NSG 310/NSG310 Exam 1 V3 | Introduction
to Professional Nursing Exam Q&A with
Rationale | Grand Canyon University
1. Which nursing pioneer is credited with establishing the first formal program for nursing
education and focuses heavily on the environment’s impact on healing?
A. Clara Barton
B. Dorothea Dix
C. Florence Nightingale
D. Mary Mahoney
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Florence Nightingale is widely considered the founder of modern
nursing and established the Nightingale Training School in London. Her theory emphasized
that a clean, well-ventilated, and quiet environment was essential for patient recovery. This
perspective shifted nursing from a domestic duty to a professionalized health science.
2. A nurse is providing information to a patient about their right to refuse treatment, which
honors the patient’s right to self-determination. Which ethical principle is being applied?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
C. Justice
,D. Nonmaleficence
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Autonomy refers to the patient’s right to make their own decisions
about their healthcare without interference. By providing information and respecting the
patient’s choice to refuse treatment, the nurse upholds this fundamental ethical pillar. It is
crucial for nurses to advocate for the patient’s wishes even if they disagree with the choice
made.
3. Which QSEN competency focuses on the use of data to monitor the outcomes of care
processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes?
A. Evidence-based Practice
B. Quality Improvement
C. Informatics
D. Safety
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Quality Improvement (QI) involves using data to track outcomes and
implementing changes to improve the quality and safety of health care systems. This
competency ensures that nurses are constantly looking for ways to enhance patient care
through systematic cycles of testing. It is distinct from Evidence-based Practice, which
focuses on integrating current research into clinical decision-making.
, 4. According to Patricia Benner’s stages of nursing proficiency, a nurse who has been in the
same clinical position for 2 to 3 years and can anticipate nursing care for a specific population
is at which level?
A. Novice
B. Proficient
C. Competent
D. Expert
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: A Competent nurse has usually been in the same role for 2 to 3 years
and can prioritize tasks and coordinate multiple complex care requirements. At this stage,
the nurse begins to see their actions in the context of long-term goals for the patient. They
are efficient and organized but lack the ‘big picture’ perspective of the Proficient stage.
5. In the Cohen Model of Professional Socialization, which stage is characterized by the
student’s reliance on external authority and limited questioning of instructions?
A. Stage III: Dependence/Mutuality
B. Stage II: Negativity/Independence
C. Stage I: Unilateral Dependence
D. Stage IV: Interdependence
Correct Answer: C
to Professional Nursing Exam Q&A with
Rationale | Grand Canyon University
1. Which nursing pioneer is credited with establishing the first formal program for nursing
education and focuses heavily on the environment’s impact on healing?
A. Clara Barton
B. Dorothea Dix
C. Florence Nightingale
D. Mary Mahoney
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Florence Nightingale is widely considered the founder of modern
nursing and established the Nightingale Training School in London. Her theory emphasized
that a clean, well-ventilated, and quiet environment was essential for patient recovery. This
perspective shifted nursing from a domestic duty to a professionalized health science.
2. A nurse is providing information to a patient about their right to refuse treatment, which
honors the patient’s right to self-determination. Which ethical principle is being applied?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
C. Justice
,D. Nonmaleficence
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Autonomy refers to the patient’s right to make their own decisions
about their healthcare without interference. By providing information and respecting the
patient’s choice to refuse treatment, the nurse upholds this fundamental ethical pillar. It is
crucial for nurses to advocate for the patient’s wishes even if they disagree with the choice
made.
3. Which QSEN competency focuses on the use of data to monitor the outcomes of care
processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes?
A. Evidence-based Practice
B. Quality Improvement
C. Informatics
D. Safety
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: Quality Improvement (QI) involves using data to track outcomes and
implementing changes to improve the quality and safety of health care systems. This
competency ensures that nurses are constantly looking for ways to enhance patient care
through systematic cycles of testing. It is distinct from Evidence-based Practice, which
focuses on integrating current research into clinical decision-making.
, 4. According to Patricia Benner’s stages of nursing proficiency, a nurse who has been in the
same clinical position for 2 to 3 years and can anticipate nursing care for a specific population
is at which level?
A. Novice
B. Proficient
C. Competent
D. Expert
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: A Competent nurse has usually been in the same role for 2 to 3 years
and can prioritize tasks and coordinate multiple complex care requirements. At this stage,
the nurse begins to see their actions in the context of long-term goals for the patient. They
are efficient and organized but lack the ‘big picture’ perspective of the Proficient stage.
5. In the Cohen Model of Professional Socialization, which stage is characterized by the
student’s reliance on external authority and limited questioning of instructions?
A. Stage III: Dependence/Mutuality
B. Stage II: Negativity/Independence
C. Stage I: Unilateral Dependence
D. Stage IV: Interdependence
Correct Answer: C
