Galen College of Nursing: NSG 3180 Communication & Teamwork
Section 1: History of Nursing and Professional Roles
1. Historically, before formal nursing education was established, the role of caring for the
sick was predominantly assumed by:
A) Formally trained physicians and apothecaries.
B) Religious clerics and monks in European monasteries.
C) Women in the home, relying on informal traditions and folk remedies.
D) Military personnel during times of international conflict. Elaboration: Historically,
nursing was an informal, home-based role assumed by women following old
traditions, long before it became a formally educated, secular profession.
2. Florence Nightingale's contributions to the nursing profession extended beyond bedside
care. She is historically recognized as the first nursing:
A) Anesthesiologist.
B) Researcher and statistician.
C) Pharmacologist.
D) Infection control practitioner. Elaboration: Nightingale meticulously collected data
and used statistics (such as the polar area diagram) to prove that poor sanitation was
the primary cause of mortality during the Crimean War, establishing her as a
pioneering researcher.
3. The transition of nursing into a recognized, professional discipline required which
fundamental shift in its organizational structure?
A) A shift toward independent, physician-led apprenticeships.
B) The establishment of formal, standardized education and specialized bodies of
knowledge.
C) The removal of all religious affiliations from hospital care.
D) The requirement that all nurses hold a minimum of a master's degree. Elaboration: A
profession requires a defined, specialized body of knowledge, formal education,
autonomy, and a code of ethics. Standardized education was the catalyst for this
transition.
,4. According to the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice, which role requires the nurse to
protect the patient's human and legal rights?
A) Educator.
B) Caregiver.
C) Manager.
D) Advocate. Elaboration: Advocacy involves standing up for the patient's rights,
ensuring they have the information needed to make informed decisions, and
protecting them from harm.
5. When a nurse uses evidence-based practice to implement a new turning schedule that
reduces pressure injuries on the unit, the nurse is primarily fulfilling the role of:
A) Communicator.
B) Researcher/Innovator.
C) Advocate.
D) Educator. Elaboration: Applying research to clinical practice and evaluating the
outcomes to improve care delivery aligns with the role of the nurse as a researcher
and innovator.
6. During the mid-20th century, the nursing profession saw a significant expansion in its
functional roles. This was primarily driven by:
A) The decline of hospital-based care.
B) The rapid advancement of medical technology and complex patient care needs
post-WWII.
C) A decrease in physician availability.
D) The transition from university-based to diploma-based nursing programs.
Elaboration: Post-WWII medical advancements required nurses to develop highly
specialized, technical skills, expanding their scope of practice into intensive care and
specialized units.
7. A nurse who organizes the interdisciplinary team (PT, OT, Social Work) to plan a
patient's safe discharge is functioning in the role of:
A) Manager/Coordinator of Care.
B) Educator.
C) Counselor.
, D) Advocate. Elaboration: The manager or coordinator role involves directing the
activities of the interprofessional team to ensure comprehensive, efficient, and safe
patient outcomes.
8. Which historical event served as the primary catalyst for Florence Nightingale to
implement her sanitary reforms?
A) The American Civil War.
B) The Crimean War.
C) World War I.
D) The Bubonic Plague outbreak. Elaboration: Nightingale's work at the military
hospital in Scutari during the Crimean War revolutionized battlefield medicine and
sanitation.
9. Early nursing history frequently integrated healthcare with:
A) Political advocacy.
B) Religious themes and spiritual calling.
C) Formal university education.
D) Surgical apprenticeships. Elaboration: Before the Nightingale era, nursing was
heavily intertwined with religious orders, and caring for the sick was seen as a
spiritual duty or calling.
10. The primary purpose of nursing theory is to:
A) Dictate hospital policies and procedures.
B) Provide a systematic, logical framework to guide nursing practice and research.
C) Establish medical diagnoses for complex patients.
D) Determine the financial compensation for nursing interventions. Elaboration:
Theories provide a foundation for understanding phenomena, guiding clinical
decision-making, and generating new nursing knowledge.
Section 2: Communication Theories and Frameworks
11. A nurse evaluating a patient's family dynamics notes that a change in the father's
employment status has directly impacted the psychological well-being of the children.
This observation is grounded in:
A) Interpersonal Relations Theory.
B) General Systems Theory.