Question 1

Which of the following statements about public health is accurate?
A) Prevention of early deaths can be more effectively accomplished by medical treatment than by public health approaches.
B) Expenditures and resources for public health have increased in recent years.
C) Historically, gains in the health of populations have been related largely to changes in safety, sanitation, and personal behavior.
D) Reform of the medical insurance system is the single change needed to improve the health of Americans.

Accepted Answer

Fielding and Tilson have asserted that most of the increase in life span has been made through improvements in sanitation,clean water supplies,making workplaces safer,improving food and drug safety,immunizing children,and improving nutrition,hygiene,and housing.Medical treatment has not made as significant of an impact on the life span as public health measures.Funding for public health in recent years has been on a gradual decline.Although reform of the medical insurance system may help improve the health of Americans,there are many other factors that will need to be addressed.

Question 2

A nurse is implementing quality performance standards in a public health department.Which of the following best describes the importance of this action?
A) Quality performance standards are used to guide improvement in the public health system.
B) Quality performance standards rigidly control public health.
C) Quality performance standards guide administrators to monitor public health at the national level.
D) Quality performance standards can be used as hiring guidelines for nurses.

Accepted Answer

These standards were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1998.They set the bar for the level of performance that is necessary to deliver essential public health services (PHSs).These standards were developed around the 10 essential PHSs.They focus on the overall public health system rather than on single organizations and describe an optimal level of performance.They are intended to support a process of quality improvement.State and local communities can assess their performance using certain available tools.They are not meant to control public health or be used for hiring guidelines.

Question 3

The PHN analyzes data related to the number and type of United States Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards that a community failed to meet.This data is an example of using which community health profile indicator?
A) Sociodemographic characteristics
B) Health status
C) Health risk factor
D) Functional status

Accepted Answer

Health risk factors discuss proportions of populations who have particular health conditions or health risks; breathing air of poor quality is a risk to health.The number and proportion of people is a sociodemographic characteristic.Health status includes birth and death rates.Functional status refers to reports of good health status by members of the population.

Question 4

A public health department is using the mission of public health as described by the Institute of Medicine when planning its health programming.Which of the following activities will most likely be implemented?
A) Tracking avian flu outbreaks and doing surveillance in the United States
B) Providing a flu shot for an elderly person at the health department
C) Keeping track of alternative therapies in use in the United States
D) Keeping snake antivenom at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta

Accepted Answer

The Institute of Medicine's stated mission on public health is "to generate organized community and technical knowledge to prevent disease and promote health." Tracking avian flu outbreaks and doing surveillance applies this concept at a population level.Providing a flu shot for an elderly person only addresses individual care.Keeping track of the use of alternative therapies does nothing to prevent disease or promote health of the population.Keeping snake antivenom is aimed at disease care for an individual,not health promotion or disease prevention.

Question 5

The purpose of public health core functions is to:
A) clarify the role of the government in fulfilling the mission of public health.
B) ensure the safety of populations in receiving quality health care.
C) provide community-based individualized care to every person in the United States.
D) unite public and private providers of care in a comprehensive approach to providing health care.

Accepted Answer

As defined by the Institute of Medicine in its 1988 report The Future of Public Health,assessment,policy development,and assurance are core functions at all levels of government for the purpose of clarifying the government's role.

Question 6

The public health workforce should demonstrate competency in which of the following competency categories?
A) Financial planning and management
B) Workforce needs assessment
C) Acute care services
D) Curriculum development

Accepted Answer

Workforce needs assessment,acute care services,and curriculum developments are not considered categories of core competencies of public health.Rather there are eight categories of competency,which include: (1)analytic/assessment,(2)policy development/program planning,(3)communication,(4)cultural competence,(5)community dimensions of practice,(6)basic public health sciences,(7)financial planning and management,and (8)leadership and systems thinking.

Question 7

The nurse manager makes sure that the staff members who work in a local clinic are competent in their job responsibilities.Which of the public health core functions is being demonstrated?
A) Assurance
B) Assessment
C) Prevention
D) Policy development

Accepted Answer

Assurance refers to making sure a competent health care workforce is available.Prevention is not a core function,assessment refers to systematic data collection,and policy development refers to the need to provide leadership in developing health policies.

Question 8

A public health department makes sure that the essential community-oriented health services are available in the community.Which of the following core public health functions is being implemented?
A) Policy development
B) Assessment
C) Assurance
D) Scientific knowledge-based care

Accepted Answer

Assurance focuses on the responsibility of public health agencies to ensure certain activities have been appropriately carried out to meet public health goals and plans.Policy development seeks to build constituencies that can help bring about change in public policy.Assessment includes activities that involve collecting,analyzing,and disseminating information on both the health status and the health-related aspects of a community or a specific population.Public health is based on scientific knowledge,but is not a core function.

Question 9

The PHN compares the rate of teenage pregnancy in various areas of the city.Which of the core functions of public health is being implemented?
A) Assurance
B) Assessment
C) Prevention
D) Policy development

Accepted Answer

Assessment refers to systematic data collection,which this nurse is doing for teenage pregnancy.Prevention is not a core function,assurance is making sure essential services are available,and policy development is needed to provide leadership in developing policies.

Question 10

A PHN develops and implements local public health policies through partnerships with agencies,organizations,and consumers within the community.Which of the following core public health functions is being used?
A) Assessment
B) Prevention
C) Assurance
D) Policy development

Accepted Answer

Policy development deals with developing and implementing health policies.Prevention is not a core function,assurance is making sure essential services are available,and assessment refers to systematic data collection.

Question 11

A community is concerned about the threat of bioterrorism.Which of the following best describes the basis for this concern?
A) Bioterrorism has the potential to dissolve community-based programs.
B) This threat could cause the health care system to collapse.
C) The threat of bioterrorism may divert funds from other public safety health care programs.
D) Fear of bioterrorism will increase the need for shelters.

Accepted Answer

Bioterrorism may have an impact on the availability of resources for public safety health care programs.Because funds are diverted it is possible that community-based programs would be eliminated,the health care system could experience changes,and that there would be an increase in the need for shelter.However,all of these things would happen because of the diversion of funds.

Question 12

Which of the following describes the consequence of the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act?
A) Americans will pay closer attention to their health status.
B) The majority of the population will be covered by insurance.
C) Public health departments will need to increase the number of nursing positions.
D) The prevalence of obesity will decrease.

Accepted Answer

One consequence of successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act might actually be that the majority of the population would be covered by insurance and public health agencies will not need to provide direct clinical services in order to assure that those who need them can receive them.The Affordable Care Act will not directly cause Americans to pay closer attention to their health status or decrease the prevalence of obesity.

Question 13

A nurse performs activities to meet the primary goals of public health.Which of the following is the nurse most likely to complete?
A) Ensuring that a newly diagnosed 40-year-old hypertensive man takes his medication
B) Finding home care for a 70-year-old client recuperating from a hip replacement
C) Conducting an infant car seat safety check
D) Contacting a local hospice to admit a terminally ill 60-year-old woman

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is concerned with the health of many people,while the other answers address individual interventions.According to the Core Functions Project,all levels of health care,including population-based public health care,must be funded or the goal of health of populations may never be reached.

Question 14

One of the primary focuses of improving the health of the American people in the twenty-first century is to address:
A) bioterrorism and global health threats.
B) delivery of individual care and hygiene.
C) the need for increased hospital and acute care.
D) chronic disease and disability management.

Accepted Answer

There are new concerns,and of the most serious are bioterrorism and globally induced infections,such as the avian flu.These threats will divert health care funds and resources from other health care programs to be spent for public safety.The others are not related to public health or are concerns that have been present for many years.

Question 15

To better address emerging public health issues,a PHN plans to complete continuing education in this area.Which of the following content areas should be included in the course that is chosen?
A) Leadership
B) Ethics
C) Communication
D) Finance

Accepted Answer

Public health workers should be educated in eight content areas to be able to address emerging public health issues and advances in science and policy: (1)informatics,(2)genomics,(3)cultural competence,(4)community-based participatory research,(5)policy,(6)law,(7)global health,and (8)ethics.

Question 16

A nurse provides for the availability of essential personal health services for people who would otherwise not receive health care.Which of the public health core functions is being used?
A) Assessment
B) Prevention
C) Assurance
D) Policy development

Accepted Answer

Assurance deals with the availability of health services.Prevention is not a core function,assessment refers to systematic data collection,and policy development refers to the need to provide leadership in developing health policies.

Question 17

The public health nurse (PHN)must participate in the essential services of public health.Which of the following most accurately describes one of the essential services of public health?
A) Monitoring health status by completing a community assessment
B) Diagnosing and investigating health problems in the world
C) Informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues
D) Working in law enforcement to regulate health and ensure safety

Accepted Answer

The PHN monitors health status in several ways,completing a community assessment is only one way that health status is monitored.The PHN would not diagnose or solve "world" problems,or work in law enforcement.Rather,the PHN would participate with local regulators to protect communities and empower people to address health issues.

Question 18

A PHN collects data and monitors the health status of the population.Which of the following core public health functions is being implemented?
A) Assessment
B) Prevention
C) Assurance
D) Policy development

Accepted Answer

Assessment consists of systematic data collection and monitoring health status.
Prevention is not a core function,assurance is making sure essential services are available,and policy development is needed to provide leadership in developing policies.

Question 19

A community health nurse collects data about the number and proportion of persons aged 25 or older with less than a high school education.Which of the following best describes this data?
A) Sociodemographic characteristics
B) Health status data
C) Health risk factors
D) Health care resource consumption information

Accepted Answer

The number and proportion of people is a sociodemographic characteristic.Health status includes birth and death rates.Health risk factors discuss proportions of populations who have particular health conditions or health risks.Health care resource consumption refers to spending on health care per capita.

Question 20

Public health nursing is a specialty because:
A) it has a distinct focus and scope of practice.
B) it must be done by a registered nurse with a master's degree.
C) it is focused on disadvantaged citizens.
D) it performs interventions at the acute care level.

Accepted Answer

Public health nursing has a distinct focus and requires a special knowledge base.The other answers are not characteristics of a specialty.

Quiz 1: Community and Prevention-Oriented, Population-Focused Practice: The Foundation of Specialization in Public Health Nursing

Which of the following statements about public health is accurate?

A nurse is implementing quality performance standards in a public health department.Which of the following best describes the importance of this action?

The PHN analyzes data related to the number and type of United States Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards that a community failed to meet.This data is an example of using which community health profile indicator?

A public health department is using the mission of public health as described by the Institute of Medicine when planning its health programming.Which of the following activities will most likely be implemented?

The purpose of public health core functions is to:

The public health workforce should demonstrate competency in which of the following competency categories?

The nurse manager makes sure that the staff members who work in a local clinic are competent in their job responsibilities.Which of the public health core functions is being demonstrated?

A public health department makes sure that the essential community-oriented health services are available in the community.Which of the following core public health functions is being implemented?

The PHN compares the rate of teenage pregnancy in various areas of the city.Which of the core functions of public health is being implemented?

A PHN develops and implements local public health policies through partnerships with agencies,organizations,and consumers within the community.Which of the following core public health functions is being used?

A community is concerned about the threat of bioterrorism.Which of the following best describes the basis for this concern?

Which of the following describes the consequence of the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act?

A nurse performs activities to meet the primary goals of public health.Which of the following is the nurse most likely to complete?

One of the primary focuses of improving the health of the American people in the twenty-first century is to address:

To better address emerging public health issues,a PHN plans to complete continuing education in this area.Which of the following content areas should be included in the course that is chosen?

A nurse provides for the availability of essential personal health services for people who would otherwise not receive health care.Which of the public health core functions is being used?

The public health nurse (PHN) must participate in the essential services of public health.Which of the following most accurately describes one of the essential services of public health?

A PHN collects data and monitors the health status of the population.Which of the following core public health functions is being implemented?

A community health nurse collects data about the number and proportion of persons aged 25 or older with less than a high school education.Which of the following best describes this data?

Public health nursing is a specialty because: