. The medication enters the bloodstream directly
B. The medication does not enter the bloodstream directly
C. The medication is less effective
D. The medication should be given intravenously
Answer: B
Rationale: The premise states that IV medications enter directly. Oral medications follow a
different route and do not enter directly; they undergo absorption.
10. A nurse notices that three patients with the same diagnosis all developed the same
complication. The nurse concludes that the diagnosis is associated with this complication.
This is an example of:
A. Deductive reasoning
, B. Inductive reasoning
C. Confirmation bias
D. Hasty generalization
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is generalizing from a small sample (three patients) to a broader
conclusion about the diagnosis-complication association, which is inductive reasoning.
11. "If a patient is febrile, then the patient has an infection. This patient is not febrile."
Therefore:
A. The patient does not have an infection
B. The patient may still have an infection
C. The patient definitely has an infection
D. The patient's temperature is normal
Answer: B
Rationale: The absence of fever does not rule out infection. Many infections occur without
fever, especially in elderly or immunocompromised patients.
12. A science student watches a television debate on genetic cloning. To make a reasoned
decision, the student must first:
A. Justify the opinions presented in the televised debate
B. Accept the views of the most qualified expert
C. Engage in a debate with others
D. Consider all points of view
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking requires considering multiple perspectives and evaluating
evidence before forming a conclusion.
13. Which statement represents a logical fallacy?
A. The patient's blood pressure is elevated, so we should administer antihypertensive
medication
B. The patient is from a rural area, so they must not understand modern medicine
C. The patient has a fever, so we should assess for infection
D. The patient reports pain, so we should assess pain characteristics
Answer: B
Rationale: This is a stereotyping fallacy—making an assumption about an individual based
on group membership without evidence.
