NRS 445 Exam 1 V2 | NRS 445 Nursing Research
and Evidence-Based Practice | Actual Q&A with
Rationale (NRS445 Exam 1) | Grand Canyon
University
1. A nurse is formulating a clinical question using the PICOT format. Which of the following
are considered essential components of this framework? (Select All That Apply)
A. Population of interest
B. Intervention or area of interest
C. Comparison intervention or group
D. Outcome
E. Timeframe
F. Financial cost of the study
Correct Answer: A, B, C, D, E
Explanation: The PICOT format is a standardized tool used in evidence-based practice to
frame clinical questions. Each letter represents a specific element: Population, Intervention,
Comparison, Outcome, and Time. The financial cost, while important for management, is
not a standard component of the PICOT mnemonic used for literature searches.
2. In the hierarchy of evidence, which of the following is considered the highest level of
evidence for practice decisions?
A. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of RCTs
,B. Case-control studies
C. Expert opinion and committee reports
D. Descriptive or qualitative studies
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses sit at the top of the evidence pyramid
because they synthesize results from multiple high-quality randomized controlled trials.
This level of evidence reduces bias and provides more robust data for clinical decision-
making. Other types of studies, like case-reports or descriptive studies, are lower because
they have a higher risk of bias or smaller sample sizes.
3. Which core principle of the Belmont Report requires that researchers treat individuals as
autonomous agents and provide protection to those with diminished autonomy?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Respect for Persons
D. Veracity
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Respect for Persons is one of the three foundational ethical principles for
human subject research described in the Belmont Report. It emphasizes that individuals
should be treated as autonomous agents and that persons with diminished autonomy are
, entitled to protection. This principle is operationalized through the process of informed
consent in research studies.
4. A researcher is studying the effect of a new wound dressing on the healing rate of pressure
ulcers. In this study, what is the independent variable?
A. The healing rate
B. The type of pressure ulcer
C. The age of the patients
D. The new wound dressing
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or introduced
by the researcher to determine its effect on the outcome. In this scenario, the intervention
being tested is the new wound dressing. The healing rate is the dependent variable because
it is the outcome being measured.
5. Which of the following are characteristics of qualitative research? (Select All That Apply)
A. Focuses on the lived experience
B. Uses statistical analysis to test hypotheses
C. Data collection through interviews or focus groups
D. Inductive reasoning approach
E. Large sample sizes for generalizability
and Evidence-Based Practice | Actual Q&A with
Rationale (NRS445 Exam 1) | Grand Canyon
University
1. A nurse is formulating a clinical question using the PICOT format. Which of the following
are considered essential components of this framework? (Select All That Apply)
A. Population of interest
B. Intervention or area of interest
C. Comparison intervention or group
D. Outcome
E. Timeframe
F. Financial cost of the study
Correct Answer: A, B, C, D, E
Explanation: The PICOT format is a standardized tool used in evidence-based practice to
frame clinical questions. Each letter represents a specific element: Population, Intervention,
Comparison, Outcome, and Time. The financial cost, while important for management, is
not a standard component of the PICOT mnemonic used for literature searches.
2. In the hierarchy of evidence, which of the following is considered the highest level of
evidence for practice decisions?
A. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of RCTs
,B. Case-control studies
C. Expert opinion and committee reports
D. Descriptive or qualitative studies
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses sit at the top of the evidence pyramid
because they synthesize results from multiple high-quality randomized controlled trials.
This level of evidence reduces bias and provides more robust data for clinical decision-
making. Other types of studies, like case-reports or descriptive studies, are lower because
they have a higher risk of bias or smaller sample sizes.
3. Which core principle of the Belmont Report requires that researchers treat individuals as
autonomous agents and provide protection to those with diminished autonomy?
A. Beneficence
B. Justice
C. Respect for Persons
D. Veracity
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Respect for Persons is one of the three foundational ethical principles for
human subject research described in the Belmont Report. It emphasizes that individuals
should be treated as autonomous agents and that persons with diminished autonomy are
, entitled to protection. This principle is operationalized through the process of informed
consent in research studies.
4. A researcher is studying the effect of a new wound dressing on the healing rate of pressure
ulcers. In this study, what is the independent variable?
A. The healing rate
B. The type of pressure ulcer
C. The age of the patients
D. The new wound dressing
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or introduced
by the researcher to determine its effect on the outcome. In this scenario, the intervention
being tested is the new wound dressing. The healing rate is the dependent variable because
it is the outcome being measured.
5. Which of the following are characteristics of qualitative research? (Select All That Apply)
A. Focuses on the lived experience
B. Uses statistical analysis to test hypotheses
C. Data collection through interviews or focus groups
D. Inductive reasoning approach
E. Large sample sizes for generalizability
