NU 131
EXAM 2
Nursing and Healthcare I
Actual Questions w/Correct Answers
Galen College of Nursing
What you Will Get:
• 50 verified questions
• Correct answers with Detailed Rationales.
• Ideal for exam preparation and concept
reinforcement.
,1. A nurse is preparing to administer morning medications. The nurse silently
reviews the patient's allergies, checks the medication list, and thinks through
potential drug interactions before entering the room. Which type of
communication is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Interpersonal communication
B. Intrapersonal communication
C. Affective communication
D. Therapeutic communication
Correct Answer:
B. Intrapersonal communication
Rationale: Intrapersonal communication is defined as communication with oneself—
one's own thoughts, self-talk, and internal reflection. The nurse is engaging in silent self-
dialogue to organize thoughts and plan care before interacting with the patient.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Interpersonal communication: This occurs between two or more people.
The nurse is alone and not interacting with another person.
• C. Affective communication: This involves expressing feelings and emotions
through words. The nurse is not expressing emotions but rather processing
clinical information internally.
• D. Therapeutic communication: This is a purposeful, patient-centered
interaction aimed at promoting positive patient outcomes. There is no patient
interaction occurring in this scenario.
2. During a shift handoff, the outgoing nurse states: "Mr. Johnson in Room 204
has a blood pressure of 88/52, he's diaphoretic, and his last pain medication was
4 hours ago." The incoming nurse recognizes this as which component of the
SBAR framework?
A. Background
B. Assessment
C. Situation
D. Recommendation
Correct Answer:
C. Situation
,Rationale: The Situation component of SBAR provides a concise statement of the
current problem or immediate concern. Describing the patient's current vital signs and
status constitutes the "Situation."
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Background: This includes relevant history, admission diagnosis, and recent
events leading to the current state—not the current status itself.
• B. Assessment: This is the nurse's professional judgment or interpretation of
what the situation means clinically (e.g., "I believe he is hypovolemic").
• D. Recommendation: This is what the nurse suggests should be done next
(e.g., "I recommend we call the provider and hold the next pain medication until
BP stabilizes").
3. A nurse enters a patient's room and notices the patient is sitting with arms
crossed, avoiding eye contact, and giving short responses. The nurse recognizes
that approximately what percentage of communication is nonverbal?
A. 25%
B. 50%
C. 75%
D. 90%
Correct Answer:
D. 90% (Note: Based on the study guide indicating nonverbal is the most common form;
standard nursing education cites 80-90%)
Rationale: Nonverbal communication—including body language, facial expressions,
gestures, posture, and tone of voice—is the most common form of human
communication, accounting for approximately 80-90% of all communication. The
patient's crossed arms and avoidance of eye contact are powerful nonverbal cues that
may indicate discomfort, defensiveness, or anxiety.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. 25%: This significantly underestimates the role of nonverbal communication in
human interaction.
• B. 50%: While this acknowledges substantial nonverbal influence, it still
underrepresents the dominant role of nonverbal cues.
• C. 75%: This is closer but still falls short of the widely accepted figure that
nonverbal communication constitutes the vast majority of message transmission.
, 4. Which nursing action best demonstrates assertive communication?
A. Accepting an unsafe patient assignment without questioning it to avoid conflict
B. Telling a colleague, "Your documentation is always terrible, and you need to fix it
now"
C. Stating, "I am concerned about this 8:1 patient ratio. I believe it compromises patient
safety, and I would like to discuss alternatives with the charge nurse"
D. Ignoring a physician's inappropriate order and documenting that it was never
received
Correct Answer:
C. Stating, "I am concerned about this 8:1 patient ratio. I believe it compromises
patient safety, and I would like to discuss alternatives with the charge nurse"
Rationale: Assertive communication empowers the nurse to make their own choices
and comfortably share thoughts, feelings, and concerns while respecting others. It is
direct, honest, and respectful—neither passive nor aggressive.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Accepting an unsafe assignment without questioning: This demonstrates
passive communication—accepting what happens without active response or
resistance, which endangers patients.
• B. Telling a colleague their documentation is "always terrible": This is
aggressive communication—hostile, unfriendly, and attacking rather than
constructively addressing the issue.
• D. Ignoring an inappropriate order: This is passive and unprofessional.
Assertive communication would involve directly addressing the concern with the
provider using clear, respectful language.
5. A nurse is conducting a patient interview. Which question is an example of a
focused question?
A. "How are you feeling today?"
B. "Tell me more about your pain."
C. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your current pain level?"
D. "Is your pain sharp or dull?"
Correct Answer:
C. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your current pain level?"
EXAM 2
Nursing and Healthcare I
Actual Questions w/Correct Answers
Galen College of Nursing
What you Will Get:
• 50 verified questions
• Correct answers with Detailed Rationales.
• Ideal for exam preparation and concept
reinforcement.
,1. A nurse is preparing to administer morning medications. The nurse silently
reviews the patient's allergies, checks the medication list, and thinks through
potential drug interactions before entering the room. Which type of
communication is the nurse demonstrating?
A. Interpersonal communication
B. Intrapersonal communication
C. Affective communication
D. Therapeutic communication
Correct Answer:
B. Intrapersonal communication
Rationale: Intrapersonal communication is defined as communication with oneself—
one's own thoughts, self-talk, and internal reflection. The nurse is engaging in silent self-
dialogue to organize thoughts and plan care before interacting with the patient.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Interpersonal communication: This occurs between two or more people.
The nurse is alone and not interacting with another person.
• C. Affective communication: This involves expressing feelings and emotions
through words. The nurse is not expressing emotions but rather processing
clinical information internally.
• D. Therapeutic communication: This is a purposeful, patient-centered
interaction aimed at promoting positive patient outcomes. There is no patient
interaction occurring in this scenario.
2. During a shift handoff, the outgoing nurse states: "Mr. Johnson in Room 204
has a blood pressure of 88/52, he's diaphoretic, and his last pain medication was
4 hours ago." The incoming nurse recognizes this as which component of the
SBAR framework?
A. Background
B. Assessment
C. Situation
D. Recommendation
Correct Answer:
C. Situation
,Rationale: The Situation component of SBAR provides a concise statement of the
current problem or immediate concern. Describing the patient's current vital signs and
status constitutes the "Situation."
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Background: This includes relevant history, admission diagnosis, and recent
events leading to the current state—not the current status itself.
• B. Assessment: This is the nurse's professional judgment or interpretation of
what the situation means clinically (e.g., "I believe he is hypovolemic").
• D. Recommendation: This is what the nurse suggests should be done next
(e.g., "I recommend we call the provider and hold the next pain medication until
BP stabilizes").
3. A nurse enters a patient's room and notices the patient is sitting with arms
crossed, avoiding eye contact, and giving short responses. The nurse recognizes
that approximately what percentage of communication is nonverbal?
A. 25%
B. 50%
C. 75%
D. 90%
Correct Answer:
D. 90% (Note: Based on the study guide indicating nonverbal is the most common form;
standard nursing education cites 80-90%)
Rationale: Nonverbal communication—including body language, facial expressions,
gestures, posture, and tone of voice—is the most common form of human
communication, accounting for approximately 80-90% of all communication. The
patient's crossed arms and avoidance of eye contact are powerful nonverbal cues that
may indicate discomfort, defensiveness, or anxiety.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. 25%: This significantly underestimates the role of nonverbal communication in
human interaction.
• B. 50%: While this acknowledges substantial nonverbal influence, it still
underrepresents the dominant role of nonverbal cues.
• C. 75%: This is closer but still falls short of the widely accepted figure that
nonverbal communication constitutes the vast majority of message transmission.
, 4. Which nursing action best demonstrates assertive communication?
A. Accepting an unsafe patient assignment without questioning it to avoid conflict
B. Telling a colleague, "Your documentation is always terrible, and you need to fix it
now"
C. Stating, "I am concerned about this 8:1 patient ratio. I believe it compromises patient
safety, and I would like to discuss alternatives with the charge nurse"
D. Ignoring a physician's inappropriate order and documenting that it was never
received
Correct Answer:
C. Stating, "I am concerned about this 8:1 patient ratio. I believe it compromises
patient safety, and I would like to discuss alternatives with the charge nurse"
Rationale: Assertive communication empowers the nurse to make their own choices
and comfortably share thoughts, feelings, and concerns while respecting others. It is
direct, honest, and respectful—neither passive nor aggressive.
Why Other Choices Are Wrong:
• A. Accepting an unsafe assignment without questioning: This demonstrates
passive communication—accepting what happens without active response or
resistance, which endangers patients.
• B. Telling a colleague their documentation is "always terrible": This is
aggressive communication—hostile, unfriendly, and attacking rather than
constructively addressing the issue.
• D. Ignoring an inappropriate order: This is passive and unprofessional.
Assertive communication would involve directly addressing the concern with the
provider using clear, respectful language.
5. A nurse is conducting a patient interview. Which question is an example of a
focused question?
A. "How are you feeling today?"
B. "Tell me more about your pain."
C. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your current pain level?"
D. "Is your pain sharp or dull?"
Correct Answer:
C. "On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your current pain level?"
