NR 226
NR 226 Exam 1 Review Questions and
Answers 2025
While assessing a patient, the nurse observes that the patient's intravenous (IV) line
is not infusing at the ordered rate. The nurse assesses the patient for pain at the IV
site, checks the flow regulator on the tubing, looks to see if the patient is lying on
the tubing, checks the point of connection between the tubing and the IV catheter,
and then checks the condition of the site where the intravenous catheter enters the
patient's skin. After the nurse readjusts the flow rate, the infusion begins at the
correct rate. This is an example of:
A. Inference.
B. Diagnostic reasoning.
C. Competency.
D. Problem solving. -Correct Answer ✔D. Problem solving
-This is an example of problem solving. The nurse collects information and tries
options until she is able to find a solution to the slowed infusion rate. The focus is
on solving the problem with the patient's IV and not on solving the patient's health
problem; thus this is not the diagnostic reasoning process.
The nurse sits down to talk with a patient who lost her sister 2 weeks ago. The
patient reports she is unable to sleep, feels very fatigued during the day, and is
having trouble at work. The nurse asks her to clarify the type of trouble. The
patient explains she can't concentrate or even solve simple problems. The nurse
records the results of the assessment, describing the patient as having ineffective
coping. This is an example of:
A. Diagnostic reasoning.
B. Competency.
C. Inference.
D. Problem solving. -Correct Answer ✔A. Diagnostic reasoning
-In this example the nurse collects information about the patient, sees patterns in
the data collected, and makes a nursing diagnosis. This is an example of the
diagnostic process.
NR 226
,NR 226
A nurse has worked on an oncology unit for 3 years. One patient has become
visibly weaker and states, "I feel funny." The nurse knows how patients often have
behavior changes before developing sepsis when they have cancer. The nurse asks
the patient questions to assess thinking skills and notices the patient shivering. The
nurse goes to the phone, calls the physician, and begins the conversation by saying,
"I believe that your patient is developing sepsis. I want to report symptoms I'm
seeing." What examples of critical thinking concepts does the nurse show? (Select
all that apply.)
A. Experience
B. Ethical
C. Analyticity
D. Self-confidence
E. Risk taking -Correct Answer ✔C & D.
-Among critical thinking concepts, the nurse shows analyticity (analyzing
information, gathering additional findings, and sensing a problem), and self-
confidence (calling the physician, which shows trust in his own reasoning). The
nurse's experience would have influenced the familiarity of patient symptoms, but
in this text experience is considered a component of the critical thinking model and
not a concept. Acting ethically is a critical thinking standard.
.A nurse who is working on a surgical unit is caring for four different patients.
Patient A will be discharged home and is in need of instruction about wound care.
Patients B and C have returned from the operating room within an hour of each
other, and both require vital signs and monitoring of their intravenous (IV) lines.
Patient D is resting following a visit by physical therapy. Which of the following
activities by the nurse represent(s) use of clinical decision making for groups of
patients? (Select all that apply.)
A. Consider how to involve patient A in deciding whether to involve the family
caregiver in wound care instruction.
B. Think about past experience with patients who develop postoperative
complications.
C. Decide which activities can be combined for patients B and C.
D. Carefully gather any assessment information and identify patient problems. -
Correct Answer ✔A & C
NR 226
,NR 226
-Considering how to involve patients in decisions and how to combine nursing
activities to be more organized and allow for resolving more than one problem at a
time are examples of clinical decision making for groups of patients. Thinking
about past experience with patients is an example of reflection, an approach to
strengthen critical thinking skills. Gathering assessment information is part of the
process of diagnostic reasoning, which should be applied to each patient.
The surgical unit has initiated the use of a pain-rating scale to assess patients' pain
severity during their postoperative recovery. The registered nurse (RN) looks at the
pain flow sheet to see the pain scores recorded for a patient over the last 24 hours.
Use of the pain scale is an example of which intellectual standard?
A. Deep
B. Relevant
C. Consistent
D. Significant -Correct Answer ✔C. Consistent
-Use of the same pain scale for assessing pain acuity is an example of being
consistent.
During a home health visit the nurse prepares to instruct a patient in how to
perform range-of-motion (ROM) exercises for an injured shoulder. The nurse
verifies that the patient took an analgesic 30 minutes before arrival at the patient's
home. After discussing the purpose for the exercises and demonstrating each one,
the nurse has the patient perform them. After two attempts with only the second of
three exercises, the patient stops and says, "This hurts too much. I don't see why I
have to do this so many times." The nurse applies the critical thinking attitude of
integrity in which of the following actions?
A. "I understand your reluctance, but the exercises are necessary for you to regain
function in your shoulder. Let's go a bit more slowly and try to relax."
B. "I see that you're uncomfortable. I'll call your doctor to decide the next step."
C. "Show me exactly where your pain is and rate it for me on a scale o -Correct
Answer ✔A. "I understand your reluctance, but the exercises are necessary for you
to regain function in your shoulder. Let's go a bit more slowly and try to relax."
-The nurse reviews the position of requiring exercises to restore function and
decides to try a different approach to proceed, which is an example of integrity. In
NR 226
, NR 226
calling the doctor for the next step, the nurse does not reinforce the importance of
exercises, which is likely the standard of care for this type of patient. In asking the
location and strength of the pain the nurse is interpreting further to determine if
any other physical problems are developing. In attempting to learn if any other
underlying problems exist, the nurse is showing curiosity.
The nurse cared for a 14-year-old with renal failure who died near the end of the
work shift. The health care team tried for 45 minutes to resuscitate the child with
no success. The family was devastated by the loss, and, when the nurse tried to talk
with them, the mother said, "You can't make me feel better; you don't know what
it's like to lose a child." Which of the following examples of journal entries might
best help the nurse reflect and think about this clinical experience? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Data entry of time of day, who was present, and condition of the child
B. Description of the efforts to restore the child's blood pressure, what was used,
and questions about the child's response
C. The meaning the experience had for the nurse with respect to her understanding
of dealing with a patient's death
D. A description of what the nurse said to the mother, the mother's response, and
how the nurse might ap -Correct Answer ✔B, C, & D
-The nurse can reflect on the effects of the treatment and what was difficult or
confusing about the outcome. The nurse reviews the meaning of the experience to
help improve understanding of personal comfort and competence in dealing with
death and how to respond in the future. The nurse reflects on the communication
approach used with the mother to consider if it was appropriate.
A nurse has been working on a surgical unit for 3 weeks. A patient requires a Foley
catheter to be inserted, so the nurse reads the procedure manual for the institution
to review how to insert it. The level of critical thinking the nurse is using is:
A. Commitment.
B. Scientific method.
C. Basic critical thinking.
D. Complex critical thinking. -Correct Answer ✔C. Basic critical thinking
NR 226
NR 226 Exam 1 Review Questions and
Answers 2025
While assessing a patient, the nurse observes that the patient's intravenous (IV) line
is not infusing at the ordered rate. The nurse assesses the patient for pain at the IV
site, checks the flow regulator on the tubing, looks to see if the patient is lying on
the tubing, checks the point of connection between the tubing and the IV catheter,
and then checks the condition of the site where the intravenous catheter enters the
patient's skin. After the nurse readjusts the flow rate, the infusion begins at the
correct rate. This is an example of:
A. Inference.
B. Diagnostic reasoning.
C. Competency.
D. Problem solving. -Correct Answer ✔D. Problem solving
-This is an example of problem solving. The nurse collects information and tries
options until she is able to find a solution to the slowed infusion rate. The focus is
on solving the problem with the patient's IV and not on solving the patient's health
problem; thus this is not the diagnostic reasoning process.
The nurse sits down to talk with a patient who lost her sister 2 weeks ago. The
patient reports she is unable to sleep, feels very fatigued during the day, and is
having trouble at work. The nurse asks her to clarify the type of trouble. The
patient explains she can't concentrate or even solve simple problems. The nurse
records the results of the assessment, describing the patient as having ineffective
coping. This is an example of:
A. Diagnostic reasoning.
B. Competency.
C. Inference.
D. Problem solving. -Correct Answer ✔A. Diagnostic reasoning
-In this example the nurse collects information about the patient, sees patterns in
the data collected, and makes a nursing diagnosis. This is an example of the
diagnostic process.
NR 226
,NR 226
A nurse has worked on an oncology unit for 3 years. One patient has become
visibly weaker and states, "I feel funny." The nurse knows how patients often have
behavior changes before developing sepsis when they have cancer. The nurse asks
the patient questions to assess thinking skills and notices the patient shivering. The
nurse goes to the phone, calls the physician, and begins the conversation by saying,
"I believe that your patient is developing sepsis. I want to report symptoms I'm
seeing." What examples of critical thinking concepts does the nurse show? (Select
all that apply.)
A. Experience
B. Ethical
C. Analyticity
D. Self-confidence
E. Risk taking -Correct Answer ✔C & D.
-Among critical thinking concepts, the nurse shows analyticity (analyzing
information, gathering additional findings, and sensing a problem), and self-
confidence (calling the physician, which shows trust in his own reasoning). The
nurse's experience would have influenced the familiarity of patient symptoms, but
in this text experience is considered a component of the critical thinking model and
not a concept. Acting ethically is a critical thinking standard.
.A nurse who is working on a surgical unit is caring for four different patients.
Patient A will be discharged home and is in need of instruction about wound care.
Patients B and C have returned from the operating room within an hour of each
other, and both require vital signs and monitoring of their intravenous (IV) lines.
Patient D is resting following a visit by physical therapy. Which of the following
activities by the nurse represent(s) use of clinical decision making for groups of
patients? (Select all that apply.)
A. Consider how to involve patient A in deciding whether to involve the family
caregiver in wound care instruction.
B. Think about past experience with patients who develop postoperative
complications.
C. Decide which activities can be combined for patients B and C.
D. Carefully gather any assessment information and identify patient problems. -
Correct Answer ✔A & C
NR 226
,NR 226
-Considering how to involve patients in decisions and how to combine nursing
activities to be more organized and allow for resolving more than one problem at a
time are examples of clinical decision making for groups of patients. Thinking
about past experience with patients is an example of reflection, an approach to
strengthen critical thinking skills. Gathering assessment information is part of the
process of diagnostic reasoning, which should be applied to each patient.
The surgical unit has initiated the use of a pain-rating scale to assess patients' pain
severity during their postoperative recovery. The registered nurse (RN) looks at the
pain flow sheet to see the pain scores recorded for a patient over the last 24 hours.
Use of the pain scale is an example of which intellectual standard?
A. Deep
B. Relevant
C. Consistent
D. Significant -Correct Answer ✔C. Consistent
-Use of the same pain scale for assessing pain acuity is an example of being
consistent.
During a home health visit the nurse prepares to instruct a patient in how to
perform range-of-motion (ROM) exercises for an injured shoulder. The nurse
verifies that the patient took an analgesic 30 minutes before arrival at the patient's
home. After discussing the purpose for the exercises and demonstrating each one,
the nurse has the patient perform them. After two attempts with only the second of
three exercises, the patient stops and says, "This hurts too much. I don't see why I
have to do this so many times." The nurse applies the critical thinking attitude of
integrity in which of the following actions?
A. "I understand your reluctance, but the exercises are necessary for you to regain
function in your shoulder. Let's go a bit more slowly and try to relax."
B. "I see that you're uncomfortable. I'll call your doctor to decide the next step."
C. "Show me exactly where your pain is and rate it for me on a scale o -Correct
Answer ✔A. "I understand your reluctance, but the exercises are necessary for you
to regain function in your shoulder. Let's go a bit more slowly and try to relax."
-The nurse reviews the position of requiring exercises to restore function and
decides to try a different approach to proceed, which is an example of integrity. In
NR 226
, NR 226
calling the doctor for the next step, the nurse does not reinforce the importance of
exercises, which is likely the standard of care for this type of patient. In asking the
location and strength of the pain the nurse is interpreting further to determine if
any other physical problems are developing. In attempting to learn if any other
underlying problems exist, the nurse is showing curiosity.
The nurse cared for a 14-year-old with renal failure who died near the end of the
work shift. The health care team tried for 45 minutes to resuscitate the child with
no success. The family was devastated by the loss, and, when the nurse tried to talk
with them, the mother said, "You can't make me feel better; you don't know what
it's like to lose a child." Which of the following examples of journal entries might
best help the nurse reflect and think about this clinical experience? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Data entry of time of day, who was present, and condition of the child
B. Description of the efforts to restore the child's blood pressure, what was used,
and questions about the child's response
C. The meaning the experience had for the nurse with respect to her understanding
of dealing with a patient's death
D. A description of what the nurse said to the mother, the mother's response, and
how the nurse might ap -Correct Answer ✔B, C, & D
-The nurse can reflect on the effects of the treatment and what was difficult or
confusing about the outcome. The nurse reviews the meaning of the experience to
help improve understanding of personal comfort and competence in dealing with
death and how to respond in the future. The nurse reflects on the communication
approach used with the mother to consider if it was appropriate.
A nurse has been working on a surgical unit for 3 weeks. A patient requires a Foley
catheter to be inserted, so the nurse reads the procedure manual for the institution
to review how to insert it. The level of critical thinking the nurse is using is:
A. Commitment.
B. Scientific method.
C. Basic critical thinking.
D. Complex critical thinking. -Correct Answer ✔C. Basic critical thinking
NR 226
