ATI RN Community Health
CMS Proctored Exam: 100
Practice Questions and
Answer Explanations
Part One: Foundations of Community Health Nursing (1–15)
1. A community health nurse is planning a primary prevention program for heart disease.
Which intervention should the nurse include?
A. Cholesterol screening for adults over 40
B. Cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction
C. Teaching healthy eating habits to schoolchildren
D. Home monitoring for clients with heart failure
Answer: C
Explanation: Primary prevention occurs before disease develops. Teaching healthy habits is
primary prevention. Screenings are secondary; rehabilitation and home monitoring are
tertiary .
2. A nurse is teaching a group of clients about ways to prevent skin cancer. Which
statement demonstrates a priority prevention strategy?
A. "Use acetaminophen as needed for sunburn."
B. "Apply cool tap water soaks for 20 minutes to relieve sunburn."
C. "Ensure you have a yearly skin examination with your provider."
D. "Avoid direct sunlight between 10 am and 4 pm."
Answer: D
Explanation: Avoiding peak UV exposure hours is primary prevention—intervening before
disease or injury occurs. Yearly skin examinations represent secondary prevention (early
detection) .
3. Which is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Providing STI testing for students on a college campus
B. Educating adults about breast cancer screening guidelines
C. Teaching about inhaler use to a client who has asthma
D. Promoting the use of helmets with children who ride bicycles
Answer: C
,Explanation: Tertiary prevention focuses on managing established disease, preventing
complications, and maximizing quality of life. Teaching a client with an existing diagnosis
how to use an inhaler is tertiary prevention .
4. A community flu shot clinic is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Health promotion
Answer: A
Explanation: Vaccination prevents disease before exposure—primary prevention. This is one
of the most classic examples of primary prevention in community health .
5. A community health nurse is implementing a secondary prevention activity. Which of
the following actions is the nurse taking?
A. Teaching a class on safe sex practices to teenagers
B. Administering a tuberculosis skin test (TST) to a high-risk population
C. Leading a support group for stroke survivors
D. Ensuring a patient with hypertension takes their medications
Answer: B
Explanation: Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt treatment of
disease. Screening (TST) is a classic secondary prevention strategy. Teaching is primary
prevention. Support groups and medication adherence are tertiary prevention .
6. A nurse is planning a secondary prevention program for breast cancer. Which activity
should be included?
A. Teaching breast self-examination techniques
B. Providing mammography screening
C. Administering chemotherapy
D. Offering genetic counseling
Answer: B
Explanation: Secondary prevention involves early detection through screening.
Mammography is a screening tool for early breast cancer detection.
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who had a stroke. The nurse discusses
physical therapy options and support groups. This is an example of:
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Health promotion
Answer: C
Explanation: Tertiary prevention aims to maximize recovery and quality of life after disease
, or injury has occurred. Physical therapy and support groups help the client regain function
and adjust to life after stroke .
8. What is the purpose of a windshield survey in community health nursing?
A. To conduct formal epidemiological research
B. To provide an informal observational assessment of a community by driving or walking
through it
C. To collect laboratory specimens from community members
D. To evaluate individual patient outcomes
Answer: B
Explanation: A windshield survey is an informal, observational assessment of a community
done by driving or walking through it, noting housing conditions, access to services, and
visible health/safety concerns. It is a quick, low-cost way to begin understanding a
community's environment and needs .
9. Which of the following is NOT a core function of public health?
A. Assessment
B. Policy development
C. Assurance
D. Treatment
Answer: D
Explanation: The three core functions of public health are assessment, policy development,
and assurance. Treatment is not considered a core function of public health; it is an
individual-level intervention rather than a population-focused function .
10. A community health nurse is using the epidemiological triad to investigate an outbreak
of foodborne illness. Which of the following represents the "agent" in this model?
A. The contaminated food
B. The person who consumed the food
C. The environment where the food was prepared
D. The bacterium causing the illness
Answer: D
Explanation: In the epidemiological triad, the agent is the pathogen or causative factor. The
host is the susceptible person, and the environment includes external factors that promote
exposure .
11. A nurse is assessing the health literacy of a patient. Which of the following statements
by the patient indicates low health literacy?
A. "I don't understand these instructions. Can you explain them to me again?"
B. "I need to call my daughter so she can help me remember what you said."
C. "I'll take this medication with food, just like you said."
D. "Can you draw a picture of how to take this insulin?"
Answer: B
CMS Proctored Exam: 100
Practice Questions and
Answer Explanations
Part One: Foundations of Community Health Nursing (1–15)
1. A community health nurse is planning a primary prevention program for heart disease.
Which intervention should the nurse include?
A. Cholesterol screening for adults over 40
B. Cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction
C. Teaching healthy eating habits to schoolchildren
D. Home monitoring for clients with heart failure
Answer: C
Explanation: Primary prevention occurs before disease develops. Teaching healthy habits is
primary prevention. Screenings are secondary; rehabilitation and home monitoring are
tertiary .
2. A nurse is teaching a group of clients about ways to prevent skin cancer. Which
statement demonstrates a priority prevention strategy?
A. "Use acetaminophen as needed for sunburn."
B. "Apply cool tap water soaks for 20 minutes to relieve sunburn."
C. "Ensure you have a yearly skin examination with your provider."
D. "Avoid direct sunlight between 10 am and 4 pm."
Answer: D
Explanation: Avoiding peak UV exposure hours is primary prevention—intervening before
disease or injury occurs. Yearly skin examinations represent secondary prevention (early
detection) .
3. Which is an example of tertiary prevention?
A. Providing STI testing for students on a college campus
B. Educating adults about breast cancer screening guidelines
C. Teaching about inhaler use to a client who has asthma
D. Promoting the use of helmets with children who ride bicycles
Answer: C
,Explanation: Tertiary prevention focuses on managing established disease, preventing
complications, and maximizing quality of life. Teaching a client with an existing diagnosis
how to use an inhaler is tertiary prevention .
4. A community flu shot clinic is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Health promotion
Answer: A
Explanation: Vaccination prevents disease before exposure—primary prevention. This is one
of the most classic examples of primary prevention in community health .
5. A community health nurse is implementing a secondary prevention activity. Which of
the following actions is the nurse taking?
A. Teaching a class on safe sex practices to teenagers
B. Administering a tuberculosis skin test (TST) to a high-risk population
C. Leading a support group for stroke survivors
D. Ensuring a patient with hypertension takes their medications
Answer: B
Explanation: Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt treatment of
disease. Screening (TST) is a classic secondary prevention strategy. Teaching is primary
prevention. Support groups and medication adherence are tertiary prevention .
6. A nurse is planning a secondary prevention program for breast cancer. Which activity
should be included?
A. Teaching breast self-examination techniques
B. Providing mammography screening
C. Administering chemotherapy
D. Offering genetic counseling
Answer: B
Explanation: Secondary prevention involves early detection through screening.
Mammography is a screening tool for early breast cancer detection.
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who had a stroke. The nurse discusses
physical therapy options and support groups. This is an example of:
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Health promotion
Answer: C
Explanation: Tertiary prevention aims to maximize recovery and quality of life after disease
, or injury has occurred. Physical therapy and support groups help the client regain function
and adjust to life after stroke .
8. What is the purpose of a windshield survey in community health nursing?
A. To conduct formal epidemiological research
B. To provide an informal observational assessment of a community by driving or walking
through it
C. To collect laboratory specimens from community members
D. To evaluate individual patient outcomes
Answer: B
Explanation: A windshield survey is an informal, observational assessment of a community
done by driving or walking through it, noting housing conditions, access to services, and
visible health/safety concerns. It is a quick, low-cost way to begin understanding a
community's environment and needs .
9. Which of the following is NOT a core function of public health?
A. Assessment
B. Policy development
C. Assurance
D. Treatment
Answer: D
Explanation: The three core functions of public health are assessment, policy development,
and assurance. Treatment is not considered a core function of public health; it is an
individual-level intervention rather than a population-focused function .
10. A community health nurse is using the epidemiological triad to investigate an outbreak
of foodborne illness. Which of the following represents the "agent" in this model?
A. The contaminated food
B. The person who consumed the food
C. The environment where the food was prepared
D. The bacterium causing the illness
Answer: D
Explanation: In the epidemiological triad, the agent is the pathogen or causative factor. The
host is the susceptible person, and the environment includes external factors that promote
exposure .
11. A nurse is assessing the health literacy of a patient. Which of the following statements
by the patient indicates low health literacy?
A. "I don't understand these instructions. Can you explain them to me again?"
B. "I need to call my daughter so she can help me remember what you said."
C. "I'll take this medication with food, just like you said."
D. "Can you draw a picture of how to take this insulin?"
Answer: B
