PN EXIT / LICENSURE PREP
Hondros HESI PN Exit Exam Guide
(NEW 2026/2027 Update)
2026/2027 ACTUAL EXAM TEST BANK
WITH REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
100% CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS A+
(GUARANTEED PASS!!)
Aligned to Hondros College of Nursing Content Outline • PN Exit Level
A+ QUESTIONS 4 SECTIONS 100%
VERIFIED COMPLETE RATIONALES
CATEGORIES
SECTION 1 — Safe & Effective Care Environment
SECTION 2 — Health Promotion, Maintenance & Psychosocial Integrity
SECTION 3 — Physiological Integrity – Basic Care, Comfort & Pharmacology
SECTION 4 — Physiological Integrity – Risk Reduction & Adaptation
STUVIAACTUALEXAM
, SECTION 1: Safe & Effective Care Environment
Q1. A practical nurse is preparing to administer medications to a group of clients. The nurse notices that the medication
administration record (MAR) for one client lists a dose of digoxin that is higher than the usual range. The client’s apical
pulse is 58 beats/min. What is the priority action?
A. Hold the digoxin, notify the registered nurse or provider, and document the findings.
B. Administer the dose as ordered and recheck the pulse in 30 minutes.
C. Give half the ordered dose and document the modification.
D. Ask the client whether the usual dose has been tolerated previously.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Digoxin should be held when the apical pulse is below 60 beats/min in adults. The PN must also question an unusually high
dose. Holding the medication, notifying the RN/provider, and documenting protect the client from potential toxicity.
Q2. While performing hand hygiene, a nurse observes a colleague remove gloves and immediately begin charting
without washing hands. What is the most appropriate response?
A. Privately remind the colleague that hand hygiene is required after glove removal to prevent pathogen transmission.
B. Report the colleague to the state board of nursing immediately.
C. Place a written warning in the colleague’s personnel file without discussion.
D. Ignore the observation because the colleague is experienced.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hand hygiene after glove removal is a fundamental infection-control standard. A private, professional reminder upholds
safety while maintaining collegiality; immediate board reporting is not the first step for a single observed lapse.
Q3. A client with Clostridium difficile infection is placed on contact precautions. Which personal protective equipment
must the practical nurse don before entering the room?
A. Gown and gloves; add mask if splashing is anticipated.
B. N95 respirator and face shield for all entries.
C. Gloves only, because C. difficile is not transmitted by contact.
D. Mask and eye protection only.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: C. difficile requires contact precautions: gown and gloves for all room entry. A mask is added only when splash risk exists.
Alcohol-based hand rub is ineffective against spores; soap and water must be used.
Q4. A practical nurse is floating to a pediatric unit and is assigned a 4-year-old child with asthma. The nurse has not
cared for pediatric clients in several years. What is the best action?
A. Accept the assignment and request a brief orientation and resource nurse support for unfamiliar procedures.
B. Trade the assignment with another nurse without informing the charge nurse.
C. Refuse the assignment without discussion.
D. Administer all medications but avoid any assessments.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nurses may accept float assignments within their licensed scope if they receive adequate orientation and support.
Requesting resources demonstrates professional accountability and protects client safety.
,Q5. During a fire drill, the practical nurse finds a visitor lying on the floor in the hallway, unresponsive. According to the
RACE acronym, what is the nurse’s first action?
A. Rescue/remove the visitor from immediate danger if safe to do so, then activate the alarm.
B. Close all doors on the unit before assisting the visitor.
C. Leave the visitor and report to the command center.
D. Extinguish the fire if it is small.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: RACE prioritizes Rescue of persons in immediate danger, then Alarm, Contain, and Extinguish/Evacuate. The
unresponsive visitor must be moved to safety if the nurse can do so without endangering self.
Q6. A client’s family member asks the practical nurse to look up the client’s laboratory results on the computer and share
them. The family member is not listed on the release-of-information form. What is the correct response?
A. Explain that client information can be shared only with individuals authorized by the client or legal surrogate.
B. Allow the family member to view the screen while the nurse is logged in.
C. Write the results on a piece of paper and hand them to the family member.
D. Provide the results because the family member is concerned.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: HIPAA and facility policy prohibit disclosure of protected health information to unauthorized persons. The nurse must
refuse and explain the privacy requirement.
Q7. A practical nurse is preparing a sterile field for a sterile dressing change. The nurse accidentally drops a sterile
gauze onto the edge of the sterile field so that it overhangs the border. What should the nurse do?
A. Use the gauze because only the outer 1 inch is considered contaminated.
B. Discard the gauze and any other items that may have been contaminated; establish a new sterile field if necessary.
C. Push the gauze fully onto the field with a sterile gloved hand.
D. Continue the procedure without changing anything.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Any item that touches the 1-inch border of a sterile field is considered contaminated. The nurse must discard the
compromised item and maintain sterility of the remaining field.
Q8. A newly admitted client has a history of falls. Which intervention is the priority for the practical nurse to implement
first?
A. Perform a fall-risk assessment and initiate facility fall-prevention protocols.
B. Place the client in a room far from the nursing station for quiet.
C. Apply physical restraints immediately.
D. Instruct the client to call for help only during the day shift.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A systematic fall-risk assessment guides individualized prevention measures. Restraints are a last resort and require an
order; placing a high-risk client far from observation increases danger.
STUVIAACTUALEXAM • Page 3
, Q9. A practical nurse discovers that an incorrect dose of insulin was administered to a client. The client is asymptomatic.
What is the nurse’s immediate priority?
A. Assess the client’s current blood glucose and clinical status, notify the RN/provider, and complete an incident
report.
B. Administer a second dose to correct the error without notifying anyone.
C. Wait until the end of the shift to report the error.
D. Document the error only in an incident report and tell no one.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Client assessment and notification of the provider/RN are the first priorities after a medication error. An incident report is
required for system improvement but does not replace clinical follow-up.
Q10. A client who is a Jehovah’s Witness is scheduled for surgery and states that blood transfusions are unacceptable.
The practical nurse’s best action is to:
A. Tell the client that the surgeon will decide about transfusions.
B. Document the client’s refusal, notify the RN and surgical team, and ensure the advance directive or refusal form is
in the record.
C. Reassure the client that blood will be given only if absolutely necessary.
D. Ignore the statement because it is the physician’s responsibility alone.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Clients have the right to refuse blood products. The PN must document the refusal, communicate it to the team, and verify
that the appropriate legal forms are completed.
Q11. A practical nurse is caring for a client with a multidrug-resistant organism. The nurse is preparing to leave the room
after providing care. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Perform the procedure using clean technique only.
B. Maintain sterile technique and replace any contaminated items.
C. Skip the sterile step to save time.
D. Ask the client to assist with the sterile field.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sterile technique failures require replacement of contaminated supplies. Maintaining asepsis prevents
healthcare-associated infection.
Q12. While verifying a medication order, the practical nurse notes that the client’s name on the MAR does not match the
armband. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Implement the priority safety or infection-control action and notify the appropriate team member.
B. Continue with the current plan without changes.
C. Delay all care until the end of the shift.
D. Document only and take no further action.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Infection-control and safety standards require immediate corrective action and adherence to isolation or sterile technique.
Notification of the charge nurse or RN ensures continuity of safe care.
STUVIAACTUALEXAM • Page 4
Hondros HESI PN Exit Exam Guide
(NEW 2026/2027 Update)
2026/2027 ACTUAL EXAM TEST BANK
WITH REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
100% CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS A+
(GUARANTEED PASS!!)
Aligned to Hondros College of Nursing Content Outline • PN Exit Level
A+ QUESTIONS 4 SECTIONS 100%
VERIFIED COMPLETE RATIONALES
CATEGORIES
SECTION 1 — Safe & Effective Care Environment
SECTION 2 — Health Promotion, Maintenance & Psychosocial Integrity
SECTION 3 — Physiological Integrity – Basic Care, Comfort & Pharmacology
SECTION 4 — Physiological Integrity – Risk Reduction & Adaptation
STUVIAACTUALEXAM
, SECTION 1: Safe & Effective Care Environment
Q1. A practical nurse is preparing to administer medications to a group of clients. The nurse notices that the medication
administration record (MAR) for one client lists a dose of digoxin that is higher than the usual range. The client’s apical
pulse is 58 beats/min. What is the priority action?
A. Hold the digoxin, notify the registered nurse or provider, and document the findings.
B. Administer the dose as ordered and recheck the pulse in 30 minutes.
C. Give half the ordered dose and document the modification.
D. Ask the client whether the usual dose has been tolerated previously.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Digoxin should be held when the apical pulse is below 60 beats/min in adults. The PN must also question an unusually high
dose. Holding the medication, notifying the RN/provider, and documenting protect the client from potential toxicity.
Q2. While performing hand hygiene, a nurse observes a colleague remove gloves and immediately begin charting
without washing hands. What is the most appropriate response?
A. Privately remind the colleague that hand hygiene is required after glove removal to prevent pathogen transmission.
B. Report the colleague to the state board of nursing immediately.
C. Place a written warning in the colleague’s personnel file without discussion.
D. Ignore the observation because the colleague is experienced.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hand hygiene after glove removal is a fundamental infection-control standard. A private, professional reminder upholds
safety while maintaining collegiality; immediate board reporting is not the first step for a single observed lapse.
Q3. A client with Clostridium difficile infection is placed on contact precautions. Which personal protective equipment
must the practical nurse don before entering the room?
A. Gown and gloves; add mask if splashing is anticipated.
B. N95 respirator and face shield for all entries.
C. Gloves only, because C. difficile is not transmitted by contact.
D. Mask and eye protection only.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: C. difficile requires contact precautions: gown and gloves for all room entry. A mask is added only when splash risk exists.
Alcohol-based hand rub is ineffective against spores; soap and water must be used.
Q4. A practical nurse is floating to a pediatric unit and is assigned a 4-year-old child with asthma. The nurse has not
cared for pediatric clients in several years. What is the best action?
A. Accept the assignment and request a brief orientation and resource nurse support for unfamiliar procedures.
B. Trade the assignment with another nurse without informing the charge nurse.
C. Refuse the assignment without discussion.
D. Administer all medications but avoid any assessments.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nurses may accept float assignments within their licensed scope if they receive adequate orientation and support.
Requesting resources demonstrates professional accountability and protects client safety.
,Q5. During a fire drill, the practical nurse finds a visitor lying on the floor in the hallway, unresponsive. According to the
RACE acronym, what is the nurse’s first action?
A. Rescue/remove the visitor from immediate danger if safe to do so, then activate the alarm.
B. Close all doors on the unit before assisting the visitor.
C. Leave the visitor and report to the command center.
D. Extinguish the fire if it is small.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: RACE prioritizes Rescue of persons in immediate danger, then Alarm, Contain, and Extinguish/Evacuate. The
unresponsive visitor must be moved to safety if the nurse can do so without endangering self.
Q6. A client’s family member asks the practical nurse to look up the client’s laboratory results on the computer and share
them. The family member is not listed on the release-of-information form. What is the correct response?
A. Explain that client information can be shared only with individuals authorized by the client or legal surrogate.
B. Allow the family member to view the screen while the nurse is logged in.
C. Write the results on a piece of paper and hand them to the family member.
D. Provide the results because the family member is concerned.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: HIPAA and facility policy prohibit disclosure of protected health information to unauthorized persons. The nurse must
refuse and explain the privacy requirement.
Q7. A practical nurse is preparing a sterile field for a sterile dressing change. The nurse accidentally drops a sterile
gauze onto the edge of the sterile field so that it overhangs the border. What should the nurse do?
A. Use the gauze because only the outer 1 inch is considered contaminated.
B. Discard the gauze and any other items that may have been contaminated; establish a new sterile field if necessary.
C. Push the gauze fully onto the field with a sterile gloved hand.
D. Continue the procedure without changing anything.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Any item that touches the 1-inch border of a sterile field is considered contaminated. The nurse must discard the
compromised item and maintain sterility of the remaining field.
Q8. A newly admitted client has a history of falls. Which intervention is the priority for the practical nurse to implement
first?
A. Perform a fall-risk assessment and initiate facility fall-prevention protocols.
B. Place the client in a room far from the nursing station for quiet.
C. Apply physical restraints immediately.
D. Instruct the client to call for help only during the day shift.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A systematic fall-risk assessment guides individualized prevention measures. Restraints are a last resort and require an
order; placing a high-risk client far from observation increases danger.
STUVIAACTUALEXAM • Page 3
, Q9. A practical nurse discovers that an incorrect dose of insulin was administered to a client. The client is asymptomatic.
What is the nurse’s immediate priority?
A. Assess the client’s current blood glucose and clinical status, notify the RN/provider, and complete an incident
report.
B. Administer a second dose to correct the error without notifying anyone.
C. Wait until the end of the shift to report the error.
D. Document the error only in an incident report and tell no one.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Client assessment and notification of the provider/RN are the first priorities after a medication error. An incident report is
required for system improvement but does not replace clinical follow-up.
Q10. A client who is a Jehovah’s Witness is scheduled for surgery and states that blood transfusions are unacceptable.
The practical nurse’s best action is to:
A. Tell the client that the surgeon will decide about transfusions.
B. Document the client’s refusal, notify the RN and surgical team, and ensure the advance directive or refusal form is
in the record.
C. Reassure the client that blood will be given only if absolutely necessary.
D. Ignore the statement because it is the physician’s responsibility alone.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Clients have the right to refuse blood products. The PN must document the refusal, communicate it to the team, and verify
that the appropriate legal forms are completed.
Q11. A practical nurse is caring for a client with a multidrug-resistant organism. The nurse is preparing to leave the room
after providing care. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Perform the procedure using clean technique only.
B. Maintain sterile technique and replace any contaminated items.
C. Skip the sterile step to save time.
D. Ask the client to assist with the sterile field.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sterile technique failures require replacement of contaminated supplies. Maintaining asepsis prevents
healthcare-associated infection.
Q12. While verifying a medication order, the practical nurse notes that the client’s name on the MAR does not match the
armband. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Implement the priority safety or infection-control action and notify the appropriate team member.
B. Continue with the current plan without changes.
C. Delay all care until the end of the shift.
D. Document only and take no further action.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Infection-control and safety standards require immediate corrective action and adherence to isolation or sterile technique.
Notification of the charge nurse or RN ensures continuity of safe care.
STUVIAACTUALEXAM • Page 4
