NUR 501 Exam 2: Philosophical and Theoretical
Basis of Nursing - St. Thomas University Updated
and Latest Questions and Correct Answers with
Rationale
1. According to Dorothea Orem, what is the primary indicator that nursing intervention is
necessary for a patient?
A. The presence of a medical diagnosis requiring pharmaceutical intervention
B. A deficit between the patient’s self-care agency and their therapeutic self-care demand
C. A disruption in the patient’s spiritual well-being or cultural alignment
D. The patient’s inability to adapt to environmental stressors and external stimuli
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory posits that nursing is required when an
individual is unable to meet their own self-care needs. This gap is specifically defined as a
deficit between the person’s capabilities and the demands of their health situation. The
nurse acts to bridge this gap through various nursing systems such as wholly
compensatory or supportive-educative roles. Understanding this deficit allows for a
structured approach to fostering patient independence and health maintenance. This
model remains highly influential in guiding clinical assessments and planning patient-
centered interventions.
2. In Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model, which of the following is considered one of the
four effector modes?
A. Self-Care Agency
B. Role Function
C. Interpersonal Harmony
D. Environmental Sanitation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Roy’s model identifies four effector modes through which an individual adapts
to stimuli: physiological, self-concept, role function, and interdependence. The role function
mode specifically focuses on the category of positions a person occupies in society and the
expectations associated with them. Adaptation occurs when the person responds positively
to environmental changes within these specific modes. Nurses use these modes as a
framework to assess patient behaviors and determine if adaptation is effective or
ineffective. This comprehensive view helps nurses address the holistic needs of the patient
during the recovery process.
,3. Martha Rogers’ Theory of Unitary Human Beings describes humans and their environment
as:
A. Distinct entities that interact through linear cause-and-effect relationships
B. Entities separated by a boundary that protects the internal environment from stressors
C. Biological systems that maintain homeostasis through negative feedback loops
D. Irreducible, four-dimensional energy fields that are integral with one another
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Rogers’ theory is unique because it views the person and environment as
energy fields that cannot be separated or reduced to parts. This perspective emphasizes
that the human-environment process is continuous, creative, and non-linear. Nursing in
this framework focuses on repatterning these energy fields to promote health and well-
being. By recognizing this integrality, nurses look beyond physical symptoms to the
patient’s entire life process. This abstract model challenges traditional medical views and
promotes a more holistic, energy-based approach to care.
4. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring identifies ‘Caritas Processes’ to guide nursing
practice. Which of the following is a Caritas Process?
A. Calculating precise medication dosages based on body weight
B. Cultivating a sensitivity to one’s self and others
C. Modifying the patient’s environment to ensure physical safety
D. Standardizing care plans for patients with the same medical diagnosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Watson’s theory focuses on the transpersonal caring relationship between the
nurse and the patient. Cultivating sensitivity is a core Caritas Process that allows the nurse
to connect with the patient on a deeper, spiritual level. This process shifts the focus from
purely technical tasks to the subjective, lived experience of the individual. Caring is viewed
as the essence of nursing and is necessary for healing to occur beyond just curing a disease.
Watson’s framework encourages nurses to bring their authentic presence to every patient
encounter.
5. During which phase of Hildegard Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations does the
patient begin to feel a sense of belonging and starts to deal with their problems?
A. Orientation
B. Identification
C. Exploitation
D. Resolution
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Peplau’s theory outlines four phases of the nurse-patient relationship:
orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution. In the identification phase, the
patient begins to respond to those who can help them and feels a sense of belonging. This is
a critical turning point where the patient shifts from being a passive recipient to an active
participant in their care. The nurse supports this transition by providing a supportive
environment for the patient to express feelings. This interpersonal process is foundational
to psychiatric and general nursing practice alike.
6. Madeleine Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality utilizes which
conceptual tool to depict the factors influencing care?
A. The Adaptation Arrow
B. The Sunrise Enabler
C. The Energy Field Map
D. The Health Promotion Hexagon
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Leininger’s Sunrise Enabler is a visual tool that represents the various
components of her theory, including cultural and social structure factors. It helps nurses
visualize how different factors like religion, politics, and kinship influence the delivery of
culturally congruent care. The goal of this theory is to provide care that is meaningful and
fits the patient’s cultural values and beliefs. By using this tool, nurses can better understand
the holistic background of the patient to avoid cultural imposition. This framework is
essential for modern nursing in increasingly diverse global societies.
7. Imogene King’s Theory of Goal Attainment emphasizes that the nurse and patient should:
A. Maintain a strictly professional distance to ensure objectivity
B. Mutually set goals and agree on the means to achieve them
C. Focus primarily on the biological needs of the patient’s body systems
D. Allow the nurse to make all clinical decisions based on expert knowledge
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: King’s theory is built on the interaction between the personal, interpersonal,
and social systems. It posits that if the nurse and patient communicate and interact
effectively, they can reach a mutual agreement on health goals. This transaction is the key
to achieving positive outcomes and improving the patient’s health status. The theory
highlights the importance of the patient’s perception and participation in the clinical
process. Consequently, nurses using this model focus heavily on communication skills and
collaborative decision-making.
Basis of Nursing - St. Thomas University Updated
and Latest Questions and Correct Answers with
Rationale
1. According to Dorothea Orem, what is the primary indicator that nursing intervention is
necessary for a patient?
A. The presence of a medical diagnosis requiring pharmaceutical intervention
B. A deficit between the patient’s self-care agency and their therapeutic self-care demand
C. A disruption in the patient’s spiritual well-being or cultural alignment
D. The patient’s inability to adapt to environmental stressors and external stimuli
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory posits that nursing is required when an
individual is unable to meet their own self-care needs. This gap is specifically defined as a
deficit between the person’s capabilities and the demands of their health situation. The
nurse acts to bridge this gap through various nursing systems such as wholly
compensatory or supportive-educative roles. Understanding this deficit allows for a
structured approach to fostering patient independence and health maintenance. This
model remains highly influential in guiding clinical assessments and planning patient-
centered interventions.
2. In Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model, which of the following is considered one of the
four effector modes?
A. Self-Care Agency
B. Role Function
C. Interpersonal Harmony
D. Environmental Sanitation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Roy’s model identifies four effector modes through which an individual adapts
to stimuli: physiological, self-concept, role function, and interdependence. The role function
mode specifically focuses on the category of positions a person occupies in society and the
expectations associated with them. Adaptation occurs when the person responds positively
to environmental changes within these specific modes. Nurses use these modes as a
framework to assess patient behaviors and determine if adaptation is effective or
ineffective. This comprehensive view helps nurses address the holistic needs of the patient
during the recovery process.
,3. Martha Rogers’ Theory of Unitary Human Beings describes humans and their environment
as:
A. Distinct entities that interact through linear cause-and-effect relationships
B. Entities separated by a boundary that protects the internal environment from stressors
C. Biological systems that maintain homeostasis through negative feedback loops
D. Irreducible, four-dimensional energy fields that are integral with one another
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Rogers’ theory is unique because it views the person and environment as
energy fields that cannot be separated or reduced to parts. This perspective emphasizes
that the human-environment process is continuous, creative, and non-linear. Nursing in
this framework focuses on repatterning these energy fields to promote health and well-
being. By recognizing this integrality, nurses look beyond physical symptoms to the
patient’s entire life process. This abstract model challenges traditional medical views and
promotes a more holistic, energy-based approach to care.
4. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring identifies ‘Caritas Processes’ to guide nursing
practice. Which of the following is a Caritas Process?
A. Calculating precise medication dosages based on body weight
B. Cultivating a sensitivity to one’s self and others
C. Modifying the patient’s environment to ensure physical safety
D. Standardizing care plans for patients with the same medical diagnosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Watson’s theory focuses on the transpersonal caring relationship between the
nurse and the patient. Cultivating sensitivity is a core Caritas Process that allows the nurse
to connect with the patient on a deeper, spiritual level. This process shifts the focus from
purely technical tasks to the subjective, lived experience of the individual. Caring is viewed
as the essence of nursing and is necessary for healing to occur beyond just curing a disease.
Watson’s framework encourages nurses to bring their authentic presence to every patient
encounter.
5. During which phase of Hildegard Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations does the
patient begin to feel a sense of belonging and starts to deal with their problems?
A. Orientation
B. Identification
C. Exploitation
D. Resolution
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Peplau’s theory outlines four phases of the nurse-patient relationship:
orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution. In the identification phase, the
patient begins to respond to those who can help them and feels a sense of belonging. This is
a critical turning point where the patient shifts from being a passive recipient to an active
participant in their care. The nurse supports this transition by providing a supportive
environment for the patient to express feelings. This interpersonal process is foundational
to psychiatric and general nursing practice alike.
6. Madeleine Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality utilizes which
conceptual tool to depict the factors influencing care?
A. The Adaptation Arrow
B. The Sunrise Enabler
C. The Energy Field Map
D. The Health Promotion Hexagon
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Leininger’s Sunrise Enabler is a visual tool that represents the various
components of her theory, including cultural and social structure factors. It helps nurses
visualize how different factors like religion, politics, and kinship influence the delivery of
culturally congruent care. The goal of this theory is to provide care that is meaningful and
fits the patient’s cultural values and beliefs. By using this tool, nurses can better understand
the holistic background of the patient to avoid cultural imposition. This framework is
essential for modern nursing in increasingly diverse global societies.
7. Imogene King’s Theory of Goal Attainment emphasizes that the nurse and patient should:
A. Maintain a strictly professional distance to ensure objectivity
B. Mutually set goals and agree on the means to achieve them
C. Focus primarily on the biological needs of the patient’s body systems
D. Allow the nurse to make all clinical decisions based on expert knowledge
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: King’s theory is built on the interaction between the personal, interpersonal,
and social systems. It posits that if the nurse and patient communicate and interact
effectively, they can reach a mutual agreement on health goals. This transaction is the key
to achieving positive outcomes and improving the patient’s health status. The theory
highlights the importance of the patient’s perception and participation in the clinical
process. Consequently, nurses using this model focus heavily on communication skills and
collaborative decision-making.
