UNIV101B University Success Mastery 2026 |
Complete First-Year Skills Guide with Study
Strategies, Academic Writing, Critical
Thinking & Time Management | Exam-Ready
Resources & Practical Exercises
1. During a clinical rotation, a student witnesses a nurse administering the wrong
medication. The student should:
a) Ignore it because the student is not licensed
b) Report the error to the clinical instructor immediately
c) Confront the nurse in front of the patient
d) Document the error in the patient’s chart
Rationale: Student’s duty is to report to instructor, who will follow facility protocol for
medication errors.
2. A nursing student receives a low grade on a pathophysiology exam. The best response
is to:
a) Blame the instructor for unclear teaching
b) Review the exam with the instructor to identify weak areas
c) Drop the course immediately
d) Memorize only the missed questions
Rationale: Remediation and self-assessment improve future performance. Blaming does
not promote growth.
3. Which behavior demonstrates academic integrity in nursing school?
a) Sharing completed assignments with classmates
b) Citing sources properly in a research paper
, c) Copying a friend’s care plan and changing the name
d) Using a test bank without permission
Rationale: Citing sources avoids plagiarism. Sharing assignments or using unauthorized
test banks violates honor codes.
4. A student feels anxious before a skills check-off. The best coping strategy is:
a) Skip practice to reduce stress
b) Perform deep breathing and visualize successful completion
c) Drink caffeine to increase alertness
d) Compare oneself to stronger students
Rationale: Visualization and controlled breathing reduce test anxiety. Practice is
essential.
5. When giving handoff report using SBAR, the “B” stands for:
a) Background
b) Background (correct) but ensure sequencing: S-Situation, B-Background,
A-Assessment, R-Recommendation.
Rationale: SBAR improves communication safety. Background includes relevant history.
6. A nursing student is assigned to read 100 pages and complete an online quiz. The best
approach is:
a) Read all 100 pages the night before
b) Break the reading into 20-page chunks over 5 days
c) Skim the pages and guess on the quiz
d) Ask a classmate for the quiz answers
Rationale: Distributed practice improves retention and reduces cognitive overload.
7. A student notices another student looking at a phone during an exam. The ethical action
is to:
a) Ignore it because it’s not your responsibility
b) Report the behavior to the instructor after the exam
, c) Confront the student loudly during the exam
d) Look at the phone yourself
Rationale: Academic dishonesty undermines patient safety later. Report discreetly to
faculty.
8. Which question is most appropriate for a nursing student to ask during a clinical
post-conference?
a) “What time is lunch?”
b) “How can I better prioritize care for a patient with multiple comorbidities?”
c) “Did anyone see the game last night?”
d) “Why do we have to do so much charting?”
Rationale: Professional growth questions focus on clinical reasoning, not logistics or
complaints.
9. A student receives conflicting instructions from two clinical instructors. The best action
is:
a) Follow the instructor who seems nicer
b) Clarify with both instructors together to reach consensus
c) Do nothing and hope it resolves
d) Follow written policy without asking
Rationale: Collaborative clarification prevents errors and maintains relationships.
10. Which learning style involves learning best by doing and touching?
a) Visual
b) Auditory
c) Kinesthetic
d) Reading/Writing
Rationale: Kinesthetic learners benefit from skills lab, simulation, and hands-on practice.
11. A nursing student fails a dosage calculation test that requires 100% to pass. The next
step is:
, a) Appeal the grade because 90% is still good
b) Attend remediation and retake the test
c) Ask another student for the answers next time
d) Ignore calculation because computers will check
Rationale: Dosage calculation errors kill patients. Remediation ensures safety.
12. Which statement about patient confidentiality is correct for a nursing student?
a) Students may discuss patients with friends outside clinical
b) Students should only discuss patient information during clinical
post-conference with instructors and peers
c) Posting de-identified patient information on social media is allowed
d) Students may access any patient’s chart for practice
Rationale: HIPAA applies to students. Discussion limited to educational settings. No
social media.
13. A student is struggling with test anxiety. Which intervention is most effective?
a) Study less to avoid stress
b) Practice with NCLEX-style questions daily in a timed setting
c) Arrive late to the exam to reduce waiting
d) Use caffeine pills before the test
Rationale: Desensitization and active recall build confidence. Caffeine worsens anxiety.
14. Which communication technique is most therapeutic when a patient says, “I’m scared of
surgery”?
a) “Don’t worry, it’s a routine procedure.”
b) “Tell me more about what scares you.”
c) “You’ll be fine, the surgeon is great.”
d) “Let’s talk about something else.”
Rationale: Open-ended exploration validates feelings. False reassurance blocks
communication.
Complete First-Year Skills Guide with Study
Strategies, Academic Writing, Critical
Thinking & Time Management | Exam-Ready
Resources & Practical Exercises
1. During a clinical rotation, a student witnesses a nurse administering the wrong
medication. The student should:
a) Ignore it because the student is not licensed
b) Report the error to the clinical instructor immediately
c) Confront the nurse in front of the patient
d) Document the error in the patient’s chart
Rationale: Student’s duty is to report to instructor, who will follow facility protocol for
medication errors.
2. A nursing student receives a low grade on a pathophysiology exam. The best response
is to:
a) Blame the instructor for unclear teaching
b) Review the exam with the instructor to identify weak areas
c) Drop the course immediately
d) Memorize only the missed questions
Rationale: Remediation and self-assessment improve future performance. Blaming does
not promote growth.
3. Which behavior demonstrates academic integrity in nursing school?
a) Sharing completed assignments with classmates
b) Citing sources properly in a research paper
, c) Copying a friend’s care plan and changing the name
d) Using a test bank without permission
Rationale: Citing sources avoids plagiarism. Sharing assignments or using unauthorized
test banks violates honor codes.
4. A student feels anxious before a skills check-off. The best coping strategy is:
a) Skip practice to reduce stress
b) Perform deep breathing and visualize successful completion
c) Drink caffeine to increase alertness
d) Compare oneself to stronger students
Rationale: Visualization and controlled breathing reduce test anxiety. Practice is
essential.
5. When giving handoff report using SBAR, the “B” stands for:
a) Background
b) Background (correct) but ensure sequencing: S-Situation, B-Background,
A-Assessment, R-Recommendation.
Rationale: SBAR improves communication safety. Background includes relevant history.
6. A nursing student is assigned to read 100 pages and complete an online quiz. The best
approach is:
a) Read all 100 pages the night before
b) Break the reading into 20-page chunks over 5 days
c) Skim the pages and guess on the quiz
d) Ask a classmate for the quiz answers
Rationale: Distributed practice improves retention and reduces cognitive overload.
7. A student notices another student looking at a phone during an exam. The ethical action
is to:
a) Ignore it because it’s not your responsibility
b) Report the behavior to the instructor after the exam
, c) Confront the student loudly during the exam
d) Look at the phone yourself
Rationale: Academic dishonesty undermines patient safety later. Report discreetly to
faculty.
8. Which question is most appropriate for a nursing student to ask during a clinical
post-conference?
a) “What time is lunch?”
b) “How can I better prioritize care for a patient with multiple comorbidities?”
c) “Did anyone see the game last night?”
d) “Why do we have to do so much charting?”
Rationale: Professional growth questions focus on clinical reasoning, not logistics or
complaints.
9. A student receives conflicting instructions from two clinical instructors. The best action
is:
a) Follow the instructor who seems nicer
b) Clarify with both instructors together to reach consensus
c) Do nothing and hope it resolves
d) Follow written policy without asking
Rationale: Collaborative clarification prevents errors and maintains relationships.
10. Which learning style involves learning best by doing and touching?
a) Visual
b) Auditory
c) Kinesthetic
d) Reading/Writing
Rationale: Kinesthetic learners benefit from skills lab, simulation, and hands-on practice.
11. A nursing student fails a dosage calculation test that requires 100% to pass. The next
step is:
, a) Appeal the grade because 90% is still good
b) Attend remediation and retake the test
c) Ask another student for the answers next time
d) Ignore calculation because computers will check
Rationale: Dosage calculation errors kill patients. Remediation ensures safety.
12. Which statement about patient confidentiality is correct for a nursing student?
a) Students may discuss patients with friends outside clinical
b) Students should only discuss patient information during clinical
post-conference with instructors and peers
c) Posting de-identified patient information on social media is allowed
d) Students may access any patient’s chart for practice
Rationale: HIPAA applies to students. Discussion limited to educational settings. No
social media.
13. A student is struggling with test anxiety. Which intervention is most effective?
a) Study less to avoid stress
b) Practice with NCLEX-style questions daily in a timed setting
c) Arrive late to the exam to reduce waiting
d) Use caffeine pills before the test
Rationale: Desensitization and active recall build confidence. Caffeine worsens anxiety.
14. Which communication technique is most therapeutic when a patient says, “I’m scared of
surgery”?
a) “Don’t worry, it’s a routine procedure.”
b) “Tell me more about what scares you.”
c) “You’ll be fine, the surgeon is great.”
d) “Let’s talk about something else.”
Rationale: Open-ended exploration validates feelings. False reassurance blocks
communication.
