ANCC EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECTLY
SOLVED ANSWERS.
1) A pale, thin 54-year-old male patient reports a two-month history of numbness in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
his feet. Past medical history includes hypertension and a subtotal gastrectomy. An
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
examination reveals a decreased vibratory sensation and position sense. Blood tests
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
indicate a hematocrit of 27%, mean corpuscular volume of 105 fL, mean corpuscular
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hemoglobin of 45 pg, and reticulocytes of 1.5%. The diagnosis is:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) chronic simple anemia. _ _
(b) folate deficiency anemia. _ _
(c) iron deficiency anemia.
_ _
(d) vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) vitamin B12
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
deficiency anemia. _
2) An exception to the practice of maintaining patient confidentiality is when:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) a family member of the patient gives consent.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) a family member of the patient is paying for the treatment.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) the patient is unresponsive.
_ _ _
(d) the patient plans to hurt someone. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) the patient
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
plans to hurt someone. _ _ _
3) During cardiac auscultation, a soft first heart sound with a holosystolic apical
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
murmur that radiates to the left axilla suggests:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) aortic stenosis. _
(b) mitral regurgitation. _
(c) mitral stenosis. _
(d) mitral valve prolapse. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) mitral regurgitation.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
,4) After determining that a patient has a lead level of 16 mcg/dL, the family nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner:
(a) advises the parent to avoid giving the patient bottles of whole milk.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) consults with a physical therapist for muscle strengthening.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) observes for signs of diminished reflexes on the physical exam.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(d) orders an increase of iron supplements to 6 mg/kg per day divided in two
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
doses. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) observes for signs of diminished reflexes
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
on the physical exam.
_ _ _
5) Clinical practice guidelines are designed to:
_ _ _ _ _
(a) be used in every patient situation.
_ _ _ _ _
(b) increase variations in clinical care. _ _ _ _
(c) mandate practice decisions. _ _
(d) serve as a handbook to best practice. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) serve as a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
handbook to best practice. _ _ _
6) The family nurse practitioner participates in a hospital-based quality improvement
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
project. The nurse practitioner reviews four charts per month of a nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner colleague to ensure diabetes protocols are met. This process is a:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) core competency. _
(b) force field analysis. _ _
(c) peer review. _
(d) risk analysis. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) peer review.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7) When reading a systematic review, an adult-gerontology acute care nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner ensures that the review:
_ _ _ _
, (a) describes the intended audience. _ _ _
(b) describes the study inclusion criteria. _ _ _ _
(c) is published in a peer-reviewed journal.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) is written by experts in the field. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) describes the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
study inclusion criteria. _ _
8) An adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner needs to communicate the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
findings of HIV to a patient. The nurse practitioner enters the patient's room and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the spouse is at the bedside. To discuss the diagnosis, the nurse practitioner:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) asks the nurse to step into the room.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) asks the spouse to step out of the room.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) speaks with the patient and spouse together._ _ _ _ _ _
(d) speaks with the spouse privately. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) asks the spouse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
to step out of the room.
_ _ _ _ _
9) When discharging an 85-year-old patient who has a diagnosis of stasis dermatitis, an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner includes instructions to: _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) keep legs elevated while seated._ _ _ _
(b) maintain systolic blood pressure greater than 120 mm Hg._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) soak legs in warm water daily.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) wear compression stockings of 65 mm Hg below the knee. -- Correct
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ (a) keep legs elevated while seated. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10) A patient is brought to the emergency department after being found unresponsive in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_a car. The patient's spouse arrives at the hospital to find the patient comatose, on
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
mechanical ventilation, and brain death has been established. The spouse informs
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
, the staff that the patient has an advance directive and did not want to be kept alive,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
artificially. The spouse struggles with the decision to remove the patient from life
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
support. The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner:
_ _ _ _ _ _
(a) consults the ethics committee to help with the decision-making process.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) discusses with the spouse that removing the patient is the right thing to do.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) encourages the spouse to have a family meeting to make the decision as a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
group.
(d) reviews the patients advance directive with the spouse. -- Correct Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ (d) reviews the patients advance directive with the spouse.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11) Initial measures to prevent deformity and maintain function for the knee during an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
acute inflammatory reaction secondary to injury include:
_ _ _ _ _ _
(a) a hot daily shower followed by a short period of exercise.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) application of a splint to the joint followed by application of heat. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) cautious performance of active range-of-motion exercises.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) total immobilization of the joint and performance of isometric exercises. --
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) total immobilization of the joint and performance of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
isometric exercises.
_ _
12) A 34-year-old truck driver reports a sharp pain in the lower back that worsens with
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ambulation. The symptoms began after a strenuous three-day driving trip. During an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
examination, the patient has difficulty walking on the heels and shows weakness in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the extensors of the big toes. The initial differential diagnosis is:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) compression fracture. _
(b) L-1 root irritation.
_ _
(c) L-5 root irritation.
_ _
(d) ruptured disc. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) L-5 root irritation.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SOLVED ANSWERS.
1) A pale, thin 54-year-old male patient reports a two-month history of numbness in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
his feet. Past medical history includes hypertension and a subtotal gastrectomy. An
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
examination reveals a decreased vibratory sensation and position sense. Blood tests
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
indicate a hematocrit of 27%, mean corpuscular volume of 105 fL, mean corpuscular
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hemoglobin of 45 pg, and reticulocytes of 1.5%. The diagnosis is:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) chronic simple anemia. _ _
(b) folate deficiency anemia. _ _
(c) iron deficiency anemia.
_ _
(d) vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) vitamin B12
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
deficiency anemia. _
2) An exception to the practice of maintaining patient confidentiality is when:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) a family member of the patient gives consent.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) a family member of the patient is paying for the treatment.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) the patient is unresponsive.
_ _ _
(d) the patient plans to hurt someone. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) the patient
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
plans to hurt someone. _ _ _
3) During cardiac auscultation, a soft first heart sound with a holosystolic apical
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
murmur that radiates to the left axilla suggests:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) aortic stenosis. _
(b) mitral regurgitation. _
(c) mitral stenosis. _
(d) mitral valve prolapse. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) mitral regurgitation.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
,4) After determining that a patient has a lead level of 16 mcg/dL, the family nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner:
(a) advises the parent to avoid giving the patient bottles of whole milk.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) consults with a physical therapist for muscle strengthening.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) observes for signs of diminished reflexes on the physical exam.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(d) orders an increase of iron supplements to 6 mg/kg per day divided in two
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
doses. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) observes for signs of diminished reflexes
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
on the physical exam.
_ _ _
5) Clinical practice guidelines are designed to:
_ _ _ _ _
(a) be used in every patient situation.
_ _ _ _ _
(b) increase variations in clinical care. _ _ _ _
(c) mandate practice decisions. _ _
(d) serve as a handbook to best practice. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) serve as a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
handbook to best practice. _ _ _
6) The family nurse practitioner participates in a hospital-based quality improvement
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
project. The nurse practitioner reviews four charts per month of a nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner colleague to ensure diabetes protocols are met. This process is a:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) core competency. _
(b) force field analysis. _ _
(c) peer review. _
(d) risk analysis. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) peer review.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7) When reading a systematic review, an adult-gerontology acute care nurse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
practitioner ensures that the review:
_ _ _ _
, (a) describes the intended audience. _ _ _
(b) describes the study inclusion criteria. _ _ _ _
(c) is published in a peer-reviewed journal.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) is written by experts in the field. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) describes the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
study inclusion criteria. _ _
8) An adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner needs to communicate the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
findings of HIV to a patient. The nurse practitioner enters the patient's room and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the spouse is at the bedside. To discuss the diagnosis, the nurse practitioner:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) asks the nurse to step into the room.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) asks the spouse to step out of the room.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) speaks with the patient and spouse together._ _ _ _ _ _
(d) speaks with the spouse privately. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (b) asks the spouse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
to step out of the room.
_ _ _ _ _
9) When discharging an 85-year-old patient who has a diagnosis of stasis dermatitis, an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner includes instructions to: _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) keep legs elevated while seated._ _ _ _
(b) maintain systolic blood pressure greater than 120 mm Hg._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) soak legs in warm water daily.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) wear compression stockings of 65 mm Hg below the knee. -- Correct
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ (a) keep legs elevated while seated. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10) A patient is brought to the emergency department after being found unresponsive in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_a car. The patient's spouse arrives at the hospital to find the patient comatose, on
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
mechanical ventilation, and brain death has been established. The spouse informs
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
, the staff that the patient has an advance directive and did not want to be kept alive,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
artificially. The spouse struggles with the decision to remove the patient from life
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
support. The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner:
_ _ _ _ _ _
(a) consults the ethics committee to help with the decision-making process.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) discusses with the spouse that removing the patient is the right thing to do.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) encourages the spouse to have a family meeting to make the decision as a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
group.
(d) reviews the patients advance directive with the spouse. -- Correct Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ (d) reviews the patients advance directive with the spouse.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11) Initial measures to prevent deformity and maintain function for the knee during an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
acute inflammatory reaction secondary to injury include:
_ _ _ _ _ _
(a) a hot daily shower followed by a short period of exercise.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(b) application of a splint to the joint followed by application of heat. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(c) cautious performance of active range-of-motion exercises.
_ _ _ _ _
(d) total immobilization of the joint and performance of isometric exercises. --
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Correct Answer ✔✔ (d) total immobilization of the joint and performance of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
isometric exercises.
_ _
12) A 34-year-old truck driver reports a sharp pain in the lower back that worsens with
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ambulation. The symptoms began after a strenuous three-day driving trip. During an
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
examination, the patient has difficulty walking on the heels and shows weakness in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the extensors of the big toes. The initial differential diagnosis is:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(a) compression fracture. _
(b) L-1 root irritation.
_ _
(c) L-5 root irritation.
_ _
(d) ruptured disc. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ (c) L-5 root irritation.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
