NU 131 Exam 4 | Nursing and Healthcare I
Comprehensive Fundamentals Practice Exam (2026/2027) - Galen College
(1) A nurse is performing an admission assessment on a client. Which phase of the
nursing process is the nurse currently in?
A. Diagnosis
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Assessment
CORRECT ANSWER: D
Educational Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process, involving the
systematic collection of data about the client's health status.
(2) A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client with impaired mobility. Which of
the following is a correctly written 'SMART' goal?
A. The client will walk better by the end of the shift.
B. The client will ambulate 20 feet using a walker by tomorrow afternoon.
C. The client will feel less pain when moving.
D. The nurse will help the client walk three times a day.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: A SMART goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant,
and Time-bound. Option B includes a specific distance, a specific tool, and a specific
timeframe.
,(3) A nurse is taking a client's orthostatic blood pressure. Which finding indicates
orthostatic hypotension?
A. A decrease in systolic pressure by 5 mm Hg when standing.
B. An increase in heart rate by 5 beats per minute.
C. A decrease in systolic pressure by 20 mm Hg when changing positions.
D. A decrease in diastolic pressure by 5 mm Hg.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP of at
least 20 mm Hg or a drop in diastolic BP of at least 10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing.
(4) A nurse is caring for a client with a known Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus
(VRE) infection. Which type of precautions should be implemented?
A. Airborne
B. Droplet
C. Contact
D. Standard precautions only
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: VRE requires contact precautions, which include a private room,
gloves, and a gown when entering the room to prevent the spread of the multi-drug
resistant organism.
(5) Which ethical principle refers to the nurse's obligation to do no harm to the client?
A. Autonomy
B. Beneficence
C. Nonmaleficence
D. Fidelity
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Nonmaleficence is the ethical duty to avoid causing harm, either
intentionally or through negligence.
,(6) A nurse discovers a medication error but the client is unharmed. The nurse reports
the error to the charge nurse and completes an incident report. Which ethical
principle is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Veracity
B. Justice
C. Accountability
D. Confidentiality
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Accountability involves taking responsibility for one's own actions
and professional standards, including reporting errors even when no harm occurs.
(7) A nurse says to a client, 'You seem worried about your surgery tomorrow. Would
you like to talk about it?' This is an example of which therapeutic communication
technique?
A. Restating
B. Giving advice
C. Sharing observations
D. Focusing
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Sharing observations involves verbalizing what the nurse
perceives (e.g., the client's emotional state) to encourage the client to open up.
, (8) A nurse is preparing to transfer a client from the bed to a chair. Which is the most
important action to ensure safety?
A. Place the chair on the client's weak side.
B. Wear a gown and mask.
C. Use a gait belt during the transfer.
D. Lift the client using only the arms.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: A gait belt is a critical safety tool that provides stability and a
secure point for the nurse to assist the client, reducing the risk of falls and back injury.
(9) A client is at high risk for pressure ulcers. How often should the nurse reposition
the client?
A. Every 4 hours
B. Every 2 hours
C. Once per shift
D. Only when the client requests it
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: Standard nursing practice for pressure injury prevention is to
reposition bedbound clients at least every 2 hours to relieve pressure on bony prominences.
(10) When performing perineal care for a female client, in which direction should the
nurse wipe?
A. Back to front
B. Front to back
C. Side to side
D. In a circular motion
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: Wiping front to back (pubic area to anal area) prevents the transfer
of fecal organisms (like E. coli) to the urinary tract, reducing the risk of UTIs.
Comprehensive Fundamentals Practice Exam (2026/2027) - Galen College
(1) A nurse is performing an admission assessment on a client. Which phase of the
nursing process is the nurse currently in?
A. Diagnosis
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Assessment
CORRECT ANSWER: D
Educational Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process, involving the
systematic collection of data about the client's health status.
(2) A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client with impaired mobility. Which of
the following is a correctly written 'SMART' goal?
A. The client will walk better by the end of the shift.
B. The client will ambulate 20 feet using a walker by tomorrow afternoon.
C. The client will feel less pain when moving.
D. The nurse will help the client walk three times a day.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: A SMART goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant,
and Time-bound. Option B includes a specific distance, a specific tool, and a specific
timeframe.
,(3) A nurse is taking a client's orthostatic blood pressure. Which finding indicates
orthostatic hypotension?
A. A decrease in systolic pressure by 5 mm Hg when standing.
B. An increase in heart rate by 5 beats per minute.
C. A decrease in systolic pressure by 20 mm Hg when changing positions.
D. A decrease in diastolic pressure by 5 mm Hg.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP of at
least 20 mm Hg or a drop in diastolic BP of at least 10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing.
(4) A nurse is caring for a client with a known Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus
(VRE) infection. Which type of precautions should be implemented?
A. Airborne
B. Droplet
C. Contact
D. Standard precautions only
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: VRE requires contact precautions, which include a private room,
gloves, and a gown when entering the room to prevent the spread of the multi-drug
resistant organism.
(5) Which ethical principle refers to the nurse's obligation to do no harm to the client?
A. Autonomy
B. Beneficence
C. Nonmaleficence
D. Fidelity
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Nonmaleficence is the ethical duty to avoid causing harm, either
intentionally or through negligence.
,(6) A nurse discovers a medication error but the client is unharmed. The nurse reports
the error to the charge nurse and completes an incident report. Which ethical
principle is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Veracity
B. Justice
C. Accountability
D. Confidentiality
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Accountability involves taking responsibility for one's own actions
and professional standards, including reporting errors even when no harm occurs.
(7) A nurse says to a client, 'You seem worried about your surgery tomorrow. Would
you like to talk about it?' This is an example of which therapeutic communication
technique?
A. Restating
B. Giving advice
C. Sharing observations
D. Focusing
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: Sharing observations involves verbalizing what the nurse
perceives (e.g., the client's emotional state) to encourage the client to open up.
, (8) A nurse is preparing to transfer a client from the bed to a chair. Which is the most
important action to ensure safety?
A. Place the chair on the client's weak side.
B. Wear a gown and mask.
C. Use a gait belt during the transfer.
D. Lift the client using only the arms.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Educational Rationale: A gait belt is a critical safety tool that provides stability and a
secure point for the nurse to assist the client, reducing the risk of falls and back injury.
(9) A client is at high risk for pressure ulcers. How often should the nurse reposition
the client?
A. Every 4 hours
B. Every 2 hours
C. Once per shift
D. Only when the client requests it
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: Standard nursing practice for pressure injury prevention is to
reposition bedbound clients at least every 2 hours to relieve pressure on bony prominences.
(10) When performing perineal care for a female client, in which direction should the
nurse wipe?
A. Back to front
B. Front to back
C. Side to side
D. In a circular motion
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Educational Rationale: Wiping front to back (pubic area to anal area) prevents the transfer
of fecal organisms (like E. coli) to the urinary tract, reducing the risk of UTIs.
