ATI: BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL
NURSE
Proctored Assessment Examination 2026-2027
50 Questions with Correct Solutions and Rationales
Aligned with AACN Essentials, NCSBN NCJMM & ATI Blueprint Standards
Assessment Technologies Institute
April 2026
, ATI Professional Nurse Proctored Examination
Section 1: Professional Identity, Ethics & Legal Accountability (Questions 1-10)
1. A new graduate nurse is assigned to care for a patient who requests that no information be shared with
family members. The patient's spouse calls the nursing station demanding an update on the patient's
condition. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1?
A. Provide general information about the patient's condition to the spouse because the spouse has a right to
know.
B. Respect the patient's autonomy and withhold information, explaining to the spouse that the patient has
requested privacy. [CORRECT]
C. Ask the charge nurse to make the decision about what information to disclose to the spouse.
D. Tell the spouse that the patient is fine and will call them when ready.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1 emphasizes respect for human dignity and the right of patients to
self-determination. The nurse must protect patient autonomy and confidentiality by honoring the patient's expressed
wishes regarding information sharing.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted following a motor vehicle crash. The patient is
unconscious, and no family members are present. The surgeon wants to perform an emergency exploratory
laparotomy. Which concept supports the nurse's role in obtaining informed consent in this situation?
A. Informed consent is the responsibility of the provider performing the procedure, and in emergencies,
consent is implied when the patient cannot consent and delay would cause harm. [CORRECT]
B. The nurse should obtain written consent from the hospital administrator before the procedure.
C. The nurse should contact the state board of nursing for guidance on emergency consent.
D. The nurse must wait until a family member arrives to obtain consent before the procedure proceeds.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Informed consent is the legal and ethical responsibility of the provider performing the procedure. Under the
emergency doctrine, consent is implied when a patient lacks capacity, no surrogate is available, and delaying treatment
would result in serious harm or death.
3. A nurse discovers that a colleague frequently takes home leftover medications from the unit's discharge
supply. The nurse is uncomfortable but fears retaliation. According to the ANA Code of Ethics, which action
is most appropriate?
A. Confront the colleague directly and demand that they stop taking medications.
B. Ignore the behavior because it does not directly affect patient care on the unit.
C. Report the colleague's behavior through the appropriate chain of command, such as the nurse manager or
risk management. [CORRECT]
D. Post anonymously about the behavior on a nursing social media forum to seek advice.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: ANA Code of Ethics Provision 3 requires nurses to promote, advocate for, and protect the rights, health, and
safety of the patient. Reporting impaired or unethical colleagues through proper channels is a professional obligation,
not a breach of loyalty.
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, ATI Professional Nurse Proctored Examination
4. A nurse working in a medical-surgical unit receives an order from a physician to administer a medication
at a dose that is twice the maximum recommended daily dose. Which legal principle most applies to this
situation?
A. Respondeat superior, because the physician is ultimately liable for the order.
B. Beneficence, because the nurse should act in the patient's best interest.
C. Veracity, because the nurse should be truthful about the concern.
D. Duty to act and independent nursing liability, because the nurse is legally responsible for verifying that
orders are safe before administration. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Nurses have an independent legal duty to ensure that orders are safe, appropriate, and within the scope of
practice before administering them. Administering an unsafe dose constitutes negligence regardless of who wrote the
order.
5. A nurse posts a photo on social media showing a unique wound care case from the clinical unit, without
including any patient identifiers. Which statement best describes the professional boundary violation in this
scenario?
A. The post is acceptable because no patient identifiers are included.
B. Even without identifiers, posting clinical images violates patient privacy and HIPAA regulations because
the patient could potentially be identified by context. [CORRECT]
C. The nurse should obtain the patient's verbal consent before posting the image.
D. Social media posts are protected under free speech if no names are used.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA's minimum necessary standard and professional ethics require that patient information not be
disclosed in any format, including social media. Even de-identified information can potentially identify patients through
contextual details and constitutes a privacy violation.
6. A nurse is caring for a patient with end-stage ovarian cancer who expresses a desire to discontinue all
treatment and enter hospice care. The patient's adult children strongly disagree and demand that the nurse
continue curative treatment. Which ethical principle takes priority in this situation?
A. Patient autonomy, as a competent adult has the right to make decisions about their own healthcare,
including refusal of treatment. [CORRECT]
B. Beneficence, because the nurse should act in what the family believes is the patient's best interest.
C. Nonmaleficence, because discontinuing treatment could be viewed as causing harm.
D. Justice, because all available treatment options should be offered equally.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patient autonomy is the ethical principle that takes precedence when a competent adult makes an informed
decision about their own care. The patient's right to self-determination includes the right to refuse treatment, even if
family members disagree.
7. A nurse is providing care to a patient who sustained a fall in the hospital. The patient's family asks the
nurse who is responsible for the fall. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate regarding mandatory
reporting and legal accountability?
A. The nurse should blame the unlicensed assistive personnel who were assigned to the patient.
B. The nurse should decline to discuss the incident with the family.
Page 2
NURSE
Proctored Assessment Examination 2026-2027
50 Questions with Correct Solutions and Rationales
Aligned with AACN Essentials, NCSBN NCJMM & ATI Blueprint Standards
Assessment Technologies Institute
April 2026
, ATI Professional Nurse Proctored Examination
Section 1: Professional Identity, Ethics & Legal Accountability (Questions 1-10)
1. A new graduate nurse is assigned to care for a patient who requests that no information be shared with
family members. The patient's spouse calls the nursing station demanding an update on the patient's
condition. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1?
A. Provide general information about the patient's condition to the spouse because the spouse has a right to
know.
B. Respect the patient's autonomy and withhold information, explaining to the spouse that the patient has
requested privacy. [CORRECT]
C. Ask the charge nurse to make the decision about what information to disclose to the spouse.
D. Tell the spouse that the patient is fine and will call them when ready.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1 emphasizes respect for human dignity and the right of patients to
self-determination. The nurse must protect patient autonomy and confidentiality by honoring the patient's expressed
wishes regarding information sharing.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted following a motor vehicle crash. The patient is
unconscious, and no family members are present. The surgeon wants to perform an emergency exploratory
laparotomy. Which concept supports the nurse's role in obtaining informed consent in this situation?
A. Informed consent is the responsibility of the provider performing the procedure, and in emergencies,
consent is implied when the patient cannot consent and delay would cause harm. [CORRECT]
B. The nurse should obtain written consent from the hospital administrator before the procedure.
C. The nurse should contact the state board of nursing for guidance on emergency consent.
D. The nurse must wait until a family member arrives to obtain consent before the procedure proceeds.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Informed consent is the legal and ethical responsibility of the provider performing the procedure. Under the
emergency doctrine, consent is implied when a patient lacks capacity, no surrogate is available, and delaying treatment
would result in serious harm or death.
3. A nurse discovers that a colleague frequently takes home leftover medications from the unit's discharge
supply. The nurse is uncomfortable but fears retaliation. According to the ANA Code of Ethics, which action
is most appropriate?
A. Confront the colleague directly and demand that they stop taking medications.
B. Ignore the behavior because it does not directly affect patient care on the unit.
C. Report the colleague's behavior through the appropriate chain of command, such as the nurse manager or
risk management. [CORRECT]
D. Post anonymously about the behavior on a nursing social media forum to seek advice.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: ANA Code of Ethics Provision 3 requires nurses to promote, advocate for, and protect the rights, health, and
safety of the patient. Reporting impaired or unethical colleagues through proper channels is a professional obligation,
not a breach of loyalty.
Page 1
, ATI Professional Nurse Proctored Examination
4. A nurse working in a medical-surgical unit receives an order from a physician to administer a medication
at a dose that is twice the maximum recommended daily dose. Which legal principle most applies to this
situation?
A. Respondeat superior, because the physician is ultimately liable for the order.
B. Beneficence, because the nurse should act in the patient's best interest.
C. Veracity, because the nurse should be truthful about the concern.
D. Duty to act and independent nursing liability, because the nurse is legally responsible for verifying that
orders are safe before administration. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Nurses have an independent legal duty to ensure that orders are safe, appropriate, and within the scope of
practice before administering them. Administering an unsafe dose constitutes negligence regardless of who wrote the
order.
5. A nurse posts a photo on social media showing a unique wound care case from the clinical unit, without
including any patient identifiers. Which statement best describes the professional boundary violation in this
scenario?
A. The post is acceptable because no patient identifiers are included.
B. Even without identifiers, posting clinical images violates patient privacy and HIPAA regulations because
the patient could potentially be identified by context. [CORRECT]
C. The nurse should obtain the patient's verbal consent before posting the image.
D. Social media posts are protected under free speech if no names are used.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA's minimum necessary standard and professional ethics require that patient information not be
disclosed in any format, including social media. Even de-identified information can potentially identify patients through
contextual details and constitutes a privacy violation.
6. A nurse is caring for a patient with end-stage ovarian cancer who expresses a desire to discontinue all
treatment and enter hospice care. The patient's adult children strongly disagree and demand that the nurse
continue curative treatment. Which ethical principle takes priority in this situation?
A. Patient autonomy, as a competent adult has the right to make decisions about their own healthcare,
including refusal of treatment. [CORRECT]
B. Beneficence, because the nurse should act in what the family believes is the patient's best interest.
C. Nonmaleficence, because discontinuing treatment could be viewed as causing harm.
D. Justice, because all available treatment options should be offered equally.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patient autonomy is the ethical principle that takes precedence when a competent adult makes an informed
decision about their own care. The patient's right to self-determination includes the right to refuse treatment, even if
family members disagree.
7. A nurse is providing care to a patient who sustained a fall in the hospital. The patient's family asks the
nurse who is responsible for the fall. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate regarding mandatory
reporting and legal accountability?
A. The nurse should blame the unlicensed assistive personnel who were assigned to the patient.
B. The nurse should decline to discuss the incident with the family.
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