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HESI Leadership Exam Prep Test Bank: 200
Questions & Rationales for 2026/2027 –
Mastering Delegation, Prioritization, Ethics,
and Management Theories for Exam Success
HESI Leadership Practice Questions (Set of 200)
1. A nurse manager consistently rewards staff
for meeting unit goals and uses disciplinary
action when standards are not met. Which
leadership style is this manager
demonstrating?
• A) Transformational leadership
• B) Transactional leadership
• C) Laissez-faire leadership
• D) Democratic leadership
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership focuses on
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supervision, organization, and performance
monitoring. Leaders using this style use rewards
and punishments to motivate followers and
maintain the status quo .
2. Which actions of the nurse exhibit
transformational leadership? Select all that
apply.
• A) Motivating or inspiring the employees
• B) Meeting the targets within the deadline
• C) Working according to organizational rules
• D) Increasing the employee commitment of
an organization
• E) Correcting errors in a reactive manner
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: A, D
Rationale: Transformational leadership involves
inspiring and motivating employees to achieve
beyond expectations and increasing their
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commitment to the organization. Transactional
leadership focuses on meeting deadlines,
following rules, and correcting errors
reactively .
3. A charge nurse makes all decisions without
input from the staff and closely supervises all
activities. This leadership style is best
described as:
• A) Democratic
• B) Laissez-faire
• C) Autocratic
• D) Transformational
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C
Rationale: An autocratic (or authoritarian)
leader makes decisions independently and
maintains strong control over the team .
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4. The unit nurse manager comes to work
obviously intoxicated. Which action is the staff
nurse ethically obligated to take?
• A) Call the security guard.
• B) Tell the nurse manager to go home.
• C) Have the supervisor validate the
observation.
• D) Offer the nurse manager a large cup of
coffee.
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C
Rationale: The staff nurse should call the
hospital supervisor to confirm and handle the
problem, as they have the authority to
intervene appropriately .
5. Which question does the registered nurse
recognize as related to the right of
circumstance when delegating?
HESI Leadership Exam Prep Test Bank: 200
Questions & Rationales for 2026/2027 –
Mastering Delegation, Prioritization, Ethics,
and Management Theories for Exam Success
HESI Leadership Practice Questions (Set of 200)
1. A nurse manager consistently rewards staff
for meeting unit goals and uses disciplinary
action when standards are not met. Which
leadership style is this manager
demonstrating?
• A) Transformational leadership
• B) Transactional leadership
• C) Laissez-faire leadership
• D) Democratic leadership
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: B
Rationale: Transactional leadership focuses on
,2
supervision, organization, and performance
monitoring. Leaders using this style use rewards
and punishments to motivate followers and
maintain the status quo .
2. Which actions of the nurse exhibit
transformational leadership? Select all that
apply.
• A) Motivating or inspiring the employees
• B) Meeting the targets within the deadline
• C) Working according to organizational rules
• D) Increasing the employee commitment of
an organization
• E) Correcting errors in a reactive manner
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: A, D
Rationale: Transformational leadership involves
inspiring and motivating employees to achieve
beyond expectations and increasing their
,3
commitment to the organization. Transactional
leadership focuses on meeting deadlines,
following rules, and correcting errors
reactively .
3. A charge nurse makes all decisions without
input from the staff and closely supervises all
activities. This leadership style is best
described as:
• A) Democratic
• B) Laissez-faire
• C) Autocratic
• D) Transformational
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C
Rationale: An autocratic (or authoritarian)
leader makes decisions independently and
maintains strong control over the team .
, 4
4. The unit nurse manager comes to work
obviously intoxicated. Which action is the staff
nurse ethically obligated to take?
• A) Call the security guard.
• B) Tell the nurse manager to go home.
• C) Have the supervisor validate the
observation.
• D) Offer the nurse manager a large cup of
coffee.
☑VERIFIED ANSWER: C
Rationale: The staff nurse should call the
hospital supervisor to confirm and handle the
problem, as they have the authority to
intervene appropriately .
5. Which question does the registered nurse
recognize as related to the right of
circumstance when delegating?
