HESI EXIT EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026/2027
ACCURATE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED SOLUTIONS | NEWEST
VERSION
SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (QUESTIONS 1–50)
1. A nurse is assessing a client who has been admitted with dehydration. Which
finding should the nurse expect?
A. Bounding pulse
B. Dry mucous membranes ✅
C. Hypertension
D. Peripheral edema
Rationale: Dehydration leads to dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor,
tachycardia, hypotension, and concentrated urine. Bounding pulse, hypertension, and
edema are signs of fluid overload.
,2. A nurse is preparing to administer a blood transfusion. Which action should the
nurse take first?
A. Obtain the client's vital signs ✅
B. Prime the IV tubing with normal saline
C. Verify the blood product with another nurse
D. Start the transfusion at a slow rate
Rationale: The first action is to obtain baseline vital signs. This provides a reference
point to detect transfusion reactions. Verification and priming follow, but assessment
comes first.
3. A client is prescribed enoxaparin (Lovenox). Which laboratory value should the
nurse monitor?
A. Prothrombin time (PT)
B. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)
C. Platelet count ✅
D. International normalized ratio (INR)
Rationale: Enoxaparin is a low-molecular-weight heparin. The nurse should monitor
platelet count for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). aPTT is monitored for
unfractionated heparin; PT/INR for warfarin.
4. A nurse is caring for a client with a new colostomy. Which stoma appearance
indicates a healthy stoma?
,A. Pale pink and dry
B. Dark purple and moist
C. Beefy red and moist ✅
D. Black and dry
Rationale: A healthy stoma is beefy red and moist. Pale, dark purple, or black stomas
indicate poor perfusion or necrosis and require immediate notification of the provider.
5. A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet. Which food should the
nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Canned soup ✅
C. Brown rice
D. Grilled chicken
Rationale: Canned soup is high in sodium due to added salt as a preservative. Fresh
fruits, unprocessed grains, and fresh meats are low in sodium.
6. A nurse is assessing a client for signs of hypoxia. Which finding is an early sign?
A. Restlessness ✅
B. Cyanosis
C. Bradycardia
D. Coma
Rationale: Restlessness and anxiety are early signs of hypoxia. Cyanosis, bradycardia,
and coma are late signs.
, 7. A nurse is administering a tuberculin skin test. When should the nurse instruct
the client to return for reading?
A. 12 hours
B. 24 hours
C. 48–72 hours ✅
D. 1 week
Rationale: The Mantoux tuberculin skin test is read 48–72 hours after administration.
Induration (not redness) is measured.
8. A client is on strict bed rest. Which intervention is most important to prevent
complications?
A. Encourage a high-fiber diet
B. Perform range-of-motion exercises ✅
C. Administer stool softeners
D. Provide a pressure-relief mattress
Rationale: Range-of-motion exercises prevent muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and
DVT. While other options are helpful, ROM is the most direct preventive measure for
immobility complications.
9. A nurse is calculating intake and output. The client drank 8 oz of coffee, 4 oz of
juice, and 12 oz of water. What is the total intake in mL?
2026/2027
ACCURATE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED SOLUTIONS | NEWEST
VERSION
SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING (QUESTIONS 1–50)
1. A nurse is assessing a client who has been admitted with dehydration. Which
finding should the nurse expect?
A. Bounding pulse
B. Dry mucous membranes ✅
C. Hypertension
D. Peripheral edema
Rationale: Dehydration leads to dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor,
tachycardia, hypotension, and concentrated urine. Bounding pulse, hypertension, and
edema are signs of fluid overload.
,2. A nurse is preparing to administer a blood transfusion. Which action should the
nurse take first?
A. Obtain the client's vital signs ✅
B. Prime the IV tubing with normal saline
C. Verify the blood product with another nurse
D. Start the transfusion at a slow rate
Rationale: The first action is to obtain baseline vital signs. This provides a reference
point to detect transfusion reactions. Verification and priming follow, but assessment
comes first.
3. A client is prescribed enoxaparin (Lovenox). Which laboratory value should the
nurse monitor?
A. Prothrombin time (PT)
B. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)
C. Platelet count ✅
D. International normalized ratio (INR)
Rationale: Enoxaparin is a low-molecular-weight heparin. The nurse should monitor
platelet count for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). aPTT is monitored for
unfractionated heparin; PT/INR for warfarin.
4. A nurse is caring for a client with a new colostomy. Which stoma appearance
indicates a healthy stoma?
,A. Pale pink and dry
B. Dark purple and moist
C. Beefy red and moist ✅
D. Black and dry
Rationale: A healthy stoma is beefy red and moist. Pale, dark purple, or black stomas
indicate poor perfusion or necrosis and require immediate notification of the provider.
5. A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet. Which food should the
nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh apples
B. Canned soup ✅
C. Brown rice
D. Grilled chicken
Rationale: Canned soup is high in sodium due to added salt as a preservative. Fresh
fruits, unprocessed grains, and fresh meats are low in sodium.
6. A nurse is assessing a client for signs of hypoxia. Which finding is an early sign?
A. Restlessness ✅
B. Cyanosis
C. Bradycardia
D. Coma
Rationale: Restlessness and anxiety are early signs of hypoxia. Cyanosis, bradycardia,
and coma are late signs.
, 7. A nurse is administering a tuberculin skin test. When should the nurse instruct
the client to return for reading?
A. 12 hours
B. 24 hours
C. 48–72 hours ✅
D. 1 week
Rationale: The Mantoux tuberculin skin test is read 48–72 hours after administration.
Induration (not redness) is measured.
8. A client is on strict bed rest. Which intervention is most important to prevent
complications?
A. Encourage a high-fiber diet
B. Perform range-of-motion exercises ✅
C. Administer stool softeners
D. Provide a pressure-relief mattress
Rationale: Range-of-motion exercises prevent muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and
DVT. While other options are helpful, ROM is the most direct preventive measure for
immobility complications.
9. A nurse is calculating intake and output. The client drank 8 oz of coffee, 4 oz of
juice, and 12 oz of water. What is the total intake in mL?
