ATI Fundamentals 2026/2027 | ACTUAL-Style
Practice Questions & Answers, ATI RN
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam Prep, Nursing Test
Bank, Basic Nursing Skills, Infection Control,
Patient Safety, Vital Signs, Medication
Administration, Hygiene, Mobility, Documentation,
and Detailed Rationales
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to administer a prescribed
medication to a client at a community psychiatric clinic. The client
states that the usual dosage taken is different from the dose the
nurse is giving. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Inform the client that he may refuse the medication and document
whether or not the client takes it.
B. Withhold the medication until the dosage can be confirmed.
C. Explain to the client that the dosage has been changed.
D. Tell the client to take the medication, then verify the dosage at the next
healthcare team meeting.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Withhold the medication until the dosage
can be confirmed.
Rationale: When a medication discrepancy is noted, nurses must verify the
correctness of the order before administration. Holding the dose ensures
client safety and prevents potential adverse effects or medication errors.
Administering a medication when the client reports a different usual dosage
without verification violates the nurse's responsibility to ensure the rights of
medication administration are upheld.
Question 2: Which fluid will the nurse select to administer with a
prescribed blood transfusion?
A. 5% Dextrose and water
B. Normal saline
C. Lactated Ringer's solution
D. 5% Dextrose and lactated Ringer's
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Normal saline
Rationale: Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) is the only solution
compatible with blood components. Dextrose solutions can cause
hemolysis and agglutination of red blood cells, while Lactated Ringer's
contains calcium which can cause clotting in the blood tubing and interfere
,with the transfusion. Using the correct isotonic solution ensures blood
product integrity and client safety.
Question 3: A nurse is calculating intake for a client. Record
includes: 1200 mL water, 4 oz gelatin, 8 oz orange juice, 355 mL
soda, 1 cup soup. How many mL should be documented?
A. 1955 mL
B. 2055 mL
C. 2155 mL
D. 2255 mL
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 2155 mL
Rationale: Convert ounces to mL (1 oz = 30 mL). 4 oz gelatin = 120 mL; 8
oz juice = 240 mL; 1 cup soup = 240 mL. Total: 1200 + 120 + 240 + 355 +
240 = 2155 mL. Accurate intake and output calculation is essential for
monitoring fluid balance and detecting early signs of fluid volume excess or
deficit.
Question 4: A client receiving opioid analgesics is difficult to arouse
with a respiratory rate of 7/min. What is the priority action?
A. Administer naloxone
B. Notify the healthcare provider
C. Document the findings
D. Provide oxygen only
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Administer naloxone
Rationale: Naloxone (Narcan) is an opioid antagonist that reverses opioid-
induced respiratory depression and sedation. This is a life-threatening
emergency requiring immediate reversal. While notifying the provider and
documenting are important, they are secondary to the immediate
administration of the antidote. Oxygen alone does not address the
underlying opioid toxicity.
Question 5: Which signs are expected in a client with
hypoglycemia? (Select all that apply)
A. Diaphoresis
B. Tremors
C. Confusion
,D. Bradycardia
E. Hunger
CORRECT ANSWER: A, B, C, E
Rationale: Hypoglycemia activates the sympathetic nervous system,
causing diaphoresis, tremors, tachycardia (not bradycardia), confusion, and
hunger. Bradycardia is not an expected manifestation of hypoglycemia;
instead, the heart rate typically increases as part of the compensatory
response to low blood glucose levels.
Question 6: A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a
client. Which action should the nurse take FIRST to ensure client
safety?
A. Check the client's allergy band
B. Verify the client's identity using two identifiers
C. Review the medication administration record (MAR)
D. Perform hand hygiene
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Verify the client's identity using two
identifiers
Rationale: According to the National Patient Safety Goals, verifying client
identity using two unique identifiers is the first critical step before any
medication administration to prevent wrong-patient errors. While reviewing
the MAR and checking allergies are essential components of the
medication administration process, they occur after or in conjunction with
identity verification. Hand hygiene is important but does not directly
address the immediate safety concern of ensuring the right client receives
the medication.
Question 7: The nurse is caring for a client with a stage 3 pressure
injury on the sacrum. Which finding indicates the wound is
healing?
A. Presence of yellow slough in the wound bed
B. Increase in wound drainage amount
C. Formation of granulation tissue
D. Expansion of wound edges
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Formation of granulation tissue
, Rationale: Granulation tissue (beefy red, bumpy tissue) is a key indicator of
wound healing in stage 3 pressure injuries. Yellow slough indicates necrotic
tissue that impedes healing, increased drainage may indicate infection, and
wound edge expansion suggests the wound is worsening rather than
healing.
Question 8: A nurse is assessing a client who has fluid volume
deficit. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Bounding pulse
B. Hypertension
C. Decreased urine output
D. Crackles in the lungs
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Decreased urine output
Rationale: Fluid volume deficit leads to decreased circulating volume,
which causes the kidneys to conserve water, resulting in decreased urine
output. Bounding pulse, hypertension, and crackles in the lungs are signs of
fluid overload, not fluid volume deficit.
Question 9: A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet.
Which of the following foods should the nurse instruct the client to
avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Canned soup
C. Steamed broccoli
D. Grilled chicken
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Canned soup
Rationale: Canned soups are highly processed and typically contain large
amounts of added sodium, making them inappropriate for a low-sodium
diet. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed meats are generally low in
sodium and can be included in a heart-healthy diet.
Question 10: A nurse is planning care for a group of clients. Which
of the following tasks should the nurse delegate to an assistive
personnel?
A. Changing the dressing for a client who has a stage 3 pressure injury
B. Determining a client's response to a diuretic
Practice Questions & Answers, ATI RN
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam Prep, Nursing Test
Bank, Basic Nursing Skills, Infection Control,
Patient Safety, Vital Signs, Medication
Administration, Hygiene, Mobility, Documentation,
and Detailed Rationales
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to administer a prescribed
medication to a client at a community psychiatric clinic. The client
states that the usual dosage taken is different from the dose the
nurse is giving. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Inform the client that he may refuse the medication and document
whether or not the client takes it.
B. Withhold the medication until the dosage can be confirmed.
C. Explain to the client that the dosage has been changed.
D. Tell the client to take the medication, then verify the dosage at the next
healthcare team meeting.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Withhold the medication until the dosage
can be confirmed.
Rationale: When a medication discrepancy is noted, nurses must verify the
correctness of the order before administration. Holding the dose ensures
client safety and prevents potential adverse effects or medication errors.
Administering a medication when the client reports a different usual dosage
without verification violates the nurse's responsibility to ensure the rights of
medication administration are upheld.
Question 2: Which fluid will the nurse select to administer with a
prescribed blood transfusion?
A. 5% Dextrose and water
B. Normal saline
C. Lactated Ringer's solution
D. 5% Dextrose and lactated Ringer's
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Normal saline
Rationale: Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) is the only solution
compatible with blood components. Dextrose solutions can cause
hemolysis and agglutination of red blood cells, while Lactated Ringer's
contains calcium which can cause clotting in the blood tubing and interfere
,with the transfusion. Using the correct isotonic solution ensures blood
product integrity and client safety.
Question 3: A nurse is calculating intake for a client. Record
includes: 1200 mL water, 4 oz gelatin, 8 oz orange juice, 355 mL
soda, 1 cup soup. How many mL should be documented?
A. 1955 mL
B. 2055 mL
C. 2155 mL
D. 2255 mL
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 2155 mL
Rationale: Convert ounces to mL (1 oz = 30 mL). 4 oz gelatin = 120 mL; 8
oz juice = 240 mL; 1 cup soup = 240 mL. Total: 1200 + 120 + 240 + 355 +
240 = 2155 mL. Accurate intake and output calculation is essential for
monitoring fluid balance and detecting early signs of fluid volume excess or
deficit.
Question 4: A client receiving opioid analgesics is difficult to arouse
with a respiratory rate of 7/min. What is the priority action?
A. Administer naloxone
B. Notify the healthcare provider
C. Document the findings
D. Provide oxygen only
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Administer naloxone
Rationale: Naloxone (Narcan) is an opioid antagonist that reverses opioid-
induced respiratory depression and sedation. This is a life-threatening
emergency requiring immediate reversal. While notifying the provider and
documenting are important, they are secondary to the immediate
administration of the antidote. Oxygen alone does not address the
underlying opioid toxicity.
Question 5: Which signs are expected in a client with
hypoglycemia? (Select all that apply)
A. Diaphoresis
B. Tremors
C. Confusion
,D. Bradycardia
E. Hunger
CORRECT ANSWER: A, B, C, E
Rationale: Hypoglycemia activates the sympathetic nervous system,
causing diaphoresis, tremors, tachycardia (not bradycardia), confusion, and
hunger. Bradycardia is not an expected manifestation of hypoglycemia;
instead, the heart rate typically increases as part of the compensatory
response to low blood glucose levels.
Question 6: A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a
client. Which action should the nurse take FIRST to ensure client
safety?
A. Check the client's allergy band
B. Verify the client's identity using two identifiers
C. Review the medication administration record (MAR)
D. Perform hand hygiene
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Verify the client's identity using two
identifiers
Rationale: According to the National Patient Safety Goals, verifying client
identity using two unique identifiers is the first critical step before any
medication administration to prevent wrong-patient errors. While reviewing
the MAR and checking allergies are essential components of the
medication administration process, they occur after or in conjunction with
identity verification. Hand hygiene is important but does not directly
address the immediate safety concern of ensuring the right client receives
the medication.
Question 7: The nurse is caring for a client with a stage 3 pressure
injury on the sacrum. Which finding indicates the wound is
healing?
A. Presence of yellow slough in the wound bed
B. Increase in wound drainage amount
C. Formation of granulation tissue
D. Expansion of wound edges
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Formation of granulation tissue
, Rationale: Granulation tissue (beefy red, bumpy tissue) is a key indicator of
wound healing in stage 3 pressure injuries. Yellow slough indicates necrotic
tissue that impedes healing, increased drainage may indicate infection, and
wound edge expansion suggests the wound is worsening rather than
healing.
Question 8: A nurse is assessing a client who has fluid volume
deficit. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Bounding pulse
B. Hypertension
C. Decreased urine output
D. Crackles in the lungs
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Decreased urine output
Rationale: Fluid volume deficit leads to decreased circulating volume,
which causes the kidneys to conserve water, resulting in decreased urine
output. Bounding pulse, hypertension, and crackles in the lungs are signs of
fluid overload, not fluid volume deficit.
Question 9: A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet.
Which of the following foods should the nurse instruct the client to
avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Canned soup
C. Steamed broccoli
D. Grilled chicken
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Canned soup
Rationale: Canned soups are highly processed and typically contain large
amounts of added sodium, making them inappropriate for a low-sodium
diet. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed meats are generally low in
sodium and can be included in a heart-healthy diet.
Question 10: A nurse is planning care for a group of clients. Which
of the following tasks should the nurse delegate to an assistive
personnel?
A. Changing the dressing for a client who has a stage 3 pressure injury
B. Determining a client's response to a diuretic
