Chapter 05: Introduction to the Nursing Process

Chapter 05: Introduction to the Nursing Process

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The nursing process is the foundation of professional nursing practice. As such, the nursing process can be defined as:

ANS:  A

The nursing process is the foundation of professional nursing practice. It is the framework within which nurses provide care to patients in an organized and effective manner. Paul describes critical thinking as a complex process during which individuals think about their thinking to provide clarity and increase precision and relevance in a specific situation while attempting to be fair and consistent. Critical thinking using the nursing process allows nurses to collect essential patient data, articulate the specific needs of individual patients, and effectively communicate those needs, realistic goals, and customized interventions with members of the health care team. Thinking like a nurse is facilitated by nurses using the nursing process in the development of individualized patient plans of care.

DIF:    Remembering                                 REF:   p. 70               OBJ:   5.1

TOP:   Assessment

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care

NOT:  Concepts: Care Coordination

2. The term nursing process was first used in 1955. In 1973, the American Nurses Association identified five specific steps of the process. The essential step that was added in 1991 is:

ANS:  C

The term nursing process was first used by Lydia Hall in 1955. In 1973, the American Nurses Association (ANA) identified five specific steps of the nursing process in its Standards of Clinical Practice (1991). These five steps—assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation—define how professional nursing practice is conducted. Outcome identification was added as an essential aspect of the nursing process by the ANA in 1991. Most nursing professionals and educators recognize outcome identification as part of the planning step of the traditional five-step nursing process.

DIF:    Remembering                                 REF:   p. 70               OBJ:   5.2

TOP:   Assessment

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care

NOT:  Concepts: Care Coordination

3. The nursing process is cyclic rather than linear. Because of the cyclic nature, as an individual patient’s condition changes:

ANS:  C

The nursing process is cyclic rather than linear. As an individual patient’s condition changes, so does the way a professional nurse thinks about that patient’s needs, forcing modification of earlier plans of care. At each step of the nursing process, nurses must consider the accuracy and effectiveness of their thought process. This form of reflective thought is an essential aspect of critical thinking. The evolutionary nature of the nursing process allows nurses to adjust to changing patient needs. Plans of care must evolve as patients’ needs change.

DIF:    Understanding                                 REF:   pp. 71-72        OBJ:   5.3

TOP:   Planning

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care

NOT:  Concepts: Care Coordination

4. The charge nurse is discussing a patient’s care plan during a team meeting. The team determines that the patient has not met the goal of “ambulating to the nurse’s station twice a day” and decides to revise the plan. Which of the following characteristics of the nursing process most represents this decision?

ANS:  D

Patient care plans are developed to meet each patient’s goals, not the goals of standardized patients or members of the health care team, including the nurse. Decisions regarding which nursing interventions and medical treatments to implement are made on the basis of safety and their effectiveness in meeting a patient’s identified needs and desired outcomes. The dynamic, responsive nature of the nursing process allows it to be used effectively with patients in any setting and at every level of care. The plan of care is individualized for the patient on the basis of assessment findings, changing needs, setting, and timing of interaction, not just outcomes. Following the steps of the nursing process ensures that patient care is well organized and thorough. The nursing process is adaptable for developing plans of care for individuals who are hospitalized or are receiving care in an outpatient, long-term care, or home setting. It is an equally useful method for addressing the needs of a specific population.

DIF:    Understanding                                 REF:   pp. 72-73        OBJ:   5.3

TOP:   Planning

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care

NOT:  Concepts: Care Coordination