Evidence-Based Practice - 2026 Nursing Primer: Exam 2 -
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. In the Melnyk seven-step EBP process, the final step is to:
A. Ask a PICOT question
B. Search for evidence
C. Cultivate inquiry
D. Disseminate the outcomes of the EBP change
Correct Answer: D. Disseminate the outcomes of the EBP change
Rationale: Sharing results helps others learn. Evaluation of outcomes precedes dissemination.
2. The phrase "best available evidence" acknowledges that:
A. Only RCTs count
B. The highest-level evidence may not exist for every question, so the strongest evidence
available is used
C. Opinion is never used
D. Evidence is always perfect
Correct Answer: B. The highest-level evidence may not exist for every question, so the
strongest evidence available is used
Rationale: Lower-level evidence may guide practice when stronger evidence is lacking. Its limits
are acknowledged.
3. Nurse scientists in hospitals contribute to EBP by:
A. Only managing budgets
B. Leading research, mentoring EBP projects and building inquiry culture
C. Avoiding clinical staff
D. Replacing educators
Correct Answer: B. Leading research, mentoring EBP projects and building inquiry culture
Rationale: Embedded scientists bridge research and practice. They support staff projects.
,4. The International Council of Nurses supports EBP as:
A. An optional trend
B. Only for high-income countries
C. Unrelated to nursing
D. A means to improve care quality and patient outcomes globally
Correct Answer: D. A means to improve care quality and patient outcomes globally
Rationale: Global nursing bodies promote evidence use. Resource-limited settings adapt
approaches.
5. The EBP Beliefs Scale measures:
A. Clinicians' beliefs about the value of EBP and their ability to implement it
B. Patient satisfaction
C. Pain
D. Fall risk
Correct Answer: A. Clinicians' beliefs about the value of EBP and their ability to implement it
Rationale: It is used to evaluate education programs. Beliefs predict implementation.
6. Nurses' beliefs in the value of EBP are associated with:
A. Less use of evidence
B. Job dissatisfaction
C. Greater implementation of EBP
D. No effect
Correct Answer: C. Greater implementation of EBP
Rationale: Belief and confidence predict practice. Education can strengthen beliefs.
,7. Interprofessional collaboration in EBP is important because:
A. Practice changes often affect multiple disciplines and need shared ownership
B. Nurses should work alone
C. Physicians do not use evidence
D. Teams slow change
Correct Answer: A. Practice changes often affect multiple disciplines and need shared
ownership
Rationale: Involving all stakeholders improves adoption. Many problems cross disciplines.
8. Knowledge-focused triggers for EBP include:
A. Patient falls on the unit
B. New research findings, new guidelines and philosophies of care
C. Infection rate increase
D. Budget cuts
Correct Answer: B. New research findings, new guidelines and philosophies of care
Rationale: These triggers arise from new knowledge. Problem-focused triggers arise from
clinical issues.
9. The PICo format for qualitative questions includes:
A. Population, Intervention and Comparison
B. Prognosis, Incidence and Cost
C. Population, phenomenon of Interest and Context
D. Patient, Intervention and Outcome
Correct Answer: C. Population, phenomenon of Interest and Context
Rationale: Qualitative questions rarely have comparisons. Context sets the setting.
, 10. Outcomes in PICOT questions should be:
A. Vague
B. Measurable and meaningful to patients, such as pain scores or infection rates
C. Unmeasurable
D. Unrelated to the intervention
Correct Answer: B. Measurable and meaningful to patients, such as pain scores or infection
rates
Rationale: Measurable outcomes allow evaluation. Patient-important outcomes matter most.
11. A PICOT question that includes an intervention not available in the setting:
A. Must be abandoned
B. May still be useful, but feasibility should be considered when planning implementation
C. Is always invalid
D. Requires a new hospital
Correct Answer: B. May still be useful, but feasibility should be considered when planning
implementation
Rationale: Practical constraints affect implementation. Evidence may support advocating for
resources.
12. In PICOT, the letter O stands for:
A. Odds ratio
B. Objective
C. Outcome
D. Observation
Correct Answer: C. Outcome
Rationale: Outcomes should be measurable. They define what success looks like.
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. In the Melnyk seven-step EBP process, the final step is to:
A. Ask a PICOT question
B. Search for evidence
C. Cultivate inquiry
D. Disseminate the outcomes of the EBP change
Correct Answer: D. Disseminate the outcomes of the EBP change
Rationale: Sharing results helps others learn. Evaluation of outcomes precedes dissemination.
2. The phrase "best available evidence" acknowledges that:
A. Only RCTs count
B. The highest-level evidence may not exist for every question, so the strongest evidence
available is used
C. Opinion is never used
D. Evidence is always perfect
Correct Answer: B. The highest-level evidence may not exist for every question, so the
strongest evidence available is used
Rationale: Lower-level evidence may guide practice when stronger evidence is lacking. Its limits
are acknowledged.
3. Nurse scientists in hospitals contribute to EBP by:
A. Only managing budgets
B. Leading research, mentoring EBP projects and building inquiry culture
C. Avoiding clinical staff
D. Replacing educators
Correct Answer: B. Leading research, mentoring EBP projects and building inquiry culture
Rationale: Embedded scientists bridge research and practice. They support staff projects.
,4. The International Council of Nurses supports EBP as:
A. An optional trend
B. Only for high-income countries
C. Unrelated to nursing
D. A means to improve care quality and patient outcomes globally
Correct Answer: D. A means to improve care quality and patient outcomes globally
Rationale: Global nursing bodies promote evidence use. Resource-limited settings adapt
approaches.
5. The EBP Beliefs Scale measures:
A. Clinicians' beliefs about the value of EBP and their ability to implement it
B. Patient satisfaction
C. Pain
D. Fall risk
Correct Answer: A. Clinicians' beliefs about the value of EBP and their ability to implement it
Rationale: It is used to evaluate education programs. Beliefs predict implementation.
6. Nurses' beliefs in the value of EBP are associated with:
A. Less use of evidence
B. Job dissatisfaction
C. Greater implementation of EBP
D. No effect
Correct Answer: C. Greater implementation of EBP
Rationale: Belief and confidence predict practice. Education can strengthen beliefs.
,7. Interprofessional collaboration in EBP is important because:
A. Practice changes often affect multiple disciplines and need shared ownership
B. Nurses should work alone
C. Physicians do not use evidence
D. Teams slow change
Correct Answer: A. Practice changes often affect multiple disciplines and need shared
ownership
Rationale: Involving all stakeholders improves adoption. Many problems cross disciplines.
8. Knowledge-focused triggers for EBP include:
A. Patient falls on the unit
B. New research findings, new guidelines and philosophies of care
C. Infection rate increase
D. Budget cuts
Correct Answer: B. New research findings, new guidelines and philosophies of care
Rationale: These triggers arise from new knowledge. Problem-focused triggers arise from
clinical issues.
9. The PICo format for qualitative questions includes:
A. Population, Intervention and Comparison
B. Prognosis, Incidence and Cost
C. Population, phenomenon of Interest and Context
D. Patient, Intervention and Outcome
Correct Answer: C. Population, phenomenon of Interest and Context
Rationale: Qualitative questions rarely have comparisons. Context sets the setting.
, 10. Outcomes in PICOT questions should be:
A. Vague
B. Measurable and meaningful to patients, such as pain scores or infection rates
C. Unmeasurable
D. Unrelated to the intervention
Correct Answer: B. Measurable and meaningful to patients, such as pain scores or infection
rates
Rationale: Measurable outcomes allow evaluation. Patient-important outcomes matter most.
11. A PICOT question that includes an intervention not available in the setting:
A. Must be abandoned
B. May still be useful, but feasibility should be considered when planning implementation
C. Is always invalid
D. Requires a new hospital
Correct Answer: B. May still be useful, but feasibility should be considered when planning
implementation
Rationale: Practical constraints affect implementation. Evidence may support advocating for
resources.
12. In PICOT, the letter O stands for:
A. Odds ratio
B. Objective
C. Outcome
D. Observation
Correct Answer: C. Outcome
Rationale: Outcomes should be measurable. They define what success looks like.
