HESI PRACTICE EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What should the nurse assess last when examining a 5-year-old child?
Heart.
Lungs.
Throat.
Abdomen. - ANSWER-Throat; most invasive
The nurse is assessing the parents of a nuclear family who are attending a support group for
parents of adolescents. According to Erikson, these parents who are adapting to middle
adulthood should exhibit which characteristic?
Loss of independence.
Increased self-understanding.
Isolation from society.
Development of intimate relationships. - ANSWER-Increased self-understanding.
Middle adulthood is characterized by self-reflection, understanding, acceptance, and
generativity or guidance of children. The other developmental tasks are not specific to middle
adulthood.
During the well-child assessment, the parents of a 4-year-old express concern that their child
often chatters while playing alone. What information should the nurse provide the parents?
The child is attempting to formulate a secondary language.
This is an attempt by the child to form an imaginary social base.
"Private speech" is normal at this age and serves as a problem-solving tool.
Concern for psychological development is warranted so further testing is required. - ANSWER-
"Private speech" is normal at this age and serves as a problem-solving tool.
,Children chatter to themselves between the ages of 4 and 6 years, and this "private speech"
serves as a problem-solving tool for the preschoolers as they try new tasks or work through
unfamiliar situations.
An older client with a decreased percentage of lean body mass is likely to receive a prescription
that is adjusted based on which pharmacokinetic process?
Absorption.
Metabolism.
Elimination.
Distribution. - ANSWER-Distribution.
Rationale
A decreased lean body mass in an older adult affects the distribution of drugs which affects the
pharmacokinetics of drugs. In contrast, decreased gastric pH, delayed gastric emptying,
decreased splanchnic blood flow, decreased gastrointestinal absorption surface areas and
motility affect absorption in the older adult population. Decreased hepatic blood flow,
decreased hepatic mass, and decreased activity of hepatic enzymes affect metabolism in older
adults. Decreased renal blood flow, decreased glomerular filtration rate, decreased tubular
secretion, and decreased number of nephrons affects elimination in an older adult.
When assessing a client with an indwelling urinary catheter, which observation requires the
most immediate intervention by the nurse?
The drainage tubing is secured over the siderail.
The clamp on the urinary drainage bag is open.
There are no dependent loops in the drainage tubing.
The urinary drainage bag is attached to the bed frame. - ANSWER-The clamp on the urinary
drainage bag is open.
Maintaining a closed urinary drainage system is important to prevent infection, so the most
immediate priority is to close the clamp (B) to reduce the risk for ascending microorganisms. If
the drainage tubing is secured over the siderail (A), urine will not be able to flow out of the
bladder, so the nurse should next reposition the tubing. (C and D) indicate correct care of the
urinary drainage system, so documentation of an intact system is the last intervention needed.
, How should the nurse handle linens that are soiled with incontinent feces?
Put the soiled linens in an isolation bag, then place it in the dirty linen hamper.
Place an isolation hamper in the client's room and discard the linens in it.
Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
Ask the housekeeping staff to pick up the soiled linen from the dirty utility room. - ANSWER-
Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
The nurse should be careful to keep the soiled linens from contaminating the fresh linens, and
should handle the soiled linens like any other dirty linen (C). (A, B, and D) are not indicated.
Which family-centered care concept(s) should the nurse encourage family members to use to
promote child growth, development, and independence?
Tough love.
Therapeutic care.
Enabling and empowerment.
Teaching and care provision. - ANSWER-Enabling and empowerment.
Family-centered care includes enabling and empowering the child with opportunities that build
on identified strengths, enhance self-efficacy, and promote growth within the collaborative
family unit.
The nurse is teaching a client proper use of an inhaler. When should the client administer the
inhaler-delivered medication to demonstrate correct use of the inhaler?
Immediately after exhalation.
During the inhalation.
At the end of three inhalations.
Immediately after inhalation. - ANSWER-During the inhalation.
The client should be instructed to deliver medication through a metered inhaler during the last
part of inhalation. After the medication is delivered, the client should remove the mouthpiece,
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What should the nurse assess last when examining a 5-year-old child?
Heart.
Lungs.
Throat.
Abdomen. - ANSWER-Throat; most invasive
The nurse is assessing the parents of a nuclear family who are attending a support group for
parents of adolescents. According to Erikson, these parents who are adapting to middle
adulthood should exhibit which characteristic?
Loss of independence.
Increased self-understanding.
Isolation from society.
Development of intimate relationships. - ANSWER-Increased self-understanding.
Middle adulthood is characterized by self-reflection, understanding, acceptance, and
generativity or guidance of children. The other developmental tasks are not specific to middle
adulthood.
During the well-child assessment, the parents of a 4-year-old express concern that their child
often chatters while playing alone. What information should the nurse provide the parents?
The child is attempting to formulate a secondary language.
This is an attempt by the child to form an imaginary social base.
"Private speech" is normal at this age and serves as a problem-solving tool.
Concern for psychological development is warranted so further testing is required. - ANSWER-
"Private speech" is normal at this age and serves as a problem-solving tool.
,Children chatter to themselves between the ages of 4 and 6 years, and this "private speech"
serves as a problem-solving tool for the preschoolers as they try new tasks or work through
unfamiliar situations.
An older client with a decreased percentage of lean body mass is likely to receive a prescription
that is adjusted based on which pharmacokinetic process?
Absorption.
Metabolism.
Elimination.
Distribution. - ANSWER-Distribution.
Rationale
A decreased lean body mass in an older adult affects the distribution of drugs which affects the
pharmacokinetics of drugs. In contrast, decreased gastric pH, delayed gastric emptying,
decreased splanchnic blood flow, decreased gastrointestinal absorption surface areas and
motility affect absorption in the older adult population. Decreased hepatic blood flow,
decreased hepatic mass, and decreased activity of hepatic enzymes affect metabolism in older
adults. Decreased renal blood flow, decreased glomerular filtration rate, decreased tubular
secretion, and decreased number of nephrons affects elimination in an older adult.
When assessing a client with an indwelling urinary catheter, which observation requires the
most immediate intervention by the nurse?
The drainage tubing is secured over the siderail.
The clamp on the urinary drainage bag is open.
There are no dependent loops in the drainage tubing.
The urinary drainage bag is attached to the bed frame. - ANSWER-The clamp on the urinary
drainage bag is open.
Maintaining a closed urinary drainage system is important to prevent infection, so the most
immediate priority is to close the clamp (B) to reduce the risk for ascending microorganisms. If
the drainage tubing is secured over the siderail (A), urine will not be able to flow out of the
bladder, so the nurse should next reposition the tubing. (C and D) indicate correct care of the
urinary drainage system, so documentation of an intact system is the last intervention needed.
, How should the nurse handle linens that are soiled with incontinent feces?
Put the soiled linens in an isolation bag, then place it in the dirty linen hamper.
Place an isolation hamper in the client's room and discard the linens in it.
Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
Ask the housekeeping staff to pick up the soiled linen from the dirty utility room. - ANSWER-
Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
The nurse should be careful to keep the soiled linens from contaminating the fresh linens, and
should handle the soiled linens like any other dirty linen (C). (A, B, and D) are not indicated.
Which family-centered care concept(s) should the nurse encourage family members to use to
promote child growth, development, and independence?
Tough love.
Therapeutic care.
Enabling and empowerment.
Teaching and care provision. - ANSWER-Enabling and empowerment.
Family-centered care includes enabling and empowering the child with opportunities that build
on identified strengths, enhance self-efficacy, and promote growth within the collaborative
family unit.
The nurse is teaching a client proper use of an inhaler. When should the client administer the
inhaler-delivered medication to demonstrate correct use of the inhaler?
Immediately after exhalation.
During the inhalation.
At the end of three inhalations.
Immediately after inhalation. - ANSWER-During the inhalation.
The client should be instructed to deliver medication through a metered inhaler during the last
part of inhalation. After the medication is delivered, the client should remove the mouthpiece,
