Wilkes NSG 505 Health Policy & Politics Exam
2026/2027 | 100 Verified Questions & Answers |
Passan School of Nursing MSN Prep | Instant
Download
Question 1: Which statement best defines health policy?
A. A hospital's internal procedure manual for medication administration
B. A set of decisions, plans, laws, and actions designed to address health-related
goals across populations
C. A nurse's individualized plan of care for a single patient
D. A physician's treatment recommendation documented in the medical record
Correct Answer: B. A set of decisions, plans, laws, and actions designed to
address health-related goals across populations
Rationale: Health policy consists of decisions, plans, laws, regulations, and
actions intended to address health-related problems and goals. It operates at
organizational, local, state, federal, and international levels. Option A describes a
clinical protocol, which is narrower in scope. Option C describes an individualized
care plan, which is patient-specific rather than population-focused. Option D
describes a clinical decision, not policy.
Question 2: What is the primary reason nurses should understand health policy?
A. To replace legislators in making healthcare decisions
B. To avoid participating in political activities
C. To understand and influence systems that affect patient and population health
D. To eliminate the need for clinical judgment
, Correct Answer: C. To understand and influence systems that affect patient
and population health
Rationale: Nurses encounter the effects of healthcare policies daily.
Understanding policy enables nurses to advocate for patients, participate in
policymaking, and evaluate how decisions affect health outcomes. Options A and
D misrepresent the nurse's role, and Option B contradicts the professional
obligation to engage in policy advocacy.
Question 3: Which characteristic distinguishes politics from policy?
A. Politics concerns only elections
B. Policy is always created by nurses
C. Politics involves the processes through which competing interests influence
decisions
D. Policy applies only to government programs
Correct Answer: C. Politics involves the processes through which competing
interests influence decisions
Rationale: Politics involves power, negotiation, competing interests, coalition
building, and decision-making. Policy is the resulting course of action, rule, or set
of decisions. Option A is too narrow, Option B is inaccurate, and Option D is
incorrect because policy exists in organizational settings as well.
Question 4: A nurse identifies an increasing rate of preventable hospital
readmissions and brings the issue to organizational leaders. Which policy
process activity is occurring?
A. Problem identification
B. Policy evaluation
,C. Policy termination
D. Judicial review
Correct Answer: A. Problem identification
Rationale: Before a policy can be developed, a problem must be identified and
defined. Clearly describing the problem helps establish why governmental or
organizational action may be needed. Policy evaluation occurs after
implementation, termination involves ending a policy, and judicial review is a legal
process, not a policy development stage.
Question 5: Which sequence best represents a simplified policy process?
A. Evaluation → Implementation → Agenda Setting → Formulation
B. Agenda Setting → Formulation → Adoption → Implementation → Evaluation
C. Implementation → Formulation → Adoption → Agenda Setting
D. Adoption → Evaluation → Formulation → Implementation
Correct Answer: B. Agenda Setting → Formulation → Adoption →
Implementation → Evaluation
Rationale: A commonly used policy-process framework moves from
identifying and prioritizing an issue (agenda setting) to developing policy
alternatives (formulation), adopting a policy, implementing it, and evaluating its
effects. The process is often iterative rather than strictly linear. The other
sequences present the stages out of order.
Question 6: Which situation best illustrates agenda setting?
A. A legislature votes on a proposed bill
B. A hospital audits compliance with a new policy
, C. A public health problem gains enough attention to become a governmental
priority
D. An agency enforces an existing regulation
Correct Answer: C. A public health problem gains enough attention to
become a governmental priority
Rationale: Agenda setting occurs when an issue receives sufficient attention
from policymakers and stakeholders to be considered for governmental action.
Option A illustrates adoption, Option B illustrates evaluation, and Option D
illustrates implementation/enforcement.
Question 7: Which question is most appropriate during policy formulation?
A. "What policy alternatives could address the identified problem?"
B. "Did the policy achieve its intended outcomes?"
C. "Which candidate should receive campaign funding?"
D. "Has the policy already been repealed?"
Correct Answer: A. "What policy alternatives could address the identified
problem?"
Rationale: Policy formulation involves developing and examining possible
solutions to an identified problem. Option B relates to evaluation, Option C relates
to political campaigning, and Option D relates to termination.
Question 8: A proposed health policy is approved by the appropriate legislative
body. Which stage has occurred?
A. Agenda setting
B. Policy adoption
2026/2027 | 100 Verified Questions & Answers |
Passan School of Nursing MSN Prep | Instant
Download
Question 1: Which statement best defines health policy?
A. A hospital's internal procedure manual for medication administration
B. A set of decisions, plans, laws, and actions designed to address health-related
goals across populations
C. A nurse's individualized plan of care for a single patient
D. A physician's treatment recommendation documented in the medical record
Correct Answer: B. A set of decisions, plans, laws, and actions designed to
address health-related goals across populations
Rationale: Health policy consists of decisions, plans, laws, regulations, and
actions intended to address health-related problems and goals. It operates at
organizational, local, state, federal, and international levels. Option A describes a
clinical protocol, which is narrower in scope. Option C describes an individualized
care plan, which is patient-specific rather than population-focused. Option D
describes a clinical decision, not policy.
Question 2: What is the primary reason nurses should understand health policy?
A. To replace legislators in making healthcare decisions
B. To avoid participating in political activities
C. To understand and influence systems that affect patient and population health
D. To eliminate the need for clinical judgment
, Correct Answer: C. To understand and influence systems that affect patient
and population health
Rationale: Nurses encounter the effects of healthcare policies daily.
Understanding policy enables nurses to advocate for patients, participate in
policymaking, and evaluate how decisions affect health outcomes. Options A and
D misrepresent the nurse's role, and Option B contradicts the professional
obligation to engage in policy advocacy.
Question 3: Which characteristic distinguishes politics from policy?
A. Politics concerns only elections
B. Policy is always created by nurses
C. Politics involves the processes through which competing interests influence
decisions
D. Policy applies only to government programs
Correct Answer: C. Politics involves the processes through which competing
interests influence decisions
Rationale: Politics involves power, negotiation, competing interests, coalition
building, and decision-making. Policy is the resulting course of action, rule, or set
of decisions. Option A is too narrow, Option B is inaccurate, and Option D is
incorrect because policy exists in organizational settings as well.
Question 4: A nurse identifies an increasing rate of preventable hospital
readmissions and brings the issue to organizational leaders. Which policy
process activity is occurring?
A. Problem identification
B. Policy evaluation
,C. Policy termination
D. Judicial review
Correct Answer: A. Problem identification
Rationale: Before a policy can be developed, a problem must be identified and
defined. Clearly describing the problem helps establish why governmental or
organizational action may be needed. Policy evaluation occurs after
implementation, termination involves ending a policy, and judicial review is a legal
process, not a policy development stage.
Question 5: Which sequence best represents a simplified policy process?
A. Evaluation → Implementation → Agenda Setting → Formulation
B. Agenda Setting → Formulation → Adoption → Implementation → Evaluation
C. Implementation → Formulation → Adoption → Agenda Setting
D. Adoption → Evaluation → Formulation → Implementation
Correct Answer: B. Agenda Setting → Formulation → Adoption →
Implementation → Evaluation
Rationale: A commonly used policy-process framework moves from
identifying and prioritizing an issue (agenda setting) to developing policy
alternatives (formulation), adopting a policy, implementing it, and evaluating its
effects. The process is often iterative rather than strictly linear. The other
sequences present the stages out of order.
Question 6: Which situation best illustrates agenda setting?
A. A legislature votes on a proposed bill
B. A hospital audits compliance with a new policy
, C. A public health problem gains enough attention to become a governmental
priority
D. An agency enforces an existing regulation
Correct Answer: C. A public health problem gains enough attention to
become a governmental priority
Rationale: Agenda setting occurs when an issue receives sufficient attention
from policymakers and stakeholders to be considered for governmental action.
Option A illustrates adoption, Option B illustrates evaluation, and Option D
illustrates implementation/enforcement.
Question 7: Which question is most appropriate during policy formulation?
A. "What policy alternatives could address the identified problem?"
B. "Did the policy achieve its intended outcomes?"
C. "Which candidate should receive campaign funding?"
D. "Has the policy already been repealed?"
Correct Answer: A. "What policy alternatives could address the identified
problem?"
Rationale: Policy formulation involves developing and examining possible
solutions to an identified problem. Option B relates to evaluation, Option C relates
to political campaigning, and Option D relates to termination.
Question 8: A proposed health policy is approved by the appropriate legislative
body. Which stage has occurred?
A. Agenda setting
B. Policy adoption
