1. The nurse completes an admission database and explains that the plan of care and discharge 

goals will be developed with the patient’s 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 nurse’s 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.”

ANS: 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 nurse’s role in the health care system.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 3 

TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 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.”

ANS: D 

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of the best research-based evidence combined with 

clinician expertise. Clinical judgment based on the nurse’s 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: 15 

TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 3. 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 patient’s 

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 used primarily to explain nursing interventions to other 

health care professionals.”

d. “The nursing process is based on nursing theory that incorporates the 

biopsychosocial nature of humans.”

ANS: 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: 5 

TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 4. A patient has been admitted to the hospital for surgery and tells the nurse, “I do not feel 

comfortable leaving my children with my parents.” Which action should the nurse take next? 

a. Reassure the patient that these feelings are common for parents.

b. Have the patient call the children to ensure that they are doing well.

c. Gather more data about the patient’s feelings about the child-care arrangements.

d. Call the patient’s parents to determine whether adequate child care is being 

provided.

ANS: C 

Because a complete assessment is necessary in order to identify a problem and choose an 

appropriate intervention, the nurse’s first action should be to obtain more information. The 

other actions may be appropriate, but more assessment is needed before the best intervention 

can be chosen.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 6 

OBJ: Special Questions: Prioritization TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment 

MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial Integrity

 5. A patient who is paralyzed on the left side of the body after a stroke develops a pressure ulcer 

on the left hip. Which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate? 

a. Impaired physical mobility related to left-sided paralysis

b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to left-sided weakness

c. Impaired skin integrity related to altered circulation and pressure

d. Ineffective tissue perfusion related to inability to move independently

ANS: C 

The patient’s major problem is the impaired skin integrity as demonstrated by the presence of 

a pressure ulcer. The nurse is able to treat the cause of altered circulation and pressure by 

frequently repositioning the patient. Although left-sided weakness is a problem for the patient, 

the nurse cannot treat the weakness. The “risk for” diagnosis is not appropriate for this patient, 

who already has impaired tissue integrity. The patient does have ineffective tissue perfusion, 

but the impaired skin integrity diagnosis indicates more clearly what the health problem is.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 7 

TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity

 6. A patient with a bacterial infection has a nursing diagnosis of deficient fluid volume related to 

excessive diaphoresis. Which outcome would the nurse recognize as appropriate for this 

patient? 

a. Patient has a balanced intake and output.

b. Patient’s bedding is changed when it becomes damp.

c. Patient understands the need for increased fluid intake.

d. Patient’s skin remains cool and dry throughout hospitalization.

ANS: A 

This statement gives measurable data showing resolution of the problem of deficient fluid 

volume that was identified in the nursing diagnosis statement. The other statements would not 

indicate that the problem of deficient fluid volume was resolved.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (application) REF: 7 

TOP: Nursing Process: Planning MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity

 7. A nurse asks the patient if pain was relieved after receiving medication. What is the purpose 

of the evaluation phase of the nursing process? 

a. To determine if interventions have been effective in meeting patient outcomes

b. To document the nursing care plan in the progress notes of the medical record

c. To decide whether the patient’s health problems have been completely resolved

d. To establish if the patient agrees that the nursing care provided was satisfactory

ANS: A 

Evaluation consists of determining whether the desired patient outcomes have been met and 

whether the nursing interventions were appropriate. The other responses do not describe the 

evaluation phase.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 5 

TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 8. The nurse interviews a patient while completing the health history and physical examination. 

What is the purpose of the assessment phase of the nursing process? 

a. To teach interventions that relieve health problems

b. To use patient data to evaluate patient care outcomes

c. To obtain data with which to diagnose patient problems

d. To help the patient identify realistic outcomes for health problems

ANS: C 

During the assessment phase, the nurse gathers information about the patient to diagnose 

patient problems. The other responses are examples of the planning, intervention, and 

evaluation phases of the nursing process.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 5 

TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 9. Which nursing diagnosis statement is written correctly? 

a. Altered tissue perfusion related to heart failure

b. Risk for impaired tissue integrity related to sacral redness

c. Ineffective coping related to response to biopsy test results

d. Altered urinary elimination related to urinary tract infection

ANS: C 

This diagnosis statement includes a NANDA nursing diagnosis and an etiology that describes 

a patient’s response to a health problem that can be treated by nursing. The use of a medical 

diagnosis as an etiology (as in the responses beginning “Altered tissue perfusion” and 

“Altered urinary elimination”) is not appropriate. The response beginning “Risk for impaired 

tissue integrity” uses the defining characteristic as the etiology.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (comprehension) REF: 7 

TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis MSC: NCLEX: Safe and Effective Care Environment

 10. The nurse admits a patient to the hospital and develops a plan of care. What components 

should the nurse include in the nursing diagnosis statement? 

a. The problem and the suggested patient goals or outcomes

b. The problem with possible causes and the planned interventions

c. The problem, its cause, and objective data that support the problem

d. The problem with an etiology and the signs and symptoms of the problem

ANS: D 

When writing nursing diagnoses, this format should be used: problem, etiology, and signs and 

symptoms. The subjective, as well as objective, data should be included in the defining 

characteristics. Interventions and outcomes are not included in the nursing diagnosis 

statement.