BSN 246 HESI COMPLETE EXAM 2026/2027 | Over 400
Questions | Nightingale College | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
PART 1: Health History & General Assessment (Q1–Q75)
SECTION 1A: Health History & Interview (Q1–Q30)
Q1: A nurse is beginning a health history with a new patient. Which action demonstrates
the best therapeutic communication technique?
A. Asking "You don't smoke, do you?"
B. Sitting at eye level and using open-ended questions [CORRECT]
C. Standing at the foot of the bed with arms crossed
D. Asking "You're here for chest pain, right?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Sitting at eye level with open-ended questions establishes rapport and
encourages patient narrative; leading questions and closed body language inhibit
communication.
Q2: When obtaining a chief complaint, the nurse should:
A. Use medical terminology to ensure accuracy
B. Document the patient's exact words in quotation marks [CORRECT]
C. Paraphrase the complaint to shorten documentation
D. Ask the family to describe the complaint instead
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The chief complaint should be recorded using the patient's own words to
preserve the original concern; medical terminology or family interpretation may distort
the patient's perspective.
Q3: The OLDCARTS mnemonic is used to assess:
A. Family history patterns
B. The history of present illness [CORRECT]
C. Social determinants of health
D. Review of systems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: OLDCARTS (Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravating/relieving
factors, Related symptoms, Treatment, Severity) organizes the history of present illness;
it does not structure family history or social history.
Q4: A nurse asks a patient, "What does the pain feel like?" This question assesses which
component of PQRST?
A. Provocative/Palliative
B. Quality [CORRECT]
C. Region/Radiation
D. Severity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "What does it feel like?" assesses the quality of the symptom (e.g., sharp,
burning, dull); provocative/palliative asks what makes it better or worse, and
region/radiation asks where it is located.
Q5: During the review of systems (ROS), a patient reports occasional headaches and
seasonal allergies. This information should be documented in which section?
A. Past medical history
B. Family history
C. Review of systems [CORRECT]
D. Social history
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ROS documents subjective symptoms by body system; headaches and
allergies belong in the ROS, not the past medical history which records diagnosed
conditions.
Q6: A nurse is interviewing a patient with low health literacy. Which strategy is most
appropriate?
A. Use technical jargon to ensure precision
B. Provide information at a 5th to 6th-grade reading level and teach-back method
[CORRECT]
C. Assume the patient understands if they nod
D. Give all information at once to save time
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patients with low health literacy benefit from simplified language and
teach-back verification; jargon and assumptions about comprehension compromise
safety.
Q7: Medication reconciliation should include:
A. Only prescription medications
B. All prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and herbal
products [CORRECT]
C. Only medications prescribed in the last month
D. Only medications the patient believes are important
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Complete medication reconciliation requires reviewing all substances
including OTC, supplements, and herbals to identify interactions and adherence issues.
Q8: When taking a family history, the nurse uses a pedigree or genogram primarily to:
A. Document social relationships
B. Identify hereditary disease patterns and genetic risk factors [CORRECT]
, C. Record medication allergies
D. Assess functional ability
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pedigrees and genograms map family relationships across generations to
identify hereditary disease patterns; they do not document social networks or allergies.
Q9: A patient states, "I stopped taking my blood pressure medication because I felt fine."
This statement indicates a need for:
A. Immediate disciplinary action
B. Health teaching about asymptomatic hypertension and medication adherence
[CORRECT]
C. A psychiatric consultation
D. Discharge planning only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stopping antihypertensives due to absence of symptoms reflects a
knowledge deficit; the nurse must teach about silent hypertension and adherence rather
than assume noncompliance or psychiatric issues.
Q10: The nurse is conducting a functional assessment. Which question best evaluates
instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)?
A. "Can you feed yourself?"
B. "Can you manage your finances and medications?" [CORRECT]
C. "Can you walk to the bathroom?"
D. "Can you brush your teeth?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: IADLs include complex tasks like managing finances and medications;
feeding oneself and walking are basic ADLs, not IADLs.
Q11: During a social history, which topic is essential to assess?
A. Favorite television programs
Questions | Nightingale College | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
PART 1: Health History & General Assessment (Q1–Q75)
SECTION 1A: Health History & Interview (Q1–Q30)
Q1: A nurse is beginning a health history with a new patient. Which action demonstrates
the best therapeutic communication technique?
A. Asking "You don't smoke, do you?"
B. Sitting at eye level and using open-ended questions [CORRECT]
C. Standing at the foot of the bed with arms crossed
D. Asking "You're here for chest pain, right?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Sitting at eye level with open-ended questions establishes rapport and
encourages patient narrative; leading questions and closed body language inhibit
communication.
Q2: When obtaining a chief complaint, the nurse should:
A. Use medical terminology to ensure accuracy
B. Document the patient's exact words in quotation marks [CORRECT]
C. Paraphrase the complaint to shorten documentation
D. Ask the family to describe the complaint instead
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The chief complaint should be recorded using the patient's own words to
preserve the original concern; medical terminology or family interpretation may distort
the patient's perspective.
Q3: The OLDCARTS mnemonic is used to assess:
A. Family history patterns
B. The history of present illness [CORRECT]
C. Social determinants of health
D. Review of systems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: OLDCARTS (Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravating/relieving
factors, Related symptoms, Treatment, Severity) organizes the history of present illness;
it does not structure family history or social history.
Q4: A nurse asks a patient, "What does the pain feel like?" This question assesses which
component of PQRST?
A. Provocative/Palliative
B. Quality [CORRECT]
C. Region/Radiation
D. Severity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "What does it feel like?" assesses the quality of the symptom (e.g., sharp,
burning, dull); provocative/palliative asks what makes it better or worse, and
region/radiation asks where it is located.
Q5: During the review of systems (ROS), a patient reports occasional headaches and
seasonal allergies. This information should be documented in which section?
A. Past medical history
B. Family history
C. Review of systems [CORRECT]
D. Social history
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ROS documents subjective symptoms by body system; headaches and
allergies belong in the ROS, not the past medical history which records diagnosed
conditions.
Q6: A nurse is interviewing a patient with low health literacy. Which strategy is most
appropriate?
A. Use technical jargon to ensure precision
B. Provide information at a 5th to 6th-grade reading level and teach-back method
[CORRECT]
C. Assume the patient understands if they nod
D. Give all information at once to save time
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patients with low health literacy benefit from simplified language and
teach-back verification; jargon and assumptions about comprehension compromise
safety.
Q7: Medication reconciliation should include:
A. Only prescription medications
B. All prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and herbal
products [CORRECT]
C. Only medications prescribed in the last month
D. Only medications the patient believes are important
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Complete medication reconciliation requires reviewing all substances
including OTC, supplements, and herbals to identify interactions and adherence issues.
Q8: When taking a family history, the nurse uses a pedigree or genogram primarily to:
A. Document social relationships
B. Identify hereditary disease patterns and genetic risk factors [CORRECT]
, C. Record medication allergies
D. Assess functional ability
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pedigrees and genograms map family relationships across generations to
identify hereditary disease patterns; they do not document social networks or allergies.
Q9: A patient states, "I stopped taking my blood pressure medication because I felt fine."
This statement indicates a need for:
A. Immediate disciplinary action
B. Health teaching about asymptomatic hypertension and medication adherence
[CORRECT]
C. A psychiatric consultation
D. Discharge planning only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stopping antihypertensives due to absence of symptoms reflects a
knowledge deficit; the nurse must teach about silent hypertension and adherence rather
than assume noncompliance or psychiatric issues.
Q10: The nurse is conducting a functional assessment. Which question best evaluates
instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)?
A. "Can you feed yourself?"
B. "Can you manage your finances and medications?" [CORRECT]
C. "Can you walk to the bathroom?"
D. "Can you brush your teeth?"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: IADLs include complex tasks like managing finances and medications;
feeding oneself and walking are basic ADLs, not IADLs.
Q11: During a social history, which topic is essential to assess?
A. Favorite television programs
