NUR 335 Study Guide Exam 1.
NUR 335 Exam 1
Nursing Today, The Health Care Delivery System, Theoretical Functions of Nursing Practice, Evidence-
Based Practice
Chapter 1, 2, 4, 5
Chapter 1, Nursing Today (14 questions)
· Understand what it means to state that nursing is an art and a science
o As a professional nurse you will learn to deliver care artfully with compassion,
caring, and respect for each patient’s dignity and personhood.
o As a science, nursing practice is based on a body of knowledge that is
continually changing with new discoveries and innovations.
o When you integrate the art and science of nursing into your practice, the quality of
care you provide to your patients is at a level of excellence that benefits patients and
their families.
· Name the levels of Benner’s model from novice to expert and the characteristics of nurses
at each level
o Be nn er
o From Novice to Expert
o Novice: Beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a
situation in which there is no previous level of experience (e.g.,
an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice
in home health). The learner learns via a specific set of rules or
procedures, which are usually stepwise and linear.
o Advanced Beginner: A nurse who has had some level of
experience with the situation. This experience may only
be observational in nature, but the nurse is able to
identify meaningful aspects or principles of nursing care.
o Competent: A nurse who has been in the same clinical position
for 2 to 3 years. This nurse understands the organization and
specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical,
oncology, or orthopedic patients). He or she is a competent
practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing care and establish
long-range goals. In this phase the nurse has usually had
experience with all types of psychomotor skills required by this
specific group of patients.
o Proficient: A nurse with more than 2 to 3 years of experience in
the same clinical position. This nurse perceives a patient's
,NUR 335 Study Guide Exam 1.
clinical situation as a whole, is able to assess an entire situation,
and can readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple
previous experiences to a situation. This nurse focuses on
managing care as opposed to managing and performing skills.
o Expert: A nurse with diverse experience who has an intuitive
grasp of an existing or potential clinical problem. This nurse is
able to zero in on the problem and focus on multiple
dimensions of the situation. He or she is skilled at identifying
both patient- centered problems and problems related to the
health care system or perhaps the needs of the novice nurse.
· Explain how the American Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses
define nursing and what is common to both definitions
o American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of nursing: Nursing is the protection,
promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury;
alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response;
and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.
o The International Council of Nurses definition of nursing: Nursing encompasses
autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups, and
communities, sick or well, and in all settings. Nursing includes the promotion of health;
prevention of illness; and the care of ill, disabled, and dying people. Advocacy,
promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and in
patient and health systems management, and education are also key nursing roles.
o Both of these definitions support the prominence and importance that nursing holds
in providing safe, patient-centered health care to the global community.
· Define the following professional responsibilities and roles and state what a nurse does to
meet these responsibilities: Autonomy and Accountability, Caregiver, Advocate, Educator,
Communicator, Manager
o You are responsible for obtaining and maintaining specific knowledge and skills for
a variety of professional roles and responsibilities.
o Autonomy is an essential element of professional nursing that involves the initiation
of independent nursing interventions without medical orders. Accountability means
that you are responsible professionally and legally for the type and quality of nursing
care provided.
o As a caregiver, you help patients maintain and regain health and find their maximum
level of independent function through the healing process. A patient’s health care
needs include the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and social well-being.
o As a patient advocate you protect your patient’s human and legal rights and
help patients assert those rights when needed.
, NUR 335 Study Guide Exam 1.
o As an educator, your teaching can be formal or informal. Always use teaching methods
that match your patient’s capabilities and needs, and incorporate other resources,
such as the family, in teaching plans.
o Your effectiveness as a communicator is central to the nurse—patient relationship. It
allows you to know your patients, including their strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
You will routinely communicate with patients and families, other nurses and health
care professionals, resource people, and the community.
o As a manager, you will establish an environment for collaborative patient-centered
care to provide safe, quality care with positive patient outcomes.
· State the possible roles and functions for an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)
o NP, Mid-Wife, Anesthetist, Clinical Nurse Specialist
· Explain the roles of nurses when they are a: nurse educator, nurse administrator,
nurse researcher
o A nurse educator works primarily in schools of nursing, staff development
departments of health care agencies, and patient education departments.
o A nurse administrator manages patient care and the delivery of specific nursing
services within a health care agency.
o The nurse researcher investigates problems to improve nursing care and further
define and expand the scope of nursing practice. The nurse research often works in an
academic setting, hospital, or independent professional or community service agency.
· Analyze how the nursing shortage will affect nurses and the delivery of nursing care
o There is an ongoing shortage of qualified nurses to fill vacant positions. This
shortage affects all aspects of nursing, including patient care, administration, and
nursing education.
o With fewer available nurses, it is important for you to learn to use your patient contact
time efficiently and professionally. Time management, therapeutic communication,
patient education, and compassionate implementation of bedside skills are just a few
of the essential skills you need. It is important for your patients to leave the health care
setting with a positive image of nursing and a feeling that they received quality care.
Your patients should never feel rushed. They need to feel that they are important and
that their needs are addressed.
· Show how Florence Nightingale improved the role of nurses and established modern nursing
o Florence Nightingale believed that the role of nurses was to help the body recover,
and then remain free, from disease.
o In 1860, Florence organized the first school of nursing, the Nightingale Training
School for Nurses, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.
NUR 335 Exam 1
Nursing Today, The Health Care Delivery System, Theoretical Functions of Nursing Practice, Evidence-
Based Practice
Chapter 1, 2, 4, 5
Chapter 1, Nursing Today (14 questions)
· Understand what it means to state that nursing is an art and a science
o As a professional nurse you will learn to deliver care artfully with compassion,
caring, and respect for each patient’s dignity and personhood.
o As a science, nursing practice is based on a body of knowledge that is
continually changing with new discoveries and innovations.
o When you integrate the art and science of nursing into your practice, the quality of
care you provide to your patients is at a level of excellence that benefits patients and
their families.
· Name the levels of Benner’s model from novice to expert and the characteristics of nurses
at each level
o Be nn er
o From Novice to Expert
o Novice: Beginning nursing student or any nurse entering a
situation in which there is no previous level of experience (e.g.,
an experienced operating room nurse chooses to now practice
in home health). The learner learns via a specific set of rules or
procedures, which are usually stepwise and linear.
o Advanced Beginner: A nurse who has had some level of
experience with the situation. This experience may only
be observational in nature, but the nurse is able to
identify meaningful aspects or principles of nursing care.
o Competent: A nurse who has been in the same clinical position
for 2 to 3 years. This nurse understands the organization and
specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical,
oncology, or orthopedic patients). He or she is a competent
practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing care and establish
long-range goals. In this phase the nurse has usually had
experience with all types of psychomotor skills required by this
specific group of patients.
o Proficient: A nurse with more than 2 to 3 years of experience in
the same clinical position. This nurse perceives a patient's
,NUR 335 Study Guide Exam 1.
clinical situation as a whole, is able to assess an entire situation,
and can readily transfer knowledge gained from multiple
previous experiences to a situation. This nurse focuses on
managing care as opposed to managing and performing skills.
o Expert: A nurse with diverse experience who has an intuitive
grasp of an existing or potential clinical problem. This nurse is
able to zero in on the problem and focus on multiple
dimensions of the situation. He or she is skilled at identifying
both patient- centered problems and problems related to the
health care system or perhaps the needs of the novice nurse.
· Explain how the American Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses
define nursing and what is common to both definitions
o American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of nursing: Nursing is the protection,
promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury;
alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response;
and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.
o The International Council of Nurses definition of nursing: Nursing encompasses
autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups, and
communities, sick or well, and in all settings. Nursing includes the promotion of health;
prevention of illness; and the care of ill, disabled, and dying people. Advocacy,
promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and in
patient and health systems management, and education are also key nursing roles.
o Both of these definitions support the prominence and importance that nursing holds
in providing safe, patient-centered health care to the global community.
· Define the following professional responsibilities and roles and state what a nurse does to
meet these responsibilities: Autonomy and Accountability, Caregiver, Advocate, Educator,
Communicator, Manager
o You are responsible for obtaining and maintaining specific knowledge and skills for
a variety of professional roles and responsibilities.
o Autonomy is an essential element of professional nursing that involves the initiation
of independent nursing interventions without medical orders. Accountability means
that you are responsible professionally and legally for the type and quality of nursing
care provided.
o As a caregiver, you help patients maintain and regain health and find their maximum
level of independent function through the healing process. A patient’s health care
needs include the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and social well-being.
o As a patient advocate you protect your patient’s human and legal rights and
help patients assert those rights when needed.
, NUR 335 Study Guide Exam 1.
o As an educator, your teaching can be formal or informal. Always use teaching methods
that match your patient’s capabilities and needs, and incorporate other resources,
such as the family, in teaching plans.
o Your effectiveness as a communicator is central to the nurse—patient relationship. It
allows you to know your patients, including their strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
You will routinely communicate with patients and families, other nurses and health
care professionals, resource people, and the community.
o As a manager, you will establish an environment for collaborative patient-centered
care to provide safe, quality care with positive patient outcomes.
· State the possible roles and functions for an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)
o NP, Mid-Wife, Anesthetist, Clinical Nurse Specialist
· Explain the roles of nurses when they are a: nurse educator, nurse administrator,
nurse researcher
o A nurse educator works primarily in schools of nursing, staff development
departments of health care agencies, and patient education departments.
o A nurse administrator manages patient care and the delivery of specific nursing
services within a health care agency.
o The nurse researcher investigates problems to improve nursing care and further
define and expand the scope of nursing practice. The nurse research often works in an
academic setting, hospital, or independent professional or community service agency.
· Analyze how the nursing shortage will affect nurses and the delivery of nursing care
o There is an ongoing shortage of qualified nurses to fill vacant positions. This
shortage affects all aspects of nursing, including patient care, administration, and
nursing education.
o With fewer available nurses, it is important for you to learn to use your patient contact
time efficiently and professionally. Time management, therapeutic communication,
patient education, and compassionate implementation of bedside skills are just a few
of the essential skills you need. It is important for your patients to leave the health care
setting with a positive image of nursing and a feeling that they received quality care.
Your patients should never feel rushed. They need to feel that they are important and
that their needs are addressed.
· Show how Florence Nightingale improved the role of nurses and established modern nursing
o Florence Nightingale believed that the role of nurses was to help the body recover,
and then remain free, from disease.
o In 1860, Florence organized the first school of nursing, the Nightingale Training
School for Nurses, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.
