BSN3A Community Health Nursing – Exam Practice Questions & Verified Answers with Explained Rationales
(2026 Latest Update) – Comprehensive 250-Question Practice Exam
Questions 1–250
1. The primary focus of community health nursing is:
A) Individual curative care
B) Population health promotion and disease prevention
C) Hospital-based acute care
D) Specialist referral services
Answer B: Population health promotion and disease prevention
Rationale: Community health nursing focuses on the health of populations, emphasizing prevention and
health promotion.
2. A community health nurse is conducting a needs assessment. The first step in this process is:
A) Implement interventions
B) Define the community
C) Collect data
D) Evaluate outcomes
Answer B: Define the community
Rationale: Defining the community is essential before assessing needs.
3. A community health nurse is identifying health risks in a community. Which level of prevention is
screening for hypertension?
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Community prevention
Answer B: Secondary prevention
Rationale: Screening detects early disease and is secondary prevention.
,4. Immunizing children against measles is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Disease treatment
Answer A: Primary prevention
Rationale: Immunizations prevent disease before it occurs, which is primary prevention.
5. A nurse is teaching a community group about healthy eating and exercise. This is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Rehabilitation
Answer A: Primary prevention
Rationale: Health education promotes wellness and prevents disease.
6. A community health nurse is providing education to a patient with diabetes about managing blood
glucose. This is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Health promotion
Answer C: Tertiary prevention
Rationale: Managing a chronic disease to prevent complications is tertiary prevention.
7. The incidence of a disease refers to:
A) Total number of existing cases in a population
B) Number of new cases in a population over a specific time
C) Number of deaths in a population
D) Number of hospitalizations
Answer B: Number of new cases in a population over a specific time
Rationale: Incidence measures new cases during a specified period.
,8. The prevalence of a disease refers to:
A) Total number of existing cases in a population
B) Number of new cases in a population
C) Number of deaths in a population
D) Number of hospitalizations
Answer A: Total number of existing cases in a population
Rationale: Prevalence is the total number of cases (new and existing) at a given time.
9. A disease outbreak is defined as:
A) A disease that occurs worldwide
B) An unexpected increase in the number of cases in a specific area
C) A disease that occurs at a constant level
D) A disease that has been eradicated
Answer B: An unexpected increase in the number of cases in a specific area
Rationale: An outbreak is a sudden increase in cases above expected levels.
10. A pandemic is defined as:
A) A disease occurring at a constant level in a population
B) An outbreak that spreads across continents or worldwide
C) A disease outbreak in a single community
D) A disease that is no longer present
Answer B: An outbreak that spreads across continents or worldwide
Rationale: A pandemic is a global or widespread outbreak of disease.
11. The epidemiological triangle consists of:
A) Person, place, time
B) Agent, host, environment
C) Incidence, prevalence, mortality
D) Primary, secondary, tertiary
Answer B: Agent, host, environment
Rationale: The epidemiological triangle describes interactions among agent, host, and environment.
, 12. A nurse is investigating a foodborne illness outbreak. The nurse is working in which phase of
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A) Surveillance
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B) Outbreak investigation
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C) Prevention
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D) Evaluation
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Answer B: Outbreak investigation
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Rationale: Outbreak investigation identifies the source and controls the spread.
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13. A community health nurse is analyzing mortality rates. Which measure is commonly used?
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A) Incidence rate
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B) Crude death rate
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C) Attack rate
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D) Prevalence rate
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Answer B: Crude death ratej0 j0 j0 j0
Rationale: The crude death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 population.
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14. A nurse is providing care to a homeless population. Which social determinant of health is most
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A) Genetic predisposition
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B) Housing instability and poverty
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C) Educational level
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D) Occupational exposure
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Answer B: Housing instability and poverty
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Rationale: Homelessness is a key social determinant affecting health outcomes.
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15. A community health nurse is advocating for a mobile health clinic in a rural area. This
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(2026 Latest Update) – Comprehensive 250-Question Practice Exam
Questions 1–250
1. The primary focus of community health nursing is:
A) Individual curative care
B) Population health promotion and disease prevention
C) Hospital-based acute care
D) Specialist referral services
Answer B: Population health promotion and disease prevention
Rationale: Community health nursing focuses on the health of populations, emphasizing prevention and
health promotion.
2. A community health nurse is conducting a needs assessment. The first step in this process is:
A) Implement interventions
B) Define the community
C) Collect data
D) Evaluate outcomes
Answer B: Define the community
Rationale: Defining the community is essential before assessing needs.
3. A community health nurse is identifying health risks in a community. Which level of prevention is
screening for hypertension?
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Community prevention
Answer B: Secondary prevention
Rationale: Screening detects early disease and is secondary prevention.
,4. Immunizing children against measles is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Disease treatment
Answer A: Primary prevention
Rationale: Immunizations prevent disease before it occurs, which is primary prevention.
5. A nurse is teaching a community group about healthy eating and exercise. This is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Rehabilitation
Answer A: Primary prevention
Rationale: Health education promotes wellness and prevents disease.
6. A community health nurse is providing education to a patient with diabetes about managing blood
glucose. This is an example of:
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Tertiary prevention
D) Health promotion
Answer C: Tertiary prevention
Rationale: Managing a chronic disease to prevent complications is tertiary prevention.
7. The incidence of a disease refers to:
A) Total number of existing cases in a population
B) Number of new cases in a population over a specific time
C) Number of deaths in a population
D) Number of hospitalizations
Answer B: Number of new cases in a population over a specific time
Rationale: Incidence measures new cases during a specified period.
,8. The prevalence of a disease refers to:
A) Total number of existing cases in a population
B) Number of new cases in a population
C) Number of deaths in a population
D) Number of hospitalizations
Answer A: Total number of existing cases in a population
Rationale: Prevalence is the total number of cases (new and existing) at a given time.
9. A disease outbreak is defined as:
A) A disease that occurs worldwide
B) An unexpected increase in the number of cases in a specific area
C) A disease that occurs at a constant level
D) A disease that has been eradicated
Answer B: An unexpected increase in the number of cases in a specific area
Rationale: An outbreak is a sudden increase in cases above expected levels.
10. A pandemic is defined as:
A) A disease occurring at a constant level in a population
B) An outbreak that spreads across continents or worldwide
C) A disease outbreak in a single community
D) A disease that is no longer present
Answer B: An outbreak that spreads across continents or worldwide
Rationale: A pandemic is a global or widespread outbreak of disease.
11. The epidemiological triangle consists of:
A) Person, place, time
B) Agent, host, environment
C) Incidence, prevalence, mortality
D) Primary, secondary, tertiary
Answer B: Agent, host, environment
Rationale: The epidemiological triangle describes interactions among agent, host, and environment.
, 12. A nurse is investigating a foodborne illness outbreak. The nurse is working in which phase of
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A) Surveillance
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B) Outbreak investigation
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C) Prevention
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D) Evaluation
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Answer B: Outbreak investigation
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Rationale: Outbreak investigation identifies the source and controls the spread.
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13. A community health nurse is analyzing mortality rates. Which measure is commonly used?
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A) Incidence rate
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B) Crude death rate
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C) Attack rate
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D) Prevalence rate
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Answer B: Crude death ratej0 j0 j0 j0
Rationale: The crude death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 population.
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14. A nurse is providing care to a homeless population. Which social determinant of health is most
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A) Genetic predisposition
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B) Housing instability and poverty
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C) Educational level
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D) Occupational exposure
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Answer B: Housing instability and poverty
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Rationale: Homelessness is a key social determinant affecting health outcomes.
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15. A community health nurse is advocating for a mobile health clinic in a rural area. This
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A) Cost
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