EBP Final Exam Guide & NGN Prep Questions
and Well Graded Solutions with Rationales
Updated 2026-2027
Master your Evidence-Based Practice course with this comprehensive NR449 Final Exam & NGN Prep
Guide. Features critical multiple-choice questions with detailed rationales covering the EBP Triad, PICOT
framework, Belmont Report ethical principles, quantitative/qualitative methodologies, sampling, and
statistical data analysis (p-values). Perfect for Chamberlain University nursing students and similar BSN
tracks looking to ace their milestone quizzes, CJE benchmarks, and final exams
1|Page
,1. A nurse researcher is designing a quantitative study. Which of the following elements
must be present to classify the research design as a true experimental study?
A) Convenience sampling, a control group, and a clinical intervention.
B) Pre-test data collection, a research hypothesis, and a large sample size.
C) Manipulation of an independent variable, random assignment, and a control
group.
D) Data saturation, qualitative feedback, and a descriptive variable design.
Rationale: A true experimental design (Randomized Controlled Trial) requires three
specific properties: manipulation of an independent variable (the intervention),
random assignment of participants to groups, and the utilization of a
control/comparison group.
2. When formulating a clinical question using the PICOT framework, what does the "O"
component represent?
A) The operational definition of the variable.
B) The opposing intervention being compared.
C) The measurable outcome or clinical result of interest.
D) The older adult population involved in the study.
Rationale: In the PICOT acronym, P stands for Population, I stands for Intervention,
C stands for Comparison, O stands for Outcome (the measurable clinical effect), and
T stands for Timeframe.
3. A nurse researcher is reviewing a study that explores the lived experiences of
mothers caring for children with terminal cancer. This study utilizes which type of
research methodology?
A) Quantitative correlational design.
B) Qualitative phenomenological design.
C) Experimental randomized controlled trial.
D) Retrospective chart review.
Rationale: Phenomenology is a qualitative research approach that focuses
specifically on describing the lived experiences of individuals dealing with a particular
phenomenon or life event.
4. An institutional review board (IRB) is reviewing a study proposal that involves
analyzing completely de-identified, publicly available data from historical patient
registries. Which level of IRB review is most appropriate for this study?
A) Exempt review.
B) Expedited review.
C) Full board review.
D) Accelerated review.
2|Page
, Rationale: An exempt review is conducted for research involving no more than
minimal risk and meeting specific criteria, such as the use of existing, fully de-
identified data or public records where participants cannot be identified.
5. A study evaluates the effect of an electronic medication reminder system on patient
compliance. The research findings state that the results are "statistically significant at
p = 0.001." What is the correct interpretation of this p-value?
A) There is a 99.9% probability that the research findings occurred purely by chance.
B) The electronic reminder system has a massive, highly critical clinical effect size.
C) There is a 0.1% probability that the observed differences occurred by
random chance.
D) The research sample size was too small to demonstrate true mathematical power.
Rationale: A p-value of 0.001 indicates that the probability of the results occurring by
random chance is 1 in 1,000 (0.1%). It confirms high statistical significance but does
not measure the clinical effect size.
6. A nurse reads a research article regarding a new turning schedule to prevent
pressure injuries. Which section of the research report should the nurse consult to
find a concise summary of the entire study, including the background, methods,
results, and conclusions?
A) Literature Review.
B) Discussion.
C) Abstract.
D) Methodology.
Rationale: An abstract is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of a
research article, typically ranging from 150 to 300 words, allowing readers to quickly
survey the study's core components.
7. During a research study, a participant decides they no longer wish to complete the
weekly surveys and asks to drop out. Which fundamental ethical principle protects
this participant's right to withdraw without penalty?
A) Respect for persons.
B) Beneficence.
C) Justice.
D) Nonmaleficence.
Rationale: Respect for persons recognizes that individuals are autonomous agents.
This principle guarantees informed consent, which includes the absolute right to
voluntarily enter and withdraw from a study at any time.
3|Page
, 8. A nursing student wants to find the highest level of evidence to support a change in
clinical practice for peripheral IV site care. According to the hierarchy of evidence,
which source provides the strongest data?
A) A well-designed, multi-center quasi-experimental study.
B) A descriptive cross-sectional survey of clinical nurses.
C) A systematic review or meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
D) A consensus statement or clinical guidelines from an expert panel.
Rationale: Level I evidence sits at the top of the evidence hierarchy and consists of
systematic reviews or meta-analyses of all relevant randomized controlled trials
(RCTs), minimizing bias across multiple studies.
9. A study evaluates whether a nurse-led discharge teaching program decreases 30-
day readmission rates among heart failure patients. In this study, what is the
independent variable?
A) The nurse-led discharge teaching program.
B) The 30-day readmission rate.
C) The diagnosis of heart failure.
D) The age of the patients included.
Rationale: The independent variable is the intervention, treatment, or condition that
is introduced, manipulated, or evaluated by the researcher. Here, the discharge
teaching program is the independent variable.
10. A qualitative researcher interviews 12 participants regarding their experiences with
chronic pain management. During the last 3 interviews, no new themes, concepts, or
perspectives emerge. What has the researcher achieved?
A) Statistical power.
B) Random selection.
C) Data saturation.
D) Type I error.
Rationale: Data saturation occurs in qualitative sampling when data collection can be
terminated because no new information, codes, or themes are being discovered
through additional interviews.
11. A group of researchers are studying a rare medical condition. Because the
population is difficult to find, they ask the initial three participants to refer other
individuals with the same condition to join the study. What sampling method is being
used?
4|Page