HESI COMPASS MODULE EXAM 1 EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND
VITAL SIGNS COMPLETE SOLUTION VIEW
◉ A male client who has been taking propranolol (Inderal) for 18
months tells the nurse that the healthcare provider discontinued the
medication because his blood pressure has been normal for the past
3 months. Which instruction should the nurse provide?
Answer: Ask the healthcare provider about tapering the drug dose
over the next week.
HCP discontinued drug BUT measures to prevent rebound cardiac
excitation, such as progressively reducing the dose over 1 or 2
weeks, should be recommended to prevent rebound tachycardia,
hypertension, and ventricular dysrhythmias.
◉ A client who is taking clonidine ( Catapres, Duraclon) reports
drowsiness. Which additional assessment should the nurse make?
Answer: How long has the client been taking the medication?
Drowsiness can occur in the early weeks of treatment with clonidine
and with continued use becomes less intense, so the length of time
the client has been on the medication provides information to direct
additional instruction.
,◉ The nurse is preparing to administer atropine, an anticholinergic,
to a client who is scheduled for a cholecystectomy. The client asks
the nurse to explain the reason for the prescribed medication. What
response is best for the nurse to provide?
Answer: Decrease the risk of bradycardia during surgery
Atropine may be prescribed preoperatively to increase the
automaticity of the sinoatrial node and prevent a dangerous
reduction in heart rate during surgical anesthesia.
◉ An 80-year old client is given morphine sulfate for post-op pain.
Which concomitant med should the nurse question that poses a
potential development of urinary retention in this geriatric client?
Answer: Tricyclic antidepressants
Drugs with anticholinergic properties can exacerbate urinary
retention associated with opioids in the older client.
◉ A client with osteoarthritis is given a new script for a NSAID. The
client asks the nurse, "How is this med different from the
acetaminophen I have been taking?" Which information about the
therapeutic action of NSAIDs should the nurse provide?
Answer: Provide anti-inflammatory response
,NSAIDs relieve pain associated with osteoarthritis and differs from
acetaminophen(a non-narcotic & antipyretic). Also potentially
hepatotoxic.
◉ A client with cancer has a history of alcohol abuse and is taking
acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain. Which organ function is most
important for the nurse to monitor?
Answer: Liver
Acetaminophen & alcohol both metabolized in the liver. Pt at risk of
hepatotoxicity & potentially fatal liver damage.
◉ The nurse obtains a heart rate of 92 and a BP of 110/76 prior to
administering a scheduled does of verapamil (Calan) for a client
with atrial flutter. Which action should the nurse implement?
Answer: Administer the dose as prescribed.
Verapamil slows SA nodal automaticity, delays AV nodal conduction,
slowing ventricular rate & treats atrial flutter. HR is above 60 and BP
is WNL.
◉ A client is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of Type 2
diabetes mellitus and influenza. Which categories of illness should
the nurse develop goals for the client's plan of care?
Answer: One chronic and one acute illness
, Adult onset DM is life-long chronic disease. Influenza is acute illness
with short term duration.
◉ Following an emergency Cesarean delivery the nurse encourages
the new mother to breastfed her newborn. The client asks why she
should breastfeed now. Which info should the nurse provide?
Answer: Stimulate contraction of the uterus
Infant suckling breast releases oxytocin by the posterior pituitary
and stimulates the "letdown" reflex. Causing release of colostrum &
contracts the uterus to prevent uterine hemorrhage.
◉ Which intervention should the nurse include in the plan of care
for a female client with severe postpartum depression who is
admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit?
Answer: Supervised and guided visits with infant.
Structured visits provide an opportunity for the mother and infant
to bond and should be facilitated and encouraged according to the
client's pace of progress.
◉ A 16-year-old male client is admitted to the hospital after falling
off a bike and sustaining a fractured bone. The HCP explains the
SCRIPT 2026 HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND
VITAL SIGNS COMPLETE SOLUTION VIEW
◉ A male client who has been taking propranolol (Inderal) for 18
months tells the nurse that the healthcare provider discontinued the
medication because his blood pressure has been normal for the past
3 months. Which instruction should the nurse provide?
Answer: Ask the healthcare provider about tapering the drug dose
over the next week.
HCP discontinued drug BUT measures to prevent rebound cardiac
excitation, such as progressively reducing the dose over 1 or 2
weeks, should be recommended to prevent rebound tachycardia,
hypertension, and ventricular dysrhythmias.
◉ A client who is taking clonidine ( Catapres, Duraclon) reports
drowsiness. Which additional assessment should the nurse make?
Answer: How long has the client been taking the medication?
Drowsiness can occur in the early weeks of treatment with clonidine
and with continued use becomes less intense, so the length of time
the client has been on the medication provides information to direct
additional instruction.
,◉ The nurse is preparing to administer atropine, an anticholinergic,
to a client who is scheduled for a cholecystectomy. The client asks
the nurse to explain the reason for the prescribed medication. What
response is best for the nurse to provide?
Answer: Decrease the risk of bradycardia during surgery
Atropine may be prescribed preoperatively to increase the
automaticity of the sinoatrial node and prevent a dangerous
reduction in heart rate during surgical anesthesia.
◉ An 80-year old client is given morphine sulfate for post-op pain.
Which concomitant med should the nurse question that poses a
potential development of urinary retention in this geriatric client?
Answer: Tricyclic antidepressants
Drugs with anticholinergic properties can exacerbate urinary
retention associated with opioids in the older client.
◉ A client with osteoarthritis is given a new script for a NSAID. The
client asks the nurse, "How is this med different from the
acetaminophen I have been taking?" Which information about the
therapeutic action of NSAIDs should the nurse provide?
Answer: Provide anti-inflammatory response
,NSAIDs relieve pain associated with osteoarthritis and differs from
acetaminophen(a non-narcotic & antipyretic). Also potentially
hepatotoxic.
◉ A client with cancer has a history of alcohol abuse and is taking
acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain. Which organ function is most
important for the nurse to monitor?
Answer: Liver
Acetaminophen & alcohol both metabolized in the liver. Pt at risk of
hepatotoxicity & potentially fatal liver damage.
◉ The nurse obtains a heart rate of 92 and a BP of 110/76 prior to
administering a scheduled does of verapamil (Calan) for a client
with atrial flutter. Which action should the nurse implement?
Answer: Administer the dose as prescribed.
Verapamil slows SA nodal automaticity, delays AV nodal conduction,
slowing ventricular rate & treats atrial flutter. HR is above 60 and BP
is WNL.
◉ A client is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of Type 2
diabetes mellitus and influenza. Which categories of illness should
the nurse develop goals for the client's plan of care?
Answer: One chronic and one acute illness
, Adult onset DM is life-long chronic disease. Influenza is acute illness
with short term duration.
◉ Following an emergency Cesarean delivery the nurse encourages
the new mother to breastfed her newborn. The client asks why she
should breastfeed now. Which info should the nurse provide?
Answer: Stimulate contraction of the uterus
Infant suckling breast releases oxytocin by the posterior pituitary
and stimulates the "letdown" reflex. Causing release of colostrum &
contracts the uterus to prevent uterine hemorrhage.
◉ Which intervention should the nurse include in the plan of care
for a female client with severe postpartum depression who is
admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit?
Answer: Supervised and guided visits with infant.
Structured visits provide an opportunity for the mother and infant
to bond and should be facilitated and encouraged according to the
client's pace of progress.
◉ A 16-year-old male client is admitted to the hospital after falling
off a bike and sustaining a fractured bone. The HCP explains the
