Ace your nursing exams with this massive, high-yield question bank
covering ATI, HESI, and NCLEX-RN standards. This comprehensive
guide features next-generation questions and detailed rationales to
ensure your success on the first attempt.
---
## 📚 2025/2026 RN Nursing Ultimate Prep Guide | ATI, HESI &
NCLEX-RN | Complete NGN Questions & Rationales – Versions V1-V5
---
**1. A nurse is assessing a client who is post-operative day 2 following a bowel resection. The client's
abdomen is distended, and bowel sounds are absent. What is the nurse's priority action?**
A. Administer a laxative as prescribed.
B. Encourage the client to ambulate.
C. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
D. Offer the client a clear liquid diet.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A distended abdomen with absent bowel sounds after abdominal surgery is a sign of
a possible ileus or bowel obstruction, which requires immediate medical evaluation. This is a critical
finding for ATI RN Comprehensive Predictor 2026 NGN prep.
---
**2. A client with a history of heart failure is prescribed a beta-blocker. Which of the following
assessment findings would indicate the client is experiencing a therapeutic response to the
medication?**
,A. Heart rate of 55 beats/min
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg
C. Decreased shortness of breath
D. Weight gain of 2 lbs in 24 hours
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A therapeutic response to a beta-blocker in heart failure includes a reduction in
symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue. While decreased heart rate and blood pressure are
expected, the reduction in symptoms indicates effectiveness. This is vital for HESI Exit Exam V2 success.
---
**3. A nurse is caring for a client with a tracheostomy. The client's tracheostomy tube becomes
dislodged. What is the nurse's priority action?**
A. Insert a smaller tracheostomy tube.
B. Cover the stoma with a sterile dressing.
C. Call the respiratory therapist.
D. Attempt to reinsert the tracheostomy tube with the obturator.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: D
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: If a tracheostomy tube becomes dislodged, the priority is to attempt to reinsert it
using the obturator to maintain the airway. If unsuccessful, the nurse should cover the stoma and
ventilate via the mouth or nose. This is a crucial emergency skill for nursing success.
---
**4. A client is receiving a blood transfusion and develops a fever, chills, and hypotension. The nurse
should suspect which of the following transfusion reactions?**
A. Febrile non-hemolytic reaction
B. Hemolytic transfusion reaction
C. Allergic reaction
,D. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Fever, chills, and hypotension are signs of a hemolytic transfusion reaction, a life-
threatening emergency. The nurse should stop the transfusion immediately. This is a high-yield topic for
Chamberlain BSN students.
---
**5. A client is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Which of the following interventions should
the nurse anticipate implementing first?**
A. Administering IV potassium
B. Administering IV insulin
C. Administering IV fluids
D. Administering sodium bicarbonate
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: In DKA, the priority is to replace fluid volume and correct dehydration. IV fluids are
started first to restore perfusion, followed by insulin. This is a core concept for NCLEX-RN readiness.
---
**6. A client who is 38 weeks pregnant is in labor and has a diagnosis of preeclampsia. The nurse notes
that the client's blood pressure is 160/100 mmHg and she is complaining of a severe headache and
visual disturbances. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate administering?**
A. Magnesium sulfate
B. Oxytocin
C. Nifedipine
D. Labetalol
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A
, 💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: This client is exhibiting signs of severe preeclampsia, which can progress to
eclampsia. Magnesium sulfate is the drug of choice to prevent seizures. This is a critical intervention for
maternal-newborn nursing.
---
**7. A client is diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (PE). Which of the following interventions is the
priority?**
A. Administering oxygen
B. Administering heparin
C. Positioning the client in a high Fowler's position
D. Assessing for chest pain
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The priority intervention for a PE is to maintain oxygenation. Administering oxygen is
the first step, followed by anticoagulation. This is a key concept for critical care nursing final exams.
---
**8. A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube. The nurse notes continuous bubbling in the water
seal chamber. What should the nurse do first?**
A. Notify the healthcare provider.
B. Clamp the chest tube.
C. Assess the system for an air leak.
D. Document the finding.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber indicates an air leak. The nurse
should first assess the system for loose connections or cracks to identify the source of the leak.
Clamping is a last resort. This is a key assessment for ATI Medical-Surgical Proctored Exam.
covering ATI, HESI, and NCLEX-RN standards. This comprehensive
guide features next-generation questions and detailed rationales to
ensure your success on the first attempt.
---
## 📚 2025/2026 RN Nursing Ultimate Prep Guide | ATI, HESI &
NCLEX-RN | Complete NGN Questions & Rationales – Versions V1-V5
---
**1. A nurse is assessing a client who is post-operative day 2 following a bowel resection. The client's
abdomen is distended, and bowel sounds are absent. What is the nurse's priority action?**
A. Administer a laxative as prescribed.
B. Encourage the client to ambulate.
C. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
D. Offer the client a clear liquid diet.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A distended abdomen with absent bowel sounds after abdominal surgery is a sign of
a possible ileus or bowel obstruction, which requires immediate medical evaluation. This is a critical
finding for ATI RN Comprehensive Predictor 2026 NGN prep.
---
**2. A client with a history of heart failure is prescribed a beta-blocker. Which of the following
assessment findings would indicate the client is experiencing a therapeutic response to the
medication?**
,A. Heart rate of 55 beats/min
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg
C. Decreased shortness of breath
D. Weight gain of 2 lbs in 24 hours
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: A therapeutic response to a beta-blocker in heart failure includes a reduction in
symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue. While decreased heart rate and blood pressure are
expected, the reduction in symptoms indicates effectiveness. This is vital for HESI Exit Exam V2 success.
---
**3. A nurse is caring for a client with a tracheostomy. The client's tracheostomy tube becomes
dislodged. What is the nurse's priority action?**
A. Insert a smaller tracheostomy tube.
B. Cover the stoma with a sterile dressing.
C. Call the respiratory therapist.
D. Attempt to reinsert the tracheostomy tube with the obturator.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: D
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: If a tracheostomy tube becomes dislodged, the priority is to attempt to reinsert it
using the obturator to maintain the airway. If unsuccessful, the nurse should cover the stoma and
ventilate via the mouth or nose. This is a crucial emergency skill for nursing success.
---
**4. A client is receiving a blood transfusion and develops a fever, chills, and hypotension. The nurse
should suspect which of the following transfusion reactions?**
A. Febrile non-hemolytic reaction
B. Hemolytic transfusion reaction
C. Allergic reaction
,D. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: B
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Fever, chills, and hypotension are signs of a hemolytic transfusion reaction, a life-
threatening emergency. The nurse should stop the transfusion immediately. This is a high-yield topic for
Chamberlain BSN students.
---
**5. A client is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Which of the following interventions should
the nurse anticipate implementing first?**
A. Administering IV potassium
B. Administering IV insulin
C. Administering IV fluids
D. Administering sodium bicarbonate
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: In DKA, the priority is to replace fluid volume and correct dehydration. IV fluids are
started first to restore perfusion, followed by insulin. This is a core concept for NCLEX-RN readiness.
---
**6. A client who is 38 weeks pregnant is in labor and has a diagnosis of preeclampsia. The nurse notes
that the client's blood pressure is 160/100 mmHg and she is complaining of a severe headache and
visual disturbances. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate administering?**
A. Magnesium sulfate
B. Oxytocin
C. Nifedipine
D. Labetalol
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A
, 💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: This client is exhibiting signs of severe preeclampsia, which can progress to
eclampsia. Magnesium sulfate is the drug of choice to prevent seizures. This is a critical intervention for
maternal-newborn nursing.
---
**7. A client is diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (PE). Which of the following interventions is the
priority?**
A. Administering oxygen
B. Administering heparin
C. Positioning the client in a high Fowler's position
D. Assessing for chest pain
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: A
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: The priority intervention for a PE is to maintain oxygenation. Administering oxygen is
the first step, followed by anticoagulation. This is a key concept for critical care nursing final exams.
---
**8. A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube. The nurse notes continuous bubbling in the water
seal chamber. What should the nurse do first?**
A. Notify the healthcare provider.
B. Clamp the chest tube.
C. Assess the system for an air leak.
D. Document the finding.
💫ANSWER✔️✔️: C
💫RATIONALE✔️✔️: Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber indicates an air leak. The nurse
should first assess the system for loose connections or cracks to identify the source of the leak.
Clamping is a last resort. This is a key assessment for ATI Medical-Surgical Proctored Exam.
