,Chapter 1 — Section: Scope of Nursing Practice; Title:
Standards of Practice & Standards of Professional
Performance
Stem: A patient-centered care plan requires the nurse to
integrate assessment data, clinical judgement, and patient
preferences. Which element best describes the nurse’s primary
professional responsibility in this process?
A. Delegating all assessment tasks to licensed practical nurses to
save time.
B. Synthesizing data to make clinical judgments and establishing
nursing diagnoses.
C. Following standing orders without involving the patient in
decision-making.
D. Deferring all care planning decisions to the medical provider.
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct (B): Nurses synthesize assessment data, apply
clinical judgment, and formulate nursing diagnoses and
individualized care plans; this is central to the ANA-defined
nursing process.
• A: Delegation is appropriate for some tasks but the RN
retains responsibility for comprehensive assessment and
judgment; delegating all assessments is inappropriate.
, • C: Patient-centered care mandates patient involvement;
blindly following orders without dialogue undermines
nursing responsibilities.
• D: Deferring all decisions to providers abdicates nursing
accountability and ignores nursing scope.
Teaching Point: Nurses synthesize data and make nursing
diagnoses to guide individualized care.
2.
Chapter 1, Section 1 — Foundations of Nursing Practice
Stem: According to the ANA framework, what is the primary
difference between "Standards of Practice" and "Standards of
Professional Performance"?
A. There is no difference; both terms are interchangeable.
B. Standards of Practice describe clinical care actions; Standards
of Professional Performance describe professional behaviors
and obligations.
C. Standards of Practice apply only to advanced practice nurses;
Standards of Professional Performance apply to RNs.
D. Standards of Professional Performance only address
documentation requirements.
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
, • Correct (B): Standards of Practice focus on the five-step
nursing process (assessment → diagnosis → outcomes →
planning → implementation → evaluation), whereas
Standards of Professional Performance focus on ethical
practice, education, quality, and professional behaviors.
• A: Incorrect — the terms are distinct in purpose and scope.
• C: Incorrect — both sets of standards apply broadly to
registered nurses.
• D: Incorrect — documentation is one aspect but Standards
of Professional Performance cover broader domains
(ethics, education, leadership, etc.).
Teaching Point: Practice standards guide clinical actions;
professional performance standards guide conduct and
accountability.
3.
Chapter 1, Section 1 — Foundations of Nursing Practice
Stem: A new graduate RN is asked to supervise an unlicensed
assistive personnel (UAP) to measure vital signs for a stable
postoperative patient. Which action demonstrates appropriate
application of ANA delegation principles?
A. Assigning the task without verification because vital signs are
routine.
B. Confirming the UAP’s competency, providing clear
Standards of Practice & Standards of Professional
Performance
Stem: A patient-centered care plan requires the nurse to
integrate assessment data, clinical judgement, and patient
preferences. Which element best describes the nurse’s primary
professional responsibility in this process?
A. Delegating all assessment tasks to licensed practical nurses to
save time.
B. Synthesizing data to make clinical judgments and establishing
nursing diagnoses.
C. Following standing orders without involving the patient in
decision-making.
D. Deferring all care planning decisions to the medical provider.
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct (B): Nurses synthesize assessment data, apply
clinical judgment, and formulate nursing diagnoses and
individualized care plans; this is central to the ANA-defined
nursing process.
• A: Delegation is appropriate for some tasks but the RN
retains responsibility for comprehensive assessment and
judgment; delegating all assessments is inappropriate.
, • C: Patient-centered care mandates patient involvement;
blindly following orders without dialogue undermines
nursing responsibilities.
• D: Deferring all decisions to providers abdicates nursing
accountability and ignores nursing scope.
Teaching Point: Nurses synthesize data and make nursing
diagnoses to guide individualized care.
2.
Chapter 1, Section 1 — Foundations of Nursing Practice
Stem: According to the ANA framework, what is the primary
difference between "Standards of Practice" and "Standards of
Professional Performance"?
A. There is no difference; both terms are interchangeable.
B. Standards of Practice describe clinical care actions; Standards
of Professional Performance describe professional behaviors
and obligations.
C. Standards of Practice apply only to advanced practice nurses;
Standards of Professional Performance apply to RNs.
D. Standards of Professional Performance only address
documentation requirements.
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
, • Correct (B): Standards of Practice focus on the five-step
nursing process (assessment → diagnosis → outcomes →
planning → implementation → evaluation), whereas
Standards of Professional Performance focus on ethical
practice, education, quality, and professional behaviors.
• A: Incorrect — the terms are distinct in purpose and scope.
• C: Incorrect — both sets of standards apply broadly to
registered nurses.
• D: Incorrect — documentation is one aspect but Standards
of Professional Performance cover broader domains
(ethics, education, leadership, etc.).
Teaching Point: Practice standards guide clinical actions;
professional performance standards guide conduct and
accountability.
3.
Chapter 1, Section 1 — Foundations of Nursing Practice
Stem: A new graduate RN is asked to supervise an unlicensed
assistive personnel (UAP) to measure vital signs for a stable
postoperative patient. Which action demonstrates appropriate
application of ANA delegation principles?
A. Assigning the task without verification because vital signs are
routine.
B. Confirming the UAP’s competency, providing clear
