COMMUNICATION
Which part of SBAR includes the patient’s chief concern?
Situation
Name one of the “six rights” of medication administration.
Right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation.
Which PPE goes on FIRST?
A) Gloves
B) Gown
C) Mask
D) Goggles
Answer: B — gown → mask → goggles → gloves.
What is the typical range for a numeric pain scale?
0–10
Normal urine output per hour for an adult is:
~30 mL/hr.
Which statement is therapeutic?
A) “You need to calm down.”
B) “Tell me more about what’s worrying you.”
B) “Tell me more about what’s worrying you.”
invites exploration.
The order is acetaminophen 650 mg PO. The tablets are 325 mg each. How many tablets do you give?
2 tablets.
What type of isolation is needed for C. difficile?
Contact plus soap & water handwashing.
Which is the BEST pain assessment question?
A) “Does it hurt?”
B) “On a scale of 0–10, how would you rate your pain right now?”
“On a scale of 0–10, how would you rate your pain right now?”
Which finding suggests fecal impaction?
A) Frequent small watery stools
B) Hard formed stools daily
A) Frequent small watery stools
A patient says, “I’m scared about this procedure.” What is the best response?
A) “You’ll be fine.”
B) “What about the procedure is worrying you most?”
B) “What about the procedure is worrying you most?”
open-ended, validates emotion.
The dose on the MAR does not match the dose on the medication label. What should the nurse do FIRST?
Hold the medication and verify the order.
You observe a student nurse cleaning a Foley catheter by wiping from the catheter tip toward the perineum. What should you do?
Correct immediately — always wipe away from the urethra (clean → dirty).
A patient rates their pain 7/10 but appears comfortable. What should the nurse do?
Accept the patient’s report and treat accordingly.
A UAP hangs a Foley bag above the level of the bladder. What should the nurse do?
Reposition immediately — risk of backflow and infection.
A nurse is caring for a patient who speaks limited English. Which is the BEST communication method?
A) Use a family member to interpret
B) Use a trained medical interpreter
B) Use a trained medical interpreter
safest and most accurate.
A patient refuses a medication. What is the nurse’s BEST action?
Explore the patient’s reason and educate appropriately; do not force the med.
A patient with pneumonia is coughing and producing large amounts of sputum. What is the priority infection control step?
Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport.
A patient received morphine 30 minutes ago and reports no relief. What should the nurse assess FIRST?
Respiratory rate and LOC.
A patient with incontinence has skin breakdown. What is the priority intervention?
Keep skin clean/dry and apply moisture barrier.
A UAP reports a patient is “acting weird.” What is the nurse’s BEST communication response?
A) Ask, “What specific behaviors are you seeing?”
B) Say, “I’ll check later.”
A) Ask, “What specific behaviors are you seeing?”
clarifies objective data for safe follow-up.
A nurse is preparing to administer insulin. The vial concentration appears different than expected. What is the priority action?
Double-check with another RN and verify order — insulin is a high-alert med.
A nurse breaks the chain of infection at which step when using proper hand hygiene?
Mode of transmission.
A nonverbal older adult with dementia is grimacing and guarding their abdomen. What is the priority action?
Use a validated nonverbal pain scale and treat suspected pain.
A patient with diarrhea for 3 days develops confusion and dry mucous membranes. What is the nurse’s FIRST action?
Assess hydration/electrolytes; initiate fluid replacement.