HESI NURS 332 | PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | COMPREHENSIVE HESI
NURSING STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
The nurse is caring for a client receiving tamoxifen for the treatment of breast cancer Which
action should the nurse include in the client's plan of care ?
A. Monitor sodium chloride intake .
B. Encourage milk products to increase calcium intake .
C. Increase fluid intake .
D. Assist the client in coping with hot flashes . - ANS ✔✔D.
Tamoxifen , an estrogen receptor blocking agent , can cause hot flashes , so client education
regarding menopausal - like symptoms should be included in the plan of care .
A client in an ambulatory clinic describes awaking in the middle of the night with difficulty
breathing and shortness of breath related to paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea Which underlying
condition should the registered nurse ( RN ) identify in the client's history ?
A. Chronic bronchitis .
B. Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD ) .
C. Chronic pancreatitis .
D. Heart failure ( HF ) . - ANS ✔✔D.
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea is classic sign of heart failure and is secondary to fluid overload
associated with heart failure which causes pulmonary edema .
Which intervention should the nurse implement that best confirms placement of an
endotracheal tube ( ETT ) ?
A. Use an end - tital CO2 detector .
B. Check symmetrical chest movement .
C. Obtain pulse oximeter reading .
D. Ascultate for bilateral breath sounds . - ANS ✔✔A.
,The end - tidal carbon dioxide detector indicates the prescence of CO2tidal by a color change or
a number indicated on the detector , which is supporting evidence that the ETT is in the trachea
, not the esophagus
A client with Meniere's disease is incapacitated by vertigo and is lying in bed , grasping the side
rails , and staring at the television . Which nursing intervention should the nurse implement ?
A. Change the client's position every two hours .
B. Turn off the television and darken the room .
C. Keep the head of the bed elevated 30 degrees .
D. Encourage fluids to 3000 mL per day . - ANS ✔✔B.
To decrease the client's vertigo during an acute attack of Meniere's disease , any visual
stimulant or rotational movement , such as sudden head movements or position changes ,
should be minimized . To effectively manage the client's symptoms , darken the room by
minimizing fluorescent lights , flickering television lights , and distracting sounds .
Which instruction should the nurse include in the discharge teaching for a client who needs to
perform self - catheterization technique at home ?
A. Maintain sterile technique .
B. Use the Cred maneuver before catheterization .
C. Catheterize every 3 to 4 hours .
D. Drink 500 mL of fluid within 2 hours of catheterization . - ANS ✔✔C.
The average interval between catheterizations for adults is every 3 to 4 hours . Although sterile
technique is indicated in healthcare facilities , clean technique is often followed by the client
when performing self - catheterization at home .
A female client with hyperesthesia on the oncology unit is using a transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation ( TENS ) unit for chronic pain Which nursing activity should the nurse
implement instead of delegating to a practical nurse ( PN ) ?
A. Ask the client about her past experience with chronic pain .
B. Determine the client's level of discomfort using a pain rating scale .
,C. Evaluate the client's ability to adjust the voltage to control pain .
D. Observe the client's facial expressions for pain and discomfort . - ANS ✔✔C.
The oncology nurse has the knowledge and experience with the use of a transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation ( TENS ) unit for chronic pain relief , so the nurse should evaluate
the client's skill in effectively controlling the pain by adjusting the voltage .
An older female client is admitted with atrophic vaginitis and perineal cutaneous candidiasis .
Which is the priority nursing diagnosis for this client ?
A. Risk for injury .
B. Impaired comfort .
C. Ineffective health maintenance .
D. Disturbed body image . - ANS ✔✔B.
In menopausal women , the vaginal mucous membrane responds to low estrogen levels causing
the vaginal walls to become thinner , drier , and susceptible to infection , which leads to
atrophic vaginitis . Perineal cutaneous candidiasis contributes to other manifestations of vaginal
infections . such as vaginal irritation , burning , pruritus , increased leukorrhea , bleeding , and
dyspareunia , which supports the primary nursing diagnosis , " impaired comfort . "
A client is admitted to the emergency department after being lost for four days while hiking in a
national forest . Upon review of the laboratory results , the nurse determines the client's serum
level for thyroid - stimulating hormone ( TSH ) is elevated . Which additional assessment should
the nurse make ?
A. Body mass index .
B. Skin elasticity and turgor .
C. Thought processes and speech .
D. Exposure to cold environmental temperatures - ANS ✔✔D.
TSH influences the amount of thyroxine secretion which increases the rate of metabolism to
maintain body temperature near normal . Prolonged exposure to cold environmental
temperatures stimulates the hypothalamus to secrete thyrotropin - releasing hormone , which
increases anterior pituitary serum release of TSH .
, The nurse obtains a client's history that includes right mastectomy and radiation therapy for
breast cancer 10 years ago . Which current health problem should the nurse consider is a
consequence of the radiation therapy ?
A. Asthma .
B. Myocardial infarction .
C. Pathologic fracture of two ribs on the right chest .
D. Chronic esophagitis with gastroesophageal reflux . - ANS ✔✔C.
The ribs lie in the radiation pathway and lose density over time , becoming thin and brittle , so
the occurrence of two right - sided ribs with pathological fractures resulting without evidence of
trauma is related to radiation damage .
The nurse is assessing a client admitted from the emergency department with gastrointestinal
bleeding related to peptic ulcer disease ( PUD ) . Which physiological factors can produce
ulceration ? ( Select all that apply . )
A. An increased level of stress .
B. An increased number of parietal cells .
C. Decreased duodenal inhibition .
D. Vagal stimulation .
E. Hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid . - ANS ✔✔B. C. D. E.
Hypersecretion of gastric juices and an increased number of parietal cells that stimulate
secretion are most often the causes of ulceration . Vagal stimulation and decreased duodenal
inhibition also increase the secretion of caustic fluids .
The registered nurse ( RN ) is caring for a client who developed oliguria and was diagnosed with
sepsis and dehydration 48 hours ago . Which assessment finding indicates to the RN that the
client is stabilizing ?
A. Apical pulse 100 and blood pressure 76/42 .
B. Tented skin on dorsal surface of hands .
NURSING STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
The nurse is caring for a client receiving tamoxifen for the treatment of breast cancer Which
action should the nurse include in the client's plan of care ?
A. Monitor sodium chloride intake .
B. Encourage milk products to increase calcium intake .
C. Increase fluid intake .
D. Assist the client in coping with hot flashes . - ANS ✔✔D.
Tamoxifen , an estrogen receptor blocking agent , can cause hot flashes , so client education
regarding menopausal - like symptoms should be included in the plan of care .
A client in an ambulatory clinic describes awaking in the middle of the night with difficulty
breathing and shortness of breath related to paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea Which underlying
condition should the registered nurse ( RN ) identify in the client's history ?
A. Chronic bronchitis .
B. Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD ) .
C. Chronic pancreatitis .
D. Heart failure ( HF ) . - ANS ✔✔D.
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea is classic sign of heart failure and is secondary to fluid overload
associated with heart failure which causes pulmonary edema .
Which intervention should the nurse implement that best confirms placement of an
endotracheal tube ( ETT ) ?
A. Use an end - tital CO2 detector .
B. Check symmetrical chest movement .
C. Obtain pulse oximeter reading .
D. Ascultate for bilateral breath sounds . - ANS ✔✔A.
,The end - tidal carbon dioxide detector indicates the prescence of CO2tidal by a color change or
a number indicated on the detector , which is supporting evidence that the ETT is in the trachea
, not the esophagus
A client with Meniere's disease is incapacitated by vertigo and is lying in bed , grasping the side
rails , and staring at the television . Which nursing intervention should the nurse implement ?
A. Change the client's position every two hours .
B. Turn off the television and darken the room .
C. Keep the head of the bed elevated 30 degrees .
D. Encourage fluids to 3000 mL per day . - ANS ✔✔B.
To decrease the client's vertigo during an acute attack of Meniere's disease , any visual
stimulant or rotational movement , such as sudden head movements or position changes ,
should be minimized . To effectively manage the client's symptoms , darken the room by
minimizing fluorescent lights , flickering television lights , and distracting sounds .
Which instruction should the nurse include in the discharge teaching for a client who needs to
perform self - catheterization technique at home ?
A. Maintain sterile technique .
B. Use the Cred maneuver before catheterization .
C. Catheterize every 3 to 4 hours .
D. Drink 500 mL of fluid within 2 hours of catheterization . - ANS ✔✔C.
The average interval between catheterizations for adults is every 3 to 4 hours . Although sterile
technique is indicated in healthcare facilities , clean technique is often followed by the client
when performing self - catheterization at home .
A female client with hyperesthesia on the oncology unit is using a transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation ( TENS ) unit for chronic pain Which nursing activity should the nurse
implement instead of delegating to a practical nurse ( PN ) ?
A. Ask the client about her past experience with chronic pain .
B. Determine the client's level of discomfort using a pain rating scale .
,C. Evaluate the client's ability to adjust the voltage to control pain .
D. Observe the client's facial expressions for pain and discomfort . - ANS ✔✔C.
The oncology nurse has the knowledge and experience with the use of a transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation ( TENS ) unit for chronic pain relief , so the nurse should evaluate
the client's skill in effectively controlling the pain by adjusting the voltage .
An older female client is admitted with atrophic vaginitis and perineal cutaneous candidiasis .
Which is the priority nursing diagnosis for this client ?
A. Risk for injury .
B. Impaired comfort .
C. Ineffective health maintenance .
D. Disturbed body image . - ANS ✔✔B.
In menopausal women , the vaginal mucous membrane responds to low estrogen levels causing
the vaginal walls to become thinner , drier , and susceptible to infection , which leads to
atrophic vaginitis . Perineal cutaneous candidiasis contributes to other manifestations of vaginal
infections . such as vaginal irritation , burning , pruritus , increased leukorrhea , bleeding , and
dyspareunia , which supports the primary nursing diagnosis , " impaired comfort . "
A client is admitted to the emergency department after being lost for four days while hiking in a
national forest . Upon review of the laboratory results , the nurse determines the client's serum
level for thyroid - stimulating hormone ( TSH ) is elevated . Which additional assessment should
the nurse make ?
A. Body mass index .
B. Skin elasticity and turgor .
C. Thought processes and speech .
D. Exposure to cold environmental temperatures - ANS ✔✔D.
TSH influences the amount of thyroxine secretion which increases the rate of metabolism to
maintain body temperature near normal . Prolonged exposure to cold environmental
temperatures stimulates the hypothalamus to secrete thyrotropin - releasing hormone , which
increases anterior pituitary serum release of TSH .
, The nurse obtains a client's history that includes right mastectomy and radiation therapy for
breast cancer 10 years ago . Which current health problem should the nurse consider is a
consequence of the radiation therapy ?
A. Asthma .
B. Myocardial infarction .
C. Pathologic fracture of two ribs on the right chest .
D. Chronic esophagitis with gastroesophageal reflux . - ANS ✔✔C.
The ribs lie in the radiation pathway and lose density over time , becoming thin and brittle , so
the occurrence of two right - sided ribs with pathological fractures resulting without evidence of
trauma is related to radiation damage .
The nurse is assessing a client admitted from the emergency department with gastrointestinal
bleeding related to peptic ulcer disease ( PUD ) . Which physiological factors can produce
ulceration ? ( Select all that apply . )
A. An increased level of stress .
B. An increased number of parietal cells .
C. Decreased duodenal inhibition .
D. Vagal stimulation .
E. Hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid . - ANS ✔✔B. C. D. E.
Hypersecretion of gastric juices and an increased number of parietal cells that stimulate
secretion are most often the causes of ulceration . Vagal stimulation and decreased duodenal
inhibition also increase the secretion of caustic fluids .
The registered nurse ( RN ) is caring for a client who developed oliguria and was diagnosed with
sepsis and dehydration 48 hours ago . Which assessment finding indicates to the RN that the
client is stabilizing ?
A. Apical pulse 100 and blood pressure 76/42 .
B. Tented skin on dorsal surface of hands .
