NEX Reading Comprehension: Main Idea and Details 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the passage: 'Hand hygiene is the single most effective measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Despite extensive research supporting this practice, compliance rates among healthcare workers remain below optimal levels, averaging only 40-60% in most facilities.' What is the main idea?
- Healthcare workers wash their hands frequently.
- Hand hygiene prevents infections but compliance is low. (Correct answer)
- Research on hand hygiene is extensive.
- Most facilities have adequate hand hygiene compliance.
Correct answer: Hand hygiene prevents infections but compliance is low.
The passage presents two key points: hand hygiene is the most effective infection prevention measure, and compliance rates remain below optimal levels. These together form the main idea.
Identifying the main idea requires finding the central message that encompasses all key points in the passage. The first sentence establishes that hand hygiene is critically effective at preventing infections. The second sentence introduces the contrast (signaled by 'Despite') that compliance is poor at 40-60%. Option B correctly captures both elements: the effectiveness and the compliance gap. Option A contradicts the passage (compliance is low). Option C focuses on a supporting detail rather than the main idea. Option D directly contradicts the stated 40-60% compliance rate. Main idea questions on nursing entrance exams test the ability to synthesize multiple pieces of information into one cohesive statement, a skill essential for reading medical literature and patient records.
Question 2: Read the passage: 'Florence Nightingale transformed nursing during the Crimean War by implementing sanitary practices that dramatically reduced mortality rates. She collected statistical data to support her reforms and used innovative graphical presentations to convince officials of the need for change. Her evidence-based approach laid the foundation for modern nursing practice.' Which statement best serves as a supporting detail?
- Florence Nightingale was a famous historical figure.
- She collected statistical data to support her reforms. (Correct answer)
- Nursing is an evidence-based profession.
- The Crimean War was an important conflict.
Correct answer: She collected statistical data to support her reforms.
The statement about collecting statistical data is a specific supporting detail from the passage that illustrates how Nightingale accomplished her transformation of nursing.
Supporting details are specific facts, examples, statistics, or descriptions that provide evidence for the main idea. The main idea of this passage is that Nightingale transformed nursing through evidence-based practices. The supporting detail about collecting statistical data (option B) is directly stated in the passage and provides a specific example of how she accomplished this transformation. Option A is too general and not stated in the passage. Option C is an inference or conclusion, not a supporting detail from the text. Option D is background information not directly related to the main idea about nursing transformation. Distinguishing between main ideas, supporting details, and inferences is a fundamental reading comprehension skill tested on nursing entrance exams.
Question 3: Read the passage: 'Telehealth has emerged as a vital tool in healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas where access to specialists is limited. Virtual consultations allow patients to receive expert care without traveling long distances. However, challenges remain, including technology barriers for elderly patients and concerns about the quality of physical examinations conducted remotely.' What can be inferred from this passage?
- Telehealth will eventually replace all in-person visits.
- Rural patients benefit most from telehealth services.
- Telehealth is beneficial but has limitations that need to be addressed. (Correct answer)
- Technology barriers prevent all elderly patients from using telehealth.
Correct answer: Telehealth is beneficial but has limitations that need to be addressed.
The passage presents telehealth as beneficial (vital tool, expert care) while acknowledging challenges (technology barriers, examination quality), supporting the inference that it is helpful but has limitations.
Making inferences requires drawing logical conclusions from stated information without overgeneralizing. The passage states benefits (access to specialists, avoiding travel) and challenges (technology barriers, remote examination concerns). The most reasonable inference is option C: telehealth is beneficial but has limitations. Option A is an extreme conclusion not supported by the text (the passage doesn't suggest replacing all visits). Option B is partially supported but overgeneralized; the passage says telehealth is valuable in rural areas but doesn't compare benefits across populations. Option D uses the absolute word 'all,' which overstates the passage's claim about technology barriers. Inference questions require careful reading to avoid selecting answers that go beyond what the text supports.
Question 4: Read the passage: 'The human immune system consists of two main branches: innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity provides immediate, nonspecific defense against pathogens through barriers like skin and mucous membranes, as well as inflammatory responses. Adaptive immunity develops over time and creates specific antibodies targeted at particular pathogens, providing long-lasting protection.' What organizational pattern does the author use?
- Cause and effect
- Chronological order
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Problem and solution
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
The passage compares and contrasts two types of immunity, describing how they differ in their timing (immediate vs. develops over time) and approach (nonspecific vs. specific).
Recognizing organizational patterns helps readers understand how information is structured and predict what comes next. This passage uses compare and contrast to present two types of immunity side by side, highlighting their differences: innate immunity is immediate and nonspecific, while adaptive immunity develops over time and is specific. Signal words include 'two main branches' (indicating comparison categories) and the contrasting characteristics described for each. Cause and effect would explain why something happens. Chronological order would present events in time sequence. Problem and solution would identify an issue and how to resolve it. Understanding text structure is essential for nursing students who must efficiently extract information from textbooks, research articles, and clinical guidelines.
Question 5: Read the passage: 'Patient education is a fundamental nursing responsibility that significantly impacts health outcomes. Studies consistently show that patients who understand their conditions, medications, and self-care regimens have lower readmission rates and better adherence to treatment plans. Effective patient education requires assessing the patient's learning style, health literacy level, and cultural background.' The word 'regimens' in this context most likely means:
- Restrictions on daily activities
- Prescribed courses of treatment or behavior (Correct answer)
- Hospital policies and procedures
- Medical terminology and vocabulary
Correct answer: Prescribed courses of treatment or behavior
In this context, 'self-care regimens' refers to prescribed courses of treatment and health behaviors that patients follow at home, such as medication schedules, diet plans, and exercise routines.
Context clue vocabulary questions require using surrounding information to determine word meaning. 'Regimens' appears in the phrase 'self-care regimens' alongside 'conditions' and 'medications,' suggesting it refers to treatment-related activities. The sentence discusses patient understanding leading to better treatment adherence, further supporting that regimens are prescribed courses of action patients must follow. Option A is too narrow; regimens aren't just restrictions. Option C refers to institutional policies, not patient activities. Option D refers to language, not treatment plans. Strategies for vocabulary-in-context questions: (1) read the sentence and surrounding sentences, (2) substitute each answer choice into the sentence, (3) determine which maintains the original meaning. Medical terminology often appears in reading comprehension sections of nursing entrance exams.
Question 6: Read the passage: 'Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health. The overuse of antibiotics in both human medicine and agriculture has accelerated the development of resistant bacterial strains. Unless significant changes are made in prescribing practices and public awareness, experts warn that common infections could once again become life-threatening.' What is the author's tone in this passage?
- Optimistic and encouraging
- Neutral and objective
- Urgent and cautionary (Correct answer)
- Dismissive and skeptical
Correct answer: Urgent and cautionary
The author's use of phrases like 'greatest threats,' 'unless significant changes are made,' and 'could once again become life-threatening' conveys urgency and warning about the serious consequences of antibiotic resistance.
Author's tone reflects their attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and framing. Key tone indicators in this passage: 'greatest threats' (superlative showing severity), 'accelerated' (suggesting dangerous speed), 'Unless significant changes are made' (conditional warning), and 'common infections could once again become life-threatening' (alarming prediction). These choices create an urgent, cautionary tone. Option A is clearly wrong given the threat language. Option B is incorrect because the passage goes beyond neutral reporting to express concern. Option D is incorrect because the author takes the threat seriously rather than dismissing it. Identifying tone is important in nursing for understanding the emphasis in clinical guidelines, research conclusions, and patient communications.
NEX Reading Comprehension: Main Idea and Details 2
Read the passage: 'Hand hygiene is the single most effective measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
Despite extensive research supporting this practice, compliance rates among healthcare workers remain below optimal levels, averaging only 40-60% in most facilities.' What is the main idea?