NU140
Nursing Fundamentals
Midterm Exam Prep
2025
(With Solutions)
1. Which of the following is the most appropriate site for assessing an adult patient's peripheral pulse?
a) Carotid artery
b) Radial artery
c) Femoral artery
d) Popliteal artery
ANS: b) Radial artery
Rationale: The radial artery is the most accessible and commonly used site for assessing peripheral
pulses in adults. It is easily palpable and less invasive compared to carotid or femoral arteries.
2. When performing hand hygiene, what is the minimum duration recommended for hand rubbing
with alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
a) 5 seconds
b) 10 seconds
c) 20 seconds
d) 40 seconds
ANS: c) 20 seconds
Rationale: The CDC and WHO recommend rubbing hands with alcohol-based sanitizer for at least 20
seconds to ensure effective microbial kill.
3. Which principle is essential to maintain when administering medications to avoid medication
errors?
a) Five Rights of Medication Administration
b) Aseptic Technique
,c) Chain of Infection
d) Patient confidentiality
ANS: a) Five Rights of Medication Administration
Rationale: The Five Rights (right patient, drug, dose, route, time) are fundamental to preventing
medication errors and ensuring patient safety.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient with a nasogastric tube. Which action prevents aspiration?
a) Position the patient supine during feeding
b) Keep the patient’s head elevated at 30-45 degrees
c) Flush the tube only after feeding
d) Administer feeding quickly to reduce discomfort
ANS: b) Keep the patient’s head elevated at 30-45 degrees
Rationale: Elevating the head reduces the risk of aspiration by preventing gastric contents from
entering the lungs during tube feeding.
5. What is the correct technique for donning sterile gloves?
a) Touch only the outside of the gloves
b) Avoid touching the cuffs of the gloves when putting them on
c) Pick up each glove by the inside cuff only
d) Touch the inner surface of the second glove with the first gloved hand
ANS: d) Touch the inner surface of the second glove with the first gloved hand
Rationale: After donning the first glove, the second glove is put on by touching only its inner surface
with the gloved hand to maintain sterility.
6. Which nursing intervention best prevents pressure ulcer formation in bedridden patients?
a) Massaging bony prominences every hour
b) Changing patient position every 2 hours
c) Using thick blankets to cushion pressure areas
d) Applying lotion immediately after bathing
,ANS: b) Changing patient position every 2 hours
Rationale: Regular repositioning relieves pressure on bony prominences and improves circulation,
preventing pressure ulcers.
7. What is the primary rationale for performing a neurological assessment after head trauma?
a) To calculate Glasgow Coma Scale score
b) To monitor oxygen saturation
c) To check for skin breakdown
d) To evaluate for signs of infection
ANS: a) To calculate Glasgow Coma Scale score
Rationale: The Glasgow Coma Scale helps assess neurological status and severity of head injury,
guiding immediate interventions.
8. When teaching a patient about insulin administration, which site absorbs insulin fastest?
a) Abdomen
b) Thigh
c) Upper arm
d) Buttocks
ANS: a) Abdomen
Rationale: The abdomen offers rapid insulin absorption due to a rich blood supply compared to other
injection sites.
9. Which of the following is the primary reason for monitoring intake and output (I&O) in
hospitalized patients?
a) To assess nutritional status
b) To evaluate musculoskeletal function
c) To detect fluid imbalances
d) To monitor respiration patterns
ANS: c) To detect fluid imbalances
Rationale: I&O monitoring helps detect fluid overload or dehydration, crucial for patient
, management.
10. When applying a sterile dressing, what is the most important precaution to prevent contamination?
a) Touch only the outer edges of the dressing
b) Use sterile scissors to cut the dressing
c) Allow the dressing to air dry before application
d) Avoid touching the wound with gloves
ANS: a) Touch only the outer edges of the dressing
Rationale: Touching only the edges maintains sterility by preventing contamination from hands or
gloves.
11. What is the recommended action if a medication error is discovered after administration?
a) Ignore if the patient has no symptoms
b) Immediately notify the healthcare provider and document the incident
c) Wait to see if symptoms develop before reporting
d) Inform the patient's family before reporting to staff
ANS: b) Immediately notify the healthcare provider and document the incident
Rationale: Prompt reporting ensures patient safety and allows appropriate interventions.
12. For which condition is the Trendelenburg position contraindicated?
a) Hypotension
b) Increased intracranial pressure
c) Shock
d) Peripheral venous insufficiency
ANS: b) Increased intracranial pressure
Rationale: The Trendelenburg position can raise intracranial pressure and worsen cerebral edema.
13. Which of the following best describes the chain of infection?
a) Pathogen → Reservoir → Portal of exit → Mode of transmission → Portal of entry → Susceptible
Nursing Fundamentals
Midterm Exam Prep
2025
(With Solutions)
1. Which of the following is the most appropriate site for assessing an adult patient's peripheral pulse?
a) Carotid artery
b) Radial artery
c) Femoral artery
d) Popliteal artery
ANS: b) Radial artery
Rationale: The radial artery is the most accessible and commonly used site for assessing peripheral
pulses in adults. It is easily palpable and less invasive compared to carotid or femoral arteries.
2. When performing hand hygiene, what is the minimum duration recommended for hand rubbing
with alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
a) 5 seconds
b) 10 seconds
c) 20 seconds
d) 40 seconds
ANS: c) 20 seconds
Rationale: The CDC and WHO recommend rubbing hands with alcohol-based sanitizer for at least 20
seconds to ensure effective microbial kill.
3. Which principle is essential to maintain when administering medications to avoid medication
errors?
a) Five Rights of Medication Administration
b) Aseptic Technique
,c) Chain of Infection
d) Patient confidentiality
ANS: a) Five Rights of Medication Administration
Rationale: The Five Rights (right patient, drug, dose, route, time) are fundamental to preventing
medication errors and ensuring patient safety.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient with a nasogastric tube. Which action prevents aspiration?
a) Position the patient supine during feeding
b) Keep the patient’s head elevated at 30-45 degrees
c) Flush the tube only after feeding
d) Administer feeding quickly to reduce discomfort
ANS: b) Keep the patient’s head elevated at 30-45 degrees
Rationale: Elevating the head reduces the risk of aspiration by preventing gastric contents from
entering the lungs during tube feeding.
5. What is the correct technique for donning sterile gloves?
a) Touch only the outside of the gloves
b) Avoid touching the cuffs of the gloves when putting them on
c) Pick up each glove by the inside cuff only
d) Touch the inner surface of the second glove with the first gloved hand
ANS: d) Touch the inner surface of the second glove with the first gloved hand
Rationale: After donning the first glove, the second glove is put on by touching only its inner surface
with the gloved hand to maintain sterility.
6. Which nursing intervention best prevents pressure ulcer formation in bedridden patients?
a) Massaging bony prominences every hour
b) Changing patient position every 2 hours
c) Using thick blankets to cushion pressure areas
d) Applying lotion immediately after bathing
,ANS: b) Changing patient position every 2 hours
Rationale: Regular repositioning relieves pressure on bony prominences and improves circulation,
preventing pressure ulcers.
7. What is the primary rationale for performing a neurological assessment after head trauma?
a) To calculate Glasgow Coma Scale score
b) To monitor oxygen saturation
c) To check for skin breakdown
d) To evaluate for signs of infection
ANS: a) To calculate Glasgow Coma Scale score
Rationale: The Glasgow Coma Scale helps assess neurological status and severity of head injury,
guiding immediate interventions.
8. When teaching a patient about insulin administration, which site absorbs insulin fastest?
a) Abdomen
b) Thigh
c) Upper arm
d) Buttocks
ANS: a) Abdomen
Rationale: The abdomen offers rapid insulin absorption due to a rich blood supply compared to other
injection sites.
9. Which of the following is the primary reason for monitoring intake and output (I&O) in
hospitalized patients?
a) To assess nutritional status
b) To evaluate musculoskeletal function
c) To detect fluid imbalances
d) To monitor respiration patterns
ANS: c) To detect fluid imbalances
Rationale: I&O monitoring helps detect fluid overload or dehydration, crucial for patient
, management.
10. When applying a sterile dressing, what is the most important precaution to prevent contamination?
a) Touch only the outer edges of the dressing
b) Use sterile scissors to cut the dressing
c) Allow the dressing to air dry before application
d) Avoid touching the wound with gloves
ANS: a) Touch only the outer edges of the dressing
Rationale: Touching only the edges maintains sterility by preventing contamination from hands or
gloves.
11. What is the recommended action if a medication error is discovered after administration?
a) Ignore if the patient has no symptoms
b) Immediately notify the healthcare provider and document the incident
c) Wait to see if symptoms develop before reporting
d) Inform the patient's family before reporting to staff
ANS: b) Immediately notify the healthcare provider and document the incident
Rationale: Prompt reporting ensures patient safety and allows appropriate interventions.
12. For which condition is the Trendelenburg position contraindicated?
a) Hypotension
b) Increased intracranial pressure
c) Shock
d) Peripheral venous insufficiency
ANS: b) Increased intracranial pressure
Rationale: The Trendelenburg position can raise intracranial pressure and worsen cerebral edema.
13. Which of the following best describes the chain of infection?
a) Pathogen → Reservoir → Portal of exit → Mode of transmission → Portal of entry → Susceptible
