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NUR 212 FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING PRACTICE EXAM 1
2026/2027 | Updated Actual Questions | Verified Answers |
Pass Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Section 1: Nursing Process, Critical Thinking & Clinical Judgment (Q1-12)
Q1. A nurse is collecting data by interviewing the patient about their pain level and
reviewing the medical record for previous vital signs. Which phase of the nursing
process is the nurse performing?
A. Planning
B. Implementation
C. Assessment [CORRECT]
D. Evaluation
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process and involves collecting
subjective data (patient interview) and objective data (medical record review).
Planning involves setting goals, implementation involves carrying out interventions,
and evaluation determines if outcomes were met.
Correct Answer: C
Q2. During morning report, a nurse states that a patient has a respiratory rate of 24,
reports feeling anxious, and has a blood pressure of 142/88. Which data are
subjective?
A. Respiratory rate of 24 and blood pressure of 142/88
B. Only the blood pressure of 142/88
C. The patient reports feeling anxious [CORRECT]
D. All the data provided are objective
Rationale: Subjective data are information perceived only by the affected person and
cannot be measured or verified by another, such as feelings, sensations, or pain.
Objective data are observable and measurable, such as vital signs and physical exam
findings.
Correct Answer: C
,2
Q3. A nurse writes the following goal for a patient: "Patient will ambulate 50 feet
using a walker without dyspnea by discharge." Which SMART criterion is missing if
the goal does not specify the exact date or time frame?
A. Specific
B. Measurable
C. Attainable
D. Time-bound [CORRECT]
Rationale: SMART goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time-bound; specifying "by discharge" provides a deadline, but if no time frame is
stated, the Time-bound component is missing. The goal is specific (ambulate with
walker), measurable (50 feet), and attainable.
Correct Answer: D
Q4. A nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient should the nurse assess first
using the ABC priority framework?
A. A patient requesting a PRN pain medication for a headache rated 3/10
B. A patient with stable vital signs who needs discharge teaching
C. A patient with a new oxygen saturation of 86% on room air [CORRECT]
D. A patient who needs assistance to the bathroom
Rationale: The ABC framework prioritizes Airway, Breathing, and Circulation; a patient
with SpO2 of 86% has a breathing problem that is life-threatening and requires
immediate assessment. Pain, discharge teaching, and toileting are important but not
life-threatening and can be addressed after the airway/breathing issue.
Correct Answer: C
Q5. A patient with diabetes has a nursing diagnosis of "Risk for unstable blood
glucose level related to lack of adherence to diabetic diet." Which statement best
differentiates this from a medical diagnosis?
A. The nursing diagnosis focuses on the disease pathology
B. The nursing diagnosis describes a human response to a health condition
[CORRECT]
C. The nursing diagnosis is made only by the provider
D. The nursing diagnosis remains unchanged throughout the hospital stay
,3
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis describes a patient's human response to an actual or
potential health problem, whereas a medical diagnosis identifies a disease or
pathology. Nursing diagnoses are dynamic and change as patient status changes,
and they are formulated by nurses, not providers.
Correct Answer: B
Q6. A nurse notices a postoperative patient has increasing incisional drainage,
elevated heart rate, and reports increasing pain. Using the clinical judgment model,
which step is the nurse performing when comparing these findings to expected
postoperative norms?
A. Generate solutions
B. Take action
C. Analyze cues [CORRECT]
D. Evaluate outcomes
Rationale: Analyzing cues involves comparing collected data against expected norms
and standards to identify patterns and significance. Generating solutions comes after
analysis, taking action involves implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes
occurs after action is taken.
Correct Answer: C
Q7. A nurse is developing a care plan for a patient with impaired mobility. Which
intervention belongs in the Planning phase of the nursing process?
A. Documenting the patient's ability to ambulate with a walker
B. Setting a goal for the patient to perform active ROM exercises twice daily
[CORRECT]
C. Assisting the patient with active ROM exercises
D. Determining if the patient met the mobility goal
Rationale: Planning involves establishing expected outcomes and goals, such as
setting a specific frequency for ROM exercises. Documenting abilities occurs during
assessment or evaluation, assisting with exercises is implementation, and
determining goal achievement is evaluation.
Correct Answer: B
, 4
Q8. After administering pain medication, a nurse returns in 30 minutes to ask the
patient to rate their pain on a 0-10 scale. The patient reports the pain decreased
from 8/10 to 3/10. Which phase of the nursing process is demonstrated?
A. Assessment
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation [CORRECT]
Rationale: Evaluation involves determining whether the patient's condition or
expectations have changed after nursing interventions, such as reassessing pain after
medication administration. Assessment is initial data collection, planning sets goals,
and implementation carries out the intervention.
Correct Answer: D
Q9. A nurse is prioritizing care for multiple patients using Maslow's hierarchy of
needs. Which patient need should be addressed first?
A. A patient who needs education about wound care before discharge
B. A patient who is feeling lonely and wants a visitor
C. A patient who is having difficulty breathing [CORRECT]
D. A patient who requests help organizing their belongings
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy prioritizes physiologic needs (oxygen, food, water,
shelter) over safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization; difficulty
breathing is a physiologic need that must be addressed before psychosocial or
educational needs.
Correct Answer: C
Q10. A nurse recognizes that a postoperative patient has decreased urine output,
hypotension, and tachycardia. The nurse hypothesizes that the patient may be
hemorrhaging. Which step of the clinical judgment model is demonstrated?
A. Recognize cues
B. Prioritize hypotheses [CORRECT]
C. Generate solutions
D. Take action
Rationale: Prioritizing hypotheses involves ranking potential explanations for the
clinical cues based on urgency and probability; the nurse is determining that
NUR 212 FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING PRACTICE EXAM 1
2026/2027 | Updated Actual Questions | Verified Answers |
Pass Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Section 1: Nursing Process, Critical Thinking & Clinical Judgment (Q1-12)
Q1. A nurse is collecting data by interviewing the patient about their pain level and
reviewing the medical record for previous vital signs. Which phase of the nursing
process is the nurse performing?
A. Planning
B. Implementation
C. Assessment [CORRECT]
D. Evaluation
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process and involves collecting
subjective data (patient interview) and objective data (medical record review).
Planning involves setting goals, implementation involves carrying out interventions,
and evaluation determines if outcomes were met.
Correct Answer: C
Q2. During morning report, a nurse states that a patient has a respiratory rate of 24,
reports feeling anxious, and has a blood pressure of 142/88. Which data are
subjective?
A. Respiratory rate of 24 and blood pressure of 142/88
B. Only the blood pressure of 142/88
C. The patient reports feeling anxious [CORRECT]
D. All the data provided are objective
Rationale: Subjective data are information perceived only by the affected person and
cannot be measured or verified by another, such as feelings, sensations, or pain.
Objective data are observable and measurable, such as vital signs and physical exam
findings.
Correct Answer: C
,2
Q3. A nurse writes the following goal for a patient: "Patient will ambulate 50 feet
using a walker without dyspnea by discharge." Which SMART criterion is missing if
the goal does not specify the exact date or time frame?
A. Specific
B. Measurable
C. Attainable
D. Time-bound [CORRECT]
Rationale: SMART goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time-bound; specifying "by discharge" provides a deadline, but if no time frame is
stated, the Time-bound component is missing. The goal is specific (ambulate with
walker), measurable (50 feet), and attainable.
Correct Answer: D
Q4. A nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient should the nurse assess first
using the ABC priority framework?
A. A patient requesting a PRN pain medication for a headache rated 3/10
B. A patient with stable vital signs who needs discharge teaching
C. A patient with a new oxygen saturation of 86% on room air [CORRECT]
D. A patient who needs assistance to the bathroom
Rationale: The ABC framework prioritizes Airway, Breathing, and Circulation; a patient
with SpO2 of 86% has a breathing problem that is life-threatening and requires
immediate assessment. Pain, discharge teaching, and toileting are important but not
life-threatening and can be addressed after the airway/breathing issue.
Correct Answer: C
Q5. A patient with diabetes has a nursing diagnosis of "Risk for unstable blood
glucose level related to lack of adherence to diabetic diet." Which statement best
differentiates this from a medical diagnosis?
A. The nursing diagnosis focuses on the disease pathology
B. The nursing diagnosis describes a human response to a health condition
[CORRECT]
C. The nursing diagnosis is made only by the provider
D. The nursing diagnosis remains unchanged throughout the hospital stay
,3
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis describes a patient's human response to an actual or
potential health problem, whereas a medical diagnosis identifies a disease or
pathology. Nursing diagnoses are dynamic and change as patient status changes,
and they are formulated by nurses, not providers.
Correct Answer: B
Q6. A nurse notices a postoperative patient has increasing incisional drainage,
elevated heart rate, and reports increasing pain. Using the clinical judgment model,
which step is the nurse performing when comparing these findings to expected
postoperative norms?
A. Generate solutions
B. Take action
C. Analyze cues [CORRECT]
D. Evaluate outcomes
Rationale: Analyzing cues involves comparing collected data against expected norms
and standards to identify patterns and significance. Generating solutions comes after
analysis, taking action involves implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes
occurs after action is taken.
Correct Answer: C
Q7. A nurse is developing a care plan for a patient with impaired mobility. Which
intervention belongs in the Planning phase of the nursing process?
A. Documenting the patient's ability to ambulate with a walker
B. Setting a goal for the patient to perform active ROM exercises twice daily
[CORRECT]
C. Assisting the patient with active ROM exercises
D. Determining if the patient met the mobility goal
Rationale: Planning involves establishing expected outcomes and goals, such as
setting a specific frequency for ROM exercises. Documenting abilities occurs during
assessment or evaluation, assisting with exercises is implementation, and
determining goal achievement is evaluation.
Correct Answer: B
, 4
Q8. After administering pain medication, a nurse returns in 30 minutes to ask the
patient to rate their pain on a 0-10 scale. The patient reports the pain decreased
from 8/10 to 3/10. Which phase of the nursing process is demonstrated?
A. Assessment
B. Planning
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation [CORRECT]
Rationale: Evaluation involves determining whether the patient's condition or
expectations have changed after nursing interventions, such as reassessing pain after
medication administration. Assessment is initial data collection, planning sets goals,
and implementation carries out the intervention.
Correct Answer: D
Q9. A nurse is prioritizing care for multiple patients using Maslow's hierarchy of
needs. Which patient need should be addressed first?
A. A patient who needs education about wound care before discharge
B. A patient who is feeling lonely and wants a visitor
C. A patient who is having difficulty breathing [CORRECT]
D. A patient who requests help organizing their belongings
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy prioritizes physiologic needs (oxygen, food, water,
shelter) over safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization; difficulty
breathing is a physiologic need that must be addressed before psychosocial or
educational needs.
Correct Answer: C
Q10. A nurse recognizes that a postoperative patient has decreased urine output,
hypotension, and tachycardia. The nurse hypothesizes that the patient may be
hemorrhaging. Which step of the clinical judgment model is demonstrated?
A. Recognize cues
B. Prioritize hypotheses [CORRECT]
C. Generate solutions
D. Take action
Rationale: Prioritizing hypotheses involves ranking potential explanations for the
clinical cues based on urgency and probability; the nurse is determining that
