2026/2027 | 180 Practice Questions with Answers & Detailed
Rationales | INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD
WGU D439 Foundations of Nursing objective assessment review. This resource contains 180 practice
questions covering ADPIE (nursing process), prioritization, delegation basics, documentation, patient
education, safety, and professional nursing standards. Each question includes the correct answer and a
rationale. Use this exam to prepare for your WGU objective assessment and strengthen your foundation in
professional nursing.
Key Topics Covered
• Nursing Process (ADPIE) – Assessment (data collection, subjective/objective), Diagnosis (NANDA,
analysis), Planning (goals, outcomes), Implementation (interventions), Evaluation (outcome
measurement)
• Prioritization – ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation), Maslow’s hierarchy, acute vs chronic, stable vs
unstable, urgent vs non-urgent
• Delegation Basics – RN, LPN (licensed practical nurse), UAP (unlicensed assistive personnel) roles, five
rights of delegation, supervision
• Documentation – SOAP, PIE, DAR notes; legal principles (correction of errors, timeliness, confidentiality);
HIPAA; incident reports
• Patient Education – Learning domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor), barriers to learning, teach-
back method, health literacy
• Safety & Professional Standards – Fall prevention, restraints (legal/ethical), sentinel events, incident
reporting, handoff communication (SBAR), quality improvement, evidence-based practice
,• Professional Nursing Standards – Code of ethics (ANA), scope of practice, state nurse practice acts,
professional boundaries
Questions 1–180
1. A nurse is caring for a client who reports chest pain and difficulty breathing. Which action should
the nurse take first?
A) Administer oxygen
B) Assess the client’s airway and breathing
C) Notify the provider
D) Place the client in a supine position
Answer B: Assess the client’s airway and breathing
Rationale: ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) take priority. Assessment comes before intervention.
2. A nurse is documenting in a client’s electronic health record. Which entry is correctly written?
A) “Client is difficult and refuses care”
B) “Client refuses morning bath, stating ‘I am too tired’”
C) “Client seems angry with staff”
D) “Family is uncooperative”
Answer B: “Client refuses morning bath, stating ‘I am too tired’”
Rationale: Documentation should be objective, factual, and use quotation marks when quoting the client.
Avoid subjective judgments.
3. A charge nurse is assigning tasks on a medical-surgical unit. Which task is appropriate to delegate
to a UAP?
A) Assess a client’s pain level
B) Measure and record a client’s intake and output
C) Administer a tube feeding
D) Change a sterile dressing
Answer B: Measure and record a client’s intake and output
Rationale: UAPs can perform basic tasks (I&O, vital signs, hygiene). Assessment and sterile procedures
require licensed staff.
,4. A nurse is teaching a client with newly diagnosed diabetes about self-administration of insulin.
Which teaching method is most appropriate for the psychomotor domain?
A) Lecture about insulin types
B) Return demonstration of insulin injection
C) Discuss side effects of insulin
D) Provide a written handout
Answer B: Return demonstration of insulin injection
Rationale: The psychomotor domain involves hands-on skills. Return demonstration validates learning.
5. A nurse discovers a client on the floor next to the bed. The client is conscious and reports no pain.
What should the nurse do first?
A) Help the client back to bed
B) Assess the client for injury
C) Notify the provider
D) Complete an incident report
Answer B: Assess the client for injury
Rationale: First assess for injury, then assist back to bed, notify provider, and complete incident report.
6. A nurse is preparing to document a client’s blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg. According to
SOAP documentation, under which heading would this go?
A) Subjective
B) Objective
C) Assessment
D) Plan
Answer B: Objective
Rationale: Objective data are measurable, observable findings (vital signs, lab results). Subjective data are
what the client says.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with a new tracheostomy. Which intervention has the highest priority?
A) Provide mouth care
B) Assess the airway and oxygen saturation
C) Change the tracheostomy ties
D) Apply a tracheostomy collar
, Answer B: Assess the airway and oxygen saturation
Rationale: Airway is always the priority. Ensure patency and oxygenation before other interventions.
8. A nurse is delegating tasks to an LPN. Which task is within the LPN’s scope of practice?
A) Perform an initial admission assessment
B) Administer a subcutaneous insulin injection to a stable client
C) Create a nursing care plan
D) Teach a client about wound care
Answer B: Administer a subcutaneous insulin injection to a stable client
Rationale: LPNs can administer medications to stable clients. Initial assessments, care plans, and teaching
are RN responsibilities.
9. A client asks the nurse, “What does my lab result mean?” The nurse is not sure of the answer.
Which response is most appropriate?
A) “Don’t worry, it’s probably normal.”
B) “I’m not sure. Let me check with your provider and get back to you.”
C) “You should ask your doctor.”
D) “I think it means you are fine.”
Answer B: “I’m not sure. Let me check with your provider and get back to you.”
Rationale: Be honest and follow up. Never give inaccurate information or guess.
10. A nurse is using the SBAR tool during handoff communication. What does “B” stand for?
A) Breathing
B) Background
C) Baseline
D) Blood pressure
Answer B: Background
Rationale: SBAR = Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. Background includes relevant
history.
11. A nurse is planning care for a client with impaired mobility. Which intervention should be
included to prevent pressure injury?