Nursing Exam Prep

NCLEX-RN: Fundamentals practice questions

12 questions. Try each one first, then open the answer.

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1Question

Which of the following is a true statement?

  1. Elevated neutrophils may indicate the presence of a systemic bacterial infection.
  2. Elevated neutrophils may indicate the presence of a systemic viral infection.
  3. Elevated lymphocytes may indicate the presence of a systemic bacterial infection.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Elevated neutrophils may indicate the presence of a systemic bacterial infection.

Topic: White Blood Cell Differentials

Neutrophils are the primary leukocytes responding to bacterial infections; their count rises in systemic bacterial processes, whereas viral infections typically raise lymphocytes. Thus, an elevated neutrophil count suggests a bacterial etiology.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Neutrophil elevation is not typical for viral infections.
  • C – Lymphocytes rise mainly with viral, not bacterial, infections.

Remember: Neutrophils → bacteria; lymphocytes → viruses.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

2Question

What is the ideal position for a patient when completing a bladder scan?

  1. Supine
  2. Prone
  3. Semi-fowlers
  4. High fowlers
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Supine

Topic: Bladder Scan Positioning

The bladder scan requires the patient to lie flat on their back so the scanner can obtain an unobstructed view of the full bladder without abdominal compression, ensuring accurate volume measurement.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Scanning from the front is impossible when patient lies on stomach.
  • C – Partial elevation still compresses the lower abdomen, reducing accuracy.
  • D – Elevated torso tilts the bladder, distorting volume readings.

Remember: Supine flat gives the clearest bladder view.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

3Question

The mission of which of the following organizations is to "improve health care for the public by inspiring organizations to excel in providing safe, effective, and high quality health care".

  1. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
  2. Joint Commission
  3. National Institute of Health (NIH)
  4. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B. Joint Commission

Topic: Healthcare Accreditation Organizations

The Joint Commission’s mission is to improve health care for the public by inspiring organizations to excel in providing safe, effective, high‑quality care, matching the wording in the stem.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – CDC aims to protect public health through disease control, not organizational excellence.
  • C – NIH’s mission centers on biomedical research, not health‑care quality improvement.
  • D – CMS focuses on Medicare/Medicaid administration, not mission phrasing.

Remember: Joint Commission = safety‑first accreditation mission.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

4Question

What is the purpose of the C-Reactive Protein test?

  1. An elevated C-Reactive Protein test indicates the presence of infection in the body
  2. An elevated C-Reactive Protein test indicates the presence of protein in urine.
  3. An elevated C-Reactive Protein test indicates the presence of inflammation in the body
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. An elevated C-Reactive Protein test indicates the presence of inflammation in the body

Topic: Inflammatory Markers

C‑Reactive Protein is an acute‑phase protein synthesized by the liver in response to systemic inflammation, so an elevated level signals inflammatory activity rather than a specific infection or urinary protein loss.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – CRP is not specific for infection; it rises with any inflammation.
  • B – CRP measures serum inflammation, not protein in the urine.

Remember: CRP rises with inflammation, not infection or urine protein.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

5Question

A nurse is providing education to a group of elementary students regarding the importance of using sunscreen and sun protection when outdoors. This is an example of a nurse providing what level of care?

  1. Secondary care
  2. Tertiary care
  3. Primary care
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. Primary care

Topic: Health Promotion and Prevention

Providing sunscreen education to children is a health‑promotion activity aimed at preventing skin damage before disease occurs, which is the essence of primary care—preventive services delivered to the general population.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Secondary care treats established illness, not preventive education.
  • B – Tertiary care involves specialized treatment, not basic health teaching.

Remember: Sunscreen teaching = primary prevention, primary care.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

6Question

The WBC count is elevated due to which of the following?

  1. Stress response
  2. Infection
  3. Inflammatory response
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B. Infection

Topic: White Blood Cell Count

Infection stimulates cytokine release (e.g., IL‑1, TNF‑α) prompting bone‑marrow neutrophil production, leading to leukocytosis, the most frequent cause of an elevated WBC count in clinical practice.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Stress can cause transient leukocytosis, but infection is the primary pathologic driver.
  • C – Inflammation raises WBCs, yet infection is the most common specific trigger.

Remember: Infection = the classic cause of high white cells.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

7Question

Mrs. Johnson is an 84-year-old woman whose husband just passed away from complications of congestive heart failure. She is brought to the clinic by her daughter because of increasing fatigue, malaise, weakness, and loss of appetite. You begin to take her vital signs and she starts weeping saying she misses her husband. Which of the following responses is the best therapeutic response?

  1. Tell me what your relationship with your husband was like.
  2. At least you had many years together.
  3. Your husband would not want you to be sad.
  4. I know how you feel. I recently lost my good friend.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. Tell me what your relationship with your husband was like.

Topic: Grief Counseling

Asking about her relationship invites her to explore feelings, validates grief, and uses therapeutic communication techniques such as open‑ended questioning, which promotes emotional processing and rapport.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – It minimizes current pain and shifts focus away from her present grief.
  • C – It dismisses her emotions and imposes the husband's presumed wishes.
  • D – Self‑disclosure redirects attention to the nurse, hindering client‑centered support.

Remember: Ask, don’t tell—let her share her story.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

8Question

This vitamin helps prevent fetal neural tube defects in utero.

  1. B6 (Pyridoxine)
  2. B3 (Niacin)
  3. B9 (Folic Acid)
  4. B2 (Riboflavin)
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. B9 (Folic Acid)

Topic: Folic Acid Nutrition

Folic acid (vitamin B9) is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division, and adequate maternal intake before conception and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Pyridoxine supports amino‑acid metabolism, but does not prevent neural tube defects.
  • B – Niacin is involved in energy metabolism, not neural tube development.
  • D – Riboflavin is needed for redox reactions, unrelated to fetal neural tube closure.

Remember: Folate = fetal tube protection.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

9Question

This vitamin is responsible for infection prevention, wound healing, facilitates collagen formation, and bone growth in children.

  1. B3 (Niacin)
  2. B9 (Folic Acid)
  3. C (Ascorbic Acid)
  4. B1 (Thiamine)
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C. C (Ascorbic Acid)

Topic: Vitamin C Functions

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is essential for collagen synthesis, wound healing, immune function, and bone growth in children. It acts as an antioxidant and supports iron absorption, further enhancing tissue repair and infection resistance.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Niacin is needed for NAD/NADP production, not for collagen synthesis.
  • B – Folic acid is crucial for DNA synthesis and fetal development, not wound repair.
  • D – Thiamine is involved in carbohydrate metabolism, not collagen or wound healing.

Remember: Vitamin C builds collagen, fights infection, grows kids' bones.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

10Question

This vitamin is responsible for protein and carbohydrate metabolism and contributes to normal vision.

  1. B2 (Riboflavin)
  2. B1 (Thiamine)
  3. C (Ascorbic Acid)
  4. B3 (Niacin)
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A. B2 (Riboflavin)

Topic: B Vitamins: Riboflavin

Riboflavin functions as a component of the coenzymes FAD and FMN, which are essential for protein and carbohydrate metabolism, and its deficiency leads to ocular disturbances, affecting normal vision.

Why the others are wrong

  • B – Thiamine aids carbohydrate metabolism but does not influence vision.
  • C – Vitamin C is an antioxidant involved in collagen synthesis, not metabolism or vision.
  • D – Niacin participates in metabolism but has no direct role in normal vision.

Remember: Riboflavin = “Ribo” for “eye” and metabolism.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

11Question

Patients experiencing diarrhea are at increased risk of all of the following EXCEPT:

  1. Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalance
  2. Imapired Skin Integrity
  3. Fluid Volume Deficit
  4. Fluid Volume Overload
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D. Fluid Volume Overload

Topic: Fluid Balance in Diarrhea

Diarrhea results in excessive loss of water and electrolytes, producing dehydration and a negative fluid balance; therefore patients are prone to fluid volume deficit, electrolyte disturbances, and skin breakdown, not fluid overload.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Loss of electrolytes with watery stools creates fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
  • B – Frequent watery stools irritate perianal skin, increasing risk of breakdown.
  • C – Diarrhea causes significant fluid loss, predisposing to volume deficit.

Remember: Diarrhea drains you, it doesn’t flood you.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

12Question

This vitamin is helpful for enhancing nerve function and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, glucose, and alcohol.

  1. B3 (Niacin)
  2. B6 (Pyridoxine)
  3. B2 (Riboflavin)
  4. B1 (Thiamine)
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D. B1 (Thiamine)

Topic: B Vitamins Metabolism

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and acts as a co‑enzyme in nerve conduction pathways, thereby enhancing nerve function and processing of carbs, fats, glucose, and alcohol.

Why the others are wrong

  • A – Niacin is key for NAD/NADP synthesis, not directly involved in nerve conduction.
  • B – Pyridoxine aids amino‑acid metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis, but not carbohydrate metabolism.
  • C – Riboflavin primarily supports redox reactions and energy production, not nerve function.

Remember: Thiamine fuels nerves and carbs.

Question adapted from Nursing Fundamentals 2e, by Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); K. Ernstmeyer and E. Christman, editors (WisTech Open), licensed CC BY 4.0; wording and option order may differ from the book. The explanation is ours, checked against the book's answer.

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