Fundamentals Potter/Perry Ch 8:
Critical Thinking Test Bank All
Questions Solved Graded To Pass.
A registered nurse is caring for a patient in the trauma unit who had been involved in a motor
vehicle accident. Although the patient denied pain, during the nurse’s assessment, the nurse
observed that the patient groaned when moving and was protective of the right arm. The nurse
believed the patient had pain and reported it to the primary health care provider, who ordered
a radiograph (x-ray) of the right arm. The radiograph revealed a fractured arm. Which technique
did the nurse use? - Answer Critical Thinking
A registered nurse is caring for a postoperative patient whose systolic blood pressure has
dropped 10 points during the shift. The nurse remembers that this was similar to a situation
that happened in the past when a patient developed an internal bleed. Based upon the nurses’
thoughts, which skill did the nurse use? - Answer Reflection
A nurse is admitting a 73-year-old woman with a fractured ulna and radius to the trauma unit of
the hospital. The patient’s daughter and son-in-law are present. The nurse notices that the
patient does not make eye contact when answering questions and the nurse senses that
something is not right about the situation. Which technique did the nurse use? - Answer
Intuition
A student nurse is administering an enema with an instructor in the room. The patient states
that he or she can no longer hold the enema solution. The student nurse acknowledges the
patients request and begins to tell the patient to go to the bathroom but asks the instructor if
this is OK. The instructor suggests that the patient wait a few minutes to give the enema
solution time to be absorbed into the bowel. In this situation the student nurse demonstrates
what level of critical thinking according to Kataoka-Yahiro and Saylors model? - Answer Level 1:
Basic
A nurse is describing risk taking, creativity, and integrity in nursing care. What is the nurse
explaining? - Answer Attitudes of critical thinking
A nurse is using the scientific method to solve a patient situation. Which action should the nurse
take first? - Answer Identify a problem
A RN is explaining a procedure to a patient who speaks another language. Which action by the
nurse reflects critical thinking? - Answer Obtain an interpreter
, alarmed. The nurse returned to find the tubing was again kinked. On further investigation, the
nurse discovered that the IV tubing had become twisted. This is an example of which behavior
on the part of the nurse? - Answer Effective problem solving
A patient on a pediatric unit who underwent an appendectomy for a ruptured appendix 3 days
ago complains of acute pain and has a high fever. The nurse is concerned that the patient may
have an infection and notifies the primary health care provider of the change in the patients
condition. This concern is based on the nurses experience as a pediatric nurse. The nurses
ability to make a tentative conclusion regarding this patients situation based on observed data is
known as what? - Answer Clinical inference
A patient with cancer is undergoing outpatient chemotherapy. The clinic nurse notes that the
patients white blood cell count is very low and has little energy. The plan of care is based upon
the nursing diagnosis Risk for Infection. The nurse provides patient teaching in order to reduce
the risk for infection. The nurse is using which skill in this situation? - Answer Diagnostic
reasoning
A nurse is caring for an elderly lady who recently experienced a stroke and who coughs/chokes
after eating or drinking. The nurse knew that the patient was at risk for aspiration because of
the stroke and was concerned that the patient may have impaired swallowing. The nurse
develops a care plan based on the nursing diagnosis Impaired Swallowing. Which skill is the
nurse using to make this nursing diagnosis? - Answer Diagnostic reasoning
Which situation represents a nurse using clinical decision-making skills? - Answer Selecting
appropriate treatment after forming diagnostic conclusions
A new RN working for a busy unit of an acute acre teaching hospital begins the shift with four
patients. Which patient should the nurse attend to first? - Answer Patient whose blood
pressure suddenly drops and passes out (faints)
A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about the nursing process. In which order
should the nurse list the steps? - Answer Assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation,
and evaluation (ADPIE)
Upon checking a medication order, the nurse notices that the dosage is more than three times
the normal range for this medication. The nurse calls the primary health care provider to
question the order. Which critical thinking attitude did the nurse use? - Answer Risk taking
Critical Thinking Test Bank All
Questions Solved Graded To Pass.
A registered nurse is caring for a patient in the trauma unit who had been involved in a motor
vehicle accident. Although the patient denied pain, during the nurse’s assessment, the nurse
observed that the patient groaned when moving and was protective of the right arm. The nurse
believed the patient had pain and reported it to the primary health care provider, who ordered
a radiograph (x-ray) of the right arm. The radiograph revealed a fractured arm. Which technique
did the nurse use? - Answer Critical Thinking
A registered nurse is caring for a postoperative patient whose systolic blood pressure has
dropped 10 points during the shift. The nurse remembers that this was similar to a situation
that happened in the past when a patient developed an internal bleed. Based upon the nurses’
thoughts, which skill did the nurse use? - Answer Reflection
A nurse is admitting a 73-year-old woman with a fractured ulna and radius to the trauma unit of
the hospital. The patient’s daughter and son-in-law are present. The nurse notices that the
patient does not make eye contact when answering questions and the nurse senses that
something is not right about the situation. Which technique did the nurse use? - Answer
Intuition
A student nurse is administering an enema with an instructor in the room. The patient states
that he or she can no longer hold the enema solution. The student nurse acknowledges the
patients request and begins to tell the patient to go to the bathroom but asks the instructor if
this is OK. The instructor suggests that the patient wait a few minutes to give the enema
solution time to be absorbed into the bowel. In this situation the student nurse demonstrates
what level of critical thinking according to Kataoka-Yahiro and Saylors model? - Answer Level 1:
Basic
A nurse is describing risk taking, creativity, and integrity in nursing care. What is the nurse
explaining? - Answer Attitudes of critical thinking
A nurse is using the scientific method to solve a patient situation. Which action should the nurse
take first? - Answer Identify a problem
A RN is explaining a procedure to a patient who speaks another language. Which action by the
nurse reflects critical thinking? - Answer Obtain an interpreter
, alarmed. The nurse returned to find the tubing was again kinked. On further investigation, the
nurse discovered that the IV tubing had become twisted. This is an example of which behavior
on the part of the nurse? - Answer Effective problem solving
A patient on a pediatric unit who underwent an appendectomy for a ruptured appendix 3 days
ago complains of acute pain and has a high fever. The nurse is concerned that the patient may
have an infection and notifies the primary health care provider of the change in the patients
condition. This concern is based on the nurses experience as a pediatric nurse. The nurses
ability to make a tentative conclusion regarding this patients situation based on observed data is
known as what? - Answer Clinical inference
A patient with cancer is undergoing outpatient chemotherapy. The clinic nurse notes that the
patients white blood cell count is very low and has little energy. The plan of care is based upon
the nursing diagnosis Risk for Infection. The nurse provides patient teaching in order to reduce
the risk for infection. The nurse is using which skill in this situation? - Answer Diagnostic
reasoning
A nurse is caring for an elderly lady who recently experienced a stroke and who coughs/chokes
after eating or drinking. The nurse knew that the patient was at risk for aspiration because of
the stroke and was concerned that the patient may have impaired swallowing. The nurse
develops a care plan based on the nursing diagnosis Impaired Swallowing. Which skill is the
nurse using to make this nursing diagnosis? - Answer Diagnostic reasoning
Which situation represents a nurse using clinical decision-making skills? - Answer Selecting
appropriate treatment after forming diagnostic conclusions
A new RN working for a busy unit of an acute acre teaching hospital begins the shift with four
patients. Which patient should the nurse attend to first? - Answer Patient whose blood
pressure suddenly drops and passes out (faints)
A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about the nursing process. In which order
should the nurse list the steps? - Answer Assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation,
and evaluation (ADPIE)
Upon checking a medication order, the nurse notices that the dosage is more than three times
the normal range for this medication. The nurse calls the primary health care provider to
question the order. Which critical thinking attitude did the nurse use? - Answer Risk taking
