Nursing Questions | 2026 HESI
Nursing Exit Exam Questions
(Latest PDF Update)
,1. A patient presses the call bell and requests pain
medication for a severe headache. To assess the quality of
the patient's pain, which approach should the nurse use?
A. Ask the patient to describe the pain.
B. Ask the patient to rate the pain on a 0–10 scale.
C. Determine when the pain first started.
D. Ask the patient what medication relieved the pain previously.
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Ask the patient to describe the
pain.
Explanation:
Pain quality refers to how the pain feels, such as sharp, dull,
throbbing, burning, aching, or pressure-like. Asking the patient
to describe the pain directly assesses its quality. A 0–10 scale
measures intensity, while onset and previous medications
provide additional pain-assessment information but do not
specifically determine quality.
,2. The nurse is wearing personal protective equipment (PPE)
while caring for a patient. When exiting the room, which
PPE should be removed first?
A. Gown
B. Mask
C. Gloves
D. Eye protection
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Gloves
Explanation:
Gloves are generally removed first because they are the PPE
most likely to be contaminated through direct contact with the
patient and environmental surfaces. Removing contaminated
gloves first reduces the risk of transferring microorganisms to
other PPE or clean surfaces. Hand hygiene should be performed
after PPE removal according to infection-control procedures.
3. An older patient is brought to the ED with a sudden onset
of confusion that occurred after experiencing a fall at home.
, The daughter, who has power of attorney, has brought the
client's prescriptions. Which information should the nurse
provide first when reporting to the healthcare provider
using SBAR communication?
A. The patient's medication history
B. The patient's increasing confusion
C. The daughter's power-of-attorney status
D. The circumstances surrounding the prescriptions
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The patient's increasing confusion
Explanation:
SBAR begins with Situation, which identifies the immediate
problem requiring attention. Sudden or increasing confusion
following a fall is an acute neurological change that may
indicate a serious condition such as intracranial injury. The
nurse should communicate this urgent change first, followed by
relevant background information, assessment findings, and
recommendations.