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NURS 700 — PRINCIPLES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
BIOSTATISTICS — PRACTICE EXAM MARYVILLE
UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE
(100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Prepare for the NURS 700 Exam – Maryville University with a focused study resource
designed to reinforce key concepts in Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Maryville University describes the course as covering epidemiological methods,
descriptive and inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression,
ANOVA, and interpretation of statistical software output. Use the practice material to
strengthen data interpretation, statistical reasoning, and application of
epidemiological concepts to healthcare scenarios. This resource is best suited for
Maryville University NURS 700 students, DNP learners, and graduate nursing students
preparing for epidemiology and biostatistics assessments.
MULIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (Questions 1–20)
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of epidemiology in public health and nursing
practice?
A) To treat individual patients with acute illnesses
B) To study the distribution and determinants of health-related states in
populations
C) To develop new pharmaceutical drugs
D) To manage healthcare finances
Answer: B) To study the distribution and determinants of health-related
states in populations
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants
of health-related states or events in specified populations and the
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application of this study to control health problems. It is the cornerstone
of population health and evidence-based practice.
Question 2:
A DNP-prepared nurse is designing a quality improvement project to reduce
hospital readmissions. What is the most important first step?
A) Implementing interventions immediately
B) Conducting a thorough needs assessment of the target population
C) Publishing previous hospital protocols
D) Hiring more staff
Answer: B) Conducting a thorough needs assessment of the target
population
Rationale: A needs assessment identifies gaps, ensures interventions are
relevant, and supports effective evidence-based solutions. This is a
foundational epidemiological principle—understanding the problem
before implementing solutions.
Question 3:
Which of the following is a key component of descriptive epidemiology?
A) Testing hypotheses
B) Analyzing risk factors
C) Describing the distribution of disease by person, place, and time
D) Conducting randomized controlled trials
Answer: C) Describing the distribution of disease by person, place, and
time
Rationale: Descriptive epidemiology involves describing the distribution
of disease in populations according to person (who is affected), place
(where it occurs), and time (when it occurs). This is the first step in
understanding disease patterns and generating hypotheses.
Question 4:
Analytic epidemiology is primarily concerned with:
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A) Describing disease patterns
B) Testing hypotheses about disease causation and risk factors
C) Counting disease cases
D) Reporting disease outbreaks
Answer: B) Testing hypotheses about disease causation and risk factors
Rationale: Analytic epidemiology moves beyond description to test
hypotheses about the causes and risk factors for disease. It uses study
designs such as cohort, case-control, and randomized controlled trials to
identify associations and determine causation.
Question 5:
The epidemiologic triad of disease causation includes:
A) Host, agent, and environment
B) Host, vector, and environment
C) Agent, vector, and host
D) Environment, vector, and agent
Answer: A) Host, agent, and environment
Rationale: The epidemiologic triad consists of three components: host
(the person or population affected), agent (the biological, chemical, or
physical cause of disease), and environment (the external factors that
influence exposure and susceptibility).
Question 6:
A nurse epidemiologist is investigating an outbreak of foodborne illness.
Which type of epidemiology is being used?
A) Descriptive epidemiology
B) Analytic epidemiology
C) Clinical epidemiology
D) Molecular epidemiology
Answer: B) Analytic epidemiology
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Rationale: Investigating an outbreak involves testing hypotheses about
the source and mode of transmission, which is the work of analytic
epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiology would be used initially to
characterize the outbreak by person, place, and time.
Question 7:
The first step in an outbreak investigation is:
A) Formulating a hypothesis
B) Implementing control measures
C) Verifying the diagnosis and confirming the existence of an outbreak
D) Conducting a case-control study
Answer: C) Verifying the diagnosis and confirming the existence of an
outbreak
Rationale: The first step in an outbreak investigation is to verify the
diagnosis and confirm that an outbreak exists. This involves establishing a
case definition and comparing current disease rates with historical data.
Hypothesis formulation (A) comes later in the investigation.
Question 8:
A DNP nurse evaluates conflicting research studies on opioid stewardship.
What is the best approach?
A) Implement findings from the largest study only
B) Follow staff preference
C) Conduct a systematic review and critically appraise study quality
D) Disregard all evidence
Answer: C) Conduct a systematic review and critically appraise study
quality
Rationale: Systematic appraisal synthesizes evidence to guide safe,
effective practice and policy decisions. This is a core epidemiologic and
evidence-based practice skill.
NURS 700 — PRINCIPLES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
BIOSTATISTICS — PRACTICE EXAM MARYVILLE
UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE
(100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Prepare for the NURS 700 Exam – Maryville University with a focused study resource
designed to reinforce key concepts in Principles of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Maryville University describes the course as covering epidemiological methods,
descriptive and inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression,
ANOVA, and interpretation of statistical software output. Use the practice material to
strengthen data interpretation, statistical reasoning, and application of
epidemiological concepts to healthcare scenarios. This resource is best suited for
Maryville University NURS 700 students, DNP learners, and graduate nursing students
preparing for epidemiology and biostatistics assessments.
MULIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (Questions 1–20)
Question 1:
What is the primary purpose of epidemiology in public health and nursing
practice?
A) To treat individual patients with acute illnesses
B) To study the distribution and determinants of health-related states in
populations
C) To develop new pharmaceutical drugs
D) To manage healthcare finances
Answer: B) To study the distribution and determinants of health-related
states in populations
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants
of health-related states or events in specified populations and the
, Page 2 of 42
application of this study to control health problems. It is the cornerstone
of population health and evidence-based practice.
Question 2:
A DNP-prepared nurse is designing a quality improvement project to reduce
hospital readmissions. What is the most important first step?
A) Implementing interventions immediately
B) Conducting a thorough needs assessment of the target population
C) Publishing previous hospital protocols
D) Hiring more staff
Answer: B) Conducting a thorough needs assessment of the target
population
Rationale: A needs assessment identifies gaps, ensures interventions are
relevant, and supports effective evidence-based solutions. This is a
foundational epidemiological principle—understanding the problem
before implementing solutions.
Question 3:
Which of the following is a key component of descriptive epidemiology?
A) Testing hypotheses
B) Analyzing risk factors
C) Describing the distribution of disease by person, place, and time
D) Conducting randomized controlled trials
Answer: C) Describing the distribution of disease by person, place, and
time
Rationale: Descriptive epidemiology involves describing the distribution
of disease in populations according to person (who is affected), place
(where it occurs), and time (when it occurs). This is the first step in
understanding disease patterns and generating hypotheses.
Question 4:
Analytic epidemiology is primarily concerned with:
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A) Describing disease patterns
B) Testing hypotheses about disease causation and risk factors
C) Counting disease cases
D) Reporting disease outbreaks
Answer: B) Testing hypotheses about disease causation and risk factors
Rationale: Analytic epidemiology moves beyond description to test
hypotheses about the causes and risk factors for disease. It uses study
designs such as cohort, case-control, and randomized controlled trials to
identify associations and determine causation.
Question 5:
The epidemiologic triad of disease causation includes:
A) Host, agent, and environment
B) Host, vector, and environment
C) Agent, vector, and host
D) Environment, vector, and agent
Answer: A) Host, agent, and environment
Rationale: The epidemiologic triad consists of three components: host
(the person or population affected), agent (the biological, chemical, or
physical cause of disease), and environment (the external factors that
influence exposure and susceptibility).
Question 6:
A nurse epidemiologist is investigating an outbreak of foodborne illness.
Which type of epidemiology is being used?
A) Descriptive epidemiology
B) Analytic epidemiology
C) Clinical epidemiology
D) Molecular epidemiology
Answer: B) Analytic epidemiology
, Page 4 of 42
Rationale: Investigating an outbreak involves testing hypotheses about
the source and mode of transmission, which is the work of analytic
epidemiology. Descriptive epidemiology would be used initially to
characterize the outbreak by person, place, and time.
Question 7:
The first step in an outbreak investigation is:
A) Formulating a hypothesis
B) Implementing control measures
C) Verifying the diagnosis and confirming the existence of an outbreak
D) Conducting a case-control study
Answer: C) Verifying the diagnosis and confirming the existence of an
outbreak
Rationale: The first step in an outbreak investigation is to verify the
diagnosis and confirm that an outbreak exists. This involves establishing a
case definition and comparing current disease rates with historical data.
Hypothesis formulation (A) comes later in the investigation.
Question 8:
A DNP nurse evaluates conflicting research studies on opioid stewardship.
What is the best approach?
A) Implement findings from the largest study only
B) Follow staff preference
C) Conduct a systematic review and critically appraise study quality
D) Disregard all evidence
Answer: C) Conduct a systematic review and critically appraise study
quality
Rationale: Systematic appraisal synthesizes evidence to guide safe,
effective practice and policy decisions. This is a core epidemiologic and
evidence-based practice skill.
