ATI Fundamentals 2026/2027 | ATI RN
Fundamentals Proctored Exam & Content Mastery
Series Study Guide, Fundamentals of Nursing
Review, Practice Questions & Detailed Rationales,
ATI Fundamentals CMS Exam Prep, Nursing Process
& Clinical Judgment, Prioritization & Delegation,
Patient Safety, Infection Control, Health
Assessment, Vital Signs, Basic Care & Comfort,
Medication Administration, Pharmacology, IV
Therapy, Fluid & Electrolyte Balance, Nutrition,
Mobility, Elimination, Pain Management,
Therapeutic Communication, Legal & Ethical
Nursing, Patient Education & NGN-Style Practice
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a
client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to
comply with the "rights" of medication administration?
A. Check the medication label once before administration.
B. Verify the client's identity using their room number.
C. Check the medication label against the MAR three times.
D. Administer the medication without checking the expiration date.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Check the medication label against the
MAR three times.
Rationale: The nurse should check the medication label against the MAR at
three critical points: when removing the medication from the drawer, when
preparing it, and when administering it. This practice ensures accuracy and
prevents errors. Verifying identity with a room number is unsafe, and failing
to check expiration dates can lead to administering ineffective or harmful
medications.
Question 2: A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative
following abdominal surgery. Which of the following findings
should the nurse report to the provider immediately?
A. Urinary output of 30 mL over the past 2 hours.
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mm Hg.
C. Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per hour from the surgical drain.
D. Pain rating of 4 on a 0-10 scale.
,CORRECT ANSWER: C. Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per
hour from the surgical drain.
Rationale: Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per hour is excessive and
indicates possible hemorrhage, requiring immediate intervention. A urinary
output of 30 mL over 2 hours is adequate, a BP of 110/70 is stable, and a
pain rating of 4 is expected and can be managed with analgesics.
Question 3: A nurse is performing a physical assessment on a
client. Which technique should the nurse use first during an
abdominal assessment?
A. Palpation.
B. Auscultation.
C. Percussion.
D. Inspection.
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Inspection.
Rationale: Inspection is always the first technique used in any physical
assessment. For the abdomen specifically, auscultation is performed before
percussion and palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds, but inspection
remains the initial step.
Question 4: A nurse is caring for a client who is at risk for falls.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in
the plan of care?
A. Keep all four side rails in the upright position.
B. Place the bed in the lowest position.
C. Apply a vest restraint while the client is in bed.
D. Instruct the client to use the bathroom alone if they feel strong.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Place the bed in the lowest position.
Rationale: Keeping the bed in the lowest position reduces the risk of injury
if a fall occurs. Using all four side rails is considered a restraint and requires
a prescription. Restraints should be a last resort. Clients at risk for falls
should be assisted with ambulation.
Question 5: A nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary
catheter. Which technique is essential to maintain sterility?
,A. Cleanse the meatus with antiseptic solution and apply sterile lubricant to
the catheter tip.
B. Use clean gloves for the procedure.
C. Reuse the same cotton ball for cleansing.
D. Touch the catheter tip with bare hands.
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Cleanse the meatus with antiseptic solution
and apply sterile lubricant to the catheter tip.
Rationale: Maintaining sterile technique requires cleansing the meatus
thoroughly with an antiseptic solution and using sterile lubricant. Clean
gloves are not sufficient for this procedure, and touching the catheter tip or
reusing supplies contaminates the field.
Question 6: A nurse is teaching a client about the purpose of
advance directives. Which of the following statements should the
nurse make?
A. "They allow the court to overrule an adult client's refusal of medical
treatment."
B. "They indicate the form of treatment a client is willing to accept in the
event of a serious illness."
C. "They permit a client to withhold medical information from health care
personnel."
D. "They allow health care personnel in the emergency department to
stabilize a client's condition."
CORRECT ANSWER: B. "They indicate the form of treatment a
client is willing to accept in the event of a serious illness."
Rationale: Advance directives include living wills that allow clients to
specify the treatment they will accept in the event of a serious illness. They
do not permit withholding medical information or allow courts to overrule
an adult's refusal of treatment.
Question 7: A nurse is preparing to administer NPH insulin and
regular insulin. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take FIRST?
A. Withdraw the correct dose of NPH insulin from the bottle.
B. Inject air into the vial of NPH insulin without touching the needle to the
solution.
C. Inject air into the vial of regular insulin and withdraw the correct
, amount.
D. Insert the needle into the NPH insulin vial and withdraw the correct
amount.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Inject air into the vial of NPH insulin
without touching the needle to the solution.
Rationale: When mixing insulins, the nurse should first inject air into the
NPH vial without touching the solution to prevent contamination. Then, air
is injected into the regular vial, and the regular insulin is withdrawn first.
Finally, the needle is inserted into the NPH vial to withdraw the correct
dose.
Question 8: A nurse is performing a Romberg test during the
physical assessment of a client. Which of the following techniques
should the nurse use?
A. Touch the face with a cotton ball.
B. Apply a vibrating tuning fork to the client's forehead.
C. Have the client stand with their arms at their sides and their feet
together.
D. Perform direct percussion over the area of the kidneys.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Have the client stand with their arms at
their sides and their feet together.
Rationale: The Romberg test assesses balance and proprioception by
having the client stand with feet together and arms at the sides, first with
eyes open and then closed. An inability to maintain balance with eyes
closed suggests a neurological deficit.
Question 9: A nurse is caring for a client who has an indwelling
urinary catheter. Which of the following actions is the priority to
reduce the client's risk of developing a healthcare-associated
infection?
A. Wipe down the client's bedside table with an antiseptic wipe.
B. Conduct informal audits of medical records.
C. Perform hand hygiene.
D. Instruct the client on ways to reduce the risk for infection.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Perform hand hygiene.
Fundamentals Proctored Exam & Content Mastery
Series Study Guide, Fundamentals of Nursing
Review, Practice Questions & Detailed Rationales,
ATI Fundamentals CMS Exam Prep, Nursing Process
& Clinical Judgment, Prioritization & Delegation,
Patient Safety, Infection Control, Health
Assessment, Vital Signs, Basic Care & Comfort,
Medication Administration, Pharmacology, IV
Therapy, Fluid & Electrolyte Balance, Nutrition,
Mobility, Elimination, Pain Management,
Therapeutic Communication, Legal & Ethical
Nursing, Patient Education & NGN-Style Practice
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a
client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to
comply with the "rights" of medication administration?
A. Check the medication label once before administration.
B. Verify the client's identity using their room number.
C. Check the medication label against the MAR three times.
D. Administer the medication without checking the expiration date.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Check the medication label against the
MAR three times.
Rationale: The nurse should check the medication label against the MAR at
three critical points: when removing the medication from the drawer, when
preparing it, and when administering it. This practice ensures accuracy and
prevents errors. Verifying identity with a room number is unsafe, and failing
to check expiration dates can lead to administering ineffective or harmful
medications.
Question 2: A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative
following abdominal surgery. Which of the following findings
should the nurse report to the provider immediately?
A. Urinary output of 30 mL over the past 2 hours.
B. Blood pressure of 110/70 mm Hg.
C. Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per hour from the surgical drain.
D. Pain rating of 4 on a 0-10 scale.
,CORRECT ANSWER: C. Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per
hour from the surgical drain.
Rationale: Drainage of 100 mL of bright red blood per hour is excessive and
indicates possible hemorrhage, requiring immediate intervention. A urinary
output of 30 mL over 2 hours is adequate, a BP of 110/70 is stable, and a
pain rating of 4 is expected and can be managed with analgesics.
Question 3: A nurse is performing a physical assessment on a
client. Which technique should the nurse use first during an
abdominal assessment?
A. Palpation.
B. Auscultation.
C. Percussion.
D. Inspection.
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Inspection.
Rationale: Inspection is always the first technique used in any physical
assessment. For the abdomen specifically, auscultation is performed before
percussion and palpation to avoid altering bowel sounds, but inspection
remains the initial step.
Question 4: A nurse is caring for a client who is at risk for falls.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in
the plan of care?
A. Keep all four side rails in the upright position.
B. Place the bed in the lowest position.
C. Apply a vest restraint while the client is in bed.
D. Instruct the client to use the bathroom alone if they feel strong.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Place the bed in the lowest position.
Rationale: Keeping the bed in the lowest position reduces the risk of injury
if a fall occurs. Using all four side rails is considered a restraint and requires
a prescription. Restraints should be a last resort. Clients at risk for falls
should be assisted with ambulation.
Question 5: A nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary
catheter. Which technique is essential to maintain sterility?
,A. Cleanse the meatus with antiseptic solution and apply sterile lubricant to
the catheter tip.
B. Use clean gloves for the procedure.
C. Reuse the same cotton ball for cleansing.
D. Touch the catheter tip with bare hands.
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Cleanse the meatus with antiseptic solution
and apply sterile lubricant to the catheter tip.
Rationale: Maintaining sterile technique requires cleansing the meatus
thoroughly with an antiseptic solution and using sterile lubricant. Clean
gloves are not sufficient for this procedure, and touching the catheter tip or
reusing supplies contaminates the field.
Question 6: A nurse is teaching a client about the purpose of
advance directives. Which of the following statements should the
nurse make?
A. "They allow the court to overrule an adult client's refusal of medical
treatment."
B. "They indicate the form of treatment a client is willing to accept in the
event of a serious illness."
C. "They permit a client to withhold medical information from health care
personnel."
D. "They allow health care personnel in the emergency department to
stabilize a client's condition."
CORRECT ANSWER: B. "They indicate the form of treatment a
client is willing to accept in the event of a serious illness."
Rationale: Advance directives include living wills that allow clients to
specify the treatment they will accept in the event of a serious illness. They
do not permit withholding medical information or allow courts to overrule
an adult's refusal of treatment.
Question 7: A nurse is preparing to administer NPH insulin and
regular insulin. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take FIRST?
A. Withdraw the correct dose of NPH insulin from the bottle.
B. Inject air into the vial of NPH insulin without touching the needle to the
solution.
C. Inject air into the vial of regular insulin and withdraw the correct
, amount.
D. Insert the needle into the NPH insulin vial and withdraw the correct
amount.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Inject air into the vial of NPH insulin
without touching the needle to the solution.
Rationale: When mixing insulins, the nurse should first inject air into the
NPH vial without touching the solution to prevent contamination. Then, air
is injected into the regular vial, and the regular insulin is withdrawn first.
Finally, the needle is inserted into the NPH vial to withdraw the correct
dose.
Question 8: A nurse is performing a Romberg test during the
physical assessment of a client. Which of the following techniques
should the nurse use?
A. Touch the face with a cotton ball.
B. Apply a vibrating tuning fork to the client's forehead.
C. Have the client stand with their arms at their sides and their feet
together.
D. Perform direct percussion over the area of the kidneys.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Have the client stand with their arms at
their sides and their feet together.
Rationale: The Romberg test assesses balance and proprioception by
having the client stand with feet together and arms at the sides, first with
eyes open and then closed. An inability to maintain balance with eyes
closed suggests a neurological deficit.
Question 9: A nurse is caring for a client who has an indwelling
urinary catheter. Which of the following actions is the priority to
reduce the client's risk of developing a healthcare-associated
infection?
A. Wipe down the client's bedside table with an antiseptic wipe.
B. Conduct informal audits of medical records.
C. Perform hand hygiene.
D. Instruct the client on ways to reduce the risk for infection.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Perform hand hygiene.
