SCAQ LU 1

1. Which of the following best describes the role of nursing theory in guiding practice?

A. Provides absolute solutions for patient care
B. Outlines organisational policies only
C. Offers a framework for understanding nursing goals and decision-making
D. Focuses solely on clinical skills without conceptual input

2. A nurse uses Betty Neuman’s Systems Model in planning care. This reflects which influence of theory?

A. Promoting only physical care
B. Providing a holistic approach considering multiple stressors
C. Restricting care to psychological needs
D. Focusing on evidence-based practice alone

3. Nursing theories foster professional identity by:

A. Promoting subservience to medical models
B. Defining unique nursing contributions to healthcare
C. Limiting nurses to bedside roles
D. Focusing solely on technical competencies

4. Scenario: You are caring for a patient with complex comorbidities. Using theory-based critical thinking, you should:

A. Rely only on protocols for management
B. Examine assumptions, conceptual relationships, and evidence to plan care
C. Transfer responsibility to a physician
D. Focus only on urgent physical issues

5. Which theoretical framework emphasizes compassionate, person-centered care as core to nursing?

A. Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
B. Betty Neuman’s Systems Model
C. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring
D. Henderson’s Need Theory

6. Scenario: A student nurse asks why theory matters when practice guidelines already exist. Your best response is:

A. Guidelines are sufficient; theory is abstract
B. Theory provides foundational concepts that inform and shape guidelines
C. Theory is only needed for research purposes
D. Guidelines and theory are unrelated

7. Which statement about the relationship between theory and research is true?

A. Research is not related to theory development
B. Research only tests theories but cannot generate them
C. Research generates, tests, and refines theory based on empirical data
D. Theory development always precedes research

8. Scenario: A research team is testing a model’s applicability in predicting wound healing outcomes. This represents:

A. Generating new theory
B. Testing and refining existing theory
C. Translating theory into practice
D. Evaluating practice without theory

9. Nursing theories support evidence-based practice by:

A. Dictating strict protocols
B. Forming the basis for developing research questions and designs
C. Replacing the need for empirical data
D. Limiting exploration of new interventions

10. The dominance of medical models historically hindered nursing theory development by:

A. Enhancing nurses’ theoretical independence
B. Allowing equal recognition of nursing frameworks
C. Defining nursing within medicine’s framework, limiting theoretical growth
D. Promoting holistic nursing approaches

11. Scenario: A nurse leader wants to improve interdisciplinary communication in her unit. She should focus on:

A. Using complex jargon
B. Applying nursing theory as a shared language for communication and collaboration
C. Avoiding theoretical discussions in team meetings
D. Relying only on electronic records for communication

12. Which is not a driving force for nursing theory development?

A. Specialisation
B. Desire for professional autonomy
C. Increased technology complexity
D. Focus on historical practical skills only

13. Resistance to change in institutions affects theory development by:

A. Encouraging innovation
B. Accelerating integration of new frameworks
C. Delaying adoption of theoretical approaches
D. Improving quality assurance standards

14. Scenario: A nurse educator includes theory in skills labs. This integration primarily:

A. Confuses students with abstract ideas
B. Enhances clinical decision-making with conceptual understanding
C. Delays acquisition of practical skills
D. Is unnecessary at undergraduate level

15. Which barrier to theory development is linked to societal views on gender?

A. Educational constraints
B. Limited research infrastructure
C. Gender bias and stereotypes undervaluing nursing scholarship
D. Historical focus on skills training

16. Scenario: You are developing a new nursing protocol for end-of-life care. To ensure it is robust, you should:

A. Use only institutional policies
B. Base it on a sound theoretical framework to guide holistic practice
C. Copy another hospital’s protocol
D. Seek approval without rationale

17. Limited research infrastructure historically impeded theory development because:

A. Nurses lacked ideas
B. Nurses had no interest in research
C. Lack of resources prevented empirical testing and validation
D. Theory development does not require infrastructure

18. Which is true about translating theory into practice?

A. It involves memorising theorists’ names only
B. It guides assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care
C. It is the role of nurse researchers only
D. It is separate from clinical judgement

19. Scenario: A new graduate says, “Theory is useless in emergencies.” Your teaching should emphasize that theory:

A. Slows down urgent care
B. Has no relevance in fast-paced settings
C. Provides conceptual frameworks for rapid critical decisions
D. Is only for long-term care planning

20. Which driving force reflects the need-based theoretical approach in nursing?

A. Focus on holistic models irrespective of context
B. Specialisation addressing specific patient needs in specialised fields
C. Generalised theoretical models for all settings
D. Reduction of theory to abstract discussion

21. Scenario: Your team is evaluating current wound care practice against Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory. This represents:

A. Generating new theory
B. Translating theory into practice
C. Evaluating practice alignment with theory
D. Testing unrelated concepts

22. Limited recognition of nursing knowledge historically led to:

A. Enhanced autonomy
B. Reduced need for theory
C. Undervaluing and underdevelopment of nursing frameworks
D. Increased societal respect

23. Scenario: A nurse researcher notices patterns in patient coping strategies post-MI. She uses these to build a conceptual model. This is:

A. Testing existing theory
B. Generating theory from empirical data
C. Translating theory into practice
D. Evaluating practice without theory

24. Educational constraints as a barrier to theory development refers to:

A. Excessive focus on theoretical content
B. Limited emphasis on practical skills
C. Lack of formal theoretical education in early nursing training
D. Overabundance of research courses

25. Scenario: A policy maker excludes theory experts in drafting national nursing guidelines. This risks:

A. Improved guideline applicability
B. Reduced staff workload
C. Weak theoretical foundation affecting practice quality
D. Faster policy implementation

26. Which reflects the relationship between theory and practice?

A. Theory is only for academics, practice is separate
B. Theory informs practice guidelines, frameworks, and evaluation
C. Practice determines theory relevance alone
D. There is no relationship

27. Scenario: During curriculum review, you recommend strengthening theory content. Your rationale is:

A. Theory reduces clinical time, enhancing academic hours
B. Theory fosters critical thinking, professional identity, and holistic care
C. Theory is required by accreditation but is rarely used
D. Students prefer theory to skills labs

28. Which is an example of theory facilitating communication?

A. Using only abbreviations in documentation
B. Applying theoretical language to articulate interventions to other professionals
C. Avoiding theoretical terms in care plans
D. Using personal beliefs in handovers

29. Scenario: You are implementing Watson’s Theory of Caring in oncology. Which action best reflects this?

A. Prioritising treatment schedules over psychosocial needs
B. Maintaining compassion and human connection throughout care
C. Focusing solely on symptom management
D. Delegating patient communication to assistants

30. Which of the following best explains the purpose of theory in nursing?

A. To fulfil curriculum requirements only
B. To guide, evaluate, inform practice, and improve outcomes
C. To memorise definitions and models
D. To maintain traditional nursing hierarchies

SCAQ LU 1

Answers