NURS 110 Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgment Exam 2026 |WCU
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who reports new-onset shortness of breath.
The nurse immediately checks the oxygen saturation and lung sounds before
notifying the provider. Which level of critical thinking is the nurse
demonstrating?
A. Complex
B. Basic
C. Commitment
D. Procedural
Answer: A
Rationale: Complex critical thinking involves analyzing situations more independently and
adapting the nursing process based on specific clinical data rather than just following a
standard protocol.
2. According to Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model, which process involves the
nurse’s ability to recognize patterns and make sense of the data collected?
A. Interpreting
B. Noticing
C. Responding
D. Reflecting
Answer: A
Rationale: Interpreting is the process of assembling information and making sense of it
through analytical, intuitive, and narrative reasoning.
,3. The nurse recognizes that a patient’s blood pressure has dropped significantly
but chooses to wait an hour before re-checking because they are busy. This is a
failure in which critical thinking component?
A. Knowledge base
B. Experience
C. Intellectual standards
D. Attitude
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking attitudes include responsibility and accountability. Failing to
act on a significant change in patient status reflects a deficit in professional responsibility.
4. Which statement best describes the difference between clinical reasoning
and clinical judgment?
A. Clinical reasoning is the outcome, while clinical judgment is the process.
B. They are identical and used interchangeably in nursing practice.
C. Clinical reasoning is the process of thinking, while clinical judgment is the final decision made.
D. Clinical reasoning is only used by students, while judgment is used by experts.
Answer: C
Rationale: Clinical reasoning is the iterative process of noticing, interpreting, and
responding, whereas clinical judgment is the conclusion or decision reached at the end of
that process.
, 5. A student nurse is following the hospital’s policy manual step-by-step to
perform a catheterization without deviation. Which level of critical thinking is
the student using?
A. Analytic
B. Complex
C. Commitment
D. Basic
Answer: D
Rationale: Basic critical thinking involves following rules, policies, or procedures as they
are written, assuming that one ‘right’ answer exists for every problem.
6. The nurse uses a head-to-toe approach to ensure no patient data is missed
during the assessment. This is an example of which intellectual standard?
A. Precision
B. Completeness
C. Depth
D. Logic
Answer: B
Rationale: Completeness involves ensuring that all necessary information has been
gathered to provide a full picture of the patient’s condition.
7. A nurse reflects on a clinical error made during the previous shift to prevent it
from happening again. This is known as:
A. Reflection-on-action
B. Reflection-in-action
C. Metacognition
D. Pre-reflection
Answer: A
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who reports new-onset shortness of breath.
The nurse immediately checks the oxygen saturation and lung sounds before
notifying the provider. Which level of critical thinking is the nurse
demonstrating?
A. Complex
B. Basic
C. Commitment
D. Procedural
Answer: A
Rationale: Complex critical thinking involves analyzing situations more independently and
adapting the nursing process based on specific clinical data rather than just following a
standard protocol.
2. According to Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model, which process involves the
nurse’s ability to recognize patterns and make sense of the data collected?
A. Interpreting
B. Noticing
C. Responding
D. Reflecting
Answer: A
Rationale: Interpreting is the process of assembling information and making sense of it
through analytical, intuitive, and narrative reasoning.
,3. The nurse recognizes that a patient’s blood pressure has dropped significantly
but chooses to wait an hour before re-checking because they are busy. This is a
failure in which critical thinking component?
A. Knowledge base
B. Experience
C. Intellectual standards
D. Attitude
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking attitudes include responsibility and accountability. Failing to
act on a significant change in patient status reflects a deficit in professional responsibility.
4. Which statement best describes the difference between clinical reasoning
and clinical judgment?
A. Clinical reasoning is the outcome, while clinical judgment is the process.
B. They are identical and used interchangeably in nursing practice.
C. Clinical reasoning is the process of thinking, while clinical judgment is the final decision made.
D. Clinical reasoning is only used by students, while judgment is used by experts.
Answer: C
Rationale: Clinical reasoning is the iterative process of noticing, interpreting, and
responding, whereas clinical judgment is the conclusion or decision reached at the end of
that process.
, 5. A student nurse is following the hospital’s policy manual step-by-step to
perform a catheterization without deviation. Which level of critical thinking is
the student using?
A. Analytic
B. Complex
C. Commitment
D. Basic
Answer: D
Rationale: Basic critical thinking involves following rules, policies, or procedures as they
are written, assuming that one ‘right’ answer exists for every problem.
6. The nurse uses a head-to-toe approach to ensure no patient data is missed
during the assessment. This is an example of which intellectual standard?
A. Precision
B. Completeness
C. Depth
D. Logic
Answer: B
Rationale: Completeness involves ensuring that all necessary information has been
gathered to provide a full picture of the patient’s condition.
7. A nurse reflects on a clinical error made during the previous shift to prevent it
from happening again. This is known as:
A. Reflection-on-action
B. Reflection-in-action
C. Metacognition
D. Pre-reflection
Answer: A
