Cat Exam 1-Hesi Exit Questions and
Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 |
Correct & Verified
A client is admitted with dehydration and low blood pressure. What is the nurse’s first action?
✔✔Assess vital signs and begin IV fluid therapy as prescribed.
A patient reports severe abdominal pain. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Assess the pain location, intensity, and characteristics.
A client with asthma presents with wheezing and shortness of breath. What is the nurse’s priority
intervention?
✔✔Administer prescribed bronchodilator and assess respiratory status.
A patient has a new prescription for a diuretic. What should the nurse monitor closely?
✔✔Electrolyte levels, especially potassium.
A post-operative patient reports chest discomfort and shortness of breath. What is the first
nursing action?
1
,✔✔Assess vital signs, oxygen saturation, and apply continuous cardiac monitoring.
A child with a fever experiences a seizure. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Ensure the child’s safety, protect airway, and monitor seizure duration.
A patient reports dizziness when standing. What should the nurse do?
✔✔Assist the patient to sit or lie down and monitor blood pressure.
A client has been prescribed insulin for the first time. What teaching should the nurse provide
first?
✔✔Educate on administration technique, timing, and hypoglycemia signs.
A patient with a urinary catheter complains of bladder spasms. What is the first intervention?
✔✔Check catheter patency and ensure there are no kinks.
A patient’s wound dressing is saturated and malodorous. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Notify the provider and reinforce the wound per protocol.
2
,A patient reports numbness and tingling in the hands after starting a new medication. What
should the nurse do?
✔✔Assess for adverse reactions and notify the provider.
A patient scheduled for surgery asks why fasting is required. What is the nurse’s response?
✔✔Explain that NPO status reduces the risk of aspiration during anesthesia.
A patient is experiencing severe anxiety before a procedure. What is the best nursing
intervention?
✔✔Provide education, reassurance, and answer questions about the procedure.
A patient with diabetes reports a blood glucose of 320 mg/dL. What is the first action?
✔✔Check for hyperglycemia symptoms and notify the provider.
A patient on oxygen develops cyanosis. What is the priority nursing action?
✔✔Assess airway, increase oxygen as prescribed, and monitor saturation.
A patient is refusing medication due to fear of side effects. What should the nurse do?
3
, ✔✔Provide information on benefits and risks and encourage shared decision-making.
A patient develops sudden swelling of the lips and face after eating peanuts. What is the priority
nursing action?
✔✔Assess airway and administer emergency medications per protocol.
A patient’s IV site is red and tender. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Stop the infusion, remove the IV, and notify the provider.
A client with chest pain radiating to the arm arrives at the ER. What is the nurse’s first action?
✔✔Assess vital signs, apply continuous cardiac monitoring, and obtain ECG.
A post-operative patient reports severe unrelieved pain. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Assess the surgical site and vital signs before administering analgesics.
A patient with COPD reports increased shortness of breath. What should the nurse do?
✔✔Assess respiratory status and administer prescribed bronchodilator or oxygen.
4
Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 |
Correct & Verified
A client is admitted with dehydration and low blood pressure. What is the nurse’s first action?
✔✔Assess vital signs and begin IV fluid therapy as prescribed.
A patient reports severe abdominal pain. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Assess the pain location, intensity, and characteristics.
A client with asthma presents with wheezing and shortness of breath. What is the nurse’s priority
intervention?
✔✔Administer prescribed bronchodilator and assess respiratory status.
A patient has a new prescription for a diuretic. What should the nurse monitor closely?
✔✔Electrolyte levels, especially potassium.
A post-operative patient reports chest discomfort and shortness of breath. What is the first
nursing action?
1
,✔✔Assess vital signs, oxygen saturation, and apply continuous cardiac monitoring.
A child with a fever experiences a seizure. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Ensure the child’s safety, protect airway, and monitor seizure duration.
A patient reports dizziness when standing. What should the nurse do?
✔✔Assist the patient to sit or lie down and monitor blood pressure.
A client has been prescribed insulin for the first time. What teaching should the nurse provide
first?
✔✔Educate on administration technique, timing, and hypoglycemia signs.
A patient with a urinary catheter complains of bladder spasms. What is the first intervention?
✔✔Check catheter patency and ensure there are no kinks.
A patient’s wound dressing is saturated and malodorous. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Notify the provider and reinforce the wound per protocol.
2
,A patient reports numbness and tingling in the hands after starting a new medication. What
should the nurse do?
✔✔Assess for adverse reactions and notify the provider.
A patient scheduled for surgery asks why fasting is required. What is the nurse’s response?
✔✔Explain that NPO status reduces the risk of aspiration during anesthesia.
A patient is experiencing severe anxiety before a procedure. What is the best nursing
intervention?
✔✔Provide education, reassurance, and answer questions about the procedure.
A patient with diabetes reports a blood glucose of 320 mg/dL. What is the first action?
✔✔Check for hyperglycemia symptoms and notify the provider.
A patient on oxygen develops cyanosis. What is the priority nursing action?
✔✔Assess airway, increase oxygen as prescribed, and monitor saturation.
A patient is refusing medication due to fear of side effects. What should the nurse do?
3
, ✔✔Provide information on benefits and risks and encourage shared decision-making.
A patient develops sudden swelling of the lips and face after eating peanuts. What is the priority
nursing action?
✔✔Assess airway and administer emergency medications per protocol.
A patient’s IV site is red and tender. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Stop the infusion, remove the IV, and notify the provider.
A client with chest pain radiating to the arm arrives at the ER. What is the nurse’s first action?
✔✔Assess vital signs, apply continuous cardiac monitoring, and obtain ECG.
A post-operative patient reports severe unrelieved pain. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔Assess the surgical site and vital signs before administering analgesics.
A patient with COPD reports increased shortness of breath. What should the nurse do?
✔✔Assess respiratory status and administer prescribed bronchodilator or oxygen.
4
