460 Nursing Bullets:
Fundamentals of Nursing
Reviewer
Welcome to your quick and easy-to-comprehend study guide about Fundamentals of
Nursing. Learn about the essential facts and tips about nursing fundamentals in this guide
that contains 460 nursing bullets.
Nursing Bullets
Here’s your list of 460 nursing bullets about fundamentals of nursing.
1. After turning a patient, the nurse should document the position used, the time that
the patient was turned, and the findings of skin assessment.
2. PERRLA is an abbreviation for normal pupil assessment findings: pupils equal, round,
and reactive to light with accommodation.
3. When percussing a patient’s chest for postural drainage, the nurse’s hands should
be cupped.
4. When measuring a patient’s pulse, the nurse should assess its rate, rhythm, quality,
and strength.
5. Before transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, the nurse should push the
wheelchair footrests to the sides and lock its wheels.
6. When assessing respirations, the nurse should document their rate, rhythm, depth,
and quality.
7. For a subcutaneous injection, the nurse should use a 5/8″ to 1″ 25G needle.
8. The notation “AA & O × 3” indicates that the patient is awake, alert, and oriented to
person (knows who he is), place (knows where he is), and time (knows the date and
time).
Fundamentals of Nursing
1
, 9. Fluid intake includes all fluids taken by mouth, including foods that are liquid at room
temperature, such as gelatin, custard, and ice cream; I.V. fluids; and fluids administered
in feeding tubes. Fluid output includes urine, vomitus, and drainage (such as from a
nasogastric tube or from a wound) as well as blood loss, diarrhea or feces, and
perspiration.
10. After administering an intradermal injection, the nurse shouldn’t massage the area
because massage can irritate the site and interfere with results.
11. When administering an intradermal injection, the nurse should hold the syringe almost
flat against the patient’s skin (at about a 15-degree angle), with the bevel up.
12. To obtain an accurate blood pressure, the nurse should inflate the manometer to 20 to
30 mm Hg above the disappearance of the radial pulse before releasing the cuff
pressure.
13. The nurse should count an irregular pulse for 1 full minute.
14. A patient who is vomiting while lying down should be placed in a lateral position to
prevent aspiration of vomitus.
15. Prophylaxis is disease prevention.
16. Body alignment is achieved when body parts are in proper relation to their natural
position.
17. Trust is the foundation of a nurse-patient relationship.
18. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the arterial
walls.
19. Malpractice is a professional’s wrongful conduct, improper discharge of duties, or
failure to meet standards of care that causes harm to another.
20. As a general rule, nurses can’t refuse a patient care assignment; however, in most
states, they may refuse to participate in abortions.
21. A nurse can be found negligent if a patient is injured because the nurse failed to
perform a duty that a reasonable and prudent person would perform or because the
nurse performed an act that a reasonable and prudent person wouldn’t perform.
22. States have enacted Good Samaritan laws to encourage professionals to provide
medical assistance at the scene of an accident without fear of a lawsuit arising from
the assistance. These laws don’t apply to care provided in a health care facility.
23. A physician should sign verbal and telephone orders within the time established by
facility policy, usually 24 hours.
24. A competent adult has the right to refuse lifesaving medical treatment; however, the
individual should be fully informed of the consequences of his refusal.
Fundamentals of Nursing
2
, 25. Although a patient’s health record, or chart, is the health care facility’s physical
property, its contents belong to the patient.
26. Before a patient’s health record can be released to a third party, the patient or the
patient’s legal guardian must give written consent.
27. Under the Controlled Substances Act, every dose of a controlled drug that’s
dispensed by the pharmacy must be accounted for, whether the dose was
administered to a patient or discarded accidentally.
28. A nurse can’t perform duties that violate a rule or regulation established by a state
licensing board, even if they are authorized by a health care facility or physician.
29. To minimize interruptions during a patient interview, the nurse should select a
private room, preferably one with a door that can be closed.
30. In categorizing nursing diagnoses, the nurse addresses life-threatening problems
first, followed by potentially life-threatening concerns.
31. The major components of a nursing care plan are outcome criteria (patient goals)
and nursing interventions.
32. Standing orders, or protocols, establish guidelines for treating a specific disease or
set of symptoms.
33. In assessing a patient’s heart, the nurse normally finds the point of maximal impulse at
the fifth intercostal space, near the apex.
34. The S1 heard on auscultation is caused by closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves.
35. To maintain package sterility, the nurse should open a wrapper’s top flap away from
the body, open each side flap by touching only the outer part of the wrapper, and
open the final flap by grasping the turned-down corner and pulling it toward the
body.
36. The nurse shouldn’t dry a patient’s ear canal or remove wax with a cotton-tipped
applicator because it may force cerumen against the tympanic membrane.
37. A patient’s identification bracelet should remain in place until the patient has been
discharged from the health care facility and has left the premises.
38. The Controlled Substances Act designated five categories, or schedules, that classify
controlled drugs according to their abuse potential.
39. Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, have a high abuse potential and have no currently
accepted medical use in the United States.
40. Schedule II drugs, such as morphine, opium, and meperidine (Demerol), have a high
abuse potential, but currently have accepted medical uses. Their use may lead to
physical or psychological dependence.
Fundamentals of Nursing
3
Fundamentals of Nursing
Reviewer
Welcome to your quick and easy-to-comprehend study guide about Fundamentals of
Nursing. Learn about the essential facts and tips about nursing fundamentals in this guide
that contains 460 nursing bullets.
Nursing Bullets
Here’s your list of 460 nursing bullets about fundamentals of nursing.
1. After turning a patient, the nurse should document the position used, the time that
the patient was turned, and the findings of skin assessment.
2. PERRLA is an abbreviation for normal pupil assessment findings: pupils equal, round,
and reactive to light with accommodation.
3. When percussing a patient’s chest for postural drainage, the nurse’s hands should
be cupped.
4. When measuring a patient’s pulse, the nurse should assess its rate, rhythm, quality,
and strength.
5. Before transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, the nurse should push the
wheelchair footrests to the sides and lock its wheels.
6. When assessing respirations, the nurse should document their rate, rhythm, depth,
and quality.
7. For a subcutaneous injection, the nurse should use a 5/8″ to 1″ 25G needle.
8. The notation “AA & O × 3” indicates that the patient is awake, alert, and oriented to
person (knows who he is), place (knows where he is), and time (knows the date and
time).
Fundamentals of Nursing
1
, 9. Fluid intake includes all fluids taken by mouth, including foods that are liquid at room
temperature, such as gelatin, custard, and ice cream; I.V. fluids; and fluids administered
in feeding tubes. Fluid output includes urine, vomitus, and drainage (such as from a
nasogastric tube or from a wound) as well as blood loss, diarrhea or feces, and
perspiration.
10. After administering an intradermal injection, the nurse shouldn’t massage the area
because massage can irritate the site and interfere with results.
11. When administering an intradermal injection, the nurse should hold the syringe almost
flat against the patient’s skin (at about a 15-degree angle), with the bevel up.
12. To obtain an accurate blood pressure, the nurse should inflate the manometer to 20 to
30 mm Hg above the disappearance of the radial pulse before releasing the cuff
pressure.
13. The nurse should count an irregular pulse for 1 full minute.
14. A patient who is vomiting while lying down should be placed in a lateral position to
prevent aspiration of vomitus.
15. Prophylaxis is disease prevention.
16. Body alignment is achieved when body parts are in proper relation to their natural
position.
17. Trust is the foundation of a nurse-patient relationship.
18. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the arterial
walls.
19. Malpractice is a professional’s wrongful conduct, improper discharge of duties, or
failure to meet standards of care that causes harm to another.
20. As a general rule, nurses can’t refuse a patient care assignment; however, in most
states, they may refuse to participate in abortions.
21. A nurse can be found negligent if a patient is injured because the nurse failed to
perform a duty that a reasonable and prudent person would perform or because the
nurse performed an act that a reasonable and prudent person wouldn’t perform.
22. States have enacted Good Samaritan laws to encourage professionals to provide
medical assistance at the scene of an accident without fear of a lawsuit arising from
the assistance. These laws don’t apply to care provided in a health care facility.
23. A physician should sign verbal and telephone orders within the time established by
facility policy, usually 24 hours.
24. A competent adult has the right to refuse lifesaving medical treatment; however, the
individual should be fully informed of the consequences of his refusal.
Fundamentals of Nursing
2
, 25. Although a patient’s health record, or chart, is the health care facility’s physical
property, its contents belong to the patient.
26. Before a patient’s health record can be released to a third party, the patient or the
patient’s legal guardian must give written consent.
27. Under the Controlled Substances Act, every dose of a controlled drug that’s
dispensed by the pharmacy must be accounted for, whether the dose was
administered to a patient or discarded accidentally.
28. A nurse can’t perform duties that violate a rule or regulation established by a state
licensing board, even if they are authorized by a health care facility or physician.
29. To minimize interruptions during a patient interview, the nurse should select a
private room, preferably one with a door that can be closed.
30. In categorizing nursing diagnoses, the nurse addresses life-threatening problems
first, followed by potentially life-threatening concerns.
31. The major components of a nursing care plan are outcome criteria (patient goals)
and nursing interventions.
32. Standing orders, or protocols, establish guidelines for treating a specific disease or
set of symptoms.
33. In assessing a patient’s heart, the nurse normally finds the point of maximal impulse at
the fifth intercostal space, near the apex.
34. The S1 heard on auscultation is caused by closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves.
35. To maintain package sterility, the nurse should open a wrapper’s top flap away from
the body, open each side flap by touching only the outer part of the wrapper, and
open the final flap by grasping the turned-down corner and pulling it toward the
body.
36. The nurse shouldn’t dry a patient’s ear canal or remove wax with a cotton-tipped
applicator because it may force cerumen against the tympanic membrane.
37. A patient’s identification bracelet should remain in place until the patient has been
discharged from the health care facility and has left the premises.
38. The Controlled Substances Act designated five categories, or schedules, that classify
controlled drugs according to their abuse potential.
39. Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, have a high abuse potential and have no currently
accepted medical use in the United States.
40. Schedule II drugs, such as morphine, opium, and meperidine (Demerol), have a high
abuse potential, but currently have accepted medical uses. Their use may lead to
physical or psychological dependence.
Fundamentals of Nursing
3
