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NURS 705 CLINICAL INQUIRY I PRACTICE EXAM
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027
COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
NURS
Prepare for the NURS 705 Exam – Maryville University with a focused study resource
designed to reinforce key concepts from Clinical Inquiry I. It supports review of
evidence-based project development, research methodology, project feasibility, data
collection planning, funding and budgeting considerations, and protection of human
subjects and IRB requirements. Use the practice material to strengthen scholarly
reasoning, apply clinical inquiry concepts, and identify areas that may require
additional review before the exam. This resource is best suited for Maryville University
NURS 705 students, DNP learners, and graduate nursing students preparing for
Clinical Inquiry I assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE & CLINICAL INQUIRY
1. Which element is critical when defining the problem statement for a
DNP project?
A) Clear articulation of the clinical gap and its impact on patient outcomes
B) General discussion of healthcare topics
C) Listing only administrative challenges
D) Including unrelated case studies
Answer: A) Clear articulation of the clinical gap and its impact on patient
outcomes
Rationale: A precise problem statement guides project focus and ensures
relevance to patient care.
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2. Which framework supports systematic identification of evidence for
project planning?
A) PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)
B) SBAR only
C) Random anecdotal data
D) Personal opinion
Answer: A) PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)
Rationale: PICO structures clinical questions for effective literature
search and evidence synthesis.
3. A DNP student is formulating a clinical question. Which is the correct
structure for a PICO question?
A) Intervention, Population, Outcome, Comparison
B) Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
C) Population, Outcome, Intervention, Comparison
D) Comparison, Population, Intervention, Outcome
Answer: B) Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
Rationale: PICO stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and
Outcome. This structure helps develop focused, answerable clinical
questions for evidence-based practice.
4. What is the primary purpose of a literature review in a DNP project?
A) To summarize all available research on a topic
B) To identify gaps in current knowledge and support the need for the project
C) To provide a list of references for the project
D) To satisfy course requirements
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Answer: B) To identify gaps in current knowledge and support the need for
the project
Rationale: A literature review synthesizes existing evidence, identifies
gaps, and justifies the need for the DNP project. It provides the foundation
for the problem statement and project methodology.
5. A DNP student is evaluating research articles for their project. Which
level of evidence provides the strongest support for clinical decision-
making?
A) Expert opinion
B) Case-control studies
C) Randomized controlled trials
D) Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Answer: D) Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs represent the
highest level of evidence in the evidence hierarchy. They synthesize
multiple high-quality studies to provide the most reliable evidence for
clinical practice.
6. When appraising a research article, which of the following is most
important to evaluate?
A) The author's reputation
B) The study's internal and external validity
C) The number of references
D) The length of the article
Answer: B) The study's internal and external validity
Rationale: Critical appraisal involves evaluating the study's validity—
whether the results are trustworthy (internal validity) and whether they
can be generalized to other populations (external validity).
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7. A DNP student is developing a clinical question for their project. Which
of the following is an example of a well-formulated PICO question?
A) "Is there a better way to manage diabetes?"
B) "In adults with type 2 diabetes, does a structured exercise program
compared to standard care reduce HbA1c levels over 6 months?"
C) "What causes diabetes?"
D) "How many people have diabetes?"
Answer: B) "In adults with type 2 diabetes, does a structured exercise
program compared to standard care reduce HbA1c levels over 6 months?"
Rationale: This PICO question includes all four components: Population
(adults with type 2 diabetes), Intervention (structured exercise program),
Comparison (standard care), and Outcome (reduced HbA1c levels).
8. Evidence-based practice integrates which three components?
A) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences
B) Research evidence, institutional policy, and cost-effectiveness
C) Clinical expertise, patient preferences, and institutional policy
D) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and administrative support
Answer: A) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences
Rationale: Evidence-based practice is the integration of the best available
research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values and preferences.
9. Which database is most appropriate for searching nursing and
healthcare literature?
A) Google Scholar
B) CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
NURS 705 CLINICAL INQUIRY I PRACTICE EXAM
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY — DNP PROGRAM 2026/2027
COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
NURS
Prepare for the NURS 705 Exam – Maryville University with a focused study resource
designed to reinforce key concepts from Clinical Inquiry I. It supports review of
evidence-based project development, research methodology, project feasibility, data
collection planning, funding and budgeting considerations, and protection of human
subjects and IRB requirements. Use the practice material to strengthen scholarly
reasoning, apply clinical inquiry concepts, and identify areas that may require
additional review before the exam. This resource is best suited for Maryville University
NURS 705 students, DNP learners, and graduate nursing students preparing for
Clinical Inquiry I assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE & CLINICAL INQUIRY
1. Which element is critical when defining the problem statement for a
DNP project?
A) Clear articulation of the clinical gap and its impact on patient outcomes
B) General discussion of healthcare topics
C) Listing only administrative challenges
D) Including unrelated case studies
Answer: A) Clear articulation of the clinical gap and its impact on patient
outcomes
Rationale: A precise problem statement guides project focus and ensures
relevance to patient care.
, Page 2 of 42
2. Which framework supports systematic identification of evidence for
project planning?
A) PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)
B) SBAR only
C) Random anecdotal data
D) Personal opinion
Answer: A) PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)
Rationale: PICO structures clinical questions for effective literature
search and evidence synthesis.
3. A DNP student is formulating a clinical question. Which is the correct
structure for a PICO question?
A) Intervention, Population, Outcome, Comparison
B) Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
C) Population, Outcome, Intervention, Comparison
D) Comparison, Population, Intervention, Outcome
Answer: B) Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
Rationale: PICO stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and
Outcome. This structure helps develop focused, answerable clinical
questions for evidence-based practice.
4. What is the primary purpose of a literature review in a DNP project?
A) To summarize all available research on a topic
B) To identify gaps in current knowledge and support the need for the project
C) To provide a list of references for the project
D) To satisfy course requirements
, Page 3 of 42
Answer: B) To identify gaps in current knowledge and support the need for
the project
Rationale: A literature review synthesizes existing evidence, identifies
gaps, and justifies the need for the DNP project. It provides the foundation
for the problem statement and project methodology.
5. A DNP student is evaluating research articles for their project. Which
level of evidence provides the strongest support for clinical decision-
making?
A) Expert opinion
B) Case-control studies
C) Randomized controlled trials
D) Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Answer: D) Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs represent the
highest level of evidence in the evidence hierarchy. They synthesize
multiple high-quality studies to provide the most reliable evidence for
clinical practice.
6. When appraising a research article, which of the following is most
important to evaluate?
A) The author's reputation
B) The study's internal and external validity
C) The number of references
D) The length of the article
Answer: B) The study's internal and external validity
Rationale: Critical appraisal involves evaluating the study's validity—
whether the results are trustworthy (internal validity) and whether they
can be generalized to other populations (external validity).
, Page 4 of 42
7. A DNP student is developing a clinical question for their project. Which
of the following is an example of a well-formulated PICO question?
A) "Is there a better way to manage diabetes?"
B) "In adults with type 2 diabetes, does a structured exercise program
compared to standard care reduce HbA1c levels over 6 months?"
C) "What causes diabetes?"
D) "How many people have diabetes?"
Answer: B) "In adults with type 2 diabetes, does a structured exercise
program compared to standard care reduce HbA1c levels over 6 months?"
Rationale: This PICO question includes all four components: Population
(adults with type 2 diabetes), Intervention (structured exercise program),
Comparison (standard care), and Outcome (reduced HbA1c levels).
8. Evidence-based practice integrates which three components?
A) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences
B) Research evidence, institutional policy, and cost-effectiveness
C) Clinical expertise, patient preferences, and institutional policy
D) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and administrative support
Answer: A) Research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences
Rationale: Evidence-based practice is the integration of the best available
research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values and preferences.
9. Which database is most appropriate for searching nursing and
healthcare literature?
A) Google Scholar
B) CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
