HESI COMPREHENSIVE EXIT EXAM
200 Questions with Answers &
Rationales Verified for 2026 | Graded
A+ Master Study Guide:
Fundamentals to Advanced Nursing
Practice
Question 1
The nurse notes yellow purulent drainage when changing a client's post-
operative wound dressing. What action should the nurse take?
A) Cover the wound with clean gauze and secure
B) Irrigate the wound with sterile water and leave open to air
C) Notify the healthcare provider
D) Irrigate the wound with normal saline and pack with gauze
Correct Answer: C) Notify the healthcare provider
Rationale: Yellow purulent drainage is a sign of infection. The nurse should
notify the healthcare provider for further assessment and potential
intervention, which may include obtaining a wound culture or starting
antibiotics. This finding is outside the scope of routine dressing changes
and requires provider evaluation .
Question 2
,The nurse is instructing a client with high cholesterol about diet and
lifestyle modification. What comment from the client indicates that the
teaching has been effective?
A) "If I exercise at least two times weekly for one hour, I will lower my
cholesterol"
B) "I need to avoid eating proteins, including red meat"
C) "I will limit my intake of beef to 4 ounces per week"
D) "My blood level of low density lipoproteins needs to increase"
Correct Answer: C) "I will limit my intake of beef to 4 ounces per
week"
Rationale: Limiting saturated fat intake, such as from red meat, is a key
dietary modification for managing high cholesterol. The recommendation
to limit red meat to a small, specific amount (e.g., 4 ounces per week)
demonstrates an understanding of portion control and dietary restriction.
This specific, measurable goal indicates effective client teaching and
comprehension .
Question 3
A client with acute hemorrhagic anemia is to receive four units of packed
RBCs as rapidly as possible. Which intervention is most important for the
nurse to implement?
A) Obtain the pre-transfusion hemoglobin level
B) Prime the tubing and prepare a blood pump set-up
C) Monitor vital signs q15 minutes for the first hour
D) Ensure the accuracy of the blood type match
,Correct Answer: D) Ensure the accuracy of the blood type match
Rationale: The most critical safety step prior to any blood transfusion is
verifying the accuracy of the blood type and crossmatch to prevent a fatal
hemolytic transfusion reaction. While priming tubing and monitoring vitals
are important, they are secondary to ensuring the correct blood product is
administered. This intervention addresses the greatest immediate risk to
the client .
Question 4
The nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) taking a client's
blood pressure with a cuff that is too small, but the blood pressure reading
obtained is within the client's usual range. What action is most important
for the nurse to implement?
A) Tell the UAP to use a larger cuff at the next scheduled assessment
B) Reassess the client's blood pressure using a larger cuff
C) Have the unit educator review this procedure with the UAPs
D) Teach the UAP the correct technique for assessing blood pressure
Correct Answer: B) Reassess the client's blood pressure using a larger
cuff
Rationale: Using a cuff that is too small can yield a falsely elevated blood
pressure reading. Even if the reading seems "usual," the nurse must
immediately obtain an accurate assessment with the correct equipment to
ensure client safety and data reliability. Immediate reassessment takes
priority over future teaching or process reviews .
, Question 5
The nurse prepares a 1,000 ml IV of 5% dextrose and water to be infused
over 8 hours. The infusion set delivers 10 drops per milliliter. The nurse
should regulate the IV to administer approximately how many drops per
minute?
A) 80
B) 8
C) 21
D) 25
Correct Answer: C) 21
Rationale: Formula: (Total volume in mL × Drop factor) / Total time in
minutes. (1000 mL × 10 gtt/mL) / (8 hours × 60 minutes) = 10, =
20.83 gtt/min. Rounded to the nearest whole number is 21 drops per
minute .
Question 6
A client with congestive heart failure reports shortness of breath and
increasing fatigue. What is the priority nursing action?
A) Encourage the client to increase fluid intake
B) Administer the prescribed diuretic
C) Place the client in high-Fowler's position
D) Document the findings and reassess in 2 hours
200 Questions with Answers &
Rationales Verified for 2026 | Graded
A+ Master Study Guide:
Fundamentals to Advanced Nursing
Practice
Question 1
The nurse notes yellow purulent drainage when changing a client's post-
operative wound dressing. What action should the nurse take?
A) Cover the wound with clean gauze and secure
B) Irrigate the wound with sterile water and leave open to air
C) Notify the healthcare provider
D) Irrigate the wound with normal saline and pack with gauze
Correct Answer: C) Notify the healthcare provider
Rationale: Yellow purulent drainage is a sign of infection. The nurse should
notify the healthcare provider for further assessment and potential
intervention, which may include obtaining a wound culture or starting
antibiotics. This finding is outside the scope of routine dressing changes
and requires provider evaluation .
Question 2
,The nurse is instructing a client with high cholesterol about diet and
lifestyle modification. What comment from the client indicates that the
teaching has been effective?
A) "If I exercise at least two times weekly for one hour, I will lower my
cholesterol"
B) "I need to avoid eating proteins, including red meat"
C) "I will limit my intake of beef to 4 ounces per week"
D) "My blood level of low density lipoproteins needs to increase"
Correct Answer: C) "I will limit my intake of beef to 4 ounces per
week"
Rationale: Limiting saturated fat intake, such as from red meat, is a key
dietary modification for managing high cholesterol. The recommendation
to limit red meat to a small, specific amount (e.g., 4 ounces per week)
demonstrates an understanding of portion control and dietary restriction.
This specific, measurable goal indicates effective client teaching and
comprehension .
Question 3
A client with acute hemorrhagic anemia is to receive four units of packed
RBCs as rapidly as possible. Which intervention is most important for the
nurse to implement?
A) Obtain the pre-transfusion hemoglobin level
B) Prime the tubing and prepare a blood pump set-up
C) Monitor vital signs q15 minutes for the first hour
D) Ensure the accuracy of the blood type match
,Correct Answer: D) Ensure the accuracy of the blood type match
Rationale: The most critical safety step prior to any blood transfusion is
verifying the accuracy of the blood type and crossmatch to prevent a fatal
hemolytic transfusion reaction. While priming tubing and monitoring vitals
are important, they are secondary to ensuring the correct blood product is
administered. This intervention addresses the greatest immediate risk to
the client .
Question 4
The nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) taking a client's
blood pressure with a cuff that is too small, but the blood pressure reading
obtained is within the client's usual range. What action is most important
for the nurse to implement?
A) Tell the UAP to use a larger cuff at the next scheduled assessment
B) Reassess the client's blood pressure using a larger cuff
C) Have the unit educator review this procedure with the UAPs
D) Teach the UAP the correct technique for assessing blood pressure
Correct Answer: B) Reassess the client's blood pressure using a larger
cuff
Rationale: Using a cuff that is too small can yield a falsely elevated blood
pressure reading. Even if the reading seems "usual," the nurse must
immediately obtain an accurate assessment with the correct equipment to
ensure client safety and data reliability. Immediate reassessment takes
priority over future teaching or process reviews .
, Question 5
The nurse prepares a 1,000 ml IV of 5% dextrose and water to be infused
over 8 hours. The infusion set delivers 10 drops per milliliter. The nurse
should regulate the IV to administer approximately how many drops per
minute?
A) 80
B) 8
C) 21
D) 25
Correct Answer: C) 21
Rationale: Formula: (Total volume in mL × Drop factor) / Total time in
minutes. (1000 mL × 10 gtt/mL) / (8 hours × 60 minutes) = 10, =
20.83 gtt/min. Rounded to the nearest whole number is 21 drops per
minute .
Question 6
A client with congestive heart failure reports shortness of breath and
increasing fatigue. What is the priority nursing action?
A) Encourage the client to increase fluid intake
B) Administer the prescribed diuretic
C) Place the client in high-Fowler's position
D) Document the findings and reassess in 2 hours
