ECITCARP • 422 RN
★ ★
Chamberlain University
C College of Nursing
J O U R N E Y T O E X T R A O R D I N A R Y CO M PA S S I O N AT E C A R E
EST. 1889
NR 224 — Exam 1 Practice Questions
F U N D A M E N TA LS O F N U R S I N G : C R I T I C A L T H I N K I N G , A SS E SS M E N T, D O CU M E N TAT I O N & H I PA A
INSTITUTION Chamberlain University COURSE CODE NR 224
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Exam 1 Practice Questions TOTAL QUESTIONS 32 Questions
COURSE TITLE Fundamentals of Nursing FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select All That Apply
Included
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question unless "Select all that apply" is specified.
▸ Critical thinking attitudes, nursing process steps, and clinical decision-making models are testable content.
▸ Documentation standards, HIPAA regulations, and professional communication are emphasized throughout.
▸ Patient interviewing techniques and cultural competence principles are core competencies.
▸ Correct answers and clinical rationales appear below each question for NCLEX board review purposes.
▸ All content reflects current ANA standards, HIPAA regulations, and evidence-based nursing practice.
SECTION I — CRITICAL THINKING, CLINICAL REASONING & THE Questions 1 –
NURSING PROCESS 14
1. Two patient deaths have occurred on a medical unit in the last month. The staff notices that everyone feels
pressured and team members are getting into more arguments. As a nurse on the unit, what will best help you
manage this stress?
a. Keep a journal
b. Participate in a unit meeting to discuss feelings about the patient deaths
c. Ask the nurse manager to assign you to less difficult patients
d. Review the policy and procedure manual on proper care of patients after death
CORRECT ANSWER b — Participate in a unit meeting to discuss feelings about the patient deaths
RATIONALE Sharing feelings and processing emotional events as a team builds resilience and supports healthy coping.
Unit meetings provide a structured forum for staff to express grief, debrief after difficult events, and reduce
feelings of isolation. This collective approach improves team function, decreases interpersonal conflict, and
mitigates the cumulative stress that can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Journaling is an individual
strategy that may complement but does not replace team processing.
, 2. A nurse has seen many cancer patients struggle with pain management because they are afraid of becoming
addicted to the medicine. Pain control is a priority for cancer care. By helping patients focus on their values and
beliefs about pain control, a nurse can best make clinical decisions. This is an example of:
a. Creativity
b. Fairness
c. Clinical reasoning
d. Applying ethical criteria
CORRECT ANSWER d — Applying ethical criteria
RATIONALE Ethical criteria involve respecting patient values, beliefs, and autonomy when making clinical decisions. The
nurse recognizes that the patient's fear of addiction is a values-based barrier to adequate pain management.
By helping patients explore their values and beliefs about pain control, the nurse applies ethical reasoning to
align treatment with what matters most to the patient. This is distinct from general clinical reasoning, which
focuses on the cognitive process of analyzing clinical data. Patient-centered ethical care requires
understanding the patient's perspective, not just the clinical indication.
3. A nurse prepares to insert a Foley catheter. The procedure manual calls for the patient to lie in the dorsal
recumbent position. The patient complains of having back pain when lying on her back. Despite this, the nurse
positions the patient supine with knees flexed as the manual recommends and begins to insert the catheter. This is
an example of:
a. Accuracy
b. Reflection
c. Risk taking
d. Basic critical thinking
CORRECT ANSWER d — Basic critical thinking
RATIONALE Basic critical thinking involves following rules, policies, and procedures without independent clinical
judgment or adaptation to individual patient circumstances. The nurse rigidly followed the procedure manual
despite the patient's expressed discomfort and back pain. A complex critical thinker would have modified the
approach — perhaps using a side-lying position or providing additional support — to accommodate the
patient's individual needs while still achieving the clinical goal. This scenario illustrates the progression from
basic (rule-following) to complex (individualized) critical thinking in nursing practice.
4. A nurse is preparing medications for a patient. The nurse checks the name of the medication on the label with the
name of the medication on the doctor's order. At the bedside the nurse checks the patient's name against the
medication order as well. The nurse is following which critical thinking attitude?
a. Responsible
b. Complete
c. Accurate
d. Broad
CORRECT ANSWER a — Responsible
RATIONALE Responsibility as a critical thinking attitude involves taking ownership of one's actions and consistently
following safety protocols. The nurse demonstrates responsibility by performing the standard medication
safety checks — verifying the medication label against the order and confirming patient identification — at
every step of the administration process. This attitude reflects accountability for patient safety. Accuracy is a
component of this behavior, but "responsible" is the broader critical thinking attitude that encompasses the
nurse's commitment to safe practice and willingness to be answerable for clinical actions.
★ ★
Chamberlain University
C College of Nursing
J O U R N E Y T O E X T R A O R D I N A R Y CO M PA S S I O N AT E C A R E
EST. 1889
NR 224 — Exam 1 Practice Questions
F U N D A M E N TA LS O F N U R S I N G : C R I T I C A L T H I N K I N G , A SS E SS M E N T, D O CU M E N TAT I O N & H I PA A
INSTITUTION Chamberlain University COURSE CODE NR 224
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Exam 1 Practice Questions TOTAL QUESTIONS 32 Questions
COURSE TITLE Fundamentals of Nursing FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select All That Apply
Included
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question unless "Select all that apply" is specified.
▸ Critical thinking attitudes, nursing process steps, and clinical decision-making models are testable content.
▸ Documentation standards, HIPAA regulations, and professional communication are emphasized throughout.
▸ Patient interviewing techniques and cultural competence principles are core competencies.
▸ Correct answers and clinical rationales appear below each question for NCLEX board review purposes.
▸ All content reflects current ANA standards, HIPAA regulations, and evidence-based nursing practice.
SECTION I — CRITICAL THINKING, CLINICAL REASONING & THE Questions 1 –
NURSING PROCESS 14
1. Two patient deaths have occurred on a medical unit in the last month. The staff notices that everyone feels
pressured and team members are getting into more arguments. As a nurse on the unit, what will best help you
manage this stress?
a. Keep a journal
b. Participate in a unit meeting to discuss feelings about the patient deaths
c. Ask the nurse manager to assign you to less difficult patients
d. Review the policy and procedure manual on proper care of patients after death
CORRECT ANSWER b — Participate in a unit meeting to discuss feelings about the patient deaths
RATIONALE Sharing feelings and processing emotional events as a team builds resilience and supports healthy coping.
Unit meetings provide a structured forum for staff to express grief, debrief after difficult events, and reduce
feelings of isolation. This collective approach improves team function, decreases interpersonal conflict, and
mitigates the cumulative stress that can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Journaling is an individual
strategy that may complement but does not replace team processing.
, 2. A nurse has seen many cancer patients struggle with pain management because they are afraid of becoming
addicted to the medicine. Pain control is a priority for cancer care. By helping patients focus on their values and
beliefs about pain control, a nurse can best make clinical decisions. This is an example of:
a. Creativity
b. Fairness
c. Clinical reasoning
d. Applying ethical criteria
CORRECT ANSWER d — Applying ethical criteria
RATIONALE Ethical criteria involve respecting patient values, beliefs, and autonomy when making clinical decisions. The
nurse recognizes that the patient's fear of addiction is a values-based barrier to adequate pain management.
By helping patients explore their values and beliefs about pain control, the nurse applies ethical reasoning to
align treatment with what matters most to the patient. This is distinct from general clinical reasoning, which
focuses on the cognitive process of analyzing clinical data. Patient-centered ethical care requires
understanding the patient's perspective, not just the clinical indication.
3. A nurse prepares to insert a Foley catheter. The procedure manual calls for the patient to lie in the dorsal
recumbent position. The patient complains of having back pain when lying on her back. Despite this, the nurse
positions the patient supine with knees flexed as the manual recommends and begins to insert the catheter. This is
an example of:
a. Accuracy
b. Reflection
c. Risk taking
d. Basic critical thinking
CORRECT ANSWER d — Basic critical thinking
RATIONALE Basic critical thinking involves following rules, policies, and procedures without independent clinical
judgment or adaptation to individual patient circumstances. The nurse rigidly followed the procedure manual
despite the patient's expressed discomfort and back pain. A complex critical thinker would have modified the
approach — perhaps using a side-lying position or providing additional support — to accommodate the
patient's individual needs while still achieving the clinical goal. This scenario illustrates the progression from
basic (rule-following) to complex (individualized) critical thinking in nursing practice.
4. A nurse is preparing medications for a patient. The nurse checks the name of the medication on the label with the
name of the medication on the doctor's order. At the bedside the nurse checks the patient's name against the
medication order as well. The nurse is following which critical thinking attitude?
a. Responsible
b. Complete
c. Accurate
d. Broad
CORRECT ANSWER a — Responsible
RATIONALE Responsibility as a critical thinking attitude involves taking ownership of one's actions and consistently
following safety protocols. The nurse demonstrates responsibility by performing the standard medication
safety checks — verifying the medication label against the order and confirming patient identification — at
every step of the administration process. This attitude reflects accountability for patient safety. Accuracy is a
component of this behavior, but "responsible" is the broader critical thinking attitude that encompasses the
nurse's commitment to safe practice and willingness to be answerable for clinical actions.
