Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What does 'Ensure' mean?

1. To make adjustments

2. To make certain

3. To expand

4. To facilitate

The correct answer is: To make certain

The term "ensure" means to make certain that something will occur or will be the case. It involves taking the necessary steps or actions to guarantee outcomes or conditions are met. In the context of healthcare or nursing, ensuring something is pivotal as it relates to patient safety, treatment efficacy, and adherence to protocols. For example, a nurse must ensure that a patient receives the correct medication at the right dosage to prevent any errors. The other options relate to different actions but do not capture the essence of "ensure." Making adjustments refers to altering something according to needs or changes, expanding involves increasing size or scope, and facilitating means to make a process easier or more attainable. Thus, while these terms represent important actions in their own right, they do not convey the certainty and assurance inherent in the definition of "ensure."