HESI RN EXIT GERONTOLOGY EXAM TEST
BANK | NEWEST ACTUAL EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS with rationales
GRADED A+ | 100% CORRECT | 2026
UPDATE!!
A frail elderly woman visits the healthcare provider because she has
been getting out of breath easily when walking long distances. Which
pulmonary function change should the registered nurse (RN) expect to
commonly occur with aging?
A. Decreased residual volume
B. Mild respiratory acidosis
C. Reduced vital capacity
D. Increased alveoli function ANSWER (C) Reduced vital capacity
Rationale: With aging, a frail elder is likely to have a reduced vital
capacity (C) due to the loss of elasticity of the lung tissue. With reduced
elasticity, residual volume increases (A). Arterial pH should not change
with normal aging (B). A decrease, rather than an increase, in alveoli
function (D) can occur due to a thinning of the alveolar walls with age.
An older male client with heart failure (HF) complains of chronic
constipation and wants to retrain his bowel. Which information should
,the registered nurse (RN) offer the client for establishing regular bowel
habits?
A. Add whole grain foods and fibrous vegetables to diet
B. Drink water and fluids up to 3,000 ml daily
C. Use a stool softener or glycerin suppository PRN
D. Plan daily exercise based on fatigue level ANSWER (A) Add whole
grain foods and fibrous vegetables to diet.
Rationale: Increasing daily fiber (A) with increasing fluid intake are the
best tools to use when retraining bowel habits. (B) may cause fluid
overload for this older client and potentially exacerbate HF. (C) should
not be advised without the healthcare provider's recommendation. The
client's fatigue level may curtail how much daily exercise (D) the client
can tolerate.
The home health registered nurse (RN) visits an older female client with
an ideal conduit who has been experiencing chronic urinary tract
infections (UTI). Which intervention should the RN recommend to the
client to manage the frequency of UTIs?
A. Force fluid intake to 1,000 ml daily
B. Change appliance every 4 hours
C. Attach a larger drainage bag while sleeping
,D. Allow bag to fill completely before emptying Answer > (C) Attach a
larger drainage bag while sleeping
Rationale: (C) can prevent urinary reflux if the bag fills to near capacity
or greater, which can contribute to UTIs. Forcing fluids is encouraged
and should exceed urinary output, which commonly should be greater
than 1,000 ml (A). (B) can increase skin irritation and increase risk for
infection by exposing the portal of entry frequently. Allowing the bag to
fill completely before emptying (D) increases risk of urinary reflux and
UTIs.
The registered nurse (RN) is observing the skin of an older client. Which
finding should the RN document as consistent with the normal aging
process?
A. Decreased elasticity
B. Tough and leathery texture
C. Shiny and edematous
D. Excessive hair growth on the head ANSWER (A)
Decreased elasticity
Rationale: Loss of elasticity is a common finding of the normal aging
process (A). The skin of elderly clients becomes thin and fragile with
aging, not (B). When a client has peripheral edema, the skin can be
shiny and edematous (C), which is not consistent with normal aging
, changes. Hair thinning and hair loss are common, not excessive hair
growth (D).
The healthcare provider prescribes a new medication, atorvastatin
(Lipitor), for an older client who arrives at the clinic for an annual
physical examination. What common side effect should the registered
nurse (RN) advise the client to observe with this medication?
A. Constipation
B. Headaches
C. Muscle weakness
D. Nausea and vomiting ANSWER (B) Headaches
Rationale: Headaches (B) are the most common side effect with this
medication, which the RN should direct the client to report. (A and C)
are rare occurrences with this medication. (D) is not considered a side
effect of this medication.
After a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an older man
returns to the medical surgical floor with a 3-way indwelling urinary
catheter. The registered nurse (RN) observes the catheter's tubing for
drainage when the client states that he needs to void. What should the
RN implement based on this finding?
A. Irrigate the bladder through the catheter port
BANK | NEWEST ACTUAL EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS with rationales
GRADED A+ | 100% CORRECT | 2026
UPDATE!!
A frail elderly woman visits the healthcare provider because she has
been getting out of breath easily when walking long distances. Which
pulmonary function change should the registered nurse (RN) expect to
commonly occur with aging?
A. Decreased residual volume
B. Mild respiratory acidosis
C. Reduced vital capacity
D. Increased alveoli function ANSWER (C) Reduced vital capacity
Rationale: With aging, a frail elder is likely to have a reduced vital
capacity (C) due to the loss of elasticity of the lung tissue. With reduced
elasticity, residual volume increases (A). Arterial pH should not change
with normal aging (B). A decrease, rather than an increase, in alveoli
function (D) can occur due to a thinning of the alveolar walls with age.
An older male client with heart failure (HF) complains of chronic
constipation and wants to retrain his bowel. Which information should
,the registered nurse (RN) offer the client for establishing regular bowel
habits?
A. Add whole grain foods and fibrous vegetables to diet
B. Drink water and fluids up to 3,000 ml daily
C. Use a stool softener or glycerin suppository PRN
D. Plan daily exercise based on fatigue level ANSWER (A) Add whole
grain foods and fibrous vegetables to diet.
Rationale: Increasing daily fiber (A) with increasing fluid intake are the
best tools to use when retraining bowel habits. (B) may cause fluid
overload for this older client and potentially exacerbate HF. (C) should
not be advised without the healthcare provider's recommendation. The
client's fatigue level may curtail how much daily exercise (D) the client
can tolerate.
The home health registered nurse (RN) visits an older female client with
an ideal conduit who has been experiencing chronic urinary tract
infections (UTI). Which intervention should the RN recommend to the
client to manage the frequency of UTIs?
A. Force fluid intake to 1,000 ml daily
B. Change appliance every 4 hours
C. Attach a larger drainage bag while sleeping
,D. Allow bag to fill completely before emptying Answer > (C) Attach a
larger drainage bag while sleeping
Rationale: (C) can prevent urinary reflux if the bag fills to near capacity
or greater, which can contribute to UTIs. Forcing fluids is encouraged
and should exceed urinary output, which commonly should be greater
than 1,000 ml (A). (B) can increase skin irritation and increase risk for
infection by exposing the portal of entry frequently. Allowing the bag to
fill completely before emptying (D) increases risk of urinary reflux and
UTIs.
The registered nurse (RN) is observing the skin of an older client. Which
finding should the RN document as consistent with the normal aging
process?
A. Decreased elasticity
B. Tough and leathery texture
C. Shiny and edematous
D. Excessive hair growth on the head ANSWER (A)
Decreased elasticity
Rationale: Loss of elasticity is a common finding of the normal aging
process (A). The skin of elderly clients becomes thin and fragile with
aging, not (B). When a client has peripheral edema, the skin can be
shiny and edematous (C), which is not consistent with normal aging
, changes. Hair thinning and hair loss are common, not excessive hair
growth (D).
The healthcare provider prescribes a new medication, atorvastatin
(Lipitor), for an older client who arrives at the clinic for an annual
physical examination. What common side effect should the registered
nurse (RN) advise the client to observe with this medication?
A. Constipation
B. Headaches
C. Muscle weakness
D. Nausea and vomiting ANSWER (B) Headaches
Rationale: Headaches (B) are the most common side effect with this
medication, which the RN should direct the client to report. (A and C)
are rare occurrences with this medication. (D) is not considered a side
effect of this medication.
After a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an older man
returns to the medical surgical floor with a 3-way indwelling urinary
catheter. The registered nurse (RN) observes the catheter's tubing for
drainage when the client states that he needs to void. What should the
RN implement based on this finding?
A. Irrigate the bladder through the catheter port
