Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care
and discharge goals will be developed with the patient’s input. The patient states, “How is this
different from what the doctor does?” Which response would be most appropriate for the
nurse to make?
a. “The role of the nurse is to administer medications and other treatments prescribed
by your doctor.”
b. “The nurse’s job is to help the doctor by collecting information and communicating
any problems that occur.”
c. “Nurses perform many of the same procedures as the doctor, but nurses are with the
patients for a longer time than the doctor.”
d. “In addition to caring for you while you are sick, the nurses will assist you to
develop an individualized plan to maintain your health.”
ANS: D
This response is consistent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of
nursing, which describes the role of nurses in promoting health. The other responses describe
some of the dependent and collaborative functions of the nursing role but do not accurately
describe the nurse’s role in the health care system.
2. The nurse describes to a student nurse how to use evidence-based practice
guidelines when caring for patients. Which statement, if made by the nurse, would be the most
accurate?
a. “Inferences from clinical research studies are used as a guide.”
b. “Patient care is based on clinical judgment, experience, and traditions.”
c. “Data are evaluated to show that the patient outcomes are consistently met.”
d. “Recommendations are based on research, clinical expertise, and patient prefer-
ences.”
ANS: D
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence combined with
clinician expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurse’s clinical experience is part of EBP,
but clinical decision making should also incorporate current research and research-based
guidelines. Evaluation of patient outcomes is important, but interventions should be based on
research from randomized control studies with a large number of subjects.
3. The nurse teaches a student nurse about how to apply the nursing process when
providing patient care. Which statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates that teaching
, was successful?
a. “The nursing process is a scientific-based method of diagnosing the patient’s health
care problems.”
b. “The nursing process is a problem-solving tool used to identify and treat patients’
health care needs.”
c. “The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the biopsychoso-
cial nature of humans.”
d. “The nursing process is used primarily to explain nursing interventions to other
health care professionals.”
ANS: B
The nursing process is a problem-solving approach to the identification and treatment of
patients’ problems. Diagnosis is only one phase of the nursing process. The primary use of the
nursing process is in patient care, not to establish nursing theory or explain nursing interven-
tions to other health care professionals.
4. A patient has been admitted to the hospital for surgery and tells the nurse, “I do
not feel comfortable leaving my children with my parents.” Which action should the nurse
take next?
a. Reassure the patient that these feelings are common for parents.
b. Have the patient call the children to ensure that they are doing well.
c. Gather more data about the patient’s feelings about the child-care arrangements.
d. Call the patient’s parents to determine whether adequate child care is being provid-
ed.
ANS: C
Since a complete assessment is necessary in order to identify a problem and choose an
appropriate intervention, the nurse’s first action should be to obtain more information. The
other actions may be appropriate, but more assessment is needed before the best intervention
can be chosen.
5. A patient who is paralyzed on the left side of the body after a stroke develops a
pressure ulcer on the left hip. Which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?
a. Impaired physical mobility related to left-sided paralysis
b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to left-sided weakness
c. Impaired skin integrity related to altered circulation and pressure
d. Ineffective tissue perfusion related to inability to move independently
ANS: C
The patient’s major problem is the impaired skin integrity as demonstrated by the presence of
a pressure ulcer. The nurse is able to treat the cause of altered circulation and pressure by
frequently repositioning the patient. Although left-sided weakness is a problem for the patient,
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care
and discharge goals will be developed with the patient’s input. The patient states, “How is this
different from what the doctor does?” Which response would be most appropriate for the
nurse to make?
a. “The role of the nurse is to administer medications and other treatments prescribed
by your doctor.”
b. “The nurse’s job is to help the doctor by collecting information and communicating
any problems that occur.”
c. “Nurses perform many of the same procedures as the doctor, but nurses are with the
patients for a longer time than the doctor.”
d. “In addition to caring for you while you are sick, the nurses will assist you to
develop an individualized plan to maintain your health.”
ANS: D
This response is consistent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of
nursing, which describes the role of nurses in promoting health. The other responses describe
some of the dependent and collaborative functions of the nursing role but do not accurately
describe the nurse’s role in the health care system.
2. The nurse describes to a student nurse how to use evidence-based practice
guidelines when caring for patients. Which statement, if made by the nurse, would be the most
accurate?
a. “Inferences from clinical research studies are used as a guide.”
b. “Patient care is based on clinical judgment, experience, and traditions.”
c. “Data are evaluated to show that the patient outcomes are consistently met.”
d. “Recommendations are based on research, clinical expertise, and patient prefer-
ences.”
ANS: D
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence combined with
clinician expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurse’s clinical experience is part of EBP,
but clinical decision making should also incorporate current research and research-based
guidelines. Evaluation of patient outcomes is important, but interventions should be based on
research from randomized control studies with a large number of subjects.
3. The nurse teaches a student nurse about how to apply the nursing process when
providing patient care. Which statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates that teaching
, was successful?
a. “The nursing process is a scientific-based method of diagnosing the patient’s health
care problems.”
b. “The nursing process is a problem-solving tool used to identify and treat patients’
health care needs.”
c. “The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the biopsychoso-
cial nature of humans.”
d. “The nursing process is used primarily to explain nursing interventions to other
health care professionals.”
ANS: B
The nursing process is a problem-solving approach to the identification and treatment of
patients’ problems. Diagnosis is only one phase of the nursing process. The primary use of the
nursing process is in patient care, not to establish nursing theory or explain nursing interven-
tions to other health care professionals.
4. A patient has been admitted to the hospital for surgery and tells the nurse, “I do
not feel comfortable leaving my children with my parents.” Which action should the nurse
take next?
a. Reassure the patient that these feelings are common for parents.
b. Have the patient call the children to ensure that they are doing well.
c. Gather more data about the patient’s feelings about the child-care arrangements.
d. Call the patient’s parents to determine whether adequate child care is being provid-
ed.
ANS: C
Since a complete assessment is necessary in order to identify a problem and choose an
appropriate intervention, the nurse’s first action should be to obtain more information. The
other actions may be appropriate, but more assessment is needed before the best intervention
can be chosen.
5. A patient who is paralyzed on the left side of the body after a stroke develops a
pressure ulcer on the left hip. Which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?
a. Impaired physical mobility related to left-sided paralysis
b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to left-sided weakness
c. Impaired skin integrity related to altered circulation and pressure
d. Ineffective tissue perfusion related to inability to move independently
ANS: C
The patient’s major problem is the impaired skin integrity as demonstrated by the presence of
a pressure ulcer. The nurse is able to treat the cause of altered circulation and pressure by
frequently repositioning the patient. Although left-sided weakness is a problem for the patient,
