Evidence-Based Practice Nursing Exam
Questions – WGU D120 OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT ACTUAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2025/2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<LATEST VERSION>
Section 1: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice (Questions 1-20)
1. What is the primary goal of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in nursing?
A) To strictly follow physician orders without question.
B) To base clinical decisions on the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and
patient preferences. ✓
C) To rely solely on traditional methods of care.
D) To prioritize hospital policy above all else.
Rationale: EBP is a triad integrating the best research evidence, the clinician's own expertise,
and the patient's values and circumstances.
2. Which of the following is the correct order of the five steps of the EBP process?
A) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess ✓
B) Ask, Appraise, Acquire, Apply, Assess
C) Identify, Search, Evaluate, Implement, Audit
D) Question, Research, Analyze, Implement, Evaluate
Rationale: The widely accepted 5 A's of EBP are: Ask a clinical question, Acquire the evidence,
Appraise the evidence, Apply the evidence, and Assess the outcome.
3. A nurse uses a new protocol for turning a patient based on a recent clinical guideline she
read. This is an example of:
A) Quality Improvement
B) Research Utilization
,C) Evidence-Based Practice ✓
D) Traditional Practice
Rationale: EBP involves applying validated research (like a clinical guideline) to practice,
distinguishing it from tradition or general quality initiatives.
4. The "P" in the PICO(T) question framework stands for:
A) Procedure
B) Patient / Population ✓
C) Prognosis
D) Protocol
Rationale: PICO(T) is Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, (Time).
5. A nurse's extensive experience in wound care contributes which component to the EBP
triad?
A) Research Evidence
B) Patient Preferences
C) Clinical Expertise ✓
D) Organizational Culture
Rationale: Clinical expertise is the clinician's cumulative experience, education, and clinical
skills.
6. Which of the following is a key difference between EBP and research?
A) EBP is a problem-solving approach, while research is a systematic investigation to generate
new knowledge. ✓
B) Research is faster to implement than EBP.
C) EBP always requires a control group.
D) Research does not involve data collection.
Rationale: Research creates new knowledge; EBP translates and applies existing knowledge into
clinical practice.
7. A patient's cultural beliefs about illness that influence their acceptance of a treatment plan
represent which component of EBP?
A) Research Evidence
B) Patient Preferences and Values ✓
C) Clinical Expertise
D) External Evidence
Rationale: Patient values, beliefs, and unique circumstances are a central pillar of EBP.
,8. The first and most crucial step in the EBP process is:
A) Searching for articles in a database.
B) Formulating a focused, answerable clinical question. ✓
C) Appraising a research article.
D) Implementing a change.
Rationale: A well-built question (like a PICO(T) question) guides the entire EBP process and
makes the search for evidence efficient.
9. Which source is considered the highest level of evidence?
A) A case-control study
B) A systematic review of randomized controlled trials ✓
C) An opinion from an expert committee
D) A single randomized controlled trial
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs are at the top of the evidence
hierarchy because they synthesize results from multiple studies.
10. A qualitative research study is best suited for:
A) Testing the effect of a new drug.
B) Determining the cause of a disease.
C) Exploring patient experiences and meanings. ✓
D) Establishing clinical practice guidelines.
Rationale: Qualitative research explores the "why" and "how," focusing on human experiences,
perceptions, and motivations.
11. A nurse wants to find summarized, pre-appraised evidence on a topic. The best source to
search is:
A) Google Scholar
B) CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
C) A clinical decision support tool like UpToDate or DynaMed ✓
D) PubMed without filters
Rationale: Clinical decision support tools provide synthesized, pre-appraised evidence that is
quickly applicable to practice.
12. The purpose of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to:
A) Ensure hospital budgets are balanced.
B) Protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects. ✓
C) Approve all changes to nursing protocols.
D) Manage nurse staffing ratios.
, Rationale: The IRB's primary ethical mandate is to protect human participants in research
studies.
13. Which of the following is a barrier to implementing EBP?
A) Lack of time and resources ✓
B) Strong administrative support
C) Access to online databases
D) A culture of clinical inquiry
Rationale: Lack of time, resources, and knowledge are common barriers nurses face when
trying to implement EBP.
14. A study that follows a group of healthy people over time to see who develops a disease is
a:
A) Case-control study
B) Randomized controlled trial
C) Cohort study ✓
D) Cross-sectional study
Rationale: Cohort studies follow a group (cohort) over time to see how exposures affect
outcomes. They are observational and can show association but not causation as definitively as
an RCT.
15. The "I" in a PICO(T) question about using chlorhexidine wipes to reduce CLABSI would be:
A) Patients with central lines
B) Chlorhexidine wipes ✓
C) CLABSI rate
D) Povidone-iodine
Rationale: "I" is the Intervention being considered (e.g., chlorhexidine wipes).
16. Which ethical principle is violated if a researcher does not obtain informed consent from
participants?
A) Justice
B) Beneficence
C) Respect for Persons (Autonomy) ✓
D) Fidelity
Rationale: Respect for persons requires that individuals are treated as autonomous agents and
that their consent is obtained.
Questions – WGU D120 OBJECTIVE
ASSESSMENT ACTUAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2025/2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<LATEST VERSION>
Section 1: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice (Questions 1-20)
1. What is the primary goal of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in nursing?
A) To strictly follow physician orders without question.
B) To base clinical decisions on the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and
patient preferences. ✓
C) To rely solely on traditional methods of care.
D) To prioritize hospital policy above all else.
Rationale: EBP is a triad integrating the best research evidence, the clinician's own expertise,
and the patient's values and circumstances.
2. Which of the following is the correct order of the five steps of the EBP process?
A) Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess ✓
B) Ask, Appraise, Acquire, Apply, Assess
C) Identify, Search, Evaluate, Implement, Audit
D) Question, Research, Analyze, Implement, Evaluate
Rationale: The widely accepted 5 A's of EBP are: Ask a clinical question, Acquire the evidence,
Appraise the evidence, Apply the evidence, and Assess the outcome.
3. A nurse uses a new protocol for turning a patient based on a recent clinical guideline she
read. This is an example of:
A) Quality Improvement
B) Research Utilization
,C) Evidence-Based Practice ✓
D) Traditional Practice
Rationale: EBP involves applying validated research (like a clinical guideline) to practice,
distinguishing it from tradition or general quality initiatives.
4. The "P" in the PICO(T) question framework stands for:
A) Procedure
B) Patient / Population ✓
C) Prognosis
D) Protocol
Rationale: PICO(T) is Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, (Time).
5. A nurse's extensive experience in wound care contributes which component to the EBP
triad?
A) Research Evidence
B) Patient Preferences
C) Clinical Expertise ✓
D) Organizational Culture
Rationale: Clinical expertise is the clinician's cumulative experience, education, and clinical
skills.
6. Which of the following is a key difference between EBP and research?
A) EBP is a problem-solving approach, while research is a systematic investigation to generate
new knowledge. ✓
B) Research is faster to implement than EBP.
C) EBP always requires a control group.
D) Research does not involve data collection.
Rationale: Research creates new knowledge; EBP translates and applies existing knowledge into
clinical practice.
7. A patient's cultural beliefs about illness that influence their acceptance of a treatment plan
represent which component of EBP?
A) Research Evidence
B) Patient Preferences and Values ✓
C) Clinical Expertise
D) External Evidence
Rationale: Patient values, beliefs, and unique circumstances are a central pillar of EBP.
,8. The first and most crucial step in the EBP process is:
A) Searching for articles in a database.
B) Formulating a focused, answerable clinical question. ✓
C) Appraising a research article.
D) Implementing a change.
Rationale: A well-built question (like a PICO(T) question) guides the entire EBP process and
makes the search for evidence efficient.
9. Which source is considered the highest level of evidence?
A) A case-control study
B) A systematic review of randomized controlled trials ✓
C) An opinion from an expert committee
D) A single randomized controlled trial
Rationale: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs are at the top of the evidence
hierarchy because they synthesize results from multiple studies.
10. A qualitative research study is best suited for:
A) Testing the effect of a new drug.
B) Determining the cause of a disease.
C) Exploring patient experiences and meanings. ✓
D) Establishing clinical practice guidelines.
Rationale: Qualitative research explores the "why" and "how," focusing on human experiences,
perceptions, and motivations.
11. A nurse wants to find summarized, pre-appraised evidence on a topic. The best source to
search is:
A) Google Scholar
B) CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
C) A clinical decision support tool like UpToDate or DynaMed ✓
D) PubMed without filters
Rationale: Clinical decision support tools provide synthesized, pre-appraised evidence that is
quickly applicable to practice.
12. The purpose of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to:
A) Ensure hospital budgets are balanced.
B) Protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects. ✓
C) Approve all changes to nursing protocols.
D) Manage nurse staffing ratios.
, Rationale: The IRB's primary ethical mandate is to protect human participants in research
studies.
13. Which of the following is a barrier to implementing EBP?
A) Lack of time and resources ✓
B) Strong administrative support
C) Access to online databases
D) A culture of clinical inquiry
Rationale: Lack of time, resources, and knowledge are common barriers nurses face when
trying to implement EBP.
14. A study that follows a group of healthy people over time to see who develops a disease is
a:
A) Case-control study
B) Randomized controlled trial
C) Cohort study ✓
D) Cross-sectional study
Rationale: Cohort studies follow a group (cohort) over time to see how exposures affect
outcomes. They are observational and can show association but not causation as definitively as
an RCT.
15. The "I" in a PICO(T) question about using chlorhexidine wipes to reduce CLABSI would be:
A) Patients with central lines
B) Chlorhexidine wipes ✓
C) CLABSI rate
D) Povidone-iodine
Rationale: "I" is the Intervention being considered (e.g., chlorhexidine wipes).
16. Which ethical principle is violated if a researcher does not obtain informed consent from
participants?
A) Justice
B) Beneficence
C) Respect for Persons (Autonomy) ✓
D) Fidelity
Rationale: Respect for persons requires that individuals are treated as autonomous agents and
that their consent is obtained.
