NR-360 – Information Systems in Healthcare
Introduces healthcare technologies, electronic health
records, data management, informatics principles, and
technology-supported patient care.
1. A nurse is learning about the core components of a health information
system. Which of the following is the primary purpose of a clinical data
repository?
A. Store financial billing information
B. Integrate patient data from multiple sources into a centralized database
C. Schedule staff shifts
D. Track hospital inventory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A clinical data repository aggregates patient clinical data from various
systems (EHR, lab, pharmacy) to provide a comprehensive view. Billing and
inventory are separate systems.
2. The nurse is documenting in an electronic health record (EHR). Which
term describes the ability of different information systems to exchange and
use data?
A. Interoperability
B. Usability
C. Scalability
D. Redundancy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Interoperability is the ability of diverse systems to communicate,
exchange data, and interpret that data. Usability refers to ease of use; scalability is
growth capacity.
3. A hospital is implementing a new EHR. The nurse manager understands
that the “meaningful use” (now Promoting Interoperability) program was
established to:
A. Increase hospital profits
B. Encourage adoption of EHRs and improve patient outcomes through specific
objectives
,C. Replace all paper records
D. Limit access to patient data
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Meaningful Use (now Promoting Interoperability) provides incentives
for using certified EHR technology to achieve quality, safety, and exchange goals.
4. Which type of health information technology (HIT) is designed to support
clinical decision-making by providing evidence-based alerts and reminders at
the point of care?
A. Electronic medication administration record (eMAR)
B. Clinical decision support system (CDSS)
C. Barcode medication administration (BCMA)
D. Computerized provider order entry (CPOE)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CDSS provides alerts, reminders, and evidence-based guidance. CPOE
is for ordering; BCMA ensures right patient/medication; eMAR records
administration.
5. A nurse is using a bar-code medication administration (BCMA) system.
Which of the following patient safety outcomes is directly improved by
BCMA?
A. Reduction in medication administration errors
B. Faster discharge times
C. Lower hospital readmission rates
D. Improved patient satisfaction scores
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: BCMA verifies the “five rights” (patient, drug, dose, route, time),
significantly reducing medication administration errors.
6. A healthcare organization is adopting a new EHR. The term “go-live”
refers to:
A. The planning phase
B. The date the system becomes operational for end users
C. System decommissioning
D. Staff training only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Go-live is the transition from old system to new system when users
begin using the live EHR for patient care. It follows testing and training.
, 7. The nurse is documenting a patient’s blood pressure in the EHR. Which
data type is this?
A. Categorical
B. Ordinal
C. Continuous (quantitative)
D. Free text
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Blood pressure (e.g., 120/80) is a continuous numerical value.
Categorical (gender), ordinal (pain scale 0-10 is ordinal but often treated as
continuous), free text (narrative).
8. Which federal regulation in the United States governs the privacy and
security of protected health information (PHI) in electronic and paper
formats?
A. HITECH Act
B. HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules
C. Affordable Care Act
D. 21st Century Cures Act
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA Privacy Rule protects PHI; Security Rule specifically addresses
electronic PHI (ePHI). HITECH strengthened enforcement; Cures Act addresses
information blocking.
9. A nurse is accessing a patient’s EHR from a mobile device. Which action is
most important to maintain security?
A. Share login password with colleagues for efficiency
B. Log off after each use and enable device encryption
C. Use public Wi-Fi without VPN
D. Leave the device unattended in patient room
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Logging off, encryption, and using secure networks (VPN) are
essential. Sharing passwords violates HIPAA. Public Wi-Fi is insecure.
10. The nurse is participating in a “system usability” evaluation of a new
EHR. Which characteristic best defines usability?
A. The system has many features
B. The system is easy to learn, efficient, and error-tolerant
C. The system is expensive
Introduces healthcare technologies, electronic health
records, data management, informatics principles, and
technology-supported patient care.
1. A nurse is learning about the core components of a health information
system. Which of the following is the primary purpose of a clinical data
repository?
A. Store financial billing information
B. Integrate patient data from multiple sources into a centralized database
C. Schedule staff shifts
D. Track hospital inventory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A clinical data repository aggregates patient clinical data from various
systems (EHR, lab, pharmacy) to provide a comprehensive view. Billing and
inventory are separate systems.
2. The nurse is documenting in an electronic health record (EHR). Which
term describes the ability of different information systems to exchange and
use data?
A. Interoperability
B. Usability
C. Scalability
D. Redundancy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Interoperability is the ability of diverse systems to communicate,
exchange data, and interpret that data. Usability refers to ease of use; scalability is
growth capacity.
3. A hospital is implementing a new EHR. The nurse manager understands
that the “meaningful use” (now Promoting Interoperability) program was
established to:
A. Increase hospital profits
B. Encourage adoption of EHRs and improve patient outcomes through specific
objectives
,C. Replace all paper records
D. Limit access to patient data
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Meaningful Use (now Promoting Interoperability) provides incentives
for using certified EHR technology to achieve quality, safety, and exchange goals.
4. Which type of health information technology (HIT) is designed to support
clinical decision-making by providing evidence-based alerts and reminders at
the point of care?
A. Electronic medication administration record (eMAR)
B. Clinical decision support system (CDSS)
C. Barcode medication administration (BCMA)
D. Computerized provider order entry (CPOE)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CDSS provides alerts, reminders, and evidence-based guidance. CPOE
is for ordering; BCMA ensures right patient/medication; eMAR records
administration.
5. A nurse is using a bar-code medication administration (BCMA) system.
Which of the following patient safety outcomes is directly improved by
BCMA?
A. Reduction in medication administration errors
B. Faster discharge times
C. Lower hospital readmission rates
D. Improved patient satisfaction scores
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: BCMA verifies the “five rights” (patient, drug, dose, route, time),
significantly reducing medication administration errors.
6. A healthcare organization is adopting a new EHR. The term “go-live”
refers to:
A. The planning phase
B. The date the system becomes operational for end users
C. System decommissioning
D. Staff training only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Go-live is the transition from old system to new system when users
begin using the live EHR for patient care. It follows testing and training.
, 7. The nurse is documenting a patient’s blood pressure in the EHR. Which
data type is this?
A. Categorical
B. Ordinal
C. Continuous (quantitative)
D. Free text
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Blood pressure (e.g., 120/80) is a continuous numerical value.
Categorical (gender), ordinal (pain scale 0-10 is ordinal but often treated as
continuous), free text (narrative).
8. Which federal regulation in the United States governs the privacy and
security of protected health information (PHI) in electronic and paper
formats?
A. HITECH Act
B. HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules
C. Affordable Care Act
D. 21st Century Cures Act
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA Privacy Rule protects PHI; Security Rule specifically addresses
electronic PHI (ePHI). HITECH strengthened enforcement; Cures Act addresses
information blocking.
9. A nurse is accessing a patient’s EHR from a mobile device. Which action is
most important to maintain security?
A. Share login password with colleagues for efficiency
B. Log off after each use and enable device encryption
C. Use public Wi-Fi without VPN
D. Leave the device unattended in patient room
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Logging off, encryption, and using secure networks (VPN) are
essential. Sharing passwords violates HIPAA. Public Wi-Fi is insecure.
10. The nurse is participating in a “system usability” evaluation of a new
EHR. Which characteristic best defines usability?
A. The system has many features
B. The system is easy to learn, efficient, and error-tolerant
C. The system is expensive
