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BSN 225 HESI RN SPECIALTY FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING EXAM V1
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION
2026
BSN 225 HESI RN Specialty Fundamentals of Nursing Exam V1 — Questions with Rationales
Summarized 10-Point Exam Coverage
1. Nursing process, critical thinking, and clinical judgment
2. Vital signs, physical assessment, and documentation
3. Infection control, asepsis, and personal protective equipment
4. Safety, falls prevention, restraints, and mobility
5. Medication administration, dosage calculation, and safety
6. Wound care, pressure injuries, and skin integrity
7. Nutrition, fluid and electrolyte balance, and IV therapy
8. Perioperative nursing care and surgical asepsis
9. Communication, patient education, ethics, and advocacy
10. Pain management, sleep, end-of-life care, and cultural competence
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Section 1: Nursing Process, Critical Thinking, and Clinical Judgment (Questions 1–30)
Q1. A nurse is collecting data from a patient who is experiencing shortness of breath. Which
phase of the nursing process is the nurse implementing?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process, involving the collection of
subjective and objective data. The nurse is gathering information about the patient's breathing
difficulty.
Q2. A nurse identifies that a patient has impaired gas exchange related to decreased oxygen
supply. This statement represents which phase of the nursing process?
A. Assessment
B. Nursing diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment about the patient's response to a health
condition. Impaired gas exchange is an example of a nursing diagnosis.
Q3. A nurse is developing a care plan for a patient with limited mobility. Which action reflects
the planning phase of the nursing process?
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A. Auscultating lung sounds
B. Setting a goal for the patient to ambulate twice daily
C. Administering pain medication
D. Evaluating the patient's response to therapy
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Planning involves setting patient-centered goals and outcomes. Setting an ambulation
goal is an example of planning.
Q4. A nurse is implementing interventions to prevent falls in an older adult patient. Which
phase of the nursing process follows implementation?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Evaluation is the final phase, determining whether the interventions were effective
and whether goals were met.
Q5. A nurse uses clinical judgment to decide that a patient needs immediate intervention for
a sudden drop in blood pressure. This is an example of:
A. Critical thinking
B. Data collection
C. Evaluation
D. Documentation
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Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Critical thinking involves analyzing data and making clinical decisions. Recognizing a
sudden drop in blood pressure and acting on it demonstrates critical thinking.
Q6. A nurse is documenting patient care. Which entry indicates correct documentation?
A. "Patient seems better today."
B. "Patient is noncompliant with care."
C. "Patient ambulated 50 feet without assistance at 1000."
D. "Patient had a good day."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Documentation should be objective, specific, and measurable. Ambulating 50 feet
without assistance is a clear, measurable observation.
Q7. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports pain at a level of 7 on a 0-to-10 scale. This is an
example of:
A. Objective data
B. Subjective data
C. Secondary data
D. Inferential data
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Subjective data are what the patient reports, such as pain level. Objective data are
observable and measurable.
Q8. A nurse is reviewing a patient's medical record for information. This is an example of:
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BSN 225 HESI RN SPECIALTY FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING EXAM V1
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION
2026
BSN 225 HESI RN Specialty Fundamentals of Nursing Exam V1 — Questions with Rationales
Summarized 10-Point Exam Coverage
1. Nursing process, critical thinking, and clinical judgment
2. Vital signs, physical assessment, and documentation
3. Infection control, asepsis, and personal protective equipment
4. Safety, falls prevention, restraints, and mobility
5. Medication administration, dosage calculation, and safety
6. Wound care, pressure injuries, and skin integrity
7. Nutrition, fluid and electrolyte balance, and IV therapy
8. Perioperative nursing care and surgical asepsis
9. Communication, patient education, ethics, and advocacy
10. Pain management, sleep, end-of-life care, and cultural competence
1|Page
,Page 2 of 109
Section 1: Nursing Process, Critical Thinking, and Clinical Judgment (Questions 1–30)
Q1. A nurse is collecting data from a patient who is experiencing shortness of breath. Which
phase of the nursing process is the nurse implementing?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process, involving the collection of
subjective and objective data. The nurse is gathering information about the patient's breathing
difficulty.
Q2. A nurse identifies that a patient has impaired gas exchange related to decreased oxygen
supply. This statement represents which phase of the nursing process?
A. Assessment
B. Nursing diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Implementation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment about the patient's response to a health
condition. Impaired gas exchange is an example of a nursing diagnosis.
Q3. A nurse is developing a care plan for a patient with limited mobility. Which action reflects
the planning phase of the nursing process?
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A. Auscultating lung sounds
B. Setting a goal for the patient to ambulate twice daily
C. Administering pain medication
D. Evaluating the patient's response to therapy
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Planning involves setting patient-centered goals and outcomes. Setting an ambulation
goal is an example of planning.
Q4. A nurse is implementing interventions to prevent falls in an older adult patient. Which
phase of the nursing process follows implementation?
A. Assessment
B. Diagnosis
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Evaluation is the final phase, determining whether the interventions were effective
and whether goals were met.
Q5. A nurse uses clinical judgment to decide that a patient needs immediate intervention for
a sudden drop in blood pressure. This is an example of:
A. Critical thinking
B. Data collection
C. Evaluation
D. Documentation
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Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Critical thinking involves analyzing data and making clinical decisions. Recognizing a
sudden drop in blood pressure and acting on it demonstrates critical thinking.
Q6. A nurse is documenting patient care. Which entry indicates correct documentation?
A. "Patient seems better today."
B. "Patient is noncompliant with care."
C. "Patient ambulated 50 feet without assistance at 1000."
D. "Patient had a good day."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Documentation should be objective, specific, and measurable. Ambulating 50 feet
without assistance is a clear, measurable observation.
Q7. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports pain at a level of 7 on a 0-to-10 scale. This is an
example of:
A. Objective data
B. Subjective data
C. Secondary data
D. Inferential data
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Subjective data are what the patient reports, such as pain level. Objective data are
observable and measurable.
Q8. A nurse is reviewing a patient's medical record for information. This is an example of:
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