NCLEX-RN PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS FOR 2024-2025| RATIONALES
100% VERIFIED
1. A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences
an episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the med-
ication error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which
element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician ANS : 2
Rationale ANS : Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform
or not perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same or
similar circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be the
opposite of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different medication
does not fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to follow a direct
order does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level ANS : Applying
Client Need ANS : Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS :
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Assessment Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
Strategy ANS : Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may
be correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
2. A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies,
"I'm unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and
provides an explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity ANS : Answer ANS : 4
Rationale ANS : Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This
nurse is acting on the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it
back to the client. Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling
the truth for example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence
means doing good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker ou
of sight) that benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted diet).
Cognitive Level ANS :
Understanding Client Need ANS :
Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS : Implementation
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
Strategy ANS : Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
3. An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the
seizure, a nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without
stopping to assist. The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to
win a judgement for which reason?
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time. ANS : Answer ANS : 1
Rationale ANS : To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship
with the client that involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a
component of employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do
in this situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not
prevent the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-duty,
the nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level ANS :
Understanding Client Need ANS :
Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS :
Implementation Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Strategy ANS : Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee at
the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's behalf.
4. An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is
given aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The
client subsequently has a bleeding episode because of a drug interaction. The
legal nurse consultant interprets that which necessary elements of malprac-
tice are missing from this case? Select all that apply.
1. Breech of duty
2. Duty owed
3. Injury experienced
4. Causation between nurse's action and injury
5. Intent to cause harm or injury ANS : Answer ANS : 2, 5
Rationale ANS : There was no nurse-client relationship because the nurse was
acting as a neighbor and not in an employment capacity. Thus, there can be no duty
owed. Intent
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
VERIFIED ANSWERS FOR 2024-2025| RATIONALES
100% VERIFIED
1. A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences
an episode of pulmonary edema. The charge nurse would consider the med-
ication error to constitute negligence because the situation contains which
element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care procedure
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician ANS : 2
Rationale ANS : Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to perform
or not perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the same or
similar circumstances. A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be the
opposite of negligence, which is unintentional. Substituting a different medication
does not fit the description of the situation in the question. Failure to follow a direct
order does not fit the description in the situation in the question.
Cognitive Level ANS : Applying
Client Need ANS : Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS :
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Assessment Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
Strategy ANS : Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may
be correct. Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful
failure because it matches the definition of negligence.
2. A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies,
"I'm unsure but will find out for you." When the nurse later returns and
provides an explanation, the nurse is acting under which principle?
1. Nonmaleficence
2. Veracity
3. Beneficence
4. Fidelity ANS : Answer ANS : 4
Rationale ANS : Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises. This
nurse is acting on the client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it
back to the client. Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling
the truth for example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence
means doing good, such as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker ou
of sight) that benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-restricted diet).
Cognitive Level ANS :
Understanding Client Need ANS :
Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS : Implementation
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
Strategy ANS : Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one that
matches the description in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept it, which constitutes fidelity.
3. An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the
seizure, a nurse from a physician's office is noticed driving past without
stopping to assist. The individual sues the nurse for negligence but fails to
win a judgement for which reason?
1. The nurse had no duty to the individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's injuries.
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time. ANS : Answer ANS : 1
Rationale ANS : To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship
with the client that involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a
component of employment. The nurse did not necessarily do what others would do
in this situation. Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not
prevent the nurse from assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-duty,
the nurse could have assisted if motivated to do so.
Cognitive Level ANS :
Understanding Client Need ANS :
Management of Care
Integrated Process ANS : Nursing Process ANS :
Implementation Content Area ANS : Fundamentals
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
, Strategy ANS : Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer is the one that recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee at
the time of the incident, removing the requirement of acting on the client's behalf.
4. An adult female ambulatory care client receiving an oral anticoagulant is
given aspirin for a headache while visiting a neighbor, who is a nurse. The
client subsequently has a bleeding episode because of a drug interaction. The
legal nurse consultant interprets that which necessary elements of malprac-
tice are missing from this case? Select all that apply.
1. Breech of duty
2. Duty owed
3. Injury experienced
4. Causation between nurse's action and injury
5. Intent to cause harm or injury ANS : Answer ANS : 2, 5
Rationale ANS : There was no nurse-client relationship because the nurse was
acting as a neighbor and not in an employment capacity. Thus, there can be no duty
owed. Intent
https://www.stuvia.com/user/Mboffin
