1
Fundamentals of Nursing Study Guide.
Potter et al.: Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which nurse most likely kept records on sanitation techniques and the effects on health?
a. Florence Nightingale
b. Mary Nutting
c. Clara Barton
d. Lillian Wald
ANS: A
Nightingale was the first practicing nurse epidemiologist. Her statistical analyses connected poor sanitation
with cholera and dysentery. Mary Nutting, Clara Barton, and Lillian Wald came after Nightingale, each
contributing to the nursing profession in her own way. Mary Nutting was instrumental in moving nursing
education into universities. Clara Barton founded the American RedCross. Lillian Wald helped open the
Henry Street Settlement.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:5
OBJ: Discuss the influence of social, historical, political, and economic changes on nursing
practices. TOP: Evaluation MSC: Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome. Which standard ofnursing
practice is the nurse following?
a. Assessment
b. Diagnosis
c. Planning
d. Implementation
ANS: C
In planning, the registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attainexpected
outcomes. During assessment, the registered nurse collects comprehensive data pertinentto the patient’s health
and/or the situation. In diagnosis, the registered nurse analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses
or issues. During implementation, the registered nurseimplements (carries out) the identified plan.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:2
OBJ: Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Planning
,MSC:Management of Care
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which level of proficiency isthe
nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor?
a. Novice
b. Proficient
c. Competent
d. Advanced beginner
ANS: A
A beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a situation in which there is no previous level of experience
(e.g., an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice in home health) is an example of a novice
nurse. A proficient nurse perceives a patient’s clinical situation as a whole, isable to assess an entire situation,
and can readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple previous experiences to a situation. A competent
nurse understands the organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology,
or orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing care and
establish long-range goals. A nursewho has had some level of experience with the situation is an advanced
beginner. This experience may only be observational in nature, but the nurse is able to identify meaningful
aspects or principlesof nursing care.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:2
OBJ: Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Evaluation
MSC:Management of Care
4. A nurse assesses a patient’s fluid status and decides that the patient needs to drink more fluids.The nurse
then encourages the patient to drink more fluids. Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Licensure
b. Autonomy
c. Certification
d. Accountability
ANS: B
Autonomy is an essential element of professional nursing that involves the initiation of independentnursing
interventions without medical orders. To obtain licensure in the United States, the RN candidate must pass
the NCLEX-RN®. Beyond the NCLEX-RN®, the nurse may choose to work toward certification in a
specific area of nursing practice. Accountability means that you are responsible, professionally and legally,
for the type and quality of nursing care provided.
,DIF:Apply (application)REF:3
OBJ: Discuss the roles and career opportunities for nurses. TOP: ImplementationMSC:Management of Care
5. A nurse prepares the budget and policies for an intensive care unit. Which role is the nurse
implementing?
a. Educator
b. Manager
c. Advocate
d. Caregiver
ANS: B
A manager coordinates the activities of members of the nursing staff in delivering nursing care and has
personnel, policy, and budgetary responsibility for a specific nursing unit or facility. As an educator, you
explain concepts and facts about health, describe the reason for routine care activities, demonstrate procedures
such as self-care activities, reinforce learning or patient behavior,and evaluate the patient’s progress in
learning. As a patient advocate, you protect your patient’s human and legal rights and provide assistance in
asserting these rights if the need arises. As a caregiver, you help patients maintain and regain health, manage
disease and symptoms, and attain a maximal level function and independence through the healing process.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:4
OBJ: Describe the roles and career opportunities for nurses. TOP: Implementation
MSC:Management of Care
6. The nurse has been working in the clinical setting for several years as an advanced practice nurse.
However, the nurse has a strong desire to pursue research and theory development. To fulfill this desire, which
program should the nurse attend?
a. Doctor of Nursing Science degree (DNSc)
b. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
c. Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP)
d. Doctor in the Science of Nursing degree (DSN)
ANS: B
Some doctoral programs prepare nurses for more rigorous research and theory development and award the
research-oriented Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing. Professional doctoral programs in nursing (DSN or
DNSc) prepare graduates to apply research findings to clinical nursing. The DNPis a practice doctorate that
prepares advanced practice nurses such as nurse practitioners.
, DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:10
OBJ: Describe educational programs available for professional registered nurse (RN) education.
TOP:Teaching/LearningMSC:Management of Care
7. A nurse attends a workshop on current nursing issues provided by the American Nurses
Association. Which type of education did the nurse receive?
a. Graduate education
b. Inservice education
c. Continuing education
d. Registered nurse education
ANS: C
Continuing education involves formal, organized educational programs offered by universities, hospitals,
state nurses associations, professional nursing organizations, and educational and healthcare institutions.
After obtaining a baccalaureate degree in nursing, you can pursue graduate education leading to a master’s or
doctoral degree in any number of graduate fields, including nursing. Inservice education programs are
instruction or training provided by a health care facility orinstitution. Registered nurse education is the
education preparation for an individual intending to be an RN.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:10
OBJ: Describe educational programs available for professional registered nurse (RN) education.
TOP:Teaching/LearningMSC:Management of Care
8. A nurse identifies gaps between local and best practices. Which Quality and Safety Education forNurses
(QSEN) competency is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Safety
b. Patient-centered care
c. Quality improvement
d. Teamwork and collaboration
ANS: C
Quality improvement identifies gaps between local and best practices. Safety minimizes risk of harmto patients
and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. Patient- centered care
recognizes the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and
coordinated care based on respect for patient’s preferences, values, and needs. Teamwork and collaboration
allows effective functioning within nursing and
Fundamentals of Nursing Study Guide.
Potter et al.: Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which nurse most likely kept records on sanitation techniques and the effects on health?
a. Florence Nightingale
b. Mary Nutting
c. Clara Barton
d. Lillian Wald
ANS: A
Nightingale was the first practicing nurse epidemiologist. Her statistical analyses connected poor sanitation
with cholera and dysentery. Mary Nutting, Clara Barton, and Lillian Wald came after Nightingale, each
contributing to the nursing profession in her own way. Mary Nutting was instrumental in moving nursing
education into universities. Clara Barton founded the American RedCross. Lillian Wald helped open the
Henry Street Settlement.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:5
OBJ: Discuss the influence of social, historical, political, and economic changes on nursing
practices. TOP: Evaluation MSC: Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome. Which standard ofnursing
practice is the nurse following?
a. Assessment
b. Diagnosis
c. Planning
d. Implementation
ANS: C
In planning, the registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attainexpected
outcomes. During assessment, the registered nurse collects comprehensive data pertinentto the patient’s health
and/or the situation. In diagnosis, the registered nurse analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses
or issues. During implementation, the registered nurseimplements (carries out) the identified plan.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:2
OBJ: Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Planning
,MSC:Management of Care
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which level of proficiency isthe
nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor?
a. Novice
b. Proficient
c. Competent
d. Advanced beginner
ANS: A
A beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a situation in which there is no previous level of experience
(e.g., an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice in home health) is an example of a novice
nurse. A proficient nurse perceives a patient’s clinical situation as a whole, isable to assess an entire situation,
and can readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple previous experiences to a situation. A competent
nurse understands the organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology,
or orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing care and
establish long-range goals. A nursewho has had some level of experience with the situation is an advanced
beginner. This experience may only be observational in nature, but the nurse is able to identify meaningful
aspects or principlesof nursing care.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:2
OBJ: Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Evaluation
MSC:Management of Care
4. A nurse assesses a patient’s fluid status and decides that the patient needs to drink more fluids.The nurse
then encourages the patient to drink more fluids. Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Licensure
b. Autonomy
c. Certification
d. Accountability
ANS: B
Autonomy is an essential element of professional nursing that involves the initiation of independentnursing
interventions without medical orders. To obtain licensure in the United States, the RN candidate must pass
the NCLEX-RN®. Beyond the NCLEX-RN®, the nurse may choose to work toward certification in a
specific area of nursing practice. Accountability means that you are responsible, professionally and legally,
for the type and quality of nursing care provided.
,DIF:Apply (application)REF:3
OBJ: Discuss the roles and career opportunities for nurses. TOP: ImplementationMSC:Management of Care
5. A nurse prepares the budget and policies for an intensive care unit. Which role is the nurse
implementing?
a. Educator
b. Manager
c. Advocate
d. Caregiver
ANS: B
A manager coordinates the activities of members of the nursing staff in delivering nursing care and has
personnel, policy, and budgetary responsibility for a specific nursing unit or facility. As an educator, you
explain concepts and facts about health, describe the reason for routine care activities, demonstrate procedures
such as self-care activities, reinforce learning or patient behavior,and evaluate the patient’s progress in
learning. As a patient advocate, you protect your patient’s human and legal rights and provide assistance in
asserting these rights if the need arises. As a caregiver, you help patients maintain and regain health, manage
disease and symptoms, and attain a maximal level function and independence through the healing process.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:4
OBJ: Describe the roles and career opportunities for nurses. TOP: Implementation
MSC:Management of Care
6. The nurse has been working in the clinical setting for several years as an advanced practice nurse.
However, the nurse has a strong desire to pursue research and theory development. To fulfill this desire, which
program should the nurse attend?
a. Doctor of Nursing Science degree (DNSc)
b. Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD)
c. Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP)
d. Doctor in the Science of Nursing degree (DSN)
ANS: B
Some doctoral programs prepare nurses for more rigorous research and theory development and award the
research-oriented Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing. Professional doctoral programs in nursing (DSN or
DNSc) prepare graduates to apply research findings to clinical nursing. The DNPis a practice doctorate that
prepares advanced practice nurses such as nurse practitioners.
, DIF:Understand (comprehension)REF:10
OBJ: Describe educational programs available for professional registered nurse (RN) education.
TOP:Teaching/LearningMSC:Management of Care
7. A nurse attends a workshop on current nursing issues provided by the American Nurses
Association. Which type of education did the nurse receive?
a. Graduate education
b. Inservice education
c. Continuing education
d. Registered nurse education
ANS: C
Continuing education involves formal, organized educational programs offered by universities, hospitals,
state nurses associations, professional nursing organizations, and educational and healthcare institutions.
After obtaining a baccalaureate degree in nursing, you can pursue graduate education leading to a master’s or
doctoral degree in any number of graduate fields, including nursing. Inservice education programs are
instruction or training provided by a health care facility orinstitution. Registered nurse education is the
education preparation for an individual intending to be an RN.
DIF:Apply (application)REF:10
OBJ: Describe educational programs available for professional registered nurse (RN) education.
TOP:Teaching/LearningMSC:Management of Care
8. A nurse identifies gaps between local and best practices. Which Quality and Safety Education forNurses
(QSEN) competency is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Safety
b. Patient-centered care
c. Quality improvement
d. Teamwork and collaboration
ANS: C
Quality improvement identifies gaps between local and best practices. Safety minimizes risk of harmto patients
and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. Patient- centered care
recognizes the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and
coordinated care based on respect for patient’s preferences, values, and needs. Teamwork and collaboration
allows effective functioning within nursing and
