HESI RN HEALTH ASSESSMENT |ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS|BRAND NEW
2026-2027 UPDATE|GRADED A+
Question 1
The registered nurse (RN) notifies the spouse of a client who was admitted to hospice with
shallow respirations, of a change in the client's condition. Over the past hour, the client's
respiratory pattern has changed to a Cheyne Stokes pattern. After receiving this
information, the client's spouse begins vacuuming around the bed. Which stage of grief is
the spouse displaying during the visit?
A. Acceptance
B. Denial
C. Bargaining
D. Depression
CORRECT ANSWER
B. Denial
The spouse is exhibiting the first stage of denial (B) of Kubler-Ross's grief model by
ignoring that the client's death is imminent (A, C, and D) are stages of grief that are not
being displayed by the client's spouse during this observation.
Question 2
The registered nurse (RN) places an ice pack on a middle school student who comes to the
school clinic complaining of a sprained ankle. Which therapeutic response should the RN
anticipate?
A. Reduced pain and minimized bruising.
B. Lowering of body core temperature.
C. Increased circulation around injury.
D. Reabsorption of edema at injury.
CORRECT ANSWER
1
, A.
Cold applications produce a topical anesthetic effect to reduce pain as well as constrict
blood vessels to minimize bruising (A). Local ice over an injured area will not lower the
core temperature (B). The cold pack causes vasoconstriction which reduces circulation,
not (C), to traumatized tissue and limits further edema around the injury (D), but not by
reabsorption of edematous fluid.
Question 3
The registered nurse (RN) palpates a weak pedal pulse on the client'rs right foot. Which
assessment findings should the RN document that are consistent with diminished
peripheral circulation (Select all that apply.)
A. Diminished hair on legs.
B. Bruising on extremities.
C. Skin cool to touch.
D. Capillary refill less than 3 seconds.
E. Darkened skin on extremities.
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Diminished hair on legs
C. Skin cool to touch.
Diminished hair on the legs (A) and skin that is cool to the touch (C) are symptoms of
decreased arterial blood flow. (B, D, and E) are not indicators for impaired circulation.
Question 4
Twenty four hours after a client returns from surgical gastric bypass, the registered nurse
(RN) observes large amounts of blood in the nasogastric tube (NGT) cannister. Which
assessment finding should the RN report as early signs of hypovolemic shock?
A. Faint pedal pulses
B. Decrease in blood pressure.
2
,C. Lethargy.
D. Slow breathing.
CORRECT ANSWER
C. Lethargy
Changes in the level of consciousness occur in the early stages of shock which decreases
the perfusion to the brain which is manifested as lethargy (C). The respiratory rate
increases, not (D). (A and B) are late signs of hypovolemic shock due to cardiac
compensatory measures.
Question 5
The registered nurse (RN) is caring for a client who has taken atenolol for 2 years. The
healthcare provider recently changed the medication to enalapril to manage the client's
blood pressure. Which instruction should the RN provide the client regarding the new
medication?
A. Take the medication at bedtime.
B. Report presence of increased bruising.
C. Check pulse before taking medication.
D. Rise slowly when getting out of bed or chair.
CORRECT ANSWER
D. Rise slowly when getting out of bed or chair.
The client's new medication is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which
has the side effect of orthostatic hypotension. Instructing the client to rise from a chair or
bed slowly (D) is indicated to avoid dizziness and falling. (A, B, and C) are not indicated
when taking an ACE inhibitor.
Question 6
The registered nurse (RN) is assisting the healthcare provider (HCP) with the removal of a
chest tube. Which intervention has the highest priority and should be anticipated by the
RN after removal of the chest tube?
3
, A. Prepare the client for chest x-ray at the bedside.
B. Review arterial blood gases after removal.
C. Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
D. Assist with disassembling the drainage system.
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Prepare the client for a chest x-ray at the bedside.
A chest x-ray (A) should be performed immediately after the procedure to ensure lung
expansion has been maintained after removal of the chest tube. (B) provides additional
data after removal of the CT. (C) may assist the client to breathe easily, but the priority
after chest tube removal is to ensure that the procedure was successful. The entire
system, including the chest tube is discarded and not taken apart (D).
Question 7
A male client is admitted after falling from his bed. The healthcare provider (HCP) tells the
family that he has an incomplete fracture of the humerus. The family asks the nurse what
this means. Which type of fracture should the RN explain from these findings?
A. Straight fracture line that is also a simple, closed fracture.
B. Nondisplaced fracture line that wraps around the bone.
C. A complete fracture that also punctures the skin.
D. A fracture that bends or splinters part of the bone.
CORRECT ANSWER
D. A fracture that bends or splinters part of the bone.
An incomplete fracture (D) occurs through part of the thickness of bone. A linear (A) and
a spiral fracture (B) describe the direction of the fracture line. An open fracture (C) is a
compound fracture that breaks through the skin.
Question 8
4
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS|BRAND NEW
2026-2027 UPDATE|GRADED A+
Question 1
The registered nurse (RN) notifies the spouse of a client who was admitted to hospice with
shallow respirations, of a change in the client's condition. Over the past hour, the client's
respiratory pattern has changed to a Cheyne Stokes pattern. After receiving this
information, the client's spouse begins vacuuming around the bed. Which stage of grief is
the spouse displaying during the visit?
A. Acceptance
B. Denial
C. Bargaining
D. Depression
CORRECT ANSWER
B. Denial
The spouse is exhibiting the first stage of denial (B) of Kubler-Ross's grief model by
ignoring that the client's death is imminent (A, C, and D) are stages of grief that are not
being displayed by the client's spouse during this observation.
Question 2
The registered nurse (RN) places an ice pack on a middle school student who comes to the
school clinic complaining of a sprained ankle. Which therapeutic response should the RN
anticipate?
A. Reduced pain and minimized bruising.
B. Lowering of body core temperature.
C. Increased circulation around injury.
D. Reabsorption of edema at injury.
CORRECT ANSWER
1
, A.
Cold applications produce a topical anesthetic effect to reduce pain as well as constrict
blood vessels to minimize bruising (A). Local ice over an injured area will not lower the
core temperature (B). The cold pack causes vasoconstriction which reduces circulation,
not (C), to traumatized tissue and limits further edema around the injury (D), but not by
reabsorption of edematous fluid.
Question 3
The registered nurse (RN) palpates a weak pedal pulse on the client'rs right foot. Which
assessment findings should the RN document that are consistent with diminished
peripheral circulation (Select all that apply.)
A. Diminished hair on legs.
B. Bruising on extremities.
C. Skin cool to touch.
D. Capillary refill less than 3 seconds.
E. Darkened skin on extremities.
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Diminished hair on legs
C. Skin cool to touch.
Diminished hair on the legs (A) and skin that is cool to the touch (C) are symptoms of
decreased arterial blood flow. (B, D, and E) are not indicators for impaired circulation.
Question 4
Twenty four hours after a client returns from surgical gastric bypass, the registered nurse
(RN) observes large amounts of blood in the nasogastric tube (NGT) cannister. Which
assessment finding should the RN report as early signs of hypovolemic shock?
A. Faint pedal pulses
B. Decrease in blood pressure.
2
,C. Lethargy.
D. Slow breathing.
CORRECT ANSWER
C. Lethargy
Changes in the level of consciousness occur in the early stages of shock which decreases
the perfusion to the brain which is manifested as lethargy (C). The respiratory rate
increases, not (D). (A and B) are late signs of hypovolemic shock due to cardiac
compensatory measures.
Question 5
The registered nurse (RN) is caring for a client who has taken atenolol for 2 years. The
healthcare provider recently changed the medication to enalapril to manage the client's
blood pressure. Which instruction should the RN provide the client regarding the new
medication?
A. Take the medication at bedtime.
B. Report presence of increased bruising.
C. Check pulse before taking medication.
D. Rise slowly when getting out of bed or chair.
CORRECT ANSWER
D. Rise slowly when getting out of bed or chair.
The client's new medication is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which
has the side effect of orthostatic hypotension. Instructing the client to rise from a chair or
bed slowly (D) is indicated to avoid dizziness and falling. (A, B, and C) are not indicated
when taking an ACE inhibitor.
Question 6
The registered nurse (RN) is assisting the healthcare provider (HCP) with the removal of a
chest tube. Which intervention has the highest priority and should be anticipated by the
RN after removal of the chest tube?
3
, A. Prepare the client for chest x-ray at the bedside.
B. Review arterial blood gases after removal.
C. Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
D. Assist with disassembling the drainage system.
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Prepare the client for a chest x-ray at the bedside.
A chest x-ray (A) should be performed immediately after the procedure to ensure lung
expansion has been maintained after removal of the chest tube. (B) provides additional
data after removal of the CT. (C) may assist the client to breathe easily, but the priority
after chest tube removal is to ensure that the procedure was successful. The entire
system, including the chest tube is discarded and not taken apart (D).
Question 7
A male client is admitted after falling from his bed. The healthcare provider (HCP) tells the
family that he has an incomplete fracture of the humerus. The family asks the nurse what
this means. Which type of fracture should the RN explain from these findings?
A. Straight fracture line that is also a simple, closed fracture.
B. Nondisplaced fracture line that wraps around the bone.
C. A complete fracture that also punctures the skin.
D. A fracture that bends or splinters part of the bone.
CORRECT ANSWER
D. A fracture that bends or splinters part of the bone.
An incomplete fracture (D) occurs through part of the thickness of bone. A linear (A) and
a spiral fracture (B) describe the direction of the fracture line. An open fracture (C) is a
compound fracture that breaks through the skin.
Question 8
4
