Students frequently have difficulty with testing of nursing content.  Here are some sample test questions taken from TEST SUCCESS.  Test Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students .   (Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale).

1.  When administering medications, qid means:

1. Once a day
2. Twice a day
3. Three times a day
4. Four times a day

2.  To evaluate the therapeutic effect of a cathartic, the nurse should assess the patient for:

1. Increased urinary output
2. A decrease in anxiety
3. A bowel movement
4. Pain relief

3.  An elderly patient’s skin looks dry, thin, and fragile.  When providing back care, the nurse should:

1. Apply a moisturizing body lotion
2. Wash the back with soap and water
3. Massage using short kneading strokes
4. Leave excess lubricant on the patient’s skin

4.  A patient has dependent edema of the ankles and feet and is obese.  Which diet should the nurse expect the physician to order?

1. Low in salt and high in fat
2. Low in salt and low in calories
3. High in salt and high in protein
4. High in salt and low in carbohydrates

5.  Range of motion exercises should NOT be done:

1. For comatose patients
2. On limbs that are paralyzed
3. Beyond the pont of resistance
4. For patients with chronic joint disease

6.  While making rounds, the nurse finds a patient on the floor in the hall.  The inital esponse by the nurse should be to:

1. Inspect the patient for injury
2. Transfer the patient back to bed
3. Move the patient to the closest chair
4. Report the accident to the nursing supervisor

7.  The nurse is caring for a patient with a large pressure ulcer that has not responded to common nursing interventions.  To best deal with this problem, the nurse should consult with the:

1. Plastic surgeon
2. Physical therapist
3. Attending physician
4. Clinical nurse specialist

8. The underlying rationale for turning a patient every 2 hours is to:

1. Relieve pressure
2. Assess skin condition
3. Ensure that the skin is clean and dry
4. Provide massage to bony prominences

9.  The nurse would know that the patioent understook the teaching about a 2 gram sodium diet when from a menu the patient selects:

1. Milk
2. Fruit
3. Celery
4. Vegetables

10  When rubbing a patient’s back, the nurse should NEVER;

1. Knead the skin
2. Wipe off excess lotion
3. Use a continous firm stroke
4. Put pressure over the vertebrae