NR 452 Capstone Final Exam Practice Questions 2026 |Chamberlain
College
1. A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
A. A client who has a chest tube and reports a pain level of 6 on a scale of 0 to 10.
B. A client who had a total hip arthroplasty 2 hours ago and reports chest pain.
C. A client who is scheduled for discharge and needs teaching on wound care.
D. A client who has a temperature of 38.2 C (100.8 F) and is requesting an antipyretic.
Answer: B
Rationale: Chest pain following a major surgery like hip arthroplasty could indicate a
pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction, requiring immediate intervention based on
the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) framework.
2. An RN is delegating tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Which
task is appropriate for the nurse to delegate?
A. Assisting a stable client with ambulation to the bathroom.
B. Evaluating a client’s response to pain medication.
C. Teaching a client how to use an incentive spirometer.
D. Performing the initial assessment on a newly admitted client.
Answer: A
Rationale: Assisting a stable client with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as
ambulation, is within the scope of practice for a UAP. Evaluation, teaching, and assessment
require nursing judgment and must be performed by the RN.
,3. Which ethical principle is the nurse demonstrating when they ensure that all
clients on the unit receive the same quality of care regardless of their
socioeconomic status?
A. Autonomy
B. Beneficence
C. Justice
D. Non-maleficence
Answer: C
Rationale: Justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources and treatment
for all individuals.
4. A nurse is witnessing a client sign an informed consent form for surgery.
Which of the following is the nurse’s primary responsibility?
A. Explain the risks and benefits of the procedure.
B. Discuss alternative treatment options with the client.
C. Describe the steps of the surgical procedure.
D. Verify that the client’s signature is authentic and voluntary.
Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse’s role in informed consent is to witness the signature and ensure the
client is competent and signed voluntarily. The provider is responsible for explaining the
procedure, risks, and alternatives.
5. A nurse discovers a client has fallen in their room. After assessing the client
and notifying the provider, what is the nurse’s next action?
A. Complete an incident report and place it in the client’s medical record.
B. Document the fall in the client’s medical record and note that an incident report was filed.
C. Notify the client’s family before documenting the event.
D. Complete an incident report for the facility’s risk management team.
Answer: D
, Rationale: Incident reports are internal documents used for quality improvement and risk
management. They should never be placed in the medical record or even mentioned in the
nursing notes to protect the facility’s legal interests.
6. A nurse manager is encouraging staff to participate in decision-making and
values their input. Which leadership style is being demonstrated?
A. Democratic
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Transactional
Answer: A
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves staff in the decision-making process and
encourages communication. Autocratic is top-down, and Laissez-faire is hands-off.
7. In a mass casualty event, a nurse is triaging a client with a sucking chest
wound. Which color tag should the nurse assign?
A. Green (Minimal)
B. Red (Immediate)
C. Yellow (Delayed)
D. Black (Expectant)
Answer: B
Rationale: A red tag indicates a life-threatening injury that requires immediate
intervention but has a high chance of survival, such as a sucking chest wound or airway
obstruction.
College
1. A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
A. A client who has a chest tube and reports a pain level of 6 on a scale of 0 to 10.
B. A client who had a total hip arthroplasty 2 hours ago and reports chest pain.
C. A client who is scheduled for discharge and needs teaching on wound care.
D. A client who has a temperature of 38.2 C (100.8 F) and is requesting an antipyretic.
Answer: B
Rationale: Chest pain following a major surgery like hip arthroplasty could indicate a
pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction, requiring immediate intervention based on
the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) framework.
2. An RN is delegating tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Which
task is appropriate for the nurse to delegate?
A. Assisting a stable client with ambulation to the bathroom.
B. Evaluating a client’s response to pain medication.
C. Teaching a client how to use an incentive spirometer.
D. Performing the initial assessment on a newly admitted client.
Answer: A
Rationale: Assisting a stable client with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as
ambulation, is within the scope of practice for a UAP. Evaluation, teaching, and assessment
require nursing judgment and must be performed by the RN.
,3. Which ethical principle is the nurse demonstrating when they ensure that all
clients on the unit receive the same quality of care regardless of their
socioeconomic status?
A. Autonomy
B. Beneficence
C. Justice
D. Non-maleficence
Answer: C
Rationale: Justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources and treatment
for all individuals.
4. A nurse is witnessing a client sign an informed consent form for surgery.
Which of the following is the nurse’s primary responsibility?
A. Explain the risks and benefits of the procedure.
B. Discuss alternative treatment options with the client.
C. Describe the steps of the surgical procedure.
D. Verify that the client’s signature is authentic and voluntary.
Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse’s role in informed consent is to witness the signature and ensure the
client is competent and signed voluntarily. The provider is responsible for explaining the
procedure, risks, and alternatives.
5. A nurse discovers a client has fallen in their room. After assessing the client
and notifying the provider, what is the nurse’s next action?
A. Complete an incident report and place it in the client’s medical record.
B. Document the fall in the client’s medical record and note that an incident report was filed.
C. Notify the client’s family before documenting the event.
D. Complete an incident report for the facility’s risk management team.
Answer: D
, Rationale: Incident reports are internal documents used for quality improvement and risk
management. They should never be placed in the medical record or even mentioned in the
nursing notes to protect the facility’s legal interests.
6. A nurse manager is encouraging staff to participate in decision-making and
values their input. Which leadership style is being demonstrated?
A. Democratic
B. Autocratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Transactional
Answer: A
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves staff in the decision-making process and
encourages communication. Autocratic is top-down, and Laissez-faire is hands-off.
7. In a mass casualty event, a nurse is triaging a client with a sucking chest
wound. Which color tag should the nurse assign?
A. Green (Minimal)
B. Red (Immediate)
C. Yellow (Delayed)
D. Black (Expectant)
Answer: B
Rationale: A red tag indicates a life-threatening injury that requires immediate
intervention but has a high chance of survival, such as a sucking chest wound or airway
obstruction.
