NURC 208 LPN to RN Transition
Study Guide for Quiz #1
There is a test on the cardiovascular system on Friday morning, and it is now Wednesday night. The student has
already taken a vacation day from work Thursday night so that she can stay home and study. She is considering
skipping her exercise class on Thursday morning to go to the library to prepare for the test. Which response best
identifies the student’s outcome priority?
a. Exercise class
b. Going to the library
c. Avoiding work by taking a vacation
d. Doing well on the test on Friday
ANS: D. The outcome priority is the essential issue or need to be addressed at any given time within a
set of conditions or circumstances.
After a particularly challenging examination, a student is overheard in the hallway exclaiming, “That instructor
just grades too hard! She only gave me a B on the test!” This student is exhibiting traits of a(n)
a. external locus of control.
b. internal locus of control.
c. perfectionist.
d. realist.
ANS: A Persons with an external locus of control often do not take responsibility for what happens to
them. Persons with an internal locus of control take responsibility for what happens to them. A
perfectionist strives for perfection in all that he or she does, which is a self-defeating behavior. A realist
accepts the world as it is and handles it accordingly.
A student must come back to the learning laboratory to repeat the skills and check for insertion of a nasogastric
tube. The instructor overhears the student saying, “I know I can do this; I know I can do this!” The instructor
interprets this behavior as
a. a self-defeating behavior.
b. positive self-talk.
c. perfectionism.
d. blaming.
ANS: B The student is expressing positive self-talk by telling herself, “I know I can do this.” Stating “I
can’t do this” is an example of a self-defeating behavior. A student expecting to perform tasks perfectly
is striving for perfectionism. Blaming is not occurring here because the student is taking responsibility
for his/her own actions.
NURC 208 LPN to RN Transition
, Study Guide for Quiz #1
A clinical instructor notices that one of her students worries a lot, expects negative
outcomes for most situations, strives for perfection, and seems to look for the tiniest faults
in her work. The clinical instructor interprets these behaviors as
a. commitment to learning.
b. assuming an external locus of control.
c. self-directedness.
d. self-defeating behaviors.
ANS: D The student may be committed to learning, but she is showing signs of self-defeating behaviors.
Self-defeating behaviors include pessimism, nit-picking, worrying, perfectionism, and blaming.
Assuming an external locus of control means believing that action or inaction lies outside of oneself.
Assuming ownership of learning defines self-directedness.
A nursing professor is grading an assignment on self-defeating behavior. The professor can
expect to find which statement written by the student who has a good understanding of
perfectionism?
a. Perfection is impossible to attain, and therefore constantly falling short of perfection leads to negative
feelings and beliefs about oneself.
b. Perfection is the ultimate goal, and it is not a self-defeating behavior to demand it of oneself.
c. Perfectionism is the only means by which we can truly improve.
d. Perfectionism is a character flaw and cannot be addressed.
ANS: A Perfection is impossible to obtain. Students who strive for perfection set themselves up for
negative feelings and beliefs about themselves.
Stress reduction while in nursing school is an important part of maintaining one’s health.
Holistic cognitive theory for stress reduction has four steps. The student shows that he or
she understands the first step to achieving awareness by doing which of the following?
a. Becomes aware of the early physical signs of stress
b. Concentrates on placing himself or herself as the center of everything
c. Mentally filters perceptions
d. Disqualifies the positive in the experience
ANS: A The awareness step is a time of understanding how the student feels under stress, coming to
know the symptoms, and taking steps to neutralize the symptoms.
A student exclaims, “I have to make a 100% on this test because anything less is just like
failing in my book. I either know it or I don’t and if I don’t know it now, I never will.” This
student is obviously stressed, and the statements represent
a. awareness reduction.
b. cognitive distortions.
c. positive coping mechanisms.
d. acceptance of reality.
ANS: B Cognitive distortions are illogical, irrational thoughts; those in this question are “all-or-nothing
thinking” and “emotional reasoning.”
NURC 208 LPN to RN Transition
Study Guide for Quiz #1
Study Guide for Quiz #1
There is a test on the cardiovascular system on Friday morning, and it is now Wednesday night. The student has
already taken a vacation day from work Thursday night so that she can stay home and study. She is considering
skipping her exercise class on Thursday morning to go to the library to prepare for the test. Which response best
identifies the student’s outcome priority?
a. Exercise class
b. Going to the library
c. Avoiding work by taking a vacation
d. Doing well on the test on Friday
ANS: D. The outcome priority is the essential issue or need to be addressed at any given time within a
set of conditions or circumstances.
After a particularly challenging examination, a student is overheard in the hallway exclaiming, “That instructor
just grades too hard! She only gave me a B on the test!” This student is exhibiting traits of a(n)
a. external locus of control.
b. internal locus of control.
c. perfectionist.
d. realist.
ANS: A Persons with an external locus of control often do not take responsibility for what happens to
them. Persons with an internal locus of control take responsibility for what happens to them. A
perfectionist strives for perfection in all that he or she does, which is a self-defeating behavior. A realist
accepts the world as it is and handles it accordingly.
A student must come back to the learning laboratory to repeat the skills and check for insertion of a nasogastric
tube. The instructor overhears the student saying, “I know I can do this; I know I can do this!” The instructor
interprets this behavior as
a. a self-defeating behavior.
b. positive self-talk.
c. perfectionism.
d. blaming.
ANS: B The student is expressing positive self-talk by telling herself, “I know I can do this.” Stating “I
can’t do this” is an example of a self-defeating behavior. A student expecting to perform tasks perfectly
is striving for perfectionism. Blaming is not occurring here because the student is taking responsibility
for his/her own actions.
NURC 208 LPN to RN Transition
, Study Guide for Quiz #1
A clinical instructor notices that one of her students worries a lot, expects negative
outcomes for most situations, strives for perfection, and seems to look for the tiniest faults
in her work. The clinical instructor interprets these behaviors as
a. commitment to learning.
b. assuming an external locus of control.
c. self-directedness.
d. self-defeating behaviors.
ANS: D The student may be committed to learning, but she is showing signs of self-defeating behaviors.
Self-defeating behaviors include pessimism, nit-picking, worrying, perfectionism, and blaming.
Assuming an external locus of control means believing that action or inaction lies outside of oneself.
Assuming ownership of learning defines self-directedness.
A nursing professor is grading an assignment on self-defeating behavior. The professor can
expect to find which statement written by the student who has a good understanding of
perfectionism?
a. Perfection is impossible to attain, and therefore constantly falling short of perfection leads to negative
feelings and beliefs about oneself.
b. Perfection is the ultimate goal, and it is not a self-defeating behavior to demand it of oneself.
c. Perfectionism is the only means by which we can truly improve.
d. Perfectionism is a character flaw and cannot be addressed.
ANS: A Perfection is impossible to obtain. Students who strive for perfection set themselves up for
negative feelings and beliefs about themselves.
Stress reduction while in nursing school is an important part of maintaining one’s health.
Holistic cognitive theory for stress reduction has four steps. The student shows that he or
she understands the first step to achieving awareness by doing which of the following?
a. Becomes aware of the early physical signs of stress
b. Concentrates on placing himself or herself as the center of everything
c. Mentally filters perceptions
d. Disqualifies the positive in the experience
ANS: A The awareness step is a time of understanding how the student feels under stress, coming to
know the symptoms, and taking steps to neutralize the symptoms.
A student exclaims, “I have to make a 100% on this test because anything less is just like
failing in my book. I either know it or I don’t and if I don’t know it now, I never will.” This
student is obviously stressed, and the statements represent
a. awareness reduction.
b. cognitive distortions.
c. positive coping mechanisms.
d. acceptance of reality.
ANS: B Cognitive distortions are illogical, irrational thoughts; those in this question are “all-or-nothing
thinking” and “emotional reasoning.”
NURC 208 LPN to RN Transition
Study Guide for Quiz #1
