NUR 211 Exam 1 – Comprehensive Questions and
Answers with Detailed Rationales
Table of Contents
1. Nursing Foundations and Professional Practice
2. Safety and Infection Prevention
3. Health Assessment
4. Vital Signs and Basic Measurements
5. Clinical Judgment and Nursing Process
6. Communication and Patient Education
7. Mobility, Skin Integrity, and Basic Care
8. Documentation, Ethics, and Delegation
1. Nursing Foundations and Professional Practice
1. A nurse begins a shift by reviewing the patient's current condition,
identifying immediate priorities, and organizing care for the day. Which
nursing responsibility is being demonstrated?
A. Care planning
B. Clinical judgment
C. Medical diagnosis
D. Prescribing
Answer: B. Clinical judgment
Rationale: Clinical judgment involves recognizing relevant patient
information, interpreting findings, determining priorities, and deciding
appropriate nursing actions. Medical diagnosis and prescribing are
outside the general nursing scope of practice.
,2. Which action best demonstrates patient-centered nursing care?
A. Completing all care as quickly as possible
B. Using the same care plan for every patient
C. Incorporating the patient's preferences and values into care
D. Allowing family members to make every decision
Answer: C. Incorporating the patient's preferences and values into
care
Rationale: Patient-centered care respects the patient's preferences,
values, needs, and goals while maintaining safe professional practice.
3. A nurse is asked to perform a procedure that the nurse has never
been trained to perform. What is the best response?
A. Perform it after watching another nurse once
B. Perform it if the patient agrees
C. Seek appropriate instruction and supervision before performing it
D. Ask an unlicensed worker to perform it
Answer: C. Seek appropriate instruction and supervision before
performing it
Rationale: Nurses are responsible for practicing within their
competence. Appropriate education, supervision, and institutional
requirements should be addressed before undertaking an unfamiliar
procedure.
4. Which nursing action best reflects respect for patient autonomy?
,A. Making decisions for the patient
B. Providing information so the patient can participate in decisions
C. Withholding information to prevent anxiety
D. Encouraging the patient to accept the nurse's preferred treatment
Answer: B. Providing information so the patient can participate in
decisions
Rationale: Autonomy involves respecting a competent patient's right to
make informed decisions about their own care.
5. A patient refuses a recommended treatment after receiving an
explanation of its purpose and potential consequences. What should
the nurse do first?
A. Threaten to discharge the patient
B. Respect the decision and assess the patient's understanding
C. Ask the family to override the decision
D. Provide the treatment without consent
Answer: B. Respect the decision and assess the patient's
understanding
Rationale: A competent patient has the right to refuse treatment. The
nurse should ensure the patient understands the relevant information
and communicate the refusal to the appropriate healthcare team
members.
6. Which statement best describes evidence-based nursing practice?
A. Using only information learned in nursing school
B. Following whatever practice has been used longest
C. Integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient
, preferences
D. Using personal experience as the only basis for decisions
Answer: C. Integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and
patient preferences
Rationale: Evidence-based practice combines the best available
evidence with clinical expertise and the patient's values, preferences,
and circumstances.
7. A nurse notices a significant change in a patient's condition. What is
the nurse's priority?
A. Document the change at the end of the shift
B. Ignore it if the patient is comfortable
C. Assess the patient and take appropriate action
D. Wait for the next scheduled assessment
Answer: C. Assess the patient and take appropriate action
Rationale: Changes in condition require timely assessment and
intervention. Documentation is important but should not delay
necessary patient care.
8. Which behavior demonstrates professional accountability?
A. Blaming another staff member for an error
B. Reporting an error according to policy
C. Altering documentation to conceal an error
D. Avoiding difficult patients
Answer: B. Reporting an error according to policy
Answers with Detailed Rationales
Table of Contents
1. Nursing Foundations and Professional Practice
2. Safety and Infection Prevention
3. Health Assessment
4. Vital Signs and Basic Measurements
5. Clinical Judgment and Nursing Process
6. Communication and Patient Education
7. Mobility, Skin Integrity, and Basic Care
8. Documentation, Ethics, and Delegation
1. Nursing Foundations and Professional Practice
1. A nurse begins a shift by reviewing the patient's current condition,
identifying immediate priorities, and organizing care for the day. Which
nursing responsibility is being demonstrated?
A. Care planning
B. Clinical judgment
C. Medical diagnosis
D. Prescribing
Answer: B. Clinical judgment
Rationale: Clinical judgment involves recognizing relevant patient
information, interpreting findings, determining priorities, and deciding
appropriate nursing actions. Medical diagnosis and prescribing are
outside the general nursing scope of practice.
,2. Which action best demonstrates patient-centered nursing care?
A. Completing all care as quickly as possible
B. Using the same care plan for every patient
C. Incorporating the patient's preferences and values into care
D. Allowing family members to make every decision
Answer: C. Incorporating the patient's preferences and values into
care
Rationale: Patient-centered care respects the patient's preferences,
values, needs, and goals while maintaining safe professional practice.
3. A nurse is asked to perform a procedure that the nurse has never
been trained to perform. What is the best response?
A. Perform it after watching another nurse once
B. Perform it if the patient agrees
C. Seek appropriate instruction and supervision before performing it
D. Ask an unlicensed worker to perform it
Answer: C. Seek appropriate instruction and supervision before
performing it
Rationale: Nurses are responsible for practicing within their
competence. Appropriate education, supervision, and institutional
requirements should be addressed before undertaking an unfamiliar
procedure.
4. Which nursing action best reflects respect for patient autonomy?
,A. Making decisions for the patient
B. Providing information so the patient can participate in decisions
C. Withholding information to prevent anxiety
D. Encouraging the patient to accept the nurse's preferred treatment
Answer: B. Providing information so the patient can participate in
decisions
Rationale: Autonomy involves respecting a competent patient's right to
make informed decisions about their own care.
5. A patient refuses a recommended treatment after receiving an
explanation of its purpose and potential consequences. What should
the nurse do first?
A. Threaten to discharge the patient
B. Respect the decision and assess the patient's understanding
C. Ask the family to override the decision
D. Provide the treatment without consent
Answer: B. Respect the decision and assess the patient's
understanding
Rationale: A competent patient has the right to refuse treatment. The
nurse should ensure the patient understands the relevant information
and communicate the refusal to the appropriate healthcare team
members.
6. Which statement best describes evidence-based nursing practice?
A. Using only information learned in nursing school
B. Following whatever practice has been used longest
C. Integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient
, preferences
D. Using personal experience as the only basis for decisions
Answer: C. Integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and
patient preferences
Rationale: Evidence-based practice combines the best available
evidence with clinical expertise and the patient's values, preferences,
and circumstances.
7. A nurse notices a significant change in a patient's condition. What is
the nurse's priority?
A. Document the change at the end of the shift
B. Ignore it if the patient is comfortable
C. Assess the patient and take appropriate action
D. Wait for the next scheduled assessment
Answer: C. Assess the patient and take appropriate action
Rationale: Changes in condition require timely assessment and
intervention. Documentation is important but should not delay
necessary patient care.
8. Which behavior demonstrates professional accountability?
A. Blaming another staff member for an error
B. Reporting an error according to policy
C. Altering documentation to conceal an error
D. Avoiding difficult patients
Answer: B. Reporting an error according to policy
