NUR 120: Final Questions with 100%
Correct Answers
Which action should the nurse take when using critical thinking to make clinical
decisions? Correct Answer: Consider what is important in a given situation
Which patient scenario of a surgical patient in pain is most indicative of critical
thinking? Correct Answer: Asking the patient what pain-relief methods,
pharmacological and non-pharmacological have worked in the past
Which action indicates a RN is being responsible for making clinical decisions?
Correct Answer: Takes immediate action when a patient's condition worsens
A charge nurse is supervising the care of a new nurse. Which action by a new
nurse indicates the charge nurse needs to intervene? Correct Answer: Making a
clinical decision based on previous shift assessments
Which action demonstrates a nurse utilizing reflection to improve clinical
decision making? Correct Answer: Improves a plan of care while thinking back
on interventions effectiveness
A nursing instructor needs to evaluate students' abilities to synthesize data and
identify relationships between nursing diagnoses. Which learning assignment is
best suited for this instructors needs? Correct Answer: Concept mapping
A nurse is using a critical thinking model to provide care. Which component is
first that helps a nurse make clinical decisions? Correct Answer: Specific
knowledge base
Which action by a nurse indicates application of the critical thinking model to
make best clinical decisions? Correct Answer: Using the nursing process
,A nurse is using the critical thinking skill of evaluation. Which action will the nurse
take? Correct Answer: Review the effectiveness of nursing actions
The patient appears to be in no apparent distress, but vital sights take by a CNA
reveal an extremely low pulse. The nurse auscultation an apical pulse pulse and
ask the patient whether there is any history of heart problems. The nurse is
utilizing which critical thinking skill? Correct Answer: Interpretation
A patient continues to report post surgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10
after medication. The next dose of pain meds is not due for another hour. What
should the critically thinking nurse do first? Correct Answer: Explore other options
for pain relief
Which action should the nurse take to best develop critical thinking skills?
Correct Answer: Actively participate in clinical experiences
While caring for a hospitalized older-adult female post hip surgery, the nurse is
faced with the task of inserting an indwelling catheter, which involved rotating
the hip into a contraindicated position. Which action should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: Adapt the positioning technique to the situation
The nurse enters a room to find a patient sitting up in bed crying. How will the
nurse display a critical thinking attitude for this situation? Correct Answer: Ask the
patient about the crying
A patient is having trouble reaching the water fountain while holding on to
crutches. The nurse suggests that the patient place the crutches against the
wall while stabilizing him or herself with two hands on the water fountain. Which
critical thinking attitude did the nurse use in this situation? Correct Answer:
Creativity
, A nurse is pulled from the surgical unit to work on the oncology unit. Which
action by the nurse displays humility and responsibility? Correct Answer: Asking
for an orientation to the unit
The nurse is using professional standards to influence clinical decisions. What is
the rationale for the nurses actions? Correct Answer: Uses critical thinking for the
highest level of quality nursing care
A nurse who is caring for a patient with a pressure ulcer applies the
recommended dressing according to hospital policy. Which standard is the
nurse following? Correct Answer: Institutional practice guidelines
The nurse is reviewing care plans. Which findings, if identified in a plan I'd care,
should the RN review? Correct Answer: Nurses assumption about hospital
discharge
Which findings will alert the nurse that stress is present when making a clinical
decision? Correct Answer: Tense muscles, reactive response, trouble
concentrating, very tired feeling
The nurse is using critical thinking skills during the first phase of the nursing
process. Which action indicates the nurse is in the first phase? Correct Answer:
Completes a comprehensive database
A nurse is using the problem-oriented approach to data collection. Which
action will the nurse take first? Correct Answer: Focus on the patients presenting
situation
After reviewing the database, the RN discovers that the patients vital signs have
not been recorded by the CNA. Which clinical decision should the nurse make?
Correct Answer: Ask the CNA to record the vitals before administering meds
Correct Answers
Which action should the nurse take when using critical thinking to make clinical
decisions? Correct Answer: Consider what is important in a given situation
Which patient scenario of a surgical patient in pain is most indicative of critical
thinking? Correct Answer: Asking the patient what pain-relief methods,
pharmacological and non-pharmacological have worked in the past
Which action indicates a RN is being responsible for making clinical decisions?
Correct Answer: Takes immediate action when a patient's condition worsens
A charge nurse is supervising the care of a new nurse. Which action by a new
nurse indicates the charge nurse needs to intervene? Correct Answer: Making a
clinical decision based on previous shift assessments
Which action demonstrates a nurse utilizing reflection to improve clinical
decision making? Correct Answer: Improves a plan of care while thinking back
on interventions effectiveness
A nursing instructor needs to evaluate students' abilities to synthesize data and
identify relationships between nursing diagnoses. Which learning assignment is
best suited for this instructors needs? Correct Answer: Concept mapping
A nurse is using a critical thinking model to provide care. Which component is
first that helps a nurse make clinical decisions? Correct Answer: Specific
knowledge base
Which action by a nurse indicates application of the critical thinking model to
make best clinical decisions? Correct Answer: Using the nursing process
,A nurse is using the critical thinking skill of evaluation. Which action will the nurse
take? Correct Answer: Review the effectiveness of nursing actions
The patient appears to be in no apparent distress, but vital sights take by a CNA
reveal an extremely low pulse. The nurse auscultation an apical pulse pulse and
ask the patient whether there is any history of heart problems. The nurse is
utilizing which critical thinking skill? Correct Answer: Interpretation
A patient continues to report post surgical incision pain at a level of 9 out of 10
after medication. The next dose of pain meds is not due for another hour. What
should the critically thinking nurse do first? Correct Answer: Explore other options
for pain relief
Which action should the nurse take to best develop critical thinking skills?
Correct Answer: Actively participate in clinical experiences
While caring for a hospitalized older-adult female post hip surgery, the nurse is
faced with the task of inserting an indwelling catheter, which involved rotating
the hip into a contraindicated position. Which action should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: Adapt the positioning technique to the situation
The nurse enters a room to find a patient sitting up in bed crying. How will the
nurse display a critical thinking attitude for this situation? Correct Answer: Ask the
patient about the crying
A patient is having trouble reaching the water fountain while holding on to
crutches. The nurse suggests that the patient place the crutches against the
wall while stabilizing him or herself with two hands on the water fountain. Which
critical thinking attitude did the nurse use in this situation? Correct Answer:
Creativity
, A nurse is pulled from the surgical unit to work on the oncology unit. Which
action by the nurse displays humility and responsibility? Correct Answer: Asking
for an orientation to the unit
The nurse is using professional standards to influence clinical decisions. What is
the rationale for the nurses actions? Correct Answer: Uses critical thinking for the
highest level of quality nursing care
A nurse who is caring for a patient with a pressure ulcer applies the
recommended dressing according to hospital policy. Which standard is the
nurse following? Correct Answer: Institutional practice guidelines
The nurse is reviewing care plans. Which findings, if identified in a plan I'd care,
should the RN review? Correct Answer: Nurses assumption about hospital
discharge
Which findings will alert the nurse that stress is present when making a clinical
decision? Correct Answer: Tense muscles, reactive response, trouble
concentrating, very tired feeling
The nurse is using critical thinking skills during the first phase of the nursing
process. Which action indicates the nurse is in the first phase? Correct Answer:
Completes a comprehensive database
A nurse is using the problem-oriented approach to data collection. Which
action will the nurse take first? Correct Answer: Focus on the patients presenting
situation
After reviewing the database, the RN discovers that the patients vital signs have
not been recorded by the CNA. Which clinical decision should the nurse make?
Correct Answer: Ask the CNA to record the vitals before administering meds
