Chapter 01: Nursing Today
Potter: Fundamentals of Nursing, 11th Edition
1. The patient requires routine gynecological services after giving birth to her son, and while
seeing the nurse-midwife, the patient asks for a referral to a pediatrician for the newborn.
Which action should the nurse-midwife take initially?
a. Provide the referral as requested.
b. Offer to provide the newborn care.
c. Refer the patient to the supervising provider.
d. Tell the patient that is not allowed to make referrals.
ANS: B
The practice of nurse-midwifery involves providing independent care for women during
normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as care for the newborn. After being apprised
of the midwifery role, if the patient insists on seeing a pediatrician, the nurse-midwife should
provide the referral. The supervising provider is an obstetric provider, not a pediatrician. A
nurse-midwife can make referrals.
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome. Which standard
of nursing practice is the nurse following? a. Assessment
b. Diagnosis
c. Planning
d. Implementation
the reANS: C
In planning, the registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to
attain expected outcomes. During assessment, the registered nurse collects comprehensive
data pertinent to the patient’s health and/or the situation. In diagnosis, the registered nurse
analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or issues. During implementation,
gistered nurse implements (carries out) the identified plan.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)
, OBJ:Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Planning MSC:
Management of Care
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which level of
proficiency is the nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor? a. Novice
b. Proficient
c. Competent
d. Advanced beginner
ANS: A
A 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) is an example of a novice nurse. A proficient nurse perceives a patient’s 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. A competent nurse understands the
organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology, or
orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing
care and establish long-range goals. A nurse who has had some level of experience with the
situation is an advanced beginner. This experience may only be observational in nature, but
the nurse is able to identify meaningful aspects or principles of nursing care.
DIF:Apply (application)
OBJ:Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Evaluation MSC:
Management of Care
4. A nurse assesses a patient’s fluid status and decides that the patient needs to drink more
fluids. The nurse then encourages the patient to drink more fluids. Which concept is the
nurse demonstrating? a. Licensure
b. Autonomy
c. Certification
d. Accountability
Potter: Fundamentals of Nursing, 11th Edition
1. The patient requires routine gynecological services after giving birth to her son, and while
seeing the nurse-midwife, the patient asks for a referral to a pediatrician for the newborn.
Which action should the nurse-midwife take initially?
a. Provide the referral as requested.
b. Offer to provide the newborn care.
c. Refer the patient to the supervising provider.
d. Tell the patient that is not allowed to make referrals.
ANS: B
The practice of nurse-midwifery involves providing independent care for women during
normal pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as care for the newborn. After being apprised
of the midwifery role, if the patient insists on seeing a pediatrician, the nurse-midwife should
provide the referral. The supervising provider is an obstetric provider, not a pediatrician. A
nurse-midwife can make referrals.
2. The nurse prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcome. Which standard
of nursing practice is the nurse following? a. Assessment
b. Diagnosis
c. Planning
d. Implementation
the reANS: C
In planning, the registered nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to
attain expected outcomes. During assessment, the registered nurse collects comprehensive
data pertinent to the patient’s health and/or the situation. In diagnosis, the registered nurse
analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or issues. During implementation,
gistered nurse implements (carries out) the identified plan.
DIF:Understand (comprehension)
, OBJ:Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Planning MSC:
Management of Care
3. An experienced medical-surgical nurse chooses to work in obstetrics. Which level of
proficiency is the nurse upon initial transition to the obstetrical floor? a. Novice
b. Proficient
c. Competent
d. Advanced beginner
ANS: A
A 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) is an example of a novice nurse. A proficient nurse perceives a patient’s 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. A competent nurse understands the
organization and specific care required by the type of patients (e.g., surgical, oncology, or
orthopedic patients). This nurse is a competent practitioner who is able to anticipate nursing
care and establish long-range goals. A nurse who has had some level of experience with the
situation is an advanced beginner. This experience may only be observational in nature, but
the nurse is able to identify meaningful aspects or principles of nursing care.
DIF:Apply (application)
OBJ:Discuss the development of professional nursing roles. TOP: Evaluation MSC:
Management of Care
4. A nurse assesses a patient’s fluid status and decides that the patient needs to drink more
fluids. The nurse then encourages the patient to drink more fluids. Which concept is the
nurse demonstrating? a. Licensure
b. Autonomy
c. Certification
d. Accountability
