Answer Key Multiple Choice

1. a 2. b 3. c 4. c 5. b 6. a 7. c 8. b 9. d 10. e 11. a 12. c 13. f 14. e 15. d Multiple Choice

Circle or highlight the answer that seems to fit best.

1. The worst nursing shortages are seen in the following areas of a hospital: a. emergency departments and pediatrics.

b. surgical units and medical units. c. critical care units and surgical units.

d. critical care units and medical-surgical units. Answer: A

Rationale: Although all hospital units are experiencing a shortage of nursing staff, specialty areas such as emergency departments and pediatric units are hardest hit.

Nursing schools (both ADN and BSN programs) prepare generalists to graduate and pass the nurse licensure (NCLEX) exam. Hospital specialty unitsmust then provide extra training to generalists in their specialty areas. Note that although critical care units are specialty units, surgical units and medical-surgical units are not.

Additional Web resources:

Nurse shortage fact sheet from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN):

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/Backgrounders/shortagefacts.htm

Frequently asked questions about the nursing shortage can be found at

http://www.nursesource.org/facts_shortage.html

2. The problem with the nursing shortage is

a. not enough interest in nursing by students and not enough men in nursing.

b. supply and demand.

d. mainly a problem of a growing elder population. Answer: B

Rationale: Answer B is an ―umbrella‖ answer that encompasses answer choices C and D. Answer choice A is not true; the student interest is plentiful and male interest is rising. Many nursing training programs, both ADN and BSN, lack adequate nursing faculty to teach in their programs as well as enough clinical areas in which to teach the students they have; multiple programs in a given area have to share clinical training facilities. The nursing shortage is a complex, multi-faceted problem without simple answers; hence, there is no quick fix.

Additional Web resources: same as above for question #1 3. A major concern with the shortage is that

a. there are not enough people to teach and not enough qualified students applying.

b. there are too many qualified students applying but not enough space for them.

c. there are many qualified applicants but not enough faculty to teach.

d. there is not enough interest in going to nursing school by women and men. Answer: C

Rationale: Answer choice C most accurately describes the national problem of a nursing faculty shortage.

Additional Web resources: same as question #1

4. Which of the following explains the increased demand for nurses?

a. a growing number of elders, a growing number of public health diseases, a growing increase of those on Medicaid

b. a growing overall population, a growing number of immigrants, a growing number of sick patients

c. an increase in the number of elders, patients in the hospital are sicker, an increase in technology and complexity of health care

d. an increase in technology, a growing population, greater numbers of diseases

Answer: C

Rationale: Answer choice C most accurately explains the reason for the increased demand for nurses.

Additional Web resources: same as question #1 5. A major solution to the nursing shortage is to

a. pay nurses higher salaries.

b. improve work conditions and job satisfaction. c. increase the number of men in nursing.

d. increase the amount of money students can receive for financial aid. Answer: B

Rationale: Improving nurse:patient ratios (for various levels of patient acuity) greatly improves nurses’ working conditions and job satisfaction, thus improving retention of

both experienced and new nurses and decreasing the problem of burnout that’s adding to the shortage. As a state, California has addressed the problem of nurse:patient ratios by mandating what they deem to be safe ratios. Nurses’ job satisfaction is significantly greater in this supportive environment.

6. Another solution to the shortage is seen in the Nurse Reinvestment Act to a. support students and faculty.

b. invest in improving the image of nursing and increasing diversity. c. add more capacity to hospitals to train nurses.

d. increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees. Answer: A

Rationale: Answer choice A is an umbrella answer that encompasses all of the other possible options that are parts of the AACN’s Nurse Reinvestment Act.

Please see The AACN’s Nurse Reinvestment Act Web site: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NRAataglance.htm

7. To be a good nurse, one of the most important skills to develop is a. communication.

b. liking people. c. caring.

d. understanding. Answer: C

Rationale: Answer choice C, caring, is an essential nursing concept.

The caring individual is an understanding person who genuinely likes people, enjoys helping people and communicates in a professional, respectful manner (which encompass the other answer choices).

Note: This includes caring for clients from different cultures, also known as transcultural nursing.

Additional Web resources: Transcultural Nursing Web site:

http://www.culturediversity.org/

Transcultural Nursing Society

http://www.tcns.org/

8. Being an advocate means a. helping care for people. b. to inform and support.

c. knowing the legal system for health care systems. d. understanding the meaning of human rights. Answer: B

Rationale: An advocate informs and supports the other person, answer choice B. This can include but is not limited to the answer choices A, C, and D.

Additional Web resources:

Patient Advocate Foundation's Mission Statement

Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation ensuring access to care, maintenance of

employment, and preservation of their financial stability.

http://www.patientadvocate.org/

9. The reason math is important in nursing has to do with a. meeting the prerequisites to get into nursing school. b. not making medication errors.

c. learning to think logically. d. all of the above.

Answer: D

Rationale: Mathematic skills are important for all of the above reasons. The first step is to meet the prerequisites for one’s chosen nursing program. Next, logical (analytical) and critical thinking is an essential nursing skill as a nurse is an advocate for his/her clients. As a caregiver and advocate, the nurse needs strong math skills to do his/her best to avoid making medication errors. Nurses are responsible for correct dosage calculations as well as knowing correct and safe dosages of medications.

Additional Web resources: Math for Nurses Web site

http://www.nursingsmart.com/s/math_for_nurses

10. Ambulatory care nursing takes place in which setting? a. anywhere outside a hospital

b. in a hospital c. in the home

d. critical care and emergency department e. in a clinic or other setting outside the hospital f. a and d

Answer: E

Rationale: Of the above answer choices, answer choice e, in a clinic or other setting outside the hospital, best describes the location where ambulatory care nursing takes place. Webster’s Online Dictionary (2007) defines ambulatory care as ―Health care services provided to patients on an ambulatory (non-emergency) basis, rather than by admission to a hospital or other health care facility. The services may be a part of a hospital, augmenting (adding to) its hospital inpatient services, or may be provided at a (usually nearby) free-standing facility.‖

Additional Web resources:

The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing Web site

http://www.aaacn.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/AAACNMain

11. Nurses who work in public health are mainly concerned with a. populations and their health care.

b. diseases that can spread and cause a pandemic. c. taking care of low-income patients.

d. working to improve global health. Answer: A

Rationale: Public health nurses focus on and are concerned about groups of people (populations) rather than on specific individuals, reflected most generally in answer

choice A. Answer choices B, C, and D are specific problems and issues under the general category of public health.

Additional Web resources:

The American Public Health Association (APHA)

http://www.apha.org/

The National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO), which is the national connection (or ―voice‖) for local public health:

http://www.naccho.org/

The Public Health Foundation:

http://www.phf.org/

12. New roles for nurses include a. advanced practice. b. writing prescriptions.

c. bioterrorism and disaster nursing. d. flight nursing.

Answer: C

Rationale: New roles for nurses, primarily after September 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina, are bioterrorism and disaster nursing. Some master’s-degree-prepared advanced practice nursing roles, like nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives who practice in collaboration with physicians (physician extenders), do have prescriptive privileges. Flight nursing is a nursing specialty area.

Additional Web resources:

Read about Advanced Practice Nursing on The American Nurse’s Association’s Nursing Facts page: Advanced Practice Nursing: A New Age in Health Care

13. Nursing roles that require graduate education include a. emergency nursing.

b. midwife.

c. nursing faculty in most colleges. d. intensive care nursing.

e. a and d. f. b and c.

Answer: F

Rationale: Yes, both answer choices B and C, the certified nurse midwife (CNM) and nursing faculty in most colleges require a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN in Nursing Education). Emergency nursing and intensive care nursing are specialty areas that a nurse may become certified in by exam but an advanced practice degree is not required.

Additional Web resources:

Read about Advanced Practice Nursing on The American Nurse’s Association’s Nursing Facts page: Advanced Practice Nursing: A New Age in Health Care

14. Technology is a trend that is affecting health care and nursing because

b. globalization means we need better ways to communicate. c. it increases the cost of health care.

d. a and b e. a and c Answer: E

Rationale: Local technology, its complexity, expense, and rapid changes affect today’s health care professionals on a daily basis. Nurses have to learn all about how to use (and troubleshoot) the ―new‖ equipment. Computerized charting, downloading patient

information and then uploading patient information onto personal handheld devices, has become commonplace. Patient monitoring systems and our IV pumps are all computers. These have become the standard of care in our hi-tech society. Although the distractor about globalization necessitating enhanced communication may be true, it does not address the trend of local technology that nurses work with on a daily basis.

15. How can you make the right choice for your major? a. Get career counseling in high school and college.

b. Work with your advisor to discuss your goals and concerns. c. Get a tutor if you need help with classes.

d. all of the above Answer: D

Rationale: All of the above will help put you on a career path that’s the best fit for you. For any concerns and a great place to start, find your college’s or university’s student academic services department; if they can’t answer your question, they’ll be able to refer you to the best place on campus to receive the assistance you need. For academic,

schedule, or course concerns, your advisor or advising department can probably help, or again, refer you to a better person or department on campus to assist you or get your question answered. Look for your school’s learning assistance center, student success center, or tutoring center for available tutors. Remember, do not wait: request a tutor early!

Additional Web resources:

You may be able to find some free online tutoring like The World of Math Online:

http://www.math.com/

Fill in the Blank 1. major 2. commitment 3. BSN

4. aging, faculty

5. bioterrorism, disaster response 6. Forensic

7. Alternative, complimentary 8. advanced practice

9. population 10. hospital

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