1
ATI RN Fundamentals Exam Actual Exam
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified |
Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: Nursing Foundations & Theory — Questions 1-25]
Q1: Which of the following nursing theorists is best known for her "Environmental Theory" and
is considered the founder of modern nursing?
A. Dorothea Orem
B. Virginia Henderson
C. Florence Nightingale
D. Hildegard Peplau
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Florence Nightingale is widely recognized as the founder of modern nursing and
developed the Environmental Theory, which emphasizes the importance of a clean, well-
ventilated environment to promote healing. Orem focused on self-care deficit, Henderson on the
14 basic needs, and Peplau on interpersonal relations.
Q2: A nurse is caring for a patient who has had a stroke and is unable to feed or bathe himself.
According to Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory, the nurse should provide:
A. Wholly compensatory care.
B. Partially compensatory care.
C. Supportive-educative care.
D. Preventive care.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In wholly compensatory care, the nurse performs the self-care for the patient because
the patient is completely unable to do so, which aligns with the patient's condition post-stroke.
Partially compensatory care involves the nurse and patient performing care together, and
supportive-educative involves the patient doing care with guidance.
,2
Q3: The nurse uses the nursing process steps of Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning,
Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE). During which step does the nurse determine expected
outcomes and set goals?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Planning phase of the nursing process involves setting patient-centered goals and
identifying expected outcomes to guide care. Assessment gathers data, Diagnosis identifies
problems, and Implementation executes the interventions.
Q4: According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which patient need should the nurse address
FIRST?
A. The patient's need for social interaction due to isolation.
B. The patient's report of chest pain and shortness of breath.
C. The patient's desire to understand their diagnosis and treatment plan.
D. The patient's concern about their loss of job and financial status.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: According to Maslow, physiological needs (such as oxygen and pain relief) take
priority over safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Chest pain and shortness of
breath indicate compromised physiological needs.
Q5: Which of the following statements best describes Patricia Benner’s theory of nursing skill
acquisition?
A. Nurses progress through five stages of proficiency: novice, advanced beginner, competent,
proficient, and expert.
B. Nursing is an interpersonal, therapeutic process that evolves in phases.
C. Self-care activities are learned to maintain health and well-being.
,3
D. Individuals must adapt to environmental changes to maintain integrity.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patricia Benner’s model "From Novice to Expert" outlines how nurses gain clinical
expertise through experience and education, moving through specific stages of skill acquisition.
Peplau focuses on interpersonal relations, Orem on self-care, and Roy on adaptation.
Q6: The nurse is preparing to care for a new patient. Which action by the nurse demonstrates the
use of critical thinking?
A. Following the unit's standard protocol for all new admissions.
B. Asking the patient to rate their pain on a scale of 0-10.
C. Analyzing the patient's lab results and vital signs to prioritize potential complications.
D. Documenting the patient's admission history in the electronic health record.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Critical thinking involves analyzing data, recognizing patterns, and making judgments
about patient care. While documentation and protocols are part of nursing, analyzing data to
prioritize care requires the higher-level cognitive processing defined by critical thinking.
Q7: Which of the following examples describes a nurse using "Evidence-Based Practice" (EBP)?
A. Providing care exactly as it was taught in nursing school 20 years ago.
B. Asking the charge nurse what to do because the nurse is unsure.
C. Using current research literature to determine the most effective way to prevent pressure
injuries.
D. Following the physician’s order without questioning or researching the rationale.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Evidence-Based Practice involves integrating clinical expertise, patient values, and
the best current research evidence to guide care decisions. Relying solely on outdated education
(A) or habit (D) does not constitute EBP.
Q8: A nurse is collecting data on a patient’s current health status. This data includes the patient's
blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. This type of data is classified as:
, 4
A. Subjective data.
B. Objective data.
C. Primary data.
D. Secondary data.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Objective data is information that is directly measurable and observable, such as vital
signs. Subjective data refers to what the patient tells you (symptoms), while primary and
secondary refer to the source of the data (patient vs. family/record).
Q9: When using the "5 Steps of the Nursing Process," the nurse identifies "Acute Pain" related to
surgical incision as evidenced by a patient rating of 8/10. This is an example of which step?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This step is the Nursing Diagnosis, where the nurse analyzes the assessment data to
identify a human response to health conditions/life processes. It follows the PES format: Problem
(Acute Pain), Etiology (related to surgical incision), and Signs/Symptoms (evidenced by rating
8/10).
Q10: Virginia Henderson defined nursing as "assisting the individual, sick or well, in the
performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery." Her theory focuses on how
many basic human needs?
A. 10
B. 12
C. 14
D. 16
Correct Answer: C
ATI RN Fundamentals Exam Actual Exam
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified |
Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: Nursing Foundations & Theory — Questions 1-25]
Q1: Which of the following nursing theorists is best known for her "Environmental Theory" and
is considered the founder of modern nursing?
A. Dorothea Orem
B. Virginia Henderson
C. Florence Nightingale
D. Hildegard Peplau
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Florence Nightingale is widely recognized as the founder of modern nursing and
developed the Environmental Theory, which emphasizes the importance of a clean, well-
ventilated environment to promote healing. Orem focused on self-care deficit, Henderson on the
14 basic needs, and Peplau on interpersonal relations.
Q2: A nurse is caring for a patient who has had a stroke and is unable to feed or bathe himself.
According to Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory, the nurse should provide:
A. Wholly compensatory care.
B. Partially compensatory care.
C. Supportive-educative care.
D. Preventive care.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In wholly compensatory care, the nurse performs the self-care for the patient because
the patient is completely unable to do so, which aligns with the patient's condition post-stroke.
Partially compensatory care involves the nurse and patient performing care together, and
supportive-educative involves the patient doing care with guidance.
,2
Q3: The nurse uses the nursing process steps of Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning,
Implementation, and Evaluation (ADPIE). During which step does the nurse determine expected
outcomes and set goals?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Planning phase of the nursing process involves setting patient-centered goals and
identifying expected outcomes to guide care. Assessment gathers data, Diagnosis identifies
problems, and Implementation executes the interventions.
Q4: According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which patient need should the nurse address
FIRST?
A. The patient's need for social interaction due to isolation.
B. The patient's report of chest pain and shortness of breath.
C. The patient's desire to understand their diagnosis and treatment plan.
D. The patient's concern about their loss of job and financial status.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: According to Maslow, physiological needs (such as oxygen and pain relief) take
priority over safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Chest pain and shortness of
breath indicate compromised physiological needs.
Q5: Which of the following statements best describes Patricia Benner’s theory of nursing skill
acquisition?
A. Nurses progress through five stages of proficiency: novice, advanced beginner, competent,
proficient, and expert.
B. Nursing is an interpersonal, therapeutic process that evolves in phases.
C. Self-care activities are learned to maintain health and well-being.
,3
D. Individuals must adapt to environmental changes to maintain integrity.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patricia Benner’s model "From Novice to Expert" outlines how nurses gain clinical
expertise through experience and education, moving through specific stages of skill acquisition.
Peplau focuses on interpersonal relations, Orem on self-care, and Roy on adaptation.
Q6: The nurse is preparing to care for a new patient. Which action by the nurse demonstrates the
use of critical thinking?
A. Following the unit's standard protocol for all new admissions.
B. Asking the patient to rate their pain on a scale of 0-10.
C. Analyzing the patient's lab results and vital signs to prioritize potential complications.
D. Documenting the patient's admission history in the electronic health record.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Critical thinking involves analyzing data, recognizing patterns, and making judgments
about patient care. While documentation and protocols are part of nursing, analyzing data to
prioritize care requires the higher-level cognitive processing defined by critical thinking.
Q7: Which of the following examples describes a nurse using "Evidence-Based Practice" (EBP)?
A. Providing care exactly as it was taught in nursing school 20 years ago.
B. Asking the charge nurse what to do because the nurse is unsure.
C. Using current research literature to determine the most effective way to prevent pressure
injuries.
D. Following the physician’s order without questioning or researching the rationale.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Evidence-Based Practice involves integrating clinical expertise, patient values, and
the best current research evidence to guide care decisions. Relying solely on outdated education
(A) or habit (D) does not constitute EBP.
Q8: A nurse is collecting data on a patient’s current health status. This data includes the patient's
blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. This type of data is classified as:
, 4
A. Subjective data.
B. Objective data.
C. Primary data.
D. Secondary data.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Objective data is information that is directly measurable and observable, such as vital
signs. Subjective data refers to what the patient tells you (symptoms), while primary and
secondary refer to the source of the data (patient vs. family/record).
Q9: When using the "5 Steps of the Nursing Process," the nurse identifies "Acute Pain" related to
surgical incision as evidenced by a patient rating of 8/10. This is an example of which step?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This step is the Nursing Diagnosis, where the nurse analyzes the assessment data to
identify a human response to health conditions/life processes. It follows the PES format: Problem
(Acute Pain), Etiology (related to surgical incision), and Signs/Symptoms (evidenced by rating
8/10).
Q10: Virginia Henderson defined nursing as "assisting the individual, sick or well, in the
performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery." Her theory focuses on how
many basic human needs?
A. 10
B. 12
C. 14
D. 16
Correct Answer: C
