Theorists & Nursing Theory
A nurse uses Peplau’s theory to structure care. Which action best demonstrates this theory in practice?
A. Focusing primarily on completing physical tasks
B. Encouraging a therapeutic nurse–patient relationship
C. Emphasizing the patient’s cultural preferences
D. Assessing the environment for safety hazards
B — Encouraging a therapeutic nurse–patient relationship
Rationale: Peplau’s theory focuses on the interpersonal relationship between nurse and patient as the foundation for care.
Which action demonstrates academic integrity during nursing school?
A. Guessing on a skills assignment
B. Asking a peer what was on yesterday’s quiz
C. Reporting a medication error immediately
D. Documenting an assessment you did not perform
C — Reporting a medication error immediately
Rationale: Academic integrity equates to honesty, including acknowledging mistakes.
A nurse double-checks insulin with another nurse. Which QSEN competency?
A. Quality improvement
B. Safety
C. Informatics
D. Teamwork
B — Safety
Rationale: Independent double-checks prevent errors with high-risk medications like insulin.
The AACN Essentials emphasize competency-based education primarily to:
A. Reduce clinical hours
B. Improve measurable outcomes in nursing graduates
C. Increase program length
D. Standardize grading systems
B — Improve measurable outcomes in nursing graduates
Rationale: Competency-based education ensures nurses demonstrate observable skills and behaviors, not just seat time.
A student applying for licensure must submit fingerprints and background checks. This requirement comes from:
A. Federal law
B. Board of Nursing regulations
C. AACN Essentials
D. QSEN mandates
B — Board of Nursing regulations
Rationale: Background checks and fingerprints are state licensure requirements.
According to Jean Watson, which nursing action best reflects a “carative factor”?
A. Ensuring timely medication administration
B. Maintaining a sterile environment
C. Developing a trusting, transpersonal caring relationship
D. Providing education about disease processes
C — Developing a trusting, transpersonal caring relationship
Rationale: Watson’s theory emphasizes carative factors and a transpersonal caring relationship, not just tasks or procedures.
A nursing student reports falsified documentation by a peer. This demonstrates which principle?
A. Fidelity
B. Beneficence
C. Veracity
D. Autonomy
C — Veracity
Rationale: Veracity = truth-telling and reporting wrongdoing.
Teaching a patient how to use a glucometer relates to which QSEN area?
A. Patient-centered care
B. Safety
C. Teamwork
D. Evidence-based practice
A — Patient-centered care
Rationale: Teaching a patient to self-manage promotes patient participation and autonomy.
DEI in the Essentials is intended to:
A. Promote uniform patient behaviors
B. Address systemic inequities
C. Increase test scores
D. Standardize teaching methods
B — Address systemic inequities
Rationale: DEI in nursing addresses racism, discrimination, access disparities, and equitable care.
The OBN may take disciplinary action for:
A. Minor documentation errors
B. Practicing outside scope
C. Disliking supervisor policies
D. Not joining a professional organization
B — Practicing outside scope
Rationale: This is a serious violation and grounds for disciplinary action.
The nurse incorporates Nightingale’s theory while caring for a postoperative patient. Which intervention aligns with her beliefs?
A. Encouraging spiritual reflection
B. Improving ventilation and cleanliness in the patient’s room
C. Teaching coping strategies
D. Establishing mutual goals with the patient
B — Improving ventilation and cleanliness in the patient’s room
Rationale: Nightingale believed that environmental factors (air, cleanliness, light) are essential for healing.
A nurse fabricates vital signs to save time. This is considered:
A. Negligence
B. Fraud
C. Misrepresentation
D. Breach of fidelity
C — Misrepresentation
Rationale: Documenting something you did not actually assess = false documentation, a serious ethical/legal violation.
A nurse leads a debriefing session after a medication error. Which QSEN competency?
A. Quality improvement
B. Safety
C. Informatics
D. Teamwork
A — Quality improvement
Rationale: Debriefing after an error is a QI activity to improve future outcomes.
CCNE accreditation ensures:
A. High school programs meet standards
B. Hospitals follow Medicare rules
C. Nursing programs demonstrate quality and integrity
D. Nurses maintain certifications
C — Nursing programs demonstrate quality and integrity
Rationale: CCNE ensures quality standards in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs.
A student says, “I only need to memorize facts to pass NCLEX.” The instructor clarifies that NCLEX focuses on:
A. Knowledge recall
B. Application and clinical judgment
C. Essay-based reflections
D. Memorization of lab values only
B — Application and clinical judgment
Rationale: NCLEX tests decision-making, not rote memorization.
Neuman’s theory focuses on:
A. Interpersonal interactions
B. Meeting basic self-care needs
C. Patient reactions to environmental stressors
D. Transpersonal caring relationships
C — Patient reactions to environmental stressors
Rationale: Neuman’s Systems Model is based on stressors and how they affect a patient’s system stability.
A nurse posts a picture of a unit celebration with coworkers (no patients). This is:
A. A HIPAA violation
B. Potentially unprofessional
C. Acceptable with coworker consent
D. Illegal under ANA Code of Ethics
C — Acceptable with coworker consent
Rationale: Posting coworkers (NOT patients) is fine if they agree and no confidential info is shown.
A nurse monitors high-alert medications more closely. This addresses:
A. Safety
B. Informatics
C. Population health
D. Liberal education
A — Safety
Rationale: Monitoring high-alert medications supports prevention of harm.
Flexner’s criteria highlighted:
A. The importance of caring relationships
B. Benchmark standards for professionalization
C. Elimination of professional boundaries
D. Removal of licensure requirements
B — Benchmark standards for professionalization
Rationale: Flexner identified characteristics of a true profession, including body of knowledge, accountability, and education.
The primary purpose of licensure is to:
A. Regulate hospitals
B. Protect the public
C. Promote nurse satisfaction
D. Increase professional autonomy
B — Protect the public
Rationale: Licensure ensures only competent, safe practitioners provide care.
A nurse evaluating a patient’s spiritual, physical, emotional, and developmental needs is using which concept?
A. Metaparadigm
B. Primary appraisal
C. Health belief model
D. Flexner's standards
A- Metaparadigm
Rationale: The metaparadigm includes person, health, environment, and nursing, reflecting holistic care.
Which nursing behavior reflects the ANA Code of Ethics?
A. Prioritizing loyalty to coworkers
B. Maintaining competency through lifelong learning
C. Posting clinical frustrations online
D. Accepting all assignments without question
B — Maintaining competency through lifelong learning
Rationale: The ANA Code requires ongoing professional development.
A nurse incorporates research into daily practice. This best reflects:
A. Liberal education
B. Evidence-based practice
C. Informatics
D. Teamwork
B — Evidence-Based Practice
Rationale: Integrating research findings into care is EBP.
Boards of Nursing regulate practice to:
A. Promote competitiveness
B. Protect the public from unsafe practitioners
C. Ensure schools charge appropriate tuition
D. Set physician–nurse boundaries
B — Protect the public from unsafe practitioners
Rationale: This is the core purpose of every Board of Nursing.
Which NCLEX client-needs category has the lowest percentage of questions?
A. Management of Care
B. Health Promotion
C. Psychosocial Integrity
D. Reduction of Risk Potential
C — Psychosocial Integrity
Rationale: Psychosocial is the lowest percentage category on the NCLEX test plan.