2026 HESI RN Exit Exam (V7) Practice Test 200 Questions
with Correct Answers and Detailed Rationales
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About This Practice Exam
This practice exam is designed to mirror the structure and difficulty of the 2026 HESI RN Exit
Exam Version 7 (V7) . The actual V7 exam contains 160 questions ; this expanded practice test
provides 200 questions across the major nursing content areas to help you identify strengths
and weaknesses before your exam. Each question includes the correct answer and a detailed
rationale to reinforce key nursing concepts and clinical judgment.
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SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (Questions 1-30)
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Question 1: In planning care for a 6-month-old infant, what must the nurse provide to assist in
the development of trust?
A) Food
B) Warmth
C) Security
D) Stimulation
,Correct Answer: C) Security
Rationale: According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, the infant (birth to 18 months) is in the
trust versus mistrust stage. Providing consistent, reliable care—including meeting basic needs
for food, warmth, and comfort—helps the infant develop a sense of security and trust. While
food and warmth are essential components of care, security is the overarching concept that
encompasses the consistent, responsive caregiving that builds trust.
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Question 2: A nurse has just received a medication order that is not legible. Which statement
best reflects assertive communication?
A) "This handwriting is impossible to read. You need to write it again."
B) "Would you please clarify what you have written so I am sure I am reading it correctly?"
C) "I can't give this medication until you rewrite the order."
D) "Someone else might be able to read this, but I can't."
Correct Answer: B) "Would you please clarify what you have written so I am sure I am reading it
correctly?"
Rationale: Assertive communication is direct, respectful, and focuses on the issue without being
aggressive or passive. Option B is the best choice because it clearly identifies the problem
(illegible order) and requests clarification in a professional manner while emphasizing patient
safety. It uses "I" statements and focuses on the need for accuracy rather than blaming the
prescriber.
---
,Question 3: The nurse is teaching parents how to reduce risks in the home. What is the most
important consideration when planning this teaching?
A) The family's income level
B) The number of children in the home
C) The age of the children in the home
D) The parents' educational level
Correct Answer: C) The age of the children in the home
Rationale: The most important factor when teaching home safety is the developmental age of
the children. Injury risks vary significantly by age (e.g., infants are at risk for suffocation and
falls; toddlers for poisoning, burns, and drowning; school-age children for pedestrian injuries
and bicycle accidents). Teaching must be tailored to the specific risks associated with each
developmental stage.
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Question 4: A nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. Which action
demonstrates proper sterile technique?
A) Opens the outer packaging of the catheter kit and places it on the overbed table
B) Opens the inner sterile package away from the body
C) Places sterile items within the 1-inch border of the sterile field
D) Reaches across the sterile field to retrieve an item
Correct Answer: B) Opens the inner sterile package away from the body
, Rationale: Proper sterile technique requires opening the sterile package away from the body to
prevent contamination of the sterile contents. The outer packaging is not sterile; the inner
package contains the sterile items. The outer 1-inch border of a sterile field is considered
contaminated, and reaching across a sterile field contaminates it.
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Question 5: A client with a Stage 2 pressure injury on the sacrum has a wound that is clean and
free of necrotic tissue. Which dressing is most appropriate for this wound?
A) Dry gauze
B) Hydrocolloid or foam dressing
C) Wet-to-dry dressing
D) Transparent film
Correct Answer: B) Hydrocolloid or foam dressing
Rationale: Stage 2 pressure injuries involve partial-thickness skin loss. Hydrocolloid or foam
dressings maintain a moist wound environment, promote healing, protect the wound from
contamination, and are non-adherent, which minimizes trauma during dressing changes. Wet-
to-dry dressings are used for mechanical debridement of wounds with necrotic tissue, not for
clean Stage 2 pressure injuries.
---
Question 6: The nurse is caring for a client with a new colostomy. Which statement by the client
indicates a need for further teaching?
A) "I will empty my pouch when it is one-third to one-half full."
with Correct Answers and Detailed Rationales
---
About This Practice Exam
This practice exam is designed to mirror the structure and difficulty of the 2026 HESI RN Exit
Exam Version 7 (V7) . The actual V7 exam contains 160 questions ; this expanded practice test
provides 200 questions across the major nursing content areas to help you identify strengths
and weaknesses before your exam. Each question includes the correct answer and a detailed
rationale to reinforce key nursing concepts and clinical judgment.
---
SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (Questions 1-30)
---
Question 1: In planning care for a 6-month-old infant, what must the nurse provide to assist in
the development of trust?
A) Food
B) Warmth
C) Security
D) Stimulation
,Correct Answer: C) Security
Rationale: According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, the infant (birth to 18 months) is in the
trust versus mistrust stage. Providing consistent, reliable care—including meeting basic needs
for food, warmth, and comfort—helps the infant develop a sense of security and trust. While
food and warmth are essential components of care, security is the overarching concept that
encompasses the consistent, responsive caregiving that builds trust.
---
Question 2: A nurse has just received a medication order that is not legible. Which statement
best reflects assertive communication?
A) "This handwriting is impossible to read. You need to write it again."
B) "Would you please clarify what you have written so I am sure I am reading it correctly?"
C) "I can't give this medication until you rewrite the order."
D) "Someone else might be able to read this, but I can't."
Correct Answer: B) "Would you please clarify what you have written so I am sure I am reading it
correctly?"
Rationale: Assertive communication is direct, respectful, and focuses on the issue without being
aggressive or passive. Option B is the best choice because it clearly identifies the problem
(illegible order) and requests clarification in a professional manner while emphasizing patient
safety. It uses "I" statements and focuses on the need for accuracy rather than blaming the
prescriber.
---
,Question 3: The nurse is teaching parents how to reduce risks in the home. What is the most
important consideration when planning this teaching?
A) The family's income level
B) The number of children in the home
C) The age of the children in the home
D) The parents' educational level
Correct Answer: C) The age of the children in the home
Rationale: The most important factor when teaching home safety is the developmental age of
the children. Injury risks vary significantly by age (e.g., infants are at risk for suffocation and
falls; toddlers for poisoning, burns, and drowning; school-age children for pedestrian injuries
and bicycle accidents). Teaching must be tailored to the specific risks associated with each
developmental stage.
---
Question 4: A nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. Which action
demonstrates proper sterile technique?
A) Opens the outer packaging of the catheter kit and places it on the overbed table
B) Opens the inner sterile package away from the body
C) Places sterile items within the 1-inch border of the sterile field
D) Reaches across the sterile field to retrieve an item
Correct Answer: B) Opens the inner sterile package away from the body
, Rationale: Proper sterile technique requires opening the sterile package away from the body to
prevent contamination of the sterile contents. The outer packaging is not sterile; the inner
package contains the sterile items. The outer 1-inch border of a sterile field is considered
contaminated, and reaching across a sterile field contaminates it.
---
Question 5: A client with a Stage 2 pressure injury on the sacrum has a wound that is clean and
free of necrotic tissue. Which dressing is most appropriate for this wound?
A) Dry gauze
B) Hydrocolloid or foam dressing
C) Wet-to-dry dressing
D) Transparent film
Correct Answer: B) Hydrocolloid or foam dressing
Rationale: Stage 2 pressure injuries involve partial-thickness skin loss. Hydrocolloid or foam
dressings maintain a moist wound environment, promote healing, protect the wound from
contamination, and are non-adherent, which minimizes trauma during dressing changes. Wet-
to-dry dressings are used for mechanical debridement of wounds with necrotic tissue, not for
clean Stage 2 pressure injuries.
---
Question 6: The nurse is caring for a client with a new colostomy. Which statement by the client
indicates a need for further teaching?
A) "I will empty my pouch when it is one-third to one-half full."
