ATI RN FUNDAMENTALS EXAM PREP 2026 2027
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
COMPREHENSIVE RATIONALES
ATI RN Fundamentals Exam
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client who is at risk for falls. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
A) Keep all four side rails up while the client is in bed.
B) Place the bedside table 3 feet away from the bed.
C) Ensure the client's bed is locked and in the lowest position.
D) Instruct the client to wear smooth-soled slippers when
ambulating.
CorreCt Answer: C) Ensure the client's bed is locked
and in the lowest position.
rAtionAle: Locking the bed and maintaining it at its
lowest height minimizes the risk of injury if the client
attempts to ambulate without assistance. Keeping all
four side rails up is considered a restraint. Assistive
devices and items like the bedside table must be within
close reach to prevent overreaching, and non-skid
footwear should always be worn.
Question 2
A nurse is preparing to perform hand hygiene using an alcohol-
based hand rub. Which of the following actions should the nurse
perform?
,A) Rub hands together for at least 5 seconds.
B) Apply the product to the palms of the hands and rub until dry.
C) Rinse hands thoroughly with warm water after application.
D) Use a paper towel to dry hands after applying the gel.
CorreCt Answer: B) Apply the product to the palms of
the hands and rub until dry.
rAtionAle: Alcohol-based hand rubs should be
allowed to dry completely on the skin surface to achieve
maximum antimicrobial efficacy. The hands should be
rubbed together for at least 15 to 20 seconds covering all
surfaces, and they should not be rinsed or dried with a
towel.
Question 3
A nurse is admitting a client who has a suspected case of active
pulmonary tuberculosis. Which of the following transmission-
based precautions should the nurse implement?
A) Protective environment
B) Airborne precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Contact precautions
CorreCt Answer: B) Airborne precautions.
rAtionAle: Pulmonary tuberculosis is transmitted via
small airborne droplets that remain suspended in the
air. This requires airborne precautions, including a
negative-pressure airflow room and the use of an N95
respirator. Droplet precautions are for larger droplets,
,while contact precautions are for direct or indirect
surface touch.
Question 4
A nurse is preparing to change a sterile dressing for a client.
Which of the following actions violates surgical aseptic technique?
A) Opening the topmost flap of the sterile package away from the
body.
B) Dropping a sterile item onto the center of the sterile field.
C) Placing the sterile solution bottle cap face up on a clean
surface.
D) Reaching across the sterile field to pick up a pair of forceps.
CorreCt Answer: D) Reaching across the sterile field to
pick up a pair of forceps.
rAtionAle: Reaching across a sterile field introduces
micro-organisms from the nurse's clothing or skin,
contaminating the field. The outermost 1-inch border is
considered contaminated, but reaching across the center
is a direct breach of technique. Flaps should be opened
away first, items dropped into the center, and caps
placed face up.
Question 5
A nurse is checking the vital signs of an adult client and notes a
respiratory rate of 26 breaths per minute. Which of the following
terms should the nurse use to document this finding?
A) Bradypnea
B) Eupnea
C) Tachypnea
D) Apnea
, CorreCt Answer: C) Tachypnea.
rAtionAle: Tachypnea is defined as a persistent
respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths/min in an adult
client. Bradypnea is a rate fewer than 12 breaths/min,
eupnea is normal breathing (12–20 breaths/min), and
apnea refers to the absence of breathing.
Question 6
A nurse is measuring a client's blood pressure and notes an
auscultatory gap. To ensure an accurate measurement, which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A) Palpate the arterial pulse while inflating the cuff until it
disappears, then inflate 30 mm Hg above that point.
B) Inflate the cuff rapidly to 250 mm Hg for every client
assessment.
C) Deflate the cuff at a speed of 10 mm Hg per second.
D) Lower the client's arm below the level of the heart during
measurement.
CorreCt Answer: A) Palpate the arterial pulse while
inflating the cuff until it disappears, then inflate 30 mm Hg
above that point.
rAtionAle: Palpating the disappearance of the radial
or brachial pulse provides an estimate of the systolic
pressure, ensuring the nurse inflates the cuff high
enough to surpass any auscultatory gap and avoid
underestimating systolic blood pressure. Deflating
should occur at 2 to 3 mm Hg per second, and the arm
must be at heart level.
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
COMPREHENSIVE RATIONALES
ATI RN Fundamentals Exam
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client who is at risk for falls. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
A) Keep all four side rails up while the client is in bed.
B) Place the bedside table 3 feet away from the bed.
C) Ensure the client's bed is locked and in the lowest position.
D) Instruct the client to wear smooth-soled slippers when
ambulating.
CorreCt Answer: C) Ensure the client's bed is locked
and in the lowest position.
rAtionAle: Locking the bed and maintaining it at its
lowest height minimizes the risk of injury if the client
attempts to ambulate without assistance. Keeping all
four side rails up is considered a restraint. Assistive
devices and items like the bedside table must be within
close reach to prevent overreaching, and non-skid
footwear should always be worn.
Question 2
A nurse is preparing to perform hand hygiene using an alcohol-
based hand rub. Which of the following actions should the nurse
perform?
,A) Rub hands together for at least 5 seconds.
B) Apply the product to the palms of the hands and rub until dry.
C) Rinse hands thoroughly with warm water after application.
D) Use a paper towel to dry hands after applying the gel.
CorreCt Answer: B) Apply the product to the palms of
the hands and rub until dry.
rAtionAle: Alcohol-based hand rubs should be
allowed to dry completely on the skin surface to achieve
maximum antimicrobial efficacy. The hands should be
rubbed together for at least 15 to 20 seconds covering all
surfaces, and they should not be rinsed or dried with a
towel.
Question 3
A nurse is admitting a client who has a suspected case of active
pulmonary tuberculosis. Which of the following transmission-
based precautions should the nurse implement?
A) Protective environment
B) Airborne precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Contact precautions
CorreCt Answer: B) Airborne precautions.
rAtionAle: Pulmonary tuberculosis is transmitted via
small airborne droplets that remain suspended in the
air. This requires airborne precautions, including a
negative-pressure airflow room and the use of an N95
respirator. Droplet precautions are for larger droplets,
,while contact precautions are for direct or indirect
surface touch.
Question 4
A nurse is preparing to change a sterile dressing for a client.
Which of the following actions violates surgical aseptic technique?
A) Opening the topmost flap of the sterile package away from the
body.
B) Dropping a sterile item onto the center of the sterile field.
C) Placing the sterile solution bottle cap face up on a clean
surface.
D) Reaching across the sterile field to pick up a pair of forceps.
CorreCt Answer: D) Reaching across the sterile field to
pick up a pair of forceps.
rAtionAle: Reaching across a sterile field introduces
micro-organisms from the nurse's clothing or skin,
contaminating the field. The outermost 1-inch border is
considered contaminated, but reaching across the center
is a direct breach of technique. Flaps should be opened
away first, items dropped into the center, and caps
placed face up.
Question 5
A nurse is checking the vital signs of an adult client and notes a
respiratory rate of 26 breaths per minute. Which of the following
terms should the nurse use to document this finding?
A) Bradypnea
B) Eupnea
C) Tachypnea
D) Apnea
, CorreCt Answer: C) Tachypnea.
rAtionAle: Tachypnea is defined as a persistent
respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths/min in an adult
client. Bradypnea is a rate fewer than 12 breaths/min,
eupnea is normal breathing (12–20 breaths/min), and
apnea refers to the absence of breathing.
Question 6
A nurse is measuring a client's blood pressure and notes an
auscultatory gap. To ensure an accurate measurement, which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A) Palpate the arterial pulse while inflating the cuff until it
disappears, then inflate 30 mm Hg above that point.
B) Inflate the cuff rapidly to 250 mm Hg for every client
assessment.
C) Deflate the cuff at a speed of 10 mm Hg per second.
D) Lower the client's arm below the level of the heart during
measurement.
CorreCt Answer: A) Palpate the arterial pulse while
inflating the cuff until it disappears, then inflate 30 mm Hg
above that point.
rAtionAle: Palpating the disappearance of the radial
or brachial pulse provides an estimate of the systolic
pressure, ensuring the nurse inflates the cuff high
enough to surpass any auscultatory gap and avoid
underestimating systolic blood pressure. Deflating
should occur at 2 to 3 mm Hg per second, and the arm
must be at heart level.
