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NUR 155 Final Exam Critical Thinking for the Practical
Nursing 2026/2027 | Hondros College Actual Exam Prep
| Verified Answers & Detailed Rationales
Question 1
A nursing instructor is teaching students about Tanner's Model of Clinical Judgment.
Which steps are included in this model? (Select all that apply.)
A. Noticing
B. Interpreting
C. Responding
D. Reflecting
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Noticing, B. Interpreting, C. Responding, and D. Reflecting
Rationale: Tanner's Model of Clinical Judgment explains the four steps in the critical
thinking process that nurses use to solve any problem: Noticing, Interpreting,
Responding, and Reflecting.
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Question 2
The nursing process uses a step-by-step approach to provide patient-centered care.
What does the acronym ADPIE stand for?
A. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
B. Analysis, Data collection, Planning, Intervention, Education
C. Assessment, Data, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D. Analysis, Diagnosis, Planning, Intervention, Evaluation
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE stands for Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and
Evaluation. This is the standard nursing process used to provide patient-centered care.
Diagnosis can only be performed by an RN.
Question 3
According to Benner's Theory of Stages of Clinical Competence, which stage describes a
nursing student in the first year of clinical education with limited and inflexible, rule-
based practice?
A. Novice
B. Advanced Beginner
C. Competent
D. Proficient
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CORRECT ANSWER: A. Novice
Rationale: The Novice stage (Stage 1) describes nursing students in their first year of
clinical education. They have limited and inflexible, rule-based practice with limited
ability to predict what might happen in a particular situation.
Question 4
A new graduate nurse in their first job has more experience than a student and can
recognize recurrent, meaningful components of a situation. According to Benner's
theory, this nurse is at which stage?
A. Novice
B. Advanced Beginner
C. Competent
D. Proficient
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Advanced Beginner
Rationale: The Advanced Beginner stage (Stage 2) describes new graduates in their first
jobs. They have knowledge and know-how but not in-depth experience. They can
recognize recurrent, meaningful components of a situation.
Question 5
An experienced nurse is able to recognize demands and resources in situations and
intuitively grasp situations based on deep knowledge and experience, without relying
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solely on rules. According to Benner's theory, this nurse is at which stage?
A. Competent
B. Proficient
C. Expert
D. Advanced Beginner
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Expert
Rationale: The Expert stage (Stage 5) describes nurses who are able to intuitively grasp
situations based on deep knowledge and experience. They no longer rely solely on rules
to guide actions and can recognize demands and resources to attain goals.
Question 6
A nurse enters a patient's room and immediately recognizes that the patient's condition
has changed. This represents which component of Tanner's Model?
A. Interpreting
B. Responding
C. Noticing
D. Reflecting
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Noticing
Rationale: Noticing is the first step of Tanner's Model and involves identifying signs and
symptoms, gathering complete and accurate data, assessing systematically, predicting
NUR 155 Final Exam Critical Thinking for the Practical
Nursing 2026/2027 | Hondros College Actual Exam Prep
| Verified Answers & Detailed Rationales
Question 1
A nursing instructor is teaching students about Tanner's Model of Clinical Judgment.
Which steps are included in this model? (Select all that apply.)
A. Noticing
B. Interpreting
C. Responding
D. Reflecting
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Noticing, B. Interpreting, C. Responding, and D. Reflecting
Rationale: Tanner's Model of Clinical Judgment explains the four steps in the critical
thinking process that nurses use to solve any problem: Noticing, Interpreting,
Responding, and Reflecting.
,2|Page
Question 2
The nursing process uses a step-by-step approach to provide patient-centered care.
What does the acronym ADPIE stand for?
A. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
B. Analysis, Data collection, Planning, Intervention, Education
C. Assessment, Data, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D. Analysis, Diagnosis, Planning, Intervention, Evaluation
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE stands for Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and
Evaluation. This is the standard nursing process used to provide patient-centered care.
Diagnosis can only be performed by an RN.
Question 3
According to Benner's Theory of Stages of Clinical Competence, which stage describes a
nursing student in the first year of clinical education with limited and inflexible, rule-
based practice?
A. Novice
B. Advanced Beginner
C. Competent
D. Proficient
,3|Page
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Novice
Rationale: The Novice stage (Stage 1) describes nursing students in their first year of
clinical education. They have limited and inflexible, rule-based practice with limited
ability to predict what might happen in a particular situation.
Question 4
A new graduate nurse in their first job has more experience than a student and can
recognize recurrent, meaningful components of a situation. According to Benner's
theory, this nurse is at which stage?
A. Novice
B. Advanced Beginner
C. Competent
D. Proficient
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Advanced Beginner
Rationale: The Advanced Beginner stage (Stage 2) describes new graduates in their first
jobs. They have knowledge and know-how but not in-depth experience. They can
recognize recurrent, meaningful components of a situation.
Question 5
An experienced nurse is able to recognize demands and resources in situations and
intuitively grasp situations based on deep knowledge and experience, without relying
, 4|Page
solely on rules. According to Benner's theory, this nurse is at which stage?
A. Competent
B. Proficient
C. Expert
D. Advanced Beginner
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Expert
Rationale: The Expert stage (Stage 5) describes nurses who are able to intuitively grasp
situations based on deep knowledge and experience. They no longer rely solely on rules
to guide actions and can recognize demands and resources to attain goals.
Question 6
A nurse enters a patient's room and immediately recognizes that the patient's condition
has changed. This represents which component of Tanner's Model?
A. Interpreting
B. Responding
C. Noticing
D. Reflecting
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Noticing
Rationale: Noticing is the first step of Tanner's Model and involves identifying signs and
symptoms, gathering complete and accurate data, assessing systematically, predicting
