HONDROS NUR 176 — NURSING
FUNDAMENTALS | 250 MCQs correct answers
and bold rationales| LATEST UPDATE
1. What is the primary purpose of the nursing process?
A) To complete documentation efficiently
B) To provide a systematic, individualized framework for delivering patient care (correct
answer)
C) To fulfill hospital accreditation requirements
D) To organize the nurse's daily schedule
Rationale: The nursing process (ADPIE) provides a structured, evidence-based, patient-
centered framework for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care to
achieve optimal patient outcomes.
2. What are the five steps of the nursing process in correct order?
A) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Intervention, Evaluation
B) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation (correct answer)
C) Analysis, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D) Assessment, Design, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: The nursing process follows ADPIE: Assessment (data collection), Diagnosis
(identifying problems), Planning (setting goals), Implementation (carrying out
interventions), and Evaluation (determining goal achievement).
3. Which type of data is obtained through direct observation and physical examination?
A) Subjective data
B) Objective data (correct answer)
C) Historical data
D) Diagnostic data
,Rationale: Objective data (also called signs) is measurable and observable by the nurse —
vital signs, laboratory values, physical findings; subjective data (symptoms) is what the
patient reports.
4. A patient states, "I have a terrible headache." This is an example of:
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data (correct answer)
C) Diagnostic data
D) Secondary data
Rationale: Subjective data is information only the patient can perceive and report, such as
pain, nausea, or anxiety; it cannot be directly measured or observed by the nurse.
5. What is a nursing diagnosis?
A) A medical diagnosis made by the nurse
B) A clinical judgment about a patient's response to actual or potential health problems
(correct answer)
C) A list of patient symptoms
D) A physician's order for nursing care
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis (per NANDA-I) identifies patient responses to health
conditions — such as "Impaired skin integrity" or "Deficient knowledge" — guiding
independent nursing interventions.
6. What does the "PES" format of a nursing diagnosis include?
A) Problem, Etiology, Signs/Symptoms (correct answer)
B) Patient, Education, Support
C) Planning, Evaluation, Summary
D) Problem, Evidence, Solution
Rationale: The PES format structures a nursing diagnosis as: Problem (NANDA label)
"related to" Etiology (cause) "as evidenced by" Signs/Symptoms (defining characteristics).
7. Which of the following is a correctly written nursing diagnosis?
, A) Pneumonia related to bacterial infection
B) Impaired gas exchange related to alveolar-capillary membrane changes as evidenced
by SpO₂ of 88% (correct answer)
C) Patient needs oxygen therapy
D) Respiratory problem caused by pneumonia
Rationale: A correct nursing diagnosis follows NANDA-I format with a nursing problem
label, related factor (etiology), and defining characteristics (evidence); medical diagnoses
like "pneumonia" are not nursing diagnoses.
8. What is the purpose of "SMART" goals in nursing care planning?
A) To satisfy administrative requirements
B) To set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound patient-centered
outcomes (correct answer)
C) To organize the nurse's workflow
D) To document physician orders
Rationale: SMART goals ensure outcomes are clearly defined, measurable, realistic for the
patient, and time-limited — enabling accurate evaluation of whether care has been
effective.
9. Which nursing theorist developed the "Theory of Human Caring"?
A) Florence Nightingale
B) Jean Watson (correct answer)
C) Dorothea Orem
D) Virginia Henderson
Rationale: Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring emphasizes the nurse-patient
relationship, compassion, and the spiritual dimensions of care — focusing on caring as the
essence of nursing practice.
10. Dorothea Orem's nursing theory focuses on:
A) Adapting to environmental stimuli
B) Self-care deficits and the nurse's role in meeting self-care needs (correct answer)
C) The hierarchy of human needs
D) Interpersonal relationships in nursing
, Rationale: Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory holds that nursing is needed when patients
cannot perform self-care; nurses provide wholly compensatory, partly compensatory, or
supportive-educative care based on the deficit.
11. Which of the following represents Maslow's hierarchy of needs from lowest to highest
priority?
A) Safety, Physiological, Love, Esteem, Self-actualization
B) Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Self-actualization (correct answer)
C) Physiological, Love, Safety, Esteem, Self-actualization
D) Safety, Love, Physiological, Esteem, Self-actualization
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs (air, food, water, shelter) at the
base — these must be met before safety, then social belonging, esteem, and finally self-
actualization.
12. When prioritizing patient care using Maslow's hierarchy, which need takes highest priority?
A) Patient requests a sleeping pill
B) Patient is experiencing acute respiratory distress (correct answer)
C) Patient expresses loneliness
D) Patient asks about discharge plans
Rationale: Physiological needs — especially airway and breathing — are always top
priority using Maslow's framework; acute respiratory distress is immediately life-
threatening and must be addressed first.
13. What is the correct sequence of prioritization using the ABC framework?
A) Assessment, Bleeding, Circulation
B) Airway, Breathing, Circulation (correct answer)
C) Airway, Bleeding, Consciousness
D) Alertness, Breathing, Circulation
Rationale: The ABC prioritization (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) directs nurses to first
ensure a patent airway, then adequate ventilation, then circulatory status — mirroring
emergency response priorities.
FUNDAMENTALS | 250 MCQs correct answers
and bold rationales| LATEST UPDATE
1. What is the primary purpose of the nursing process?
A) To complete documentation efficiently
B) To provide a systematic, individualized framework for delivering patient care (correct
answer)
C) To fulfill hospital accreditation requirements
D) To organize the nurse's daily schedule
Rationale: The nursing process (ADPIE) provides a structured, evidence-based, patient-
centered framework for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care to
achieve optimal patient outcomes.
2. What are the five steps of the nursing process in correct order?
A) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Intervention, Evaluation
B) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation (correct answer)
C) Analysis, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
D) Assessment, Design, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: The nursing process follows ADPIE: Assessment (data collection), Diagnosis
(identifying problems), Planning (setting goals), Implementation (carrying out
interventions), and Evaluation (determining goal achievement).
3. Which type of data is obtained through direct observation and physical examination?
A) Subjective data
B) Objective data (correct answer)
C) Historical data
D) Diagnostic data
,Rationale: Objective data (also called signs) is measurable and observable by the nurse —
vital signs, laboratory values, physical findings; subjective data (symptoms) is what the
patient reports.
4. A patient states, "I have a terrible headache." This is an example of:
A) Objective data
B) Subjective data (correct answer)
C) Diagnostic data
D) Secondary data
Rationale: Subjective data is information only the patient can perceive and report, such as
pain, nausea, or anxiety; it cannot be directly measured or observed by the nurse.
5. What is a nursing diagnosis?
A) A medical diagnosis made by the nurse
B) A clinical judgment about a patient's response to actual or potential health problems
(correct answer)
C) A list of patient symptoms
D) A physician's order for nursing care
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis (per NANDA-I) identifies patient responses to health
conditions — such as "Impaired skin integrity" or "Deficient knowledge" — guiding
independent nursing interventions.
6. What does the "PES" format of a nursing diagnosis include?
A) Problem, Etiology, Signs/Symptoms (correct answer)
B) Patient, Education, Support
C) Planning, Evaluation, Summary
D) Problem, Evidence, Solution
Rationale: The PES format structures a nursing diagnosis as: Problem (NANDA label)
"related to" Etiology (cause) "as evidenced by" Signs/Symptoms (defining characteristics).
7. Which of the following is a correctly written nursing diagnosis?
, A) Pneumonia related to bacterial infection
B) Impaired gas exchange related to alveolar-capillary membrane changes as evidenced
by SpO₂ of 88% (correct answer)
C) Patient needs oxygen therapy
D) Respiratory problem caused by pneumonia
Rationale: A correct nursing diagnosis follows NANDA-I format with a nursing problem
label, related factor (etiology), and defining characteristics (evidence); medical diagnoses
like "pneumonia" are not nursing diagnoses.
8. What is the purpose of "SMART" goals in nursing care planning?
A) To satisfy administrative requirements
B) To set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound patient-centered
outcomes (correct answer)
C) To organize the nurse's workflow
D) To document physician orders
Rationale: SMART goals ensure outcomes are clearly defined, measurable, realistic for the
patient, and time-limited — enabling accurate evaluation of whether care has been
effective.
9. Which nursing theorist developed the "Theory of Human Caring"?
A) Florence Nightingale
B) Jean Watson (correct answer)
C) Dorothea Orem
D) Virginia Henderson
Rationale: Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring emphasizes the nurse-patient
relationship, compassion, and the spiritual dimensions of care — focusing on caring as the
essence of nursing practice.
10. Dorothea Orem's nursing theory focuses on:
A) Adapting to environmental stimuli
B) Self-care deficits and the nurse's role in meeting self-care needs (correct answer)
C) The hierarchy of human needs
D) Interpersonal relationships in nursing
, Rationale: Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory holds that nursing is needed when patients
cannot perform self-care; nurses provide wholly compensatory, partly compensatory, or
supportive-educative care based on the deficit.
11. Which of the following represents Maslow's hierarchy of needs from lowest to highest
priority?
A) Safety, Physiological, Love, Esteem, Self-actualization
B) Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Self-actualization (correct answer)
C) Physiological, Love, Safety, Esteem, Self-actualization
D) Safety, Love, Physiological, Esteem, Self-actualization
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs (air, food, water, shelter) at the
base — these must be met before safety, then social belonging, esteem, and finally self-
actualization.
12. When prioritizing patient care using Maslow's hierarchy, which need takes highest priority?
A) Patient requests a sleeping pill
B) Patient is experiencing acute respiratory distress (correct answer)
C) Patient expresses loneliness
D) Patient asks about discharge plans
Rationale: Physiological needs — especially airway and breathing — are always top
priority using Maslow's framework; acute respiratory distress is immediately life-
threatening and must be addressed first.
13. What is the correct sequence of prioritization using the ABC framework?
A) Assessment, Bleeding, Circulation
B) Airway, Breathing, Circulation (correct answer)
C) Airway, Bleeding, Consciousness
D) Alertness, Breathing, Circulation
Rationale: The ABC prioritization (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) directs nurses to first
ensure a patent airway, then adequate ventilation, then circulatory status — mirroring
emergency response priorities.
