Nursing Fundamentals Exam Prep – Primary, Secondary
& Tertiary Prevention, QSEN & Nursing Process Study
Guide Rationales Graded A+ Latest Updated 2026
Primary prevention
reduces the incidence of disease.
Secondary prevention
prevents the spread of disease, illness, or infection once it occurs.
Tertiary prevention
occurs when a defect or disability is permanent and irreversible. It involves minimizing the
effects of long-term disease or disability by interventions directed at preventing complications
and deterioration
A risk factor
is any attribute, quality, environmental situation, or trait that increases the vulnerability of an
individual or group to an illness or accident.
Nonmodifiable risk factors
such as age, sex, genetics, and family history cannot be changed.
What is QSEN
The QSEN Institute is a collaborative of healthcare professionals focused on education, practice,
and scholarship to improve the quality and safety of healthcare systems.
What is the QSEN vision
Our vision is to inspire healthcare professionals to put quality and safety as core values to guide
their work.
(American Nurses Association [ANA],
the scope of a nurse's practice, the services that a qualified health professional is deemed
competent to perform and permitted to undertake—in keeping with the terms of their
professional license
Assessment 1
, The registered nurse collects pertinent data and information relative to the healthcare
consumer's health or the situation
Diagnosis 2
The registered nurse analyzes the assessment data to determine the actual or potential
diagnoses, problems, and issues.
Proficient 4
A nurse with more than 2 to 3 years of experience in the same clinical position. This nurse
perceives a patient's clinical situation as a whole, is able to assess an entire situation, and can
readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple previous experiences to a situation. This nurse
focuses on managing care as opposed to managing and performing skills.
expert 5
A nurse with diverse experience who has an intuitive grasp of an existing or potential clinical
problem. This nurse is able to zero in on the problem and focus on multiple dimensions of the
situation. This nurse is skilled at identifying both individualized patient problems and problems
related to the health care system or perhaps the needs of the novice nurse.
novice 1
Beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a situation in which there is no previous level
of experience (e.g., an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice in home
health). The learner learns via a specific set of rules or procedures, which are usually stepwise
and linear.
Advanced Beginner 2
A nurse who has had some level of experience with the situation. This experience may be only
observational in nature, but the nurse is able to identify meaningful aspects or principles of
nursing care.
competant
A nurse who has been in the same clinical position for 2 to 3 years. This nurse understands the
organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology, or
orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing
care and establish long-range goals. In this phase the nurse has usually had experience with all
types of psychomotor skills required by this specific group of patients.
Outcomes Identification
& Tertiary Prevention, QSEN & Nursing Process Study
Guide Rationales Graded A+ Latest Updated 2026
Primary prevention
reduces the incidence of disease.
Secondary prevention
prevents the spread of disease, illness, or infection once it occurs.
Tertiary prevention
occurs when a defect or disability is permanent and irreversible. It involves minimizing the
effects of long-term disease or disability by interventions directed at preventing complications
and deterioration
A risk factor
is any attribute, quality, environmental situation, or trait that increases the vulnerability of an
individual or group to an illness or accident.
Nonmodifiable risk factors
such as age, sex, genetics, and family history cannot be changed.
What is QSEN
The QSEN Institute is a collaborative of healthcare professionals focused on education, practice,
and scholarship to improve the quality and safety of healthcare systems.
What is the QSEN vision
Our vision is to inspire healthcare professionals to put quality and safety as core values to guide
their work.
(American Nurses Association [ANA],
the scope of a nurse's practice, the services that a qualified health professional is deemed
competent to perform and permitted to undertake—in keeping with the terms of their
professional license
Assessment 1
, The registered nurse collects pertinent data and information relative to the healthcare
consumer's health or the situation
Diagnosis 2
The registered nurse analyzes the assessment data to determine the actual or potential
diagnoses, problems, and issues.
Proficient 4
A nurse with more than 2 to 3 years of experience in the same clinical position. This nurse
perceives a patient's clinical situation as a whole, is able to assess an entire situation, and can
readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple previous experiences to a situation. This nurse
focuses on managing care as opposed to managing and performing skills.
expert 5
A nurse with diverse experience who has an intuitive grasp of an existing or potential clinical
problem. This nurse is able to zero in on the problem and focus on multiple dimensions of the
situation. This nurse is skilled at identifying both individualized patient problems and problems
related to the health care system or perhaps the needs of the novice nurse.
novice 1
Beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a situation in which there is no previous level
of experience (e.g., an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice in home
health). The learner learns via a specific set of rules or procedures, which are usually stepwise
and linear.
Advanced Beginner 2
A nurse who has had some level of experience with the situation. This experience may be only
observational in nature, but the nurse is able to identify meaningful aspects or principles of
nursing care.
competant
A nurse who has been in the same clinical position for 2 to 3 years. This nurse understands the
organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology, or
orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing
care and establish long-range goals. In this phase the nurse has usually had experience with all
types of psychomotor skills required by this specific group of patients.
Outcomes Identification
