NURS 401 FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH NURSING MIDTERM PRACTICE
EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES 2025 MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
1. What is the primary goal of public health nursing?
a. Cure disease
b. Promote and protect the health of populations
c. Provide individualized patient care
d. Diagnose mental health conditions
RATIONALE: Public health nursing focuses on population-level
interventions to improve health outcomes and prevent illness, rather
than solely treating individual patients.
2. Which level of prevention involves early detection and prompt
treatment of disease?
a. Primary
, b. Secondary
c. Tertiary
d. Quaternary
RATIONALE: Secondary prevention aims to detect diseases early and
provide prompt treatment to halt progression.
3. A nurse implements a smoking cessation program in a community.
This is an example of:
a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Acute care intervention
RATIONALE: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it
occurs, such as through lifestyle modifications.
4. Which historical figure is considered the founder of modern public
health nursing?
a. Lillian Wald
b. Florence Nightingale
c. Mary Breckinridge
d. Clara Barton
RATIONALE: Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement and
pioneered community nursing.
5. What is an example of a social determinant of health?
a. Genetic predisposition
, b. Cholesterol levels
c. Educational attainment
d. Family history
RATIONALE: Social determinants include conditions in which people
are born, grow, live, work, and age, like education.
6. Which of the following best describes community health?
a. Health status of a defined group and the actions to protect and
improve it
b. Health services provided in hospitals
c. Illness care provided to individuals
d. Emergency response efforts
RATIONALE: Community health focuses on collective health and
population-level initiatives.
7. Herd immunity is primarily associated with which public health
strategy?
a. Screening
b. Immunization
c. Treatment
d. Surveillance
RATIONALE: Immunization protects individuals and limits disease
spread, creating herd immunity.
8. A nurse providing rehabilitation after a stroke is engaging in what level
of prevention?
, a. Primary
b. Secondary
c. Tertiary
d. Quaternary
RATIONALE: Tertiary prevention involves managing and improving
outcomes after illness or injury.
9. What is epidemiology primarily concerned with?
a. Clinical treatment
b. Diagnostic testing
c. Patterns and causes of disease in populations
d. Insurance coverage
RATIONALE: Epidemiology studies how diseases affect populations
and identifies risk factors.
10. Which organization is primarily responsible for health policy at
the federal level in the U.S.?
a. American Red Cross
b. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
c. World Health Organization (WHO)
d. State Boards of Nursing
RATIONALE: HHS oversees national health programs and policy-
making.
HEALTH NURSING MIDTERM PRACTICE
EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES 2025 MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
1. What is the primary goal of public health nursing?
a. Cure disease
b. Promote and protect the health of populations
c. Provide individualized patient care
d. Diagnose mental health conditions
RATIONALE: Public health nursing focuses on population-level
interventions to improve health outcomes and prevent illness, rather
than solely treating individual patients.
2. Which level of prevention involves early detection and prompt
treatment of disease?
a. Primary
, b. Secondary
c. Tertiary
d. Quaternary
RATIONALE: Secondary prevention aims to detect diseases early and
provide prompt treatment to halt progression.
3. A nurse implements a smoking cessation program in a community.
This is an example of:
a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Acute care intervention
RATIONALE: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it
occurs, such as through lifestyle modifications.
4. Which historical figure is considered the founder of modern public
health nursing?
a. Lillian Wald
b. Florence Nightingale
c. Mary Breckinridge
d. Clara Barton
RATIONALE: Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement and
pioneered community nursing.
5. What is an example of a social determinant of health?
a. Genetic predisposition
, b. Cholesterol levels
c. Educational attainment
d. Family history
RATIONALE: Social determinants include conditions in which people
are born, grow, live, work, and age, like education.
6. Which of the following best describes community health?
a. Health status of a defined group and the actions to protect and
improve it
b. Health services provided in hospitals
c. Illness care provided to individuals
d. Emergency response efforts
RATIONALE: Community health focuses on collective health and
population-level initiatives.
7. Herd immunity is primarily associated with which public health
strategy?
a. Screening
b. Immunization
c. Treatment
d. Surveillance
RATIONALE: Immunization protects individuals and limits disease
spread, creating herd immunity.
8. A nurse providing rehabilitation after a stroke is engaging in what level
of prevention?
, a. Primary
b. Secondary
c. Tertiary
d. Quaternary
RATIONALE: Tertiary prevention involves managing and improving
outcomes after illness or injury.
9. What is epidemiology primarily concerned with?
a. Clinical treatment
b. Diagnostic testing
c. Patterns and causes of disease in populations
d. Insurance coverage
RATIONALE: Epidemiology studies how diseases affect populations
and identifies risk factors.
10. Which organization is primarily responsible for health policy at
the federal level in the U.S.?
a. American Red Cross
b. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
c. World Health Organization (WHO)
d. State Boards of Nursing
RATIONALE: HHS oversees national health programs and policy-
making.
