HESI LPN to ADN Entrance Exam 2026 LATEST EDITION WITH
CPORRECT ANSWERS WELL VERIFIED 2026!
SECTION 1: CARDIOVASCULAR AND PERIPHERAL VASCULAR CARE
Question 1
A client with heart failure is prescribed furosemide (Lasix). Which assessment finding indicates the
medication is having the desired therapeutic effect?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Weight gain of 2 pounds in 24 hours
C) Decreased peripheral edema
D) Increased heart rate
ANSWER: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that promotes excretion of fluid, reducing fluid volume
overload. The desired therapeutic effect is evidenced by decreased peripheral edema, decreased
pulmonary congestion, and weight loss. Increased blood pressure and weight gain would indicate
worsening fluid retention, and increased heart rate could indicate compensatory mechanisms or
dehydration.
Question 2
A nurse is assessing a client with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Which finding is most characteristic of
this condition?
A) Bilateral lower extremity edema
B) Brownish discoloration of the skin
C) Intermittent claudication
D) Warm, erythematous extremities
,ANSWER: C
Rationale: Intermittent claudication—pain, cramping, or fatigue in the lower extremities during exercise
that resolves with rest—is a hallmark symptom of peripheral artery disease caused by atherosclerosis.
Bilateral edema and brownish discoloration are more characteristic of venous insufficiency, and warm
erythematous extremities suggest inflammation or infection.
Question 3
A client with hypertension is prescribed an ACE inhibitor. Which adverse effect should the nurse teach
the client to report immediately?
A) Dry cough
B) Angioedema
C) Dizziness
D) Hyperkalemia
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Angioedema is a potentially life-threatening adverse effect of ACE inhibitors characterized by
swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat. It can cause airway obstruction and requires immediate
emergency intervention. While dry cough, dizziness, and hyperkalemia are also potential adverse
effects, angioedema poses the most immediate threat to airway safety.
Question 4
A nurse is caring for a client following a cardiac catheterization via the femoral artery. Which assessment
finding requires immediate intervention?
A) Heart rate of 72 beats per minute
B) Blood pressure of 118/76 mmHg
C) Temperature of 99.2°F (37.3°C)
D) Bright red bleeding at the insertion site
,ANSWER: D
Rationale: Bright red bleeding at the insertion site following femoral artery catheterization indicates
arterial bleeding and requires immediate intervention with direct pressure. The other vital signs are
within normal limits and do not indicate an emergency. Uncontrolled bleeding can lead to hematoma
formation, hemorrhage, and hemodynamic instability.
Question 5
A client with myocardial infarction is having intense chest pain that does not respond to nitroglycerin.
The provider orders which medication next?
A) Acetaminophen tablets
B) Aspirin enteric-coated
C) Intravenous morphine sulfate
D) Oral nitroglycerin extended-release
ANSWER: C
Rationale: IV morphine sulfate is the medication of choice for chest pain unrelieved by nitroglycerin in a
client experiencing myocardial infarction. Morphine reduces pain, decreases myocardial oxygen demand
by reducing preload and afterload, and reduces anxiety. While aspirin is also indicated for MI, it is
typically given emergently upon presentation. The pain described requires more potent analgesia than
acetaminophen, and extended-release nitroglycerin is not appropriate for acute pain management.
Question 6
A nurse teaches a client with coronary artery disease (CAD) about diet modifications. Which client
statement reflects accurate understanding?
A) "I will eat fried foods only twice each week."
B) "I will reduce salt by using salt substitutes liberally."
C) "I will choose baked or grilled fish, vegetables, and whole grains."
D) "I will replace red meat with full-fat cheese."
, ANSWER: C
Rationale: A heart-healthy diet for CAD should emphasize baked or grilled fish (rich in omega-3 fatty
acids), vegetables, and whole grains while limiting saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Fried foods are
high in unhealthy fats and should be significantly restricted. Salt substitutes may contain potassium and
should be used cautiously, especially if the client has renal impairment or takes potassium-sparing
diuretics. Full-fat cheese is high in saturated fat and is not a heart-healthy substitute for red meat.
Question 7
An older adult with left-sided hemiplegia from a stroke points to the left leg and states, "There is a leg in
my bed and I don't know whose it is." Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
A) "That is clearly your own leg."
B) "It will go away soon."
C) "So you believe that this leg is not yours?"
D) "You should ignore it and try to sleep."
ANSWER: C
Rationale: This client is exhibiting anosognosia, a condition in which the client denies or is unaware of
the existence of a body part or deficit, commonly following a stroke. The most therapeutic approach is
to acknowledge the client's perception without arguing while gently orienting to reality. Option C
validates the client's experience without confronting their delusion. Arguing (Option A) increases
anxiety, dismissing the concern (Option D) is disrespectful, and false reassurance (Option B) is not
therapeutic.
Question 8
Four hours after an aortoiliac bypass graft procedure, the nurse observes that the affected leg is warm,
slightly reddened, and mildly swollen with a pedal pulse identical to baseline. How should the nurse
interpret this assessment?
A) Alert the surgeon that moderate impairment is present
CPORRECT ANSWERS WELL VERIFIED 2026!
SECTION 1: CARDIOVASCULAR AND PERIPHERAL VASCULAR CARE
Question 1
A client with heart failure is prescribed furosemide (Lasix). Which assessment finding indicates the
medication is having the desired therapeutic effect?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Weight gain of 2 pounds in 24 hours
C) Decreased peripheral edema
D) Increased heart rate
ANSWER: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that promotes excretion of fluid, reducing fluid volume
overload. The desired therapeutic effect is evidenced by decreased peripheral edema, decreased
pulmonary congestion, and weight loss. Increased blood pressure and weight gain would indicate
worsening fluid retention, and increased heart rate could indicate compensatory mechanisms or
dehydration.
Question 2
A nurse is assessing a client with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Which finding is most characteristic of
this condition?
A) Bilateral lower extremity edema
B) Brownish discoloration of the skin
C) Intermittent claudication
D) Warm, erythematous extremities
,ANSWER: C
Rationale: Intermittent claudication—pain, cramping, or fatigue in the lower extremities during exercise
that resolves with rest—is a hallmark symptom of peripheral artery disease caused by atherosclerosis.
Bilateral edema and brownish discoloration are more characteristic of venous insufficiency, and warm
erythematous extremities suggest inflammation or infection.
Question 3
A client with hypertension is prescribed an ACE inhibitor. Which adverse effect should the nurse teach
the client to report immediately?
A) Dry cough
B) Angioedema
C) Dizziness
D) Hyperkalemia
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Angioedema is a potentially life-threatening adverse effect of ACE inhibitors characterized by
swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat. It can cause airway obstruction and requires immediate
emergency intervention. While dry cough, dizziness, and hyperkalemia are also potential adverse
effects, angioedema poses the most immediate threat to airway safety.
Question 4
A nurse is caring for a client following a cardiac catheterization via the femoral artery. Which assessment
finding requires immediate intervention?
A) Heart rate of 72 beats per minute
B) Blood pressure of 118/76 mmHg
C) Temperature of 99.2°F (37.3°C)
D) Bright red bleeding at the insertion site
,ANSWER: D
Rationale: Bright red bleeding at the insertion site following femoral artery catheterization indicates
arterial bleeding and requires immediate intervention with direct pressure. The other vital signs are
within normal limits and do not indicate an emergency. Uncontrolled bleeding can lead to hematoma
formation, hemorrhage, and hemodynamic instability.
Question 5
A client with myocardial infarction is having intense chest pain that does not respond to nitroglycerin.
The provider orders which medication next?
A) Acetaminophen tablets
B) Aspirin enteric-coated
C) Intravenous morphine sulfate
D) Oral nitroglycerin extended-release
ANSWER: C
Rationale: IV morphine sulfate is the medication of choice for chest pain unrelieved by nitroglycerin in a
client experiencing myocardial infarction. Morphine reduces pain, decreases myocardial oxygen demand
by reducing preload and afterload, and reduces anxiety. While aspirin is also indicated for MI, it is
typically given emergently upon presentation. The pain described requires more potent analgesia than
acetaminophen, and extended-release nitroglycerin is not appropriate for acute pain management.
Question 6
A nurse teaches a client with coronary artery disease (CAD) about diet modifications. Which client
statement reflects accurate understanding?
A) "I will eat fried foods only twice each week."
B) "I will reduce salt by using salt substitutes liberally."
C) "I will choose baked or grilled fish, vegetables, and whole grains."
D) "I will replace red meat with full-fat cheese."
, ANSWER: C
Rationale: A heart-healthy diet for CAD should emphasize baked or grilled fish (rich in omega-3 fatty
acids), vegetables, and whole grains while limiting saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Fried foods are
high in unhealthy fats and should be significantly restricted. Salt substitutes may contain potassium and
should be used cautiously, especially if the client has renal impairment or takes potassium-sparing
diuretics. Full-fat cheese is high in saturated fat and is not a heart-healthy substitute for red meat.
Question 7
An older adult with left-sided hemiplegia from a stroke points to the left leg and states, "There is a leg in
my bed and I don't know whose it is." Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
A) "That is clearly your own leg."
B) "It will go away soon."
C) "So you believe that this leg is not yours?"
D) "You should ignore it and try to sleep."
ANSWER: C
Rationale: This client is exhibiting anosognosia, a condition in which the client denies or is unaware of
the existence of a body part or deficit, commonly following a stroke. The most therapeutic approach is
to acknowledge the client's perception without arguing while gently orienting to reality. Option C
validates the client's experience without confronting their delusion. Arguing (Option A) increases
anxiety, dismissing the concern (Option D) is disrespectful, and false reassurance (Option B) is not
therapeutic.
Question 8
Four hours after an aortoiliac bypass graft procedure, the nurse observes that the affected leg is warm,
slightly reddened, and mildly swollen with a pedal pulse identical to baseline. How should the nurse
interpret this assessment?
A) Alert the surgeon that moderate impairment is present
