PSB-PN Patient Care & Clinical Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which action is the MOST important step a practical nurse should take before any patient-care procedure?
- Don sterile gloves
- Perform hand hygiene (Correct answer)
- Verify the patient's diet order
- Check the room temperature
Correct answer: Perform hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is the single most effective action to prevent healthcare-associated infections and must occur before every patient-care procedure.
Question 2: When inserting a urinary catheter in a female patient, the practical nurse should cleanse the meatus using which technique?
- Circular motions starting at the outer labia
- Front to back, using a new swab for each stroke (Correct answer)
- Back to front to avoid contaminating the urethra
- A single downward stroke from clitoris to anus
Correct answer: Front to back, using a new swab for each stroke
Cleansing front to back with a new swab each time prevents fecal organisms from entering the urethra and reduces UTI risk.
Question 3: A patient is ordered to receive a nasogastric tube feeding. Before administering the feeding, the nurse's PRIORITY action is to:
- Warm the formula to body temperature
- Verify tube placement and residual gastric volume (Correct answer)
- Flush the tube with 500 mL of water
- Position the patient in the supine position
Correct answer: Verify tube placement and residual gastric volume
Verifying tube placement and checking residual volume prevents aspiration by confirming the tube is in the stomach and the patient can tolerate the feeding.
Question 4: A practical nurse is assisting a patient who has had a stroke with ambulation. Where should the nurse stand to provide safe support?
- Directly behind the patient
- On the patient's stronger (unaffected) side
- On the patient's weaker (affected) side (Correct answer)
- In front of the patient, facing them
Correct answer: On the patient's weaker (affected) side
Standing on the patient's weaker side provides support where balance and muscle control are compromised, reducing the risk of falls.
Question 5: Which finding when assessing a wound dressing requires the practical nurse to notify the supervising RN immediately?
- The dressing is dry and intact
- There is a small amount of serosanguineous drainage
- The dressing shows bright red, rapidly spreading drainage (Correct answer)
- The wound edges appear slightly pink
Correct answer: The dressing shows bright red, rapidly spreading drainage
Bright red, rapidly spreading drainage indicates active arterial bleeding, which requires immediate escalation and intervention.
Question 6: When performing range-of-motion (ROM) exercises on a patient, the practical nurse should stop and assess if:
- The patient says the joint feels warm
- The patient reports pain or resistance is felt (Correct answer)
- The joint moves through its full normal arc
- The patient asks for a short rest break
Correct answer: The patient reports pain or resistance is felt
Pain or unexpected resistance during ROM may indicate injury, contracture, or inflammation, requiring assessment before continuing.
PSB-PN Patient Care & Clinical Skills 2
Which action is the MOST important step a practical nurse should take before any patient-care procedure?