Nursing Profession – NR103 Study Guide, Original
Practice Questions & Answers, Nursing Assessment
Preparation, Comprehensive Review, Professional
Nursing Identity, Communication & Collaboration,
Emotional Intelligence, Professionalism, Academic
Success, Career Development & Transition to
Professional Nursing Practice
Question 1: A nursing student is preparing a presentation on the history of
nursing. Which individual is widely considered the founder of modern nursing
and is credited with significantly improving sanitation and hygiene practices
during the Crimean War?
A. Clara Barton
B. Dorothea Dix
C. Florence Nightingale
D. Mary Seacole
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Florence Nightingale
Rationale: Florence Nightingale is universally recognized as the founder of modern
nursing. Her work during the Crimean War, where she dramatically reduced mortality
rates by implementing strict sanitation and hygiene protocols, established her as a
pioneer. While Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, Dorothea Dix was a
mental health reformer, and Mary Seacole was a heroic nurse, Nightingale's systematic
approach to data collection and sanitation fundamentally transformed the profession.
Question 2: The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as the
protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of
illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment
of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families,
communities, and populations. This definition is most closely aligned with
which of the following frameworks?
A. The Biomedical Model
B. The Holistic Paradigm
C. The Patient-Centered Care Model
D. The Evidence-Based Practice Model
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The Holistic Paradigm
Rationale: The ANA's definition emphasizes the protection, promotion, and optimization
of health, as well as the alleviation of suffering, which extends beyond mere disease
treatment. This aligns with the Holistic Paradigm, which considers the physical,
emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of a patient. The Biomedical Model focuses
,strictly on biological aspects, while Patient-Centered Care and Evidence-Based Practice
are important but are subsets of holistic care.
Question 3: A novice nurse is struggling to prioritize patient care tasks. Which
of the following is the most appropriate initial step to improve time
management skills?
A. Delegate all non-nursing tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel.
B. Cluster care for patients who are geographically located near each other.
C. Create a prioritized to-do list based on patient acuity and needs.
D. Ask a more experienced nurse to complete complex procedures.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Create a prioritized to-do list based on patient acuity
and needs.
Rationale: The foundational step to effective time management is assessment and
planning. Creating a prioritized list based on patient acuity (level of illness) ensures that
the most critical needs are met first. Clustering care (B) is a good strategy but follows
planning. Delegation (A) is appropriate but must be done according to scope of practice,
not as a primary strategy. Asking for help (D) is beneficial but does not address the core
issue of personal prioritization.
Question 4: Upon entering a patient's room, the nurse finds the patient on the
floor, stating they fell while trying to get out of bed. What is the nurse's
priority action?
A. Document the incident in the patient's medical record.
B. Assess the patient for any injuries sustained during the fall.
C. Call the physician to report the incident.
D. Fill out an incident report.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Assess the patient for any injuries sustained during the
fall.
Rationale: The nursing process dictates that assessment is the first and most critical
step. Before documenting, reporting, or completing paperwork, the nurse must assess
the patient's airway, breathing, circulation, and neurological status to ensure safety and
identify immediate life-threatening injuries. All other actions follow this initial
assessment.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the concept of "scope of
practice" for a registered nurse (RN)?
A. A set of tasks that an RN is permitted to perform based on hospital policy.
B. The specific procedures an RN learns during their nursing education.
,C. The legal boundaries of what an RN can do, defined by state nurse practice acts.
D. The ethical guidelines that govern an RN's conduct with patients.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The legal boundaries of what an RN can do, defined by
state nurse practice acts.
Rationale: The scope of practice for an RN is legally defined by the Nurse Practice Act in
each state. This act regulates the practice of nursing, delineates the legal boundaries,
and establishes standards for safe practice. While hospital policy (A) and education (B)
influence practice, they are subordinate to the legal framework of the state. Ethical
guidelines (D) are distinct from legal scope.
Question 6: A newly licensed nurse is concerned about the risk of burnout.
Which of the following strategies is considered a proactive form of self-care to
mitigate this risk?
A. Working extra shifts to gain more experience.
B. Reading nursing journals only during work hours.
C. Engaging in regular physical activity outside of work.
D. Focusing solely on work-related goals to achieve promotion.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Engaging in regular physical activity outside of work.
Rationale: Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. Proactive
self-care is essential for prevention. Regular physical activity is a proven method to
reduce stress, improve mood, and maintain physical health, which are crucial for
resilience. Working extra shifts (A) can contribute to exhaustion, while focusing solely on
work (D) can lead to an imbalance. Reading journals (B) is professional development,
not personal self-care.
Question 7: A nurse is caring for a patient who is a member of a cultural group
that values traditional medicine. The patient asks to have a "healing
ceremony" performed in the hospital room. What is the most culturally
competent response by the nurse?
A. Politely explain that hospital policy does not allow such ceremonies.
B. Inform the patient that all healing must be evidence-based.
C. Assess what the ceremony entails and collaborate to accommodate it safely.
D. Offer to call a hospital chaplain instead, as they are more appropriate.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Assess what the ceremony entails and collaborate to
accommodate it safely.
Rationale: Cultural competence involves respecting the patient's cultural beliefs and
practices. The best approach is to assess the patient's needs and work collaboratively to
accommodate the request within the boundaries of hospital policy and safety. This
, demonstrates respect and patient-centered care. Dismissing the request (A, B) or
imposing a different resource (D) can be culturally insensitive.
Question 8: The nurse is teaching a patient about managing their new
diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Which of the following is the most appropriate
teaching strategy to promote understanding and adherence?
A. Provide the patient with a detailed pamphlet on diabetes and discharge them.
B. Give a 30-minute lecture on all aspects of diabetes management.
C. Assess the patient's current knowledge level and readiness to learn.
D. Focus only on medication administration, as it is most important.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Assess the patient's current knowledge level and
readiness to learn.
Rationale: Effective patient education begins with assessment. The nurse must first
assess what the patient already knows and their readiness to learn new information.
This allows the nurse to tailor the teaching to the patient's specific needs, learning style,
and motivation. Providing materials without instruction (A), lecturing (B), or focusing on
one aspect (D) are less effective and ignore the patient's unique starting point.
Question 9: A nurse is working on a medical-surgical unit and notices that a
colleague consistently makes critical remarks about patients' weight and
lifestyle choices. This behavior is an example of which of the following?
A. Lateral violence
B. Bullying
C. Incivility
D. Bias and stigmatization
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Bias and stigmatization
Rationale: Making critical remarks about a patient's weight and lifestyle choices reflects
implicit or explicit bias and stigmatization. This behavior negatively impacts the patient's
care and trust. While this could be considered uncivil, the specific act of judging based
on personal characteristics is best defined as bias and stigmatization. Lateral violence
and bullying are usually directed at colleagues.
Question 10: The nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a patient.
The patient states, "I am allergic to penicillin." What is the nurse's priority
action?
A. Administer the medication as ordered since it is a different antibiotic.
B. Document the allergy in the patient's chart after administration.