NCLEX-PN 2020 EXAM QUESTIONS, ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
1. Which educational nursing program takes 2 to 5 years to complete?
a. Nursing assistant (NA) program
b. Practical nursing (LPN, LVN) program
c. Professional nursing program
d. Advanced practice nursing (APN) program
The professional nursing program (RN) requires 2 to 5 years of education, depending on the type
of degree sought. An NA program takes 6 to 8 weeks. An LPN/LVN program takes 12 to 18
months. An APN program takes more than 4 years.
2. Who established the Henry Street Settlement Service in New York City?
a. Lillian Wald
b. Dorothea Dix
c. Florence Nightingale
d. Richard Bradley
Lillian Wald took nursing into the community and established the Henry Street Settlement
Service in 1893. Dorothea Dix organized volunteers to provide nursing care to soldiers during
the Civil War. Florence Nightingale trained women to care for the sick during the Crimean War.
Richard Bradley opened a practical nursing school in 1907.
3. Which is included in the six levels of care within the health care system?
a. Skilled
b. Post-acute
c. Restorative
d. Hospice
The six levels of care within the health care system include: preventative, primary, secondary,
tertiary, restorative, and continuing care.
4. In the 20th century, nurses moved into:
a. Hospitals
b. Long-term care facilities
c. The community
d. State mental health facilities
In the 20th century nurses began working in the community with the poor, providing midwifery
services and education regarding prenatal, obstetrics, and child care.
5. What was the intent of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs)?
a. Offer more health care services
b. Extend hospital stays
c. Improve health care
d. Contain health care costs
, DRGs were created by the Medicare program in 1983 as an attempt to contain health care costs.
DRGs do not offer more services. The intent of DRGs was not to extend hospitalizations. The
purpose of DRGs was specifically to contain costs.
6. The goals of nursing include: Select all that apply.
a. to promote wellness.
b. to prevent illness.
c. to facilitate coping.
d. to restore health.
The four common goals of nursing care are to promote wellness, prevent illness, facilitate
coping, and restore health.
7. Which educational nursing program attracts the majority of registered nurse (RN)
students?
a. Associate degree program
b. Diploma program
c. Baccalaureate program
d. Graduate program
The associate degree program attracts the majority of RN students. The number of diploma
schools has decreased. Baccalaureate programs take longer to complete and have fewer students.
Graduate programs take longer to complete and have fewer students.
8. What is the third step of the nursing process?
a. Planning
b. Evaluation
c. Implementation
d. Nursing diagnosis
Planning is the third step of the nursing process. Evaluation is the last step of the nursing
process. Implementation occurs after planning. Nursing diagnosis is the second step of the
nursing process.
9. One of the highest priorities of nursing care is:
a. adequate nutrition.
b. maintaining skin integrity.
c. pain control.
d. airway management.
In prioritizing care, physiologic needs for basic survival take precedence. Airway management
always comes first. Without an adequate airway, a patient will die. Nutrition, maintaining skin
integrity, and pain control are lower priorities of care than airway management.
1. Which educational nursing program takes 2 to 5 years to complete?
a. Nursing assistant (NA) program
b. Practical nursing (LPN, LVN) program
c. Professional nursing program
d. Advanced practice nursing (APN) program
The professional nursing program (RN) requires 2 to 5 years of education, depending on the type
of degree sought. An NA program takes 6 to 8 weeks. An LPN/LVN program takes 12 to 18
months. An APN program takes more than 4 years.
2. Who established the Henry Street Settlement Service in New York City?
a. Lillian Wald
b. Dorothea Dix
c. Florence Nightingale
d. Richard Bradley
Lillian Wald took nursing into the community and established the Henry Street Settlement
Service in 1893. Dorothea Dix organized volunteers to provide nursing care to soldiers during
the Civil War. Florence Nightingale trained women to care for the sick during the Crimean War.
Richard Bradley opened a practical nursing school in 1907.
3. Which is included in the six levels of care within the health care system?
a. Skilled
b. Post-acute
c. Restorative
d. Hospice
The six levels of care within the health care system include: preventative, primary, secondary,
tertiary, restorative, and continuing care.
4. In the 20th century, nurses moved into:
a. Hospitals
b. Long-term care facilities
c. The community
d. State mental health facilities
In the 20th century nurses began working in the community with the poor, providing midwifery
services and education regarding prenatal, obstetrics, and child care.
5. What was the intent of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs)?
a. Offer more health care services
b. Extend hospital stays
c. Improve health care
d. Contain health care costs
, DRGs were created by the Medicare program in 1983 as an attempt to contain health care costs.
DRGs do not offer more services. The intent of DRGs was not to extend hospitalizations. The
purpose of DRGs was specifically to contain costs.
6. The goals of nursing include: Select all that apply.
a. to promote wellness.
b. to prevent illness.
c. to facilitate coping.
d. to restore health.
The four common goals of nursing care are to promote wellness, prevent illness, facilitate
coping, and restore health.
7. Which educational nursing program attracts the majority of registered nurse (RN)
students?
a. Associate degree program
b. Diploma program
c. Baccalaureate program
d. Graduate program
The associate degree program attracts the majority of RN students. The number of diploma
schools has decreased. Baccalaureate programs take longer to complete and have fewer students.
Graduate programs take longer to complete and have fewer students.
8. What is the third step of the nursing process?
a. Planning
b. Evaluation
c. Implementation
d. Nursing diagnosis
Planning is the third step of the nursing process. Evaluation is the last step of the nursing
process. Implementation occurs after planning. Nursing diagnosis is the second step of the
nursing process.
9. One of the highest priorities of nursing care is:
a. adequate nutrition.
b. maintaining skin integrity.
c. pain control.
d. airway management.
In prioritizing care, physiologic needs for basic survival take precedence. Airway management
always comes first. Without an adequate airway, a patient will die. Nutrition, maintaining skin
integrity, and pain control are lower priorities of care than airway management.
