Fundamentals of Nursing Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A patient says, “I am frightened about tomorrow's surgery.” Which response best uses therapeutic communication?
“Tell me what concerns you most about the surgery.”
“There is no reason to worry; these surgeries are routine.”
“I know exactly how you feel because I once had surgery.”
“Try not to think about it; let us discuss your discharge instead.”
2. Before helping a weak patient transfer from bed to chair, which preparation best supports safety?
Raise the bed well above the nurse's waist to shorten the transfer
Leave the wheelchair unlocked so it can adjust to the patient's movement
Lock the bed and chair, use prescribed transfer aids, and follow the mobility plan
Ask the patient to hold around the nurse's neck during the transfer
3. Which chart entry is the most objective?
Patient appears to be in considerable pain
Patient had a good response to the dressing change
Incision is 4 cm long; edges are approximated with no visible drainage
Wound looks much worse than it did yesterday
4. A nurse is preparing a sterile field. Which action contaminates the field?
Turning away from the sterile field after it has been opened
Keeping sterile supplies above waist level and in view
Opening the package flap farthest from the body first
Dropping a sterile item onto the field without reaching across it
5. After collecting and validating assessment data, what is the next step of the nursing process?
Analyze the data to identify nursing diagnoses or problems
Carry out the planned nursing interventions
Establish goals before interpreting the findings
Evaluate whether expected outcomes were achieved
6. To whom should Standard Precautions be applied?
Only patients receiving care in isolation rooms
Only patients with laboratory-confirmed infections
Every patient, regardless of known or suspected infection status
Only patients who have visible blood or body-fluid drainage
7. After collecting a urine specimen, which action best supports accurate identification?
Leave the unlabeled container at the nurses' station for later processing
Ask laboratory staff to identify the specimen from the request form
Use the room number as the specimen's sole identifier
Label it in the patient's presence with required identifiers and collection details
8. An immobile patient's heels show persistent redness. Which nursing action most directly reduces further pressure?
Offload the heels and use an individualized repositioning plan
Place the heels directly against a firm mattress surface
Massage the reddened areas during every skin check
Limit repositioning to avoid creating friction elsewhere
9. Before administering a medication, which action best confirms that it is intended for the correct patient?
Ask the patient to confirm the room number
Ask a nearby family member to identify the patient
Check whether the medication is commonly used on the unit
Match at least two patient identifiers with the medication record
10. While walking with assistance, a patient loses balance and begins to fall. What should the nurse do?
Pull upward on the patient's arms to keep the patient standing
Use a wide stance and guide the patient toward the floor while protecting the head
Step away and retrieve a wheelchair before providing support
Twist at the waist and lift the patient back into an upright position
11. A patient is receiving supplemental oxygen. Which action is most important for fire prevention?
Apply petroleum jelly around the patient's nostrils
Cover the oxygen equipment with a blanket when it is not being adjusted
Increase the oxygen flow whenever the patient reports feeling warm
Keep oxygen away from smoking, open flames, and sparking equipment
12. Which hand-hygiene method is appropriate when a nurse's hands are visibly soiled?
Put on clean gloves without first cleaning the hands
Rub the hands with a dry paper towel
Apply an alcohol-based hand rub over the visible soil
Wash with soap and water using appropriate technique
13. Which task is generally appropriate to delegate to trained assistive personnel for a stable patient, subject to local policy?
Perform the initial nursing assessment
Measure and report routine vital signs
Teach the patient how to use a new medication
Evaluate the patient's response to a care plan
14. The medication administration record lists 10 mg, but the available package is labeled 20 mg per tablet and the nurse cannot confirm that it may be split. What is the best next action?
Give the whole tablet because it is the available unit dose
Estimate half of the tablet without checking whether it is designed to be split
Hold preparation and clarify the correct formulation or dose before administration
Ask the patient which dose is usually administered and proceed from memory
15. After caring for a patient with suspected or confirmed Clostridioides difficile infection and removing gloves, which hand-hygiene method is preferred?
Wipe the gloves with alcohol before using them again
Wash the hands thoroughly with soap and water
Use only an alcohol-based hand rub because it reliably removes spores
Rinse the hands briefly with water without soap
16. During an IV infusion, the site becomes swollen, cool, and uncomfortable. What should the nurse do first?
Increase the infusion rate to test whether the catheter remains patent
Stop the infusion and assess the site, then follow the applicable protocol
Flush the catheter forcefully to clear a possible obstruction
Cover the site so the patient will be less aware of it