1. What is the primary purpose of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in nursing research? A. To describe the characteristics of a particular patient population B. To test the efficacy of a new nursing intervention C. To establish the prevalence of a health-related event D. To explore the experiences of patients with chronic illness Answer: B. The primary purpose of an RCT is to test the efficacy of a new nursing intervention. This is achieved by randomly assigning participants to either the intervention group or the control group, which helps to eliminate bias and ensures that the results are attributable to the intervention itself rather than other factors. 2. In evidence-based nursing practice, which level of evidence is considered the strongest? A. Expert opinion B. Case-controlled studies C. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses D. Qualitative research Answer: C. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered the strongest level of evidence in evidence-based nursing practice because they synthesize data from multiple studies, increasing the power and reliability of the findings. 3. When evaluating a research article, which of the following is a critical component to assess for evidence-based practice? A. The impact factor of the journal B. The statistical significance of the results C. The number of authors D. The length of the article Answer: B. The statistical significance of the results is a critical component to assess when evaluating a research article for evidence-based practice. It indicates the likelihood that the observed effects are due to chance, with a lower p-value suggesting a higher level of significance.