Fundamentals of Nursing Study Guide

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Sample questions from Fundamentals of Nursing Study Guide

This material has 24 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.A registered nurse is caring for four patients on a medical unit. Which task is most appropriate to delegate to trained unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), consistent with facility policy?

   • A.Assess a patient who reports new dizziness when standing.
   • B.Teach a patient how to use a walker before the first attempt.
   • C.Assist a stable patient with bathing after the nurse establishes the care plan.
   • D.Evaluate whether pain medication improved a patient's ability to walk.

   Rationale: Assisting a stable patient with bathing is a routine task that trained UAP can perform with appropriate instructions and supervision. Assessing new dizziness requires nursing judgment. Initial walker teaching requires a licensed professional with appropriate expertise. Evaluating the response to pain medication is a nursing responsibility.

2. 2.A nurse teaches a patient newly prescribed an oral antibiotic how to take the medication at home. Which approach best evaluates the patient's understanding?

   • A.Ask the patient to explain the medication schedule and what to do if a dose is missed.
   • B.Ask the patient whether the instructions were easy to understand.
   • C.Give the patient a printed medication handout before discharge.
   • D.Ask a family member whether the patient usually follows instructions.

   Rationale: Teach-back asks the patient to explain the plan in their own words, allowing the nurse to identify and correct misunderstandings. Asking whether instructions were understood may produce an uninformative yes. A handout supports teaching but does not evaluate learning. A family member's opinion does not demonstrate the patient's understanding.

3. 3.A hospitalized patient has suspected Clostridioides difficile infection and frequent watery stools. Which infection prevention action is most appropriate?

   • A.Use a surgical mask for every room entry as the main additional precaution.
   • B.Wear gloves only when touching stool, without using a gown.
   • C.Place the patient in a negative-pressure room for airborne precautions.
   • D.Initiate contact precautions and wash hands with soap and water after care.

   Rationale: Suspected C. difficile requires contact precautions, including gown and gloves, and soap-and-water handwashing helps physically remove spores after care. A surgical mask does not address the primary contact route of transmission. Gloves alone provide incomplete protection against environmental contamination. Negative-pressure isolation is used for airborne infections, not routinely for C. difficile.

4. 4.A patient receiving an IV infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride reports discomfort at the peripheral IV site. The nurse finds cool, pale swelling around the catheter and a slowed infusion. What should the nurse do first?

   • A.Increase the infusion rate to overcome resistance.
   • B.Stop the infusion and assess the site for infiltration.
   • C.Flush the catheter forcefully with normal saline.
   • D.Apply a warm compress while allowing the infusion to continue.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.An older adult recovering from abdominal surgery received an opioid analgesic 30 minutes ago. The patient is now difficult to awaken, has shallow respirations at 8 breaths/min, and has an oxygen saturation of 86%. Which action should the nurse take first?

   • A.Document the findings as expected effects of postoperative medication.
   • B.Allow uninterrupted sleep and repeat vital signs in 30 minutes.
   • C.Activate emergency assistance and immediately support the airway and breathing.
   • D.Assist the patient to stand and walk to increase alertness.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.