NURS 171 Exam 1 NCLEX Questions
with Answers and Rationales
Which principle refers to the professional obligation of the nurse to assume
responsibility for actions?
A. Accountability
B. Individuality
C. Responsibility
D. Bioethics ✅A. Accountability
Rationale: "Accountability refers to individuals being answerable for their actions... It
means that as a nurse you take responsibility to provide excellent patient care by
following standards of practice and agency policies and procedures. You assume
responsibility for the outcomes of the actions, clinical judgments, and omissions in
providing patient care"
Which legal complication might the nurse face for using a restraint without a legal
warrant on a client?
A. Libel
B. Negligence
C. Malpractice
D. False imprisonment ✅D. False imprisonment
Rationale: "False imprisonment occurs when a patient is restrained without a legal
reason"
Which tort involves intentional touching without the client's consent?
A. Battery
B. Invasion of privacy
C. False imprisonment
D. Defamation of character ✅A. Battery
Rationale: "Battery is any intentional offensive touching without consent or lawful
justification
Which teaching point is appropriate for the nurse to include in the education of the
ethical principle of nonmaleficence to a group of nursing students?
A. Treat all clients equitably and fairly
B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
C. Tell the client the truth about their health
D. Help the clients make informed choices ✅B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
Rationale: "nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of arm or hurt....[the] commitment to
do no harm" (
, B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
Rationale: "nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of arm or hurt....[the] commitment to
do no harm" W
✅B. Surgeon
Rationale: In terms of informed consent, we know that this is a "health care provider-
patient relationship". And "The person responsible for performing the procedure is
responsible for obtaining the informed consent" (Potter pg. 333). In a situation like a
surgery, it would be the responsibility of the surgeon to provide the risks, complications,
and benefits
When working with an older adult who is hearing impaired, the use of which techniques
would improve communication? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)
A. Check for needed adaptive equipment
B. Exaggerate lip movements to help the patient lip read
C. Give the patient time to respond to questions
D. Keep communication short and to the point
E. Communicate only through written information ✅A. Check for needed adaptive
equipment
C. Give the patient time to respond to questions
D. Keep communication short and to the point
Rationale: In Potter pg 361, there's a good table with special communication
approaches to many scenarios (such as; cognitive impairment, English second
language, visually impaired, unresponsive, hearing impairment, etc).
A woman has severe life-threatening injuries, is unresponsive, and is hemorrhaging
following a car accident. The health care provider orders 2 units of packed red blood
cells to treat the woman's anemia. The woman's husband refuses to allow the nurse to
give his wife the blood for religious reasons. What is the nurses responsibility.
A. Obtain a court order to give the blood
B. Convince the husband to allow her to give the blood
C. Call security and have the husband removed from the hospital
D. Gather more information about the wife's preferences and determine whether the
husband has her power of attorney for healthcare. ✅D. Gather more information about
the wife's preferences and determine whether the husband has her power of attorney
for healthcare.
Rationale: "An advanced directive is a document developed by patients that instructs
others to do tasks before, during, and after their death....[it also includes] the designated
person [that] can make decisions when the patient becomes incapacitated" (Potter pg.
331). Therefore, it would be best to see if the patient has a POLST or other living will set
in place, to honor her wishes
with Answers and Rationales
Which principle refers to the professional obligation of the nurse to assume
responsibility for actions?
A. Accountability
B. Individuality
C. Responsibility
D. Bioethics ✅A. Accountability
Rationale: "Accountability refers to individuals being answerable for their actions... It
means that as a nurse you take responsibility to provide excellent patient care by
following standards of practice and agency policies and procedures. You assume
responsibility for the outcomes of the actions, clinical judgments, and omissions in
providing patient care"
Which legal complication might the nurse face for using a restraint without a legal
warrant on a client?
A. Libel
B. Negligence
C. Malpractice
D. False imprisonment ✅D. False imprisonment
Rationale: "False imprisonment occurs when a patient is restrained without a legal
reason"
Which tort involves intentional touching without the client's consent?
A. Battery
B. Invasion of privacy
C. False imprisonment
D. Defamation of character ✅A. Battery
Rationale: "Battery is any intentional offensive touching without consent or lawful
justification
Which teaching point is appropriate for the nurse to include in the education of the
ethical principle of nonmaleficence to a group of nursing students?
A. Treat all clients equitably and fairly
B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
C. Tell the client the truth about their health
D. Help the clients make informed choices ✅B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
Rationale: "nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of arm or hurt....[the] commitment to
do no harm" (
, B. Act in ways to prevent harm to patients
Rationale: "nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of arm or hurt....[the] commitment to
do no harm" W
✅B. Surgeon
Rationale: In terms of informed consent, we know that this is a "health care provider-
patient relationship". And "The person responsible for performing the procedure is
responsible for obtaining the informed consent" (Potter pg. 333). In a situation like a
surgery, it would be the responsibility of the surgeon to provide the risks, complications,
and benefits
When working with an older adult who is hearing impaired, the use of which techniques
would improve communication? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)
A. Check for needed adaptive equipment
B. Exaggerate lip movements to help the patient lip read
C. Give the patient time to respond to questions
D. Keep communication short and to the point
E. Communicate only through written information ✅A. Check for needed adaptive
equipment
C. Give the patient time to respond to questions
D. Keep communication short and to the point
Rationale: In Potter pg 361, there's a good table with special communication
approaches to many scenarios (such as; cognitive impairment, English second
language, visually impaired, unresponsive, hearing impairment, etc).
A woman has severe life-threatening injuries, is unresponsive, and is hemorrhaging
following a car accident. The health care provider orders 2 units of packed red blood
cells to treat the woman's anemia. The woman's husband refuses to allow the nurse to
give his wife the blood for religious reasons. What is the nurses responsibility.
A. Obtain a court order to give the blood
B. Convince the husband to allow her to give the blood
C. Call security and have the husband removed from the hospital
D. Gather more information about the wife's preferences and determine whether the
husband has her power of attorney for healthcare. ✅D. Gather more information about
the wife's preferences and determine whether the husband has her power of attorney
for healthcare.
Rationale: "An advanced directive is a document developed by patients that instructs
others to do tasks before, during, and after their death....[it also includes] the designated
person [that] can make decisions when the patient becomes incapacitated" (Potter pg.
331). Therefore, it would be best to see if the patient has a POLST or other living will set
in place, to honor her wishes
