West Coast University NURS 201 Final Exam (pdf) | 2026/2027 | Med-
Surg Q&A | Med-Surg Nurs
1. Which of the following best describes Florence Nightingale's most
significant contribution to modern nursing?
A) She established the first baccalaureate nursing program in the United
States
B) She developed the Environmental Theory, emphasizing sanitation and
fresh air
C) She created the Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality
D) She was the first to formally describe the nursing process
Correct Answer: She developed the Environmental Theory, emphasizing
sanitation and fresh air
Rationale: Nightingale's Environmental Theory focused on the impact of a
clean, well-ventilated environment on patient health and recovery. She did
not establish the first baccalaureate program; that was a later development.
Leininger is known for cultural care theory, and the nursing process was
formalized by other theorists.
2. A nurse is using Maslow's hierarchy of needs to prioritize care for a group
of patients. Which patient problem should be addressed first?
A) Low self-esteem related to a recent mastectomy
B) Social isolation following the death of a spouse
C) Ineffective airway clearance due to excessive secretions
D) Risk for falls related to an unsteady gait
Correct Answer: Ineffective airway clearance due to excessive secretions
,Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs at the base, as they
are essential for survival. Airway clearance is a physiological need and takes
priority over safety, love/belonging, and self-esteem needs.
3. A nurse is applying Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring in practice.
Which action best reflects this theory?
A) Using sterile technique to change a surgical dressing
B) Asking the patient about their dietary preferences
C) Spending time to develop a trusting, compassionate relationship with the
patient
D) Administering a prescribed medication to relieve pain
Correct Answer: Spending time to develop a trusting, compassionate
relationship with the patient
Rationale: Watson's theory emphasizes caritas processes and the
transpersonal caring relationship. While all options are part of nursing care,
developing a compassionate relationship is the core of her theory. Sterile
technique, dietary assessment, and medication administration are important
but not the central focus.
4. A patient tells the nurse, "I don't think I can manage my new colostomy at
home." According to Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory, what is the
nurse's primary action?
A) Provide emotional support and reassure the patient
B) Assess the patient's ability to perform self-care activities
C) Perform the colostomy care for the patient
D) Ask the healthcare provider for a referral to a home health aide
Correct Answer: Assess the patient's ability to perform self-care activities
,Rationale: Orem's theory states that nursing is required when a patient
cannot perform self-care actions effectively. The first step is to assess the
patient's self-care agency to identify the deficit. The other actions may be
appropriate after assessment.
5. A nurse is caring for a patient who recently immigrated from Southeast
Asia. To provide culturally congruent care based on Madeleine Leininger's
theory, which action is most appropriate?
A) Use a standardized pain assessment scale for all patients
B) Ask the patient about any dietary or religious practices that are important
to them
C) Encourage the patient to adopt Western dietary habits for better health
D) Focus only on the patient's physical symptoms
Correct Answer: Ask the patient about any dietary or religious practices that
are important to them
Rationale: Leininger's theory focuses on providing care that is culturally
congruent. This requires the nurse to understand and respect the patient's
cultural beliefs and practices, such as dietary restrictions.
6. In the Roy Adaptation Model, a patient's new colostomy is an example of
which type of stimulus?
A) Focal stimulus
B) Contextual stimulus
C) Residual stimulus
D) Regulator mechanism
Correct Answer: Focal stimulus
, Rationale: The focal stimulus is the internal or external stimulus most
immediately confronting the person. The new colostomy is a direct and
immediate challenge to which the patient must adapt.
7. A patient is in the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship, as
described by Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Model. Which of the following
is a key task for the nurse during this phase?
A) Terminating the therapeutic relationship
B) Exploring the patient's feelings and identifying problems
C) Establishing a trusting relationship and setting goals
D) Helping the patient implement new coping strategies
Correct Answer: Establishing a trusting relationship and setting goals
Rationale: The orientation phase is when the nurse and patient first meet
and begin to build trust. Goals for the relationship are established during this
phase. Exploring feelings and implementing strategies occur in the working
phase.
8. A nurse is using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice
(JHNEBP) model. What is the first step in the PET process?
A) Translating evidence into practice
B) Recruiting an interprofessional team
C) Searching for the best evidence
D) Developing and refining an evidence-based practice question
Correct Answer: Developing and refining an evidence-based practice
question
Surg Q&A | Med-Surg Nurs
1. Which of the following best describes Florence Nightingale's most
significant contribution to modern nursing?
A) She established the first baccalaureate nursing program in the United
States
B) She developed the Environmental Theory, emphasizing sanitation and
fresh air
C) She created the Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality
D) She was the first to formally describe the nursing process
Correct Answer: She developed the Environmental Theory, emphasizing
sanitation and fresh air
Rationale: Nightingale's Environmental Theory focused on the impact of a
clean, well-ventilated environment on patient health and recovery. She did
not establish the first baccalaureate program; that was a later development.
Leininger is known for cultural care theory, and the nursing process was
formalized by other theorists.
2. A nurse is using Maslow's hierarchy of needs to prioritize care for a group
of patients. Which patient problem should be addressed first?
A) Low self-esteem related to a recent mastectomy
B) Social isolation following the death of a spouse
C) Ineffective airway clearance due to excessive secretions
D) Risk for falls related to an unsteady gait
Correct Answer: Ineffective airway clearance due to excessive secretions
,Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs at the base, as they
are essential for survival. Airway clearance is a physiological need and takes
priority over safety, love/belonging, and self-esteem needs.
3. A nurse is applying Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring in practice.
Which action best reflects this theory?
A) Using sterile technique to change a surgical dressing
B) Asking the patient about their dietary preferences
C) Spending time to develop a trusting, compassionate relationship with the
patient
D) Administering a prescribed medication to relieve pain
Correct Answer: Spending time to develop a trusting, compassionate
relationship with the patient
Rationale: Watson's theory emphasizes caritas processes and the
transpersonal caring relationship. While all options are part of nursing care,
developing a compassionate relationship is the core of her theory. Sterile
technique, dietary assessment, and medication administration are important
but not the central focus.
4. A patient tells the nurse, "I don't think I can manage my new colostomy at
home." According to Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory, what is the
nurse's primary action?
A) Provide emotional support and reassure the patient
B) Assess the patient's ability to perform self-care activities
C) Perform the colostomy care for the patient
D) Ask the healthcare provider for a referral to a home health aide
Correct Answer: Assess the patient's ability to perform self-care activities
,Rationale: Orem's theory states that nursing is required when a patient
cannot perform self-care actions effectively. The first step is to assess the
patient's self-care agency to identify the deficit. The other actions may be
appropriate after assessment.
5. A nurse is caring for a patient who recently immigrated from Southeast
Asia. To provide culturally congruent care based on Madeleine Leininger's
theory, which action is most appropriate?
A) Use a standardized pain assessment scale for all patients
B) Ask the patient about any dietary or religious practices that are important
to them
C) Encourage the patient to adopt Western dietary habits for better health
D) Focus only on the patient's physical symptoms
Correct Answer: Ask the patient about any dietary or religious practices that
are important to them
Rationale: Leininger's theory focuses on providing care that is culturally
congruent. This requires the nurse to understand and respect the patient's
cultural beliefs and practices, such as dietary restrictions.
6. In the Roy Adaptation Model, a patient's new colostomy is an example of
which type of stimulus?
A) Focal stimulus
B) Contextual stimulus
C) Residual stimulus
D) Regulator mechanism
Correct Answer: Focal stimulus
, Rationale: The focal stimulus is the internal or external stimulus most
immediately confronting the person. The new colostomy is a direct and
immediate challenge to which the patient must adapt.
7. A patient is in the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship, as
described by Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Model. Which of the following
is a key task for the nurse during this phase?
A) Terminating the therapeutic relationship
B) Exploring the patient's feelings and identifying problems
C) Establishing a trusting relationship and setting goals
D) Helping the patient implement new coping strategies
Correct Answer: Establishing a trusting relationship and setting goals
Rationale: The orientation phase is when the nurse and patient first meet
and begin to build trust. Goals for the relationship are established during this
phase. Exploring feelings and implementing strategies occur in the working
phase.
8. A nurse is using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice
(JHNEBP) model. What is the first step in the PET process?
A) Translating evidence into practice
B) Recruiting an interprofessional team
C) Searching for the best evidence
D) Developing and refining an evidence-based practice question
Correct Answer: Developing and refining an evidence-based practice
question
