When working with a medical interpreter, the nurse speaks directly to the patient rather than to the interpreter.
Correct Answer
True
True. Addressing the patient directly keeps the patient at the center of the conversation, and the interpreter conveys the nurse's words as they were said.
Category: Communication and Language
Question 2
Silence during a conversation has the same meaning in every culture.
Correct Answer
False
False. The meaning of silence varies among cultures and individuals; it may show respect, time to think, agreement, or disagreement. The nurse avoids assuming what silence means and checks understanding with the patient.
Category: Communication and Language
Question 3
Cultural safety extends beyond the bedside to organizational policies that challenge discrimination.
Correct Answer
True
True. Cultural safety means creating an environment that is safe and affirming for people of all cultures, including through inclusive policies and challenges to discriminatory practices at the organizational and societal level.
Category: Cultural Humility
Question 4
Health equity means giving every person exactly the same resources regardless of need.
Correct Answer
False
False. Health equity means everyone has a fair opportunity to reach optimal health, which can require different resources for different people. Giving everyone the same resources regardless of need describes equality.
Category: Health Equity
Question 5
Respecting the cultural diversity of patients is an expectation set by nursing codes of ethics.
Correct Answer
True
True. Nursing codes of ethics call on nurses to respect the dignity and worth of every patient regardless of culture or background, and cultural competence has become part of professional nursing standards and education.
Category: Culture Concepts
Question 6
Only race and ethnicity count as cultural groupings; characteristics such as age, occupation, and military service do not.
Correct Answer
False
False. Culture also includes groupings such as age, social class, spiritual practices, geographic location, occupation, and military service, and each can shape a person's beliefs and behaviors.
Category: Culture Concepts
Question 7
Lower socioeconomic status is associated with more chronic conditions and higher mortality.
Correct Answer
True
True. People with lower income, less education, and lower perceived social class tend to have less access to care, more chronic illness, and higher death rates.
Category: Health Equity
Question 8
Social determinants of health affect only people who lack health insurance.
Correct Answer
False
False. Social determinants of health, such as housing, education, income, and neighborhood conditions, influence the health of everyone, whether or not they have insurance.
Category: Health Equity
Question 9
The nurse should document a patient's need for an interpreter in the health record.
Correct Answer
True
True. Documenting the need for an interpreter, along with preferences such as who should be present for care conversations, lets every team member communicate safely with the patient.
Category: Communication and Language
Question 10
A nurse practicing cultural humility treats the patient as a learner and the nurse as the expert on the patient's culture.
Correct Answer
False
False. Cultural humility involves a collaborative partnership in which the patient is the expert on their own culture and is involved in decisions about their care.
Category: Cultural Humility
Question 11
A cultural assessment should include asking about the patient's religious or spiritual needs.
Correct Answer
True
True. Asking about religious and spiritual needs during the routine history lets the nurse adapt care, such as diet, scheduling, or modesty preferences.
Category: Cultural Assessment
Question 12
Preferences for personal space and physical distance during conversation are the same across cultures.
Correct Answer
False
False. Comfortable personal space varies among cultures and individuals, so the nurse watches for cues and asks before moving close or touching.
Category: Communication and Language
Question 13
In the Giger and Davidhizar model, biological variations include differences in disease susceptibility among populations.
Correct Answer
True
True. Biological variations cover genetic, metabolic, and physiological differences, including inherited risk for certain diseases, which the nurse considers without stereotyping individuals.
Category: Cultural Assessment
Question 14
Higher levels of education are linked to lower health literacy.
Correct Answer
False
False. More education is linked to better health literacy, healthier behaviors, and better access to care, which is why education is a social determinant of health.
Category: Health Equity
Question 15
Achieving health equity requires addressing the root causes of health disparities.
Correct Answer
True
True. Health equity depends on correcting the underlying causes of disparities, such as unequal access to care, poverty, and discrimination, not only treating their effects.
Category: Health Equity
Question 16
The U.S. Census category Hispanic or Latino refers to a single shared culture.
Correct Answer
False
False. The category is an ethnicity that includes many distinct cultures, such as people with roots in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Spain, so the nurse assesses each patient individually.
Category: Culture Concepts
Question 17
Culturally tailored education materials can improve a patient's understanding and self-management.
Correct Answer
True
True. Materials that reflect a patient's language and cultural context are easier to understand and act on, which supports adherence and self-management.
Category: Beliefs and Practices
Question 18
Stereotypes are reliable because they are based on verified evidence about each member of a group.
Correct Answer
False
False. A stereotype is an oversimplified assumption that often rests on bias or misconception and ignores individual differences, which can damage trust in the nurse-patient relationship.
Category: Culture Concepts
Question 19
Culture can influence how willing a patient is to share personal information with a nurse.
Correct Answer
True
True. Cultural norms shape communication styles and comfort with disclosing personal details, so the nurse builds trust and explains why information is needed.
Category: Communication and Language
Question 20
Hospital interpreter services can be provided only by interpreters who are physically present in the room.
Correct Answer
False
False. Facilities may offer telephone interpreters, live interpreters, and video services such as live-streamed American Sign Language interpretation.
Category: Communication and Language