Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Teeth. Teeth are responsible for the initial mechanical breakdown of food during mastication. Step 1: Teeth use their hard surfaces to chew and grind food into smaller pieces. Step 2: This process increases the surface area of the food, making it easier for digestive enzymes to break down. Step 3: The tongue aids in moving the food around the mouth but does not break down the food mechanically. Pharynx is responsible for swallowing, not mastication. Salivary glands produce saliva that helps in the lubrication and digestion of food, but they do not directly participate in the mechanical breakdown of food.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the licensure examination aims to assess if candidates meet the expected competency standards to practice nursing safely and effectively. This process ensures that only qualified individuals enter the profession, maintaining high standards of care. Choice A is incorrect because the exam goes beyond applying theory to include practical skills. Choice B is incorrect as protecting the public is the outcome of ensuring competency. Choice C is incorrect as the exam evaluates the full scope of nursing practice, not just its application.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Utilizing the nursing process in providing safe, quality nursing care. This is because the nursing process involves assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, which ensures comprehensive and individualized care. Documenting procedures (B) is important but does not guarantee meeting standards of care. Simply carrying out doctor's orders (C) may not address all aspects of patient care. Performing physical assessment (D) is crucial but only one component of the nursing process. Ultimately, utilizing the nursing process ensures holistic and evidence-based care, meeting the standards of care on falls.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Systematic sampling. Nurse Sandy is adopting systematic sampling by selecting every third patient with MI after a random start. This method ensures equal chance of selection for each patient and maintains randomness. In contrast, simple random sampling (A) entails each patient having an equal chance of being selected independently. Stratified sampling (B) divides patients into groups based on certain characteristics, which is not the case here. Cluster sampling (D) involves grouping patients and selecting entire groups, which is different from the individual selection in this scenario.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Salary of nurses. In a study, the researcher is likely to exclude salary as it is not directly related to the quality of patient care. The focus should be on factors like responsiveness, caring attitude, and competence of nurses, which directly impact patient outcomes. Including salary may introduce bias and distract from the main objective of studying patient care quality. Responsiveness, caring attitude, and competence are crucial aspects of nursing care that directly influence patient satisfaction and health outcomes. Salary, on the other hand, is an external factor that may not directly correlate with the quality of care provided.