CRRN Practice Test Questions and Answers

Question 1. A patient with an incomplete C6 spinal cord injury says, “I’ll never be able to do anything for myself again.” Which nursing response best reflects Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory?

A. “You should focus on accepting your disability.”

B. “The rehabilitation team will do everything necessary for you.”

C. “Let’s identify activities you can perform independently and build on those abilities.”

D. “You should avoid difficult tasks to prevent frustration.”

Correct Answer:

✅ C. “Let’s identify activities you can perform independently and build on those abilities.”

Explanation: Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory emphasizes helping individuals regain or maximize independence. In rehabilitation nursing, patients often experience loss of function and self-esteem. Rather than focusing on limitations, nurses identify preserved abilities and encourage participation in self-care activities. This supportive-educative approach promotes autonomy, confidence, and long-term adaptation. Telling patients that others will perform all care fosters dependence and conflicts with rehabilitation principles. Encouraging even small accomplishments, such as feeding, grooming, or transfers, helps patients achieve realistic goals and improves quality of life. Rehabilitation nursing focuses on maximizing function rather than emphasizing disability or dependence.

Question 2. During assessment using Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns, which question evaluates the Health Perception-Health Management Pattern?

A. “How many hours do you sleep each night?”

B. “Do you routinely monitor your blood pressure and take medications as prescribed?”

C. “What foods do you normally eat?”

D. “How often do you exercise?”

Correct Answer:

✅ B. “Do you routinely monitor your blood pressure and take medications as prescribed?”

Explanation:. The Health Perception-Health Management Pattern examines how individuals perceive their health and manage wellness. Questions regarding medication adherence, preventive screenings, vaccinations, and chronic disease management fall under this category. In rehabilitation, understanding health behaviors helps nurses identify barriers to recovery and develop individualized teaching plans. Sleep patterns belong to the Sleep-Rest Pattern, dietary habits to Nutritional-Metabolic Pattern, and exercise habits to Activity-Exercise Pattern. Assessing health management behaviors is essential because successful rehabilitation depends heavily on patient engagement and adherence to prescribed treatments after discharge.

Question 3. Which member of the rehabilitation team primarily evaluates swallowing disorders following a stroke?

A. Occupational therapist

B. Speech-language pathologist

C. Physical therapist

D. Recreational therapist

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Speech-language pathologist

Explanation: Speech-language pathologists specialize in communication disorders and dysphagia management. Following a stroke, patients may experience aspiration risk due to impaired swallowing mechanisms. The speech-language pathologist performs swallowing assessments and recommends dietary modifications, compensatory techniques, and exercises to improve swallowing function. Occupational therapists focus on ADLs, physical therapists address mobility, and recreational therapists promote leisure activities and community reintegration. Early identification and treatment of dysphagia are critical to preventing aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration. Effective interdisciplinary collaboration ensures patient safety and improves outcomes during rehabilitation.

Question 4. A patient with traumatic brain injury becomes agitated during therapy sessions. Which intervention is most appropriate?

A. Provide frequent environmental stimulation.

B. Use restraints immediately.

C. Reduce environmental distractions and maintain a structured routine.

D. Encourage multiple visitors throughout the day.

Correct Answer:

✅ C. Reduce environmental distractions and maintain a structured routine.

Explanation: Patients recovering from traumatic brain injury frequently experience overstimulation, confusion, and agitation. Excessive noise, visitors, and changing routines can worsen behavioral disturbances. A calm, predictable environment reduces anxiety and enhances cognitive recovery. Structured schedules, simple instructions, and minimizing sensory overload help patients process information more effectively. Physical restraints should only be considered as a last resort and according to institutional policies. Frequent stimulation and large numbers of visitors often increase agitation rather than promote healing. Rehabilitation nurses play an important role in creating environments that support cognitive and emotional recovery.

Question 5. Which legislation protects the employment rights of individuals with disabilities?

A. HIPAA

B. Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act

C. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

D. Patient Self-Determination Act

Correct Answer:

✅ C. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Explanation: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, and other settings. Rehabilitation nurses frequently educate patients regarding their legal rights and advocate for equal access to services and opportunities. HIPAA addresses confidentiality, EMTALA governs emergency treatment obligations, and the Patient Self-Determination Act concerns advance directives. Understanding ADA provisions helps nurses support patients transitioning back into society, returning to work, and maintaining independence. Knowledge of disability legislation is a core competency for rehabilitation professionals.

Question 6. A patient recovering from stroke neglects the left side of the body. Which intervention is most appropriate?

A. Place all items on the unaffected side.

B. Encourage use and awareness of the affected side.

C. Perform all ADLs for the patient.

D. Avoid stimulating the affected side.

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Encourage use and awareness of the affected side.

Explanation: Unilateral neglect commonly occurs after right hemispheric strokes. Rehabilitation aims to increase awareness and use of the neglected side through visual scanning exercises and environmental modifications. Placing items on the affected side encourages patients to attend to that side and promotes neuroplasticity. Doing everything for the patient fosters dependence and delays recovery. Avoiding stimulation of the neglected side can worsen deficits. Rehabilitation nurses support independence by reinforcing therapy techniques and encouraging repeated use of affected extremities during daily activities.

Question 7. Which nursing theory emphasizes adaptation to environmental changes?

A. Roy Adaptation Model

B. Orem Self-Care Theory

C. Peplau Interpersonal Theory

D. Watson Caring Theory

Correct Answer:

✅ A. Roy Adaptation Model

Explanation: Sister Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model views individuals as adaptive systems responding to physiological, psychological, and social changes. Rehabilitation patients often face major alterations in physical abilities and life roles. Nurses using Roy’s framework focus on helping patients achieve positive adaptation and coping. This model aligns closely with rehabilitation nursing because it addresses responses to chronic illness and disability. Orem focuses on self-care, Peplau emphasizes interpersonal relationships, and Watson centers on caring behaviors. Facilitating adaptation enables patients to regain control and achieve maximum independence despite functional limitations.

Question 8. A patient with a new below-knee amputation reports phantom limb pain. What should the nurse do first?

A. Explain that the pain is imaginary.

B. Administer prescribed pain medication and assess characteristics of the pain.

C. Remove the prosthesis permanently.

D. Restrict movement.

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Administer prescribed pain medication and assess characteristics of the pain.

Explanation: Phantom limb pain is a real neurologic phenomenon experienced by many amputees. Dismissing the pain as imaginary can increase anxiety and damage trust. Comprehensive assessment and appropriate pain management are essential. Pharmacologic therapies, mirror therapy, desensitization techniques, and physical rehabilitation may all contribute to symptom relief. Restricting movement or avoiding prostheses may hinder rehabilitation. Nurses should validate the patient’s experience, provide education, and collaborate with pain specialists and rehabilitation therapists to optimize recovery and function.

Question 9. Which assessment best evaluates the Functional-Activity Exercise Pattern?

A. Medication compliance

B. Ability to transfer from bed to chair

C. Family support

D. Sleep habits

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Ability to transfer from bed to chair

Explanation: Gordon’s Activity-Exercise Pattern focuses on mobility, exercise tolerance, strength, endurance, and ability to perform activities of daily living. Evaluating transfer abilities helps determine the patient’s functional status and rehabilitation needs. Medication adherence belongs to health management, family support to role relationships, and sleep habits to the sleep-rest pattern. Accurate assessment of activity limitations guides therapy goals and discharge planning. Rehabilitation nurses continually evaluate mobility to promote safety, prevent complications, and maximize independence.

Question 10. Which ethical principle supports a competent patient’s right to refuse rehabilitation treatment?

A. Beneficence

B. Justice

C. Nonmaleficence

D. Autonomy

Correct Answer:

✅ D. Autonomy

Explanation: Autonomy recognizes an individual’s right to make informed healthcare decisions, including refusing treatment. Even when rehabilitation professionals believe therapy will improve outcomes, competent patients retain the right to decline interventions. Nurses should ensure patients understand risks and benefits and document discussions thoroughly. Beneficence promotes good, nonmaleficence prevents harm, and justice focuses on fairness. Respecting autonomy is essential to ethical rehabilitation practice and helps preserve dignity, trust, and patient-centered care.

Question 11. A nurse is preparing a patient with spinal cord injury for discharge. Which action best promotes successful transition of care?

A. Provide discharge instructions on the day of discharge only.

B. Involve caregivers and community resources early in the rehabilitation process.

C. Delay home equipment planning until discharge.

D. Limit family participation.

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Involve caregivers and community resources early in the rehabilitation process.

Explanation: Transition planning begins at admission. Early involvement of family members, case managers, social workers, and community resources improves continuity of care and reduces rehospitalization. Education regarding medications, bowel and bladder programs, equipment, and follow-up appointments should occur throughout rehabilitation. Waiting until discharge creates stress and increases the likelihood of complications. Rehabilitation nurses coordinate interdisciplinary services to ensure patients and caregivers are prepared for a safe return home and continued recovery.

Question 12. A patient with multiple sclerosis complains of severe fatigue. Which intervention is most appropriate?

A. Encourage strenuous exercise.

B. Cluster activities and provide rest periods.

C. Restrict all physical activity.

D. Increase room temperature.

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Cluster activities and provide rest periods.

Explanation: Fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Energy conservation techniques, including clustering activities and scheduling rest periods, help patients maintain function and reduce exhaustion. Excessive exertion and overheating may worsen symptoms. Complete inactivity contributes to deconditioning and reduced mobility. Rehabilitation nurses teach patients how to balance activity with rest, prioritize tasks, and recognize factors that exacerbate fatigue. These strategies improve quality of life and support long-term independence.

Question 13. A patient with paraplegia is at highest risk for which complication?

A. Cataracts

B. Pressure injuries

C. Appendicitis

D. Otitis media

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Pressure injuries

Explanation: Loss of sensation and mobility significantly increase the risk of pressure injuries in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Prevention includes regular repositioning, pressure-relieving surfaces, skin inspections, and proper nutrition. Pressure injuries can lead to infection, prolonged hospitalization, and impaired rehabilitation progress. Rehabilitation nurses educate patients and caregivers about lifelong skin care management and pressure relief techniques. Prevention remains far more effective than treatment and is a critical component of spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

Question 14. Which team member primarily evaluates home accessibility before discharge?

A. Occupational therapist

B. Respiratory therapist

C. Speech therapist

D. Dietitian

Correct Answer:

✅ A. Occupational therapist

Explanation: Occupational therapists assess environmental barriers and recommend adaptive equipment and home modifications. They evaluate bathrooms, kitchens, entrances, and functional spaces to maximize independence and safety. Recommendations may include grab bars, ramps, raised toilet seats, and assistive devices. These interventions facilitate successful community reintegration and reduce fall risk. Collaboration among therapists, nurses, and caregivers ensures that discharge plans are realistic and tailored to patient needs.

Question 15. Which statement demonstrates effective motivational interviewing?

A. “You must exercise every day.”

B. “Why aren’t you following instructions?”

C. “What goals are most important to you as you recover?”

D. “You should do what the therapist recommends.”

Correct Answer:

✅ C. “What goals are most important to you as you recover?”

Explanation: Motivational interviewing uses open-ended questions, empathy, and collaboration to promote behavior change. Rehabilitation patients often face long recoveries requiring active participation. Asking patients about their personal goals fosters engagement and strengthens self-efficacy. Judgmental or authoritarian communication can create resistance and decrease adherence. Rehabilitation nurses who use motivational interviewing help patients identify meaningful goals and develop individualized strategies for recovery, improving long-term outcomes.

Question 16. A patient with T8 spinal cord injury has not had a bowel movement in three days. Which nursing intervention best supports a neurogenic bowel program?

A. Administer laxatives randomly as needed

B. Encourage a consistent bowel routine with adequate fluid and fiber intake

C. Restrict fluids to prevent accidents

D. Perform digital stimulation only when constipation becomes severe

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Encourage a consistent bowel routine with adequate fluid and fiber intake

Explanation: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction is common after spinal cord injury because neurologic pathways controlling bowel elimination are disrupted. Successful bowel programs depend on consistency rather than treating constipation only after it occurs. Scheduled bowel care, adequate hydration, high-fiber diets, physical activity, and prescribed stool softeners or suppositories help establish predictable elimination patterns. Restricting fluids increases constipation risk, and waiting until severe constipation develops may lead to impaction or autonomic dysreflexia. Rehabilitation nurses educate patients and caregivers about individualized bowel routines that promote independence, dignity, and quality of life. Consistency is essential for long-term bowel management after discharge.

Question 17. A rehabilitation nurse is using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to evaluate a patient. A score of 1 indicates:

A. Modified independence

B. Supervision required

C. Complete independence

D. Total assistance

Correct Answer:

✅ D. Total assistance

Explanation: The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) evaluates a patient’s level of disability and need for assistance. Scores range from 1 to 7. A score of 1 represents total assistance, meaning the patient performs less than 25% of the task. Higher scores indicate increasing independence, with 7 signifying complete independence. Rehabilitation nurses use FIM scores to establish baseline function, monitor progress, and assist with discharge planning. Understanding functional levels helps the interdisciplinary team set realistic goals and determine the resources needed after discharge. Accurate scoring is essential for documenting outcomes and ensuring continuity of care throughout rehabilitation.

Question 18. A patient recovering from a right hemispheric stroke consistently attempts to get out of bed without assistance despite repeated education. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

A. Apply restraints immediately

B. Place the patient in isolation

C. Use frequent observation and bed-exit alarms while reinforcing safety

D. Administer sedatives routinely

Correct Answer:

✅ C. Use frequent observation and bed-exit alarms while reinforcing safety

Explanation: Patients with right hemispheric strokes often demonstrate impulsivity, poor judgment, and decreased awareness of deficits, increasing fall risk. Rehabilitation nursing emphasizes preserving function while maintaining safety. Frequent observation, bed alarms, low beds, and repeated reinforcement are preferred interventions. Restraints and routine sedation may worsen confusion, increase injury risk, and interfere with rehabilitation progress. Nurses should collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop individualized fall-prevention strategies. Promoting mobility while minimizing hazards allows patients to participate in therapy and maintain dignity. Safety interventions should be the least restrictive and support functional recovery.

Question 19. Which action by a rehabilitation nurse best demonstrates advocacy under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

A. Advising a patient to retire permanently after injury

B. Encouraging the employer to provide reasonable accommodations for returning to work

C. Discouraging the patient from seeking employment

D. Limiting the patient’s participation in community activities

Correct Answer:

✅ B. Encouraging the employer to provide reasonable accommodations for returning to work

Explanation: The Americans with Disabilities Act protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations when appropriate. Rehabilitation nurses frequently advocate for patients during community reintegration and return-to-work planning. Accommodations may include modified schedules, adaptive equipment, accessible workstations, or reassignment of certain duties. Promoting employment and independence improves self-esteem and quality of life. Advising permanent withdrawal from work without considering accommodations contradicts rehabilitation principles. Advocacy is a key component of rehabilitation nursing and helps patients achieve the highest level of participation in society.

Question 20. During interdisciplinary rounds, a patient’s daughter says, “My father will be discharged next week, but I don’t know how to manage his medications or transfers at home.” What is the nurse’s best response?

A. “The home health agency will teach you after discharge.”

B. “You can learn these things after he gets home.”

C. “Let’s arrange caregiver teaching sessions and involve the rehabilitation team before discharge.”

D. “You should hire a private caregiver.”

Correct Answer:

✅ C. “Let’s arrange caregiver teaching sessions and involve the rehabilitation team before discharge.”

Explanation: Successful transition from rehabilitation to home depends heavily on caregiver preparation. Education should begin well before discharge and involve the entire interdisciplinary team, including nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and case managers. Teaching should cover medications, transfer techniques, mobility devices, skin care, bowel and bladder management, emergency signs, and follow-up appointments. Waiting until after discharge increases caregiver stress and raises the risk of medication errors, falls, and rehospitalization. Rehabilitation nurses serve as coordinators and educators, ensuring caregivers gain the knowledge and confidence necessary to provide safe care and support continued recovery at home.