Professional Nursing Practice Questions with Answers
1. The nurse teaches a student nurse about how to apply the nursing process when providing patient
care. Which statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates that teaching was successful?
a. The nursing process is a scientific-based method of diagnosing the patients health care problems.
b. The nursing process is a problem-solving tool used to identify and treat patients health care needs.
c. The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the biopsychosocial nature of
humans.
d. The nursing process is used primarily to explain nursing interventions to other health care
professionals. - correct answersANS: B
The nursing process is a problem-solving approach to the identification and treatment of patients
problems. Diagnosis is only one phase of the nursing process. The primary use of the nursing process is
in patient care, not to establish nursing theory or explain nursing interventions to other health care
professionals.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC:
2. The nurse describes to a student nurse how to use evidence-based practice guidelines when caring for
patients. Which statement, if made by the nurse, would be the most accurate?
a. Inferences from clinical research studies are used as a guide.
b. Patient care is based on clinical judgment, experience, and traditions.
c. Data are evaluated to show that the patient outcomes are consistently met.
, d. Recommendations are based on research, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. - correct
answersANS: D
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence combined with clinician
expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurses clinical experience is part of EBP, but clinical decision
making should also incorporate current research and research-based guidelines. Evaluation of patient
outcomes is important, but interventions should be based on research from randomized control studies
with a large number of subjects.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember (knowledge) REF: 11
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC:
3. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care and discharge goals will
be developed with the patients input. The patient states, How is this different from what the doctor
does? Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?
a. The role of the nurse is to administer medications and other treatments prescribed by your doctor.
b. The nurses job is to help the doctor by collecting information and communicating any problems that
occur.
c. Nurses perform many of the same procedures as the doctor, but nurses are with the patients for a
longer time than the doctor.
d. In addition to caring for you while you are sick, the nurses will assist you to develop an individualized
plan to maintain your health. - correct answersANS: D
This response is consistent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of nursing, which
describes the role of nurses in promoting health. The other responses describe some of the dependent
and collaborative functions of the nursing role but do not accurately describe the nurses role in the
health care system.
1. The nurse teaches a student nurse about how to apply the nursing process when providing patient
care. Which statement, if made by the student nurse, indicates that teaching was successful?
a. The nursing process is a scientific-based method of diagnosing the patients health care problems.
b. The nursing process is a problem-solving tool used to identify and treat patients health care needs.
c. The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the biopsychosocial nature of
humans.
d. The nursing process is used primarily to explain nursing interventions to other health care
professionals. - correct answersANS: B
The nursing process is a problem-solving approach to the identification and treatment of patients
problems. Diagnosis is only one phase of the nursing process. The primary use of the nursing process is
in patient care, not to establish nursing theory or explain nursing interventions to other health care
professionals.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC:
2. The nurse describes to a student nurse how to use evidence-based practice guidelines when caring for
patients. Which statement, if made by the nurse, would be the most accurate?
a. Inferences from clinical research studies are used as a guide.
b. Patient care is based on clinical judgment, experience, and traditions.
c. Data are evaluated to show that the patient outcomes are consistently met.
, d. Recommendations are based on research, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. - correct
answersANS: D
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence combined with clinician
expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurses clinical experience is part of EBP, but clinical decision
making should also incorporate current research and research-based guidelines. Evaluation of patient
outcomes is important, but interventions should be based on research from randomized control studies
with a large number of subjects.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember (knowledge) REF: 11
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC:
3. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care and discharge goals will
be developed with the patients input. The patient states, How is this different from what the doctor
does? Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?
a. The role of the nurse is to administer medications and other treatments prescribed by your doctor.
b. The nurses job is to help the doctor by collecting information and communicating any problems that
occur.
c. Nurses perform many of the same procedures as the doctor, but nurses are with the patients for a
longer time than the doctor.
d. In addition to caring for you while you are sick, the nurses will assist you to develop an individualized
plan to maintain your health. - correct answersANS: D
This response is consistent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) definition of nursing, which
describes the role of nurses in promoting health. The other responses describe some of the dependent
and collaborative functions of the nursing role but do not accurately describe the nurses role in the
health care system.
