HESI RN Critical Care Exam 2026: 150 Questions with Detailed Answers & Rationales

1|Page


HESI RN CRITICAL CARE EXAM LATEST 2026/CRITICAL CARE
HESI RN EXIT EXAM ALL 150 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES




.Prior to a cardiac catheterization, which activity should the
nurse have the client practice?
A. Remain motionless for 5 minutes.
B. Flexing hips and knees bilaterally.
C. Valsalva's maneuver and coughing.
D. Talking while walking on a treadmill - ...ANSWER✓✓✓C.
Valsalva's maneuver and coughing.
RATIONALE:
Before the cardiac catheterization, the client should practice
techniques (e.g., Valsalva's
maneuver, coughing, deep breathing) that will be used during the
procedure (B). The client
should keep the leg straight, not (A), for the prescribed number
of hours post cardiac
catheterization to prevent bleeding from the arterial access site.
(C) is not used in this procedure.
The client may be asked to change position during the procedure,
so (D) is not necessary.

,2|Page


1.A client who has active tuberculosis (TB) is admitted to the
medical unit. What action is most
important for the nurse to implement?
A. Fit the client with a respirator mask.
B. Assign the client to a negative air-flow room.
C. Don a clean gown for client care.
D. Place an isolation cart in the hallway - ...ANSWER✓✓✓Assign
the client to a negative air-flow room
RATIONALE:
Active tuberculosis requires implementation of airborne
precautions, so the client should be
assigned to a negative pressure air-flow room (D). Although (A
and C) should be implemented
for clients in isolation with contact precautions, it is most
important that air flow from the room
is minimized when the client has TB. (B) should be implemented
when the client leaves the
isolation environment.


2.A client is receiving atenolol (Tenormin) 25 mg PO after a
myocardial infarction. The nurse
determines the client's apical pulse is 65 beats per minute. What
action should the nurse
implement
next?

,3|Page


A. Measure the blood pressure.
B. Reassess the apical pulse.
C. Notify the healthcare provider.
D. Administer the medication. - ...ANSWER✓✓✓Administer the
medication
RATIONALE:
Atenolol, a beta-blocker, blocks the beta receptors of the
sinoatrial node to reduce the heart rate,
so the medication should be administered (C) because the
client's apical pulse is greater than 60.
(A, B, and D) are not indicated at this time.


3.The nurse is assessing a client and identifies a bruit over the
thyroid. This finding is consistent
with which interpretation?
A. Hypothyroidism.
B. Thyroid cyst.
C. Thyroid cancer.
D. Hyperthyroidism - ...ANSWER✓✓✓Hyperthyroidism
Rationale:Hyperthyroidism (D) is an enlargement of the thyroid
gland, often referred to as a goiter, and a
bruit may be auscultated over the goiter due to an increase in
glandular vascularity which

, 4|Page


increases as the thyroid gland becomes hyperactive. A bruit is
not common with (A, B, and C).


A 16-year-old male client is admitted to the hospital after falling
off a bike and sustaining a
fractured bone. The healthcare provider explains the surgery
needed to immobilize the fracture.
Which action should be implemented to obtain a valid informed
consent?
A. Obtain the permission of the custodial parent for the surgery.
B. Notify the non-custodial parent to also sign a consent form.
C. Instruct the client sign the consent before giving medications.
D. Obtain the signature of the client's stepfather for the surgery.
- ...ANSWER✓✓✓A. Obtain the permission of the custodial parent
for the surgery.
RATIONALE:
The client is a minor and cannot legally sign his own consent
unless he is an emancipated minor,
so the consent should be obtained from the guardian for this
client, which is the custodial parent
(B). (A) is not a legal option. A stepparent is not a legal guardian
for a minor unless the child has
been adopted by the stepparent (C). The non-custodial parent
does not need to co-sign this form
(D).