The Nursing Fundamentals exam covers essential concepts needed for entry-level nursing
practice. It focuses on the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation,
and evaluation), basic care skills like hygiene and mobility, infection control, patient safety,
health promotion, and legal/ethical responsibilities such as patient rights and confidentiality.
Commonly tested topics also include vital signs, medication administration, and communication
techniques. Questions are often NCLEX-style, aiming to test both knowledge and critical
thinking.
"Acetaminophen 650 mg, PO, Q4h, for temperature greater than 101.5" which type of medication order? -
✔✔-A standing order, or protocol, establishes guidelines for administering medications in specific
situations with specific criteria.
`A patient receiving total parenteral nutrition is to be discharged for home care. As a nurse, you recognize
that preventing complications, such as infection, metabolic imbalances, and problems with the catheter,
are major concerns that must be included in your discharge plan. So, when conducting the discharge
teaching, which of the following will you emphasize? - ✔✔-Check blood sugar and temperature.
- Prophylactic antibiotics are not generally prescribed for patients with central venous catheters.
- To prevent bacterial contamination, tubing's should be changed every 3 days.
- Rise in temperature and unexplained hyperglycemia are symptoms of sepsis.
- The signs of infection are tenderness, redness, and possible drainage on the insertion site.
A 16 month old girl with Down syndrome has several cardiac defects that are inoperable. The parents are
struggling to decide the next step. Subsequently, a care conference is held consisting of the family, the
physician, the social worker, and the chaplain. Why should the nurse be involved in this discussion? -
✔✔-- The nurse can act as the patient advocate and the liaison between the parents and the health care
team.
- Since the nurse has direct contact with the patient and family, she can help speak for the family as well
as help the physician communicate the prognosis and medical options.
, A 23 year old patient sustained a cervical spinal cord injury from a motorcycle accident. A tracheostomy
is made to facilitate long term ventilation. In performing tracheostomy care, the nurse would take the
highest consideration on which of the following? - ✔✔-Deflate the cuff prior to meals.
- If the patient is allowed to eat, the cuff should be deflated prior to and 1 hour after meals to reduce the
risk of aspiration.
- The full length of the tracheostomy tube should be suctioned to remove secretions and ensure a patent
airway.
- Dressings are changed every day to prevent infection.
- Tracheostomy ties should not be too tight, this could cause pressure on the jugular veins.
A 54 year old male patient underwent a thoracotomy. A chest tube was placed to help drain the blood and
fluid in the pleural space. The nurse expects the hourly drainage to be less than: - ✔✔-100 ml/hr Chest
tube drainage greater than 100 ml/hr is considered excessive.
- As much as 500 to 1000 ml may be drained in the first 24 hours post chest surgery.
- If drainage is excessive, the physician should be notified as this may require additional interventions to
determine the cause.
A blind patient is scheduled for a prostatectomy and an informed consent is needed. The nurse should do
which of the following when obtaining an informed consent from a patient who is legally blind? - ✔✔-
Read the consent aloud with an impartial witness present.
- The consent form should be read aloud to a blind patient.
- The physician and nurse should make sure the patient understands the procedure, its risks, and
alternative treatments.
- With a blind patient, it is recommended that an impartial witness is present to observe the consent
process or that a recording be made of the consent, but this is not required by law.