CON 1400 Exam Review Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Q1: A nurse collects vital signs, lung sounds, and a pain rating from a newly admitted patient.
Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment [CORRECT]
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because assessment is the systematic collection of subjective and objective
data that forms the foundation of the nursing process.
---
Q2: A nurse identifies "ineffective airway clearance related to retained secretions" for a
postoperative patient. Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis [CORRECT]
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because the diagnosis phase involves analyzing collected data to identify
actual or potential health problems stated as nursing diagnoses.
---
Q3: Which step of the clinical judgment model involves determining which patient problem
requires immediate attention?
A. Recognizing cues
B. Analyzing cues
C. Prioritizing hypotheses [CORRECT]
D. Generating solutions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because prioritizing hypotheses requires the nurse to rank identified
problems by urgency and importance to guide care decisions.
---
,Q4: A nurse evaluates whether a patient's pain decreased after administering an analgesic.
Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Correct because evaluation determines whether the patient's response to
interventions meets the expected outcomes.
---
Q5: Which statement is an appropriate nursing diagnosis?
A. "Pneumonia related to infection"
B. "Impaired gas exchange related to retained secretions" [CORRECT]
C. "Asthma"
D. "The patient has difficulty breathing"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because a nursing diagnosis describes a patient response to a health
problem with related factors, rather than a medical diagnosis.
---
Q6: A nurse is prioritizing care using the ABC framework. Which patient should be assessed
first?
A. A patient requesting pain medication
B. A patient with an obstructed airway [CORRECT]
C. A patient needing a dressing change
D. A patient asking for a blanket
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because airway is the first priority in the ABC framework; obstruction is
immediately life-threatening.
---
Q7: A nurse notices a colleague skip hand hygiene before entering a patient's room. Which
action is appropriate?
A. Ignore the behavior to avoid conflict
B. Remind the colleague of the policy privately [CORRECT]
C. Report the colleague to the state board
, D. Document the behavior in the medical record
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because respectfully reminding a colleague promotes patient safety while
maintaining professional relationships.
---
Q8: Which finding indicates a patient is experiencing acute confusion and requires further
assessment?
A. Oriented to person, place, and time
B. Sudden onset of disorientation and restlessness [CORRECT]
C. Mild fatigue after ambulation
D. Reports of incisional pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because acute onset of disorientation and restlessness indicates delirium,
requiring prompt evaluation for underlying causes.
---
Q9: A nurse is planning care for a patient with impaired mobility. Which goal is measurable and
time-specific?
A. "The patient will improve mobility."
B. "The patient will ambulate 50 feet with a walker by day 3." [CORRECT]
C. "The patient will feel better."
D. "The patient will be safe."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because measurable outcomes specify an observable action, a criterion, and
a time frame for evaluation.
---
Q10: A nurse performs a focused assessment on a patient reporting chest pain. Which action is
priority?
A. Obtain a full health history
B. Assess vital signs and pain characteristics [CORRECT]
C. Document the finding
D. Administer a PRN medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because focused assessment of vital signs and pain characteristics guides
immediate clinical decisions for potentially life-threatening conditions.
Complete Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Q1: A nurse collects vital signs, lung sounds, and a pain rating from a newly admitted patient.
Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment [CORRECT]
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because assessment is the systematic collection of subjective and objective
data that forms the foundation of the nursing process.
---
Q2: A nurse identifies "ineffective airway clearance related to retained secretions" for a
postoperative patient. Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis [CORRECT]
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because the diagnosis phase involves analyzing collected data to identify
actual or potential health problems stated as nursing diagnoses.
---
Q3: Which step of the clinical judgment model involves determining which patient problem
requires immediate attention?
A. Recognizing cues
B. Analyzing cues
C. Prioritizing hypotheses [CORRECT]
D. Generating solutions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because prioritizing hypotheses requires the nurse to rank identified
problems by urgency and importance to guide care decisions.
---
,Q4: A nurse evaluates whether a patient's pain decreased after administering an analgesic.
Which phase of the nursing process is this?
A. Assessment
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Correct because evaluation determines whether the patient's response to
interventions meets the expected outcomes.
---
Q5: Which statement is an appropriate nursing diagnosis?
A. "Pneumonia related to infection"
B. "Impaired gas exchange related to retained secretions" [CORRECT]
C. "Asthma"
D. "The patient has difficulty breathing"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because a nursing diagnosis describes a patient response to a health
problem with related factors, rather than a medical diagnosis.
---
Q6: A nurse is prioritizing care using the ABC framework. Which patient should be assessed
first?
A. A patient requesting pain medication
B. A patient with an obstructed airway [CORRECT]
C. A patient needing a dressing change
D. A patient asking for a blanket
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because airway is the first priority in the ABC framework; obstruction is
immediately life-threatening.
---
Q7: A nurse notices a colleague skip hand hygiene before entering a patient's room. Which
action is appropriate?
A. Ignore the behavior to avoid conflict
B. Remind the colleague of the policy privately [CORRECT]
C. Report the colleague to the state board
, D. Document the behavior in the medical record
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because respectfully reminding a colleague promotes patient safety while
maintaining professional relationships.
---
Q8: Which finding indicates a patient is experiencing acute confusion and requires further
assessment?
A. Oriented to person, place, and time
B. Sudden onset of disorientation and restlessness [CORRECT]
C. Mild fatigue after ambulation
D. Reports of incisional pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because acute onset of disorientation and restlessness indicates delirium,
requiring prompt evaluation for underlying causes.
---
Q9: A nurse is planning care for a patient with impaired mobility. Which goal is measurable and
time-specific?
A. "The patient will improve mobility."
B. "The patient will ambulate 50 feet with a walker by day 3." [CORRECT]
C. "The patient will feel better."
D. "The patient will be safe."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because measurable outcomes specify an observable action, a criterion, and
a time frame for evaluation.
---
Q10: A nurse performs a focused assessment on a patient reporting chest pain. Which action is
priority?
A. Obtain a full health history
B. Assess vital signs and pain characteristics [CORRECT]
C. Document the finding
D. Administer a PRN medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because focused assessment of vital signs and pain characteristics guides
immediate clinical decisions for potentially life-threatening conditions.
