ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam
70 Questions with Answers and Rationales
Instructions: Select the best answer for each question. Questions cover all major
content areas tested on the ATI RN Fundamentals exam, including vital signs, infection
control, patient care, medication administration, fluid and electrolyte balance,
perioperative care, oxygenation, mental health, legal and ethical issues, and health
promotion.
answer key at the end
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is 48 hours postoperative following abdominal
surgery. The client's temperature is 38.5 C (101.3 F), heart rate 102/min, respiratory
rate 22/min, and blood pressure 110/68 mm Hg. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take first?
A. Administer prescribed antipyretic medication
B. Assess the surgical incision site for signs of infection
C. Increase the client's fluid intake
D. Apply a cooling blanket to the client
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for continuous cardiac
monitoring. The nurse notes that the client's cardiac rhythm shows regular narrow QRS
complexes at a rate of 72/min with a P wave preceding each QRS complex. The PR
interval is 0.18 seconds. Which of the following cardiac rhythms should the nurse
document?
A. Atrial fibrillation
B. Normal sinus rhythm
C. First-degree heart block
D. Sinus bradycardia
3. A nurse is obtaining a blood pressure measurement on a client's left arm and notes
the systolic reading is 24 mm Hg higher than the reading obtained on the right arm.
Which of the following conditions should the nurse suspect?
A. Aortic stenosis
Page 1
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
B. Thoracic aortic aneurysm
C. Coarctation of the aorta
D. Venous insufficiency
4. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results for a client who has a respiratory
infection. Which of the following laboratory findings should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
B. Elevated white blood cell (WBC) count
C. Decreased C-reactive protein (CRP)
D. Low hemoglobin level
5.A nurse is performing a pain assessment on a client who has dementia and is
nonverbal. Which of the following tools should the nurse use?
Page 2
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
A. Numeric rating scale
B. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale
C. Visual analog scale
D. McGill Pain Questionnaire
6. A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving continuous IV fluids and notes that the
client has crackles in the bilateral lung bases, jugular vein distention, and an increase in
body weight of 1 kg over the past 24 hours. Which of the following complications
should the nurse suspect?
A. Fluid volume deficit
B. Fluid volume excess
C. Pulmonary embolism
D. Heart failure exacerbation
7. A nurseis obtaining a health history from a client who reports chest pain when
climbing stairs but not at rest. The nurse should document this finding using which of
the following terms?
A. Stable angina
B. Unstable angina
C. Variant angina
D. Silent ischemia
8. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who is receiving heparin
therapy. The client's activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is 78 seconds. Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Continue the current heparin infusion rate
B. Increase the heparin infusion rate
C. Decrease the heparin infusion rate
D. Stop the heparin infusion immediately
9.A nurse is caring for a client who has active tuberculosis (TB). Which of the
following transmission-based precautions should the nurse implement?
Page 3
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
A. Contact precautions
B. Droplet precautions
C. Airborne precautions
D. Standard precautions only
10. Anurse is preparing to administer a blood transfusion to a client. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take to ensure client safety?
A. Administer the blood through a primary IV line that is already infusing
medications
B. Obtain the client's vital signs within 30 minutes after initiating the transfusion
C. Verify the blood product with another nurse at the client's bedside
D. Warm the blood product to body temperature prior to administration
Page 4
ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam
70 Questions with Answers and Rationales
Instructions: Select the best answer for each question. Questions cover all major
content areas tested on the ATI RN Fundamentals exam, including vital signs, infection
control, patient care, medication administration, fluid and electrolyte balance,
perioperative care, oxygenation, mental health, legal and ethical issues, and health
promotion.
answer key at the end
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is 48 hours postoperative following abdominal
surgery. The client's temperature is 38.5 C (101.3 F), heart rate 102/min, respiratory
rate 22/min, and blood pressure 110/68 mm Hg. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take first?
A. Administer prescribed antipyretic medication
B. Assess the surgical incision site for signs of infection
C. Increase the client's fluid intake
D. Apply a cooling blanket to the client
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for continuous cardiac
monitoring. The nurse notes that the client's cardiac rhythm shows regular narrow QRS
complexes at a rate of 72/min with a P wave preceding each QRS complex. The PR
interval is 0.18 seconds. Which of the following cardiac rhythms should the nurse
document?
A. Atrial fibrillation
B. Normal sinus rhythm
C. First-degree heart block
D. Sinus bradycardia
3. A nurse is obtaining a blood pressure measurement on a client's left arm and notes
the systolic reading is 24 mm Hg higher than the reading obtained on the right arm.
Which of the following conditions should the nurse suspect?
A. Aortic stenosis
Page 1
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
B. Thoracic aortic aneurysm
C. Coarctation of the aorta
D. Venous insufficiency
4. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results for a client who has a respiratory
infection. Which of the following laboratory findings should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
B. Elevated white blood cell (WBC) count
C. Decreased C-reactive protein (CRP)
D. Low hemoglobin level
5.A nurse is performing a pain assessment on a client who has dementia and is
nonverbal. Which of the following tools should the nurse use?
Page 2
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
A. Numeric rating scale
B. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale
C. Visual analog scale
D. McGill Pain Questionnaire
6. A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving continuous IV fluids and notes that the
client has crackles in the bilateral lung bases, jugular vein distention, and an increase in
body weight of 1 kg over the past 24 hours. Which of the following complications
should the nurse suspect?
A. Fluid volume deficit
B. Fluid volume excess
C. Pulmonary embolism
D. Heart failure exacerbation
7. A nurseis obtaining a health history from a client who reports chest pain when
climbing stairs but not at rest. The nurse should document this finding using which of
the following terms?
A. Stable angina
B. Unstable angina
C. Variant angina
D. Silent ischemia
8. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who is receiving heparin
therapy. The client's activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is 78 seconds. Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Continue the current heparin infusion rate
B. Increase the heparin infusion rate
C. Decrease the heparin infusion rate
D. Stop the heparin infusion immediately
9.A nurse is caring for a client who has active tuberculosis (TB). Which of the
following transmission-based precautions should the nurse implement?
Page 3
, ATI RN Fundamentals 2026 NGN Practice Exam | 70 Questions | Multiple Choice
A. Contact precautions
B. Droplet precautions
C. Airborne precautions
D. Standard precautions only
10. Anurse is preparing to administer a blood transfusion to a client. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take to ensure client safety?
A. Administer the blood through a primary IV line that is already infusing
medications
B. Obtain the client's vital signs within 30 minutes after initiating the transfusion
C. Verify the blood product with another nurse at the client's bedside
D. Warm the blood product to body temperature prior to administration
Page 4
