Nursing fundamentals worksheet with answers

Free printable Nursing fundamentals worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

What is oedema?

  1. ARedness and warmth of the skin caused by infection
  2. BA bruise under the skin
  3. CSwelling caused by excess fluid in the tissues
  4. DDry, flaking skin
2.Easy

What does a peak flow meter measure?

  1. AHow fast the patient can breathe out
  2. BHow much carbon dioxide is breathed out
  3. CHow much oxygen is in the blood
  4. DHow many breaths the patient takes per minute
3.Easy

What is health literacy?

  1. AA person's ability to find, understand and use health information
  2. BA test of a patient's reading speed
  3. CA nurse's knowledge of medical terms and abbreviations used in notes
  4. DThe number of health books a person has read
4.Medium

A patient starts regular morphine. What is usually prescribed alongside it to prevent a common side effect?

  1. AA diuretic
  2. BAn antihistamine
  3. CA laxative
  4. DAn antibiotic
5.Medium

Why is a slide sheet used to move a patient up the bed?

  1. AIt lets one nurse lift the patient alone
  2. BIt keeps the bed clean during the move
  3. CIt reduces friction and shear on the skin
  4. DIt warms the patient during the move
6.Medium

When are non-sterile gloves needed?

  1. AWhen contact with blood, body fluids or broken skin is expected
  2. BOnly when handling medicines
  3. COnly when the patient is known to have an infection
  4. DFor every patient contact, including taking a pulse or blood pressure
7.Hard

Aspirate from a newly placed nasogastric tube has a pH of 7. What should the nurse do?

  1. ANot use the tube and follow policy, which may mean a chest X-ray
  2. BFlush the tube with water and start the feed
  3. CPush air down the tube and listen over the stomach
  4. DStart the feed, as a pH of 7 confirms that the tube is in the stomach
8.Hard

A patient with severe anaemia has an SpO₂ of 98%. Why can this reading be misleading?

  1. AThe red cells present are saturated, but the blood carries little oxygen
  2. BPatients with anaemia always have a low true saturation
  3. CAnaemia makes the oximeter read about 10% higher than the true saturation
  4. DAnaemia damages the light sensor of the oximeter

Answer key

  1. 1. C · Swelling caused by excess fluid in the tissues
  2. 2. A · How fast the patient can breathe out
  3. 3. A · A person's ability to find, understand and use health information
  4. 4. C · A laxative
  5. 5. C · It reduces friction and shear on the skin
  6. 6. A · When contact with blood, body fluids or broken skin is expected
  7. 7. A · Not use the tube and follow policy, which may mean a chest X-ray
  8. 8. A · The red cells present are saturated, but the blood carries little oxygen

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