POLIT AND BECK CANADIAN ESSENTIALS
OF NURSING RESEARCH EXAM STUDY
GUIDE 2026 TEST BANK WITH FULL
SOLUTIONS
⩥ When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be
MOST concerned with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history. Answer: You selected C; This
is correct!
Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric
crisis, your primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the
patient to the hospital is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should
attempt to obtain a medical history and should take any of the patient's
prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this should not
supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the
patient.
⩥ You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a
small lake. Your initial attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
,• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. Answer: You selected B; This
is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient
from the water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you
should attempt to reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large
stick or similar object. If this is unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or
flotation device (if available). If these are not available, row to the
patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to retrieve the
victim is a last resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer because
patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind panic and
will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it means
forcing the rescuer underwater.
⩥ How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a
low blood glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise Answer: The correct answer is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to
mechanism of injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the
suspected NOI in any patient with any fluctuation in level of
,consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to complete
unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or
hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose,
and shock, among others.
⩥ A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type
of drug. Her respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and
weak. Which of the following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her
condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium Answer: The correct answer is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of
the patient's condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS)
stimulant; you would expect her to be hypertensive, tachycardic,
tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin, Valium, and Seconal are
all CNS depressants and could explain her condition. Heroin is an illegal
narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drug,
and Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and
barbiturates are all CNS depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a
decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, bradycardia,
and hypotension.
⩥ Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
, • A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
Answer: You selected D; This is correct!
Reason:Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or
intestines. In some cases, you may give activated charcoal to patients
who have ingested certain substances, if approved by medical control or
local protocol. Activated charcoal is contraindicated for patients who
have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner) or a petroleum product
(ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness and cannot
protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
⩥ The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and
convection is to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment. Answer: you selected D; This is
correct!
Reason:In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the
OF NURSING RESEARCH EXAM STUDY
GUIDE 2026 TEST BANK WITH FULL
SOLUTIONS
⩥ When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be
MOST concerned with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history. Answer: You selected C; This
is correct!
Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric
crisis, your primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the
patient to the hospital is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should
attempt to obtain a medical history and should take any of the patient's
prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this should not
supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the
patient.
⩥ You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a
small lake. Your initial attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
,• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. Answer: You selected B; This
is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient
from the water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you
should attempt to reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large
stick or similar object. If this is unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or
flotation device (if available). If these are not available, row to the
patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to retrieve the
victim is a last resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer because
patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind panic and
will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it means
forcing the rescuer underwater.
⩥ How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a
low blood glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise Answer: The correct answer is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to
mechanism of injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the
suspected NOI in any patient with any fluctuation in level of
,consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to complete
unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or
hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose,
and shock, among others.
⩥ A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type
of drug. Her respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and
weak. Which of the following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her
condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium Answer: The correct answer is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of
the patient's condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS)
stimulant; you would expect her to be hypertensive, tachycardic,
tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin, Valium, and Seconal are
all CNS depressants and could explain her condition. Heroin is an illegal
narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drug,
and Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and
barbiturates are all CNS depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a
decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, bradycardia,
and hypotension.
⩥ Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
, • A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
Answer: You selected D; This is correct!
Reason:Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or
intestines. In some cases, you may give activated charcoal to patients
who have ingested certain substances, if approved by medical control or
local protocol. Activated charcoal is contraindicated for patients who
have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner) or a petroleum product
(ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness and cannot
protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
⩥ The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and
convection is to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment. Answer: you selected D; This is
correct!
Reason:In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the
