UNDERSTANDING NURSING RESEARCH 8TH EDITION – ALL
CHAPTERS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE STUDY PDF
UNDERSTANDING NURSING RESEARCH — 8TH EDITION
Building an Evidence-Based Practice
All-Chapters Questions & Answers
Evidence-Based Practice Exam & Study Resource
Authors: Susan K. Grove, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, GNP-BC & Jennifer R. Gray, PhD,
RN, FAAN
Edition: 8th Edition
Academic Year: 2026/2027
Table of Contents
Section Content Questions
I Introduction 1–24
II Core Concepts 25–48
III Applied Scenarios 49–72
IV Critical Thinking 73–96
V Review Questions 97–120
Total: 120 questions
Scope of the Exam
This comprehensive practice examination covers the 14 chapters of Understanding
Nursing Research, 8th Edition: Building an Evidence-Based Practice. The chapter
sequence is based on the publisher's published table of contents.
,SECTION I — INTRODUCTION
Questions 1–24
1. What is the primary purpose of nursing research?
A. To replace clinical judgment
B. To generate evidence that improves nursing knowledge and practice
C. To guarantee that every patient receives identical care
D. To eliminate the need for professional experience
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Nursing research systematically generates and evaluates knowledge that can inform
nursing practice, education, administration, and policy. Research complements rather than
replaces clinical expertise and patient preferences.
2. Which statement best describes evidence-based practice (EBP)?
A. Using only published research when caring for patients
B. Following institutional policy regardless of patient preferences
C. Integrating best available evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences and
circumstances
D. Selecting interventions based solely on tradition
Correct answer: C
Rationale: EBP involves integrating the best available evidence with clinical expertise and the
patient's values, preferences, and circumstances. Research evidence is important, but it is not the
only component of evidence-based decision-making.
3. A nurse notices that postoperative patients frequently experience nausea after a
particular procedure. What should generally occur before designing a study?
A. Collect data immediately
B. Identify and clearly define the research problem
C. Publish the results
D. Select statistical software
Correct answer: B
Rationale: A clearly defined research problem provides direction for the research process. It
helps establish the purpose, questions or hypotheses, variables, and appropriate methodology.
,4. Which activity is characteristic of a quantitative research approach?
A. Exploring the lived experience of chronic pain
B. Developing themes from participant interviews
C. Measuring variables numerically and analyzing relationships statistically
D. Describing cultural meaning through prolonged observation
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Quantitative research emphasizes measurable variables, numerical data, structured
methods, and statistical analysis. The other choices describe approaches commonly associated
with qualitative inquiry.
5. Which approach is most appropriate when a researcher wants to understand how newly
diagnosed patients experience uncertainty?
A. Qualitative research
B. Experimental research only
C. Secondary statistical analysis only
D. Laboratory research
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Qualitative research is particularly useful for exploring experiences, meanings,
perceptions, and processes from participants' perspectives.
6. What is a major purpose of a literature review?
A. To guarantee that the proposed hypothesis is correct
B. To identify what is already known and where knowledge gaps remain
C. To replace data collection
D. To eliminate the need for ethical review
Correct answer: B
Rationale: A literature review synthesizes existing scholarship, identifies gaps or
inconsistencies, establishes context, and helps researchers refine the research problem and
methodology.
, 7. Which source generally provides the strongest direct evidence about the results of an
individual research study?
A. Primary research report
B. Newspaper editorial
C. Unreferenced website
D. Personal anecdote
Correct answer: A
Rationale: A primary research report presents the methods and findings of an original
investigation. Secondary sources may summarize or interpret primary studies but do not provide
the original study data.
8. Which characteristic is essential to ethical nursing research?
A. Protecting participants from unnecessary harm
B. Recruiting only participants who agree with the researcher
C. Concealing all study information from participants
D. Guaranteeing beneficial results
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Ethical research requires minimizing risks and protecting participants' rights, safety,
dignity, privacy, and welfare.
9. What is informed consent intended to accomplish?
A. Guarantee participation until the study ends
B. Ensure participants receive adequate information to make a voluntary decision
C. Prevent participants from asking questions
D. Transfer all research responsibility to participants
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Informed consent supports autonomous decision-making by providing appropriate
information about the study, including relevant procedures, risks, benefits, alternatives,
confidentiality, and voluntary participation.
10. What is the independent variable in a quantitative study?
CHAPTERS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE STUDY PDF
UNDERSTANDING NURSING RESEARCH — 8TH EDITION
Building an Evidence-Based Practice
All-Chapters Questions & Answers
Evidence-Based Practice Exam & Study Resource
Authors: Susan K. Grove, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, GNP-BC & Jennifer R. Gray, PhD,
RN, FAAN
Edition: 8th Edition
Academic Year: 2026/2027
Table of Contents
Section Content Questions
I Introduction 1–24
II Core Concepts 25–48
III Applied Scenarios 49–72
IV Critical Thinking 73–96
V Review Questions 97–120
Total: 120 questions
Scope of the Exam
This comprehensive practice examination covers the 14 chapters of Understanding
Nursing Research, 8th Edition: Building an Evidence-Based Practice. The chapter
sequence is based on the publisher's published table of contents.
,SECTION I — INTRODUCTION
Questions 1–24
1. What is the primary purpose of nursing research?
A. To replace clinical judgment
B. To generate evidence that improves nursing knowledge and practice
C. To guarantee that every patient receives identical care
D. To eliminate the need for professional experience
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Nursing research systematically generates and evaluates knowledge that can inform
nursing practice, education, administration, and policy. Research complements rather than
replaces clinical expertise and patient preferences.
2. Which statement best describes evidence-based practice (EBP)?
A. Using only published research when caring for patients
B. Following institutional policy regardless of patient preferences
C. Integrating best available evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences and
circumstances
D. Selecting interventions based solely on tradition
Correct answer: C
Rationale: EBP involves integrating the best available evidence with clinical expertise and the
patient's values, preferences, and circumstances. Research evidence is important, but it is not the
only component of evidence-based decision-making.
3. A nurse notices that postoperative patients frequently experience nausea after a
particular procedure. What should generally occur before designing a study?
A. Collect data immediately
B. Identify and clearly define the research problem
C. Publish the results
D. Select statistical software
Correct answer: B
Rationale: A clearly defined research problem provides direction for the research process. It
helps establish the purpose, questions or hypotheses, variables, and appropriate methodology.
,4. Which activity is characteristic of a quantitative research approach?
A. Exploring the lived experience of chronic pain
B. Developing themes from participant interviews
C. Measuring variables numerically and analyzing relationships statistically
D. Describing cultural meaning through prolonged observation
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Quantitative research emphasizes measurable variables, numerical data, structured
methods, and statistical analysis. The other choices describe approaches commonly associated
with qualitative inquiry.
5. Which approach is most appropriate when a researcher wants to understand how newly
diagnosed patients experience uncertainty?
A. Qualitative research
B. Experimental research only
C. Secondary statistical analysis only
D. Laboratory research
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Qualitative research is particularly useful for exploring experiences, meanings,
perceptions, and processes from participants' perspectives.
6. What is a major purpose of a literature review?
A. To guarantee that the proposed hypothesis is correct
B. To identify what is already known and where knowledge gaps remain
C. To replace data collection
D. To eliminate the need for ethical review
Correct answer: B
Rationale: A literature review synthesizes existing scholarship, identifies gaps or
inconsistencies, establishes context, and helps researchers refine the research problem and
methodology.
, 7. Which source generally provides the strongest direct evidence about the results of an
individual research study?
A. Primary research report
B. Newspaper editorial
C. Unreferenced website
D. Personal anecdote
Correct answer: A
Rationale: A primary research report presents the methods and findings of an original
investigation. Secondary sources may summarize or interpret primary studies but do not provide
the original study data.
8. Which characteristic is essential to ethical nursing research?
A. Protecting participants from unnecessary harm
B. Recruiting only participants who agree with the researcher
C. Concealing all study information from participants
D. Guaranteeing beneficial results
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Ethical research requires minimizing risks and protecting participants' rights, safety,
dignity, privacy, and welfare.
9. What is informed consent intended to accomplish?
A. Guarantee participation until the study ends
B. Ensure participants receive adequate information to make a voluntary decision
C. Prevent participants from asking questions
D. Transfer all research responsibility to participants
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Informed consent supports autonomous decision-making by providing appropriate
information about the study, including relevant procedures, risks, benefits, alternatives,
confidentiality, and voluntary participation.
10. What is the independent variable in a quantitative study?
