Virtual-ATI / ATI Green Light 2026/2027 NCLEX-RN Study
Guide | ACTUAL-Style Virtual-ATI Practice Questions &
Answers, ATI Green Light NCLEX Prep, NCLEX-RN Practice
Test, Clinical Judgment & NGN, Verified Answers, Detailed
Rationales, Comprehensive Nursing Review, Prioritization,
Delegation, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Fundamentals,
Maternal-Newborn, Pediatrics, Mental Health & Final NCLEX
Readiness
Question 1: A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should
the nurse assess first?
A. A client who is postoperative day 2 and reports pain at a 5 on a 0-10
scale
B. A newly admitted client with blood pressure 90/50 mm Hg, heart rate
120/min, pale and diaphoretic
C. A client with dementia who is attempting to climb out of bed
D. A client requesting pain medication 30 minutes before the scheduled
dose
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A newly admitted client with blood
pressure 90/50 mm Hg, heart rate 120/min, pale and diaphoretic
Rationale: Hypotension, tachycardia, pallor, and diaphoresis indicate
possible shock (hypovolemic, septic, or cardiogenic). This client is
hemodynamically unstable and requires immediate assessment and
intervention. Pain management and safety concerns are important but
secondary to physiological instability.
Question 2: A charge nurse is delegating tasks. Which task can be
safely assigned to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
A. Assessing a client's lung sounds
B. Teaching a client how to use an incentive spirometer
C. Measuring orthostatic blood pressures
D. Evaluating the effectiveness of a pain medication
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Measuring orthostatic blood pressures
Rationale: UAPs can perform routine vital signs, including orthostatic blood
pressure measurements. Assessment (A), teaching (B), and evaluation (D)
require RN judgment and cannot be delegated to unlicensed personnel.
Question 3: A nurse finds a client lying on the floor. What is the
nurse's first action?
,A. Call the healthcare provider
B. Assess the client for injury
C. Complete an incident report
D. Help the client back to bed
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Assess the client for injury
Rationale: The nurse must first assess the client for injury, including level of
consciousness, breathing, bleeding, and pain. Moving the client without
assessment could worsen injuries. Calling the provider and completing an
incident report occur after the client has been assessed and stabilized.
Question 4: A client is on contact precautions for Clostridioides
difficile. Which action should the nurse implement?
A. Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
B. Use alcohol-based hand rub after glove removal
C. Perform hand hygiene with soap and water
D. Keep the room door closed at all times
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Perform hand hygiene with soap and water
Rationale: C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol-based hand rubs. Soap
and water must be used for hand hygiene. N95 respirators are required for
airborne precautions, and keeping the door closed is required for airborne
and droplet precautions, not contact precautions.
Question 5: A nurse receives a telephone order from a provider.
Which action is most important for the nurse to take?
A. Repeat the order back to the provider
B. Ask another nurse to listen on the phone
C. Sign the order within 24 hours
D. Transcribe the order into the medication administration record
immediately
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Repeat the order back to the provider
Rationale: Read-back verification (repeating the order back to the provider)
is the most critical safety step to prevent medication and treatment errors
from telephone orders. While signing the order within 24 hours and
accurate transcription are required, read-back verification is the priority
safety measure.
,Question 6: A client is aggressive and threatening staff. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Apply soft wrist restraints
B. Administer an antipsychotic medication as prescribed
C. Attempt to verbally de-escalate the client
D. Place the client in seclusion
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Attempt to verbally de-escalate the client
Rationale: Verbal de-escalation is the least restrictive intervention and
should be attempted first. Restraints, seclusion, and medications are used
only when less restrictive measures have failed and the client poses an
imminent danger to self or others.
Question 7: A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube following
a thoracotomy. Which finding requires immediate intervention?
A. 1 cm of water present in the water seal chamber
B. Fluctuation of fluid in the water seal chamber with respiration
C. Continuous bubbling in the suction control chamber
D. Drainage of 50 mL in 8 hours
CORRECT ANSWER: A. 1 cm of water present in the water seal
chamber
Rationale: The water seal chamber should have 2 cm of water to maintain
the seal. A level of 1 cm indicates insufficient water, which could allow air
to enter the pleural space and cause a pneumothorax. Tidaling (B) is an
expected finding. Gentle bubbling in the suction control chamber (C) is
normal. Drainage of 50 mL in 8 hours (D) is within expected limits.
Question 8: A nurse is assessing a client who has a magnesium
level of 4.4 mEq/L. Which finding should the nurse expect?
A. Hyperreflexia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Muscle cramps
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Hypotension
Rationale: A magnesium level of 4.4 mEq/L indicates hypermagnesemia
(normal range 1.3-2.1 mEq/L). Manifestations include hypotension,
, bradycardia, lethargy, and diminished deep tendon reflexes. Hyperreflexia,
tachycardia, and muscle cramps are associated with hypomagnesemia.
Question 9: A nurse is providing dietary teaching to a client who
has an increased cholesterol level. Which food should the nurse
recommend?
A. Egg yolks
B. Egg whites
C. Whole milk
D. Organ meats
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Egg whites
Rationale: Egg whites are low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Egg yolks
(A), whole milk (C), and organ meats (D) are high in cholesterol and
saturated fat and should be limited in clients with hypercholesterolemia.
Question 10: A nurse is caring for a toddler who has respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV). Which action should the nurse plan to take?
A. Use a designated stethoscope when caring for the toddler
B. Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C. Place the toddler in a negative pressure room
D. Restrict all visitors from entering the room
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Use a designated stethoscope when caring
for the toddler
Rationale: RSV is transmitted via contact and droplet routes. Using
dedicated equipment such as a designated stethoscope prevents
transmission between clients. N95 respirators and negative pressure rooms
are not required for RSV. Visitors are not restricted unless they are
immunocompromised.
Question 11: A nurse is reviewing the medical history of a client
who takes a garlic supplement. The nurse should identify that
which finding is a contraindication for taking this supplement?
A. The client takes aspirin daily
B. The client has hypertension
C. The client has high cholesterol
D. The client takes vitamin C
Guide | ACTUAL-Style Virtual-ATI Practice Questions &
Answers, ATI Green Light NCLEX Prep, NCLEX-RN Practice
Test, Clinical Judgment & NGN, Verified Answers, Detailed
Rationales, Comprehensive Nursing Review, Prioritization,
Delegation, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Fundamentals,
Maternal-Newborn, Pediatrics, Mental Health & Final NCLEX
Readiness
Question 1: A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should
the nurse assess first?
A. A client who is postoperative day 2 and reports pain at a 5 on a 0-10
scale
B. A newly admitted client with blood pressure 90/50 mm Hg, heart rate
120/min, pale and diaphoretic
C. A client with dementia who is attempting to climb out of bed
D. A client requesting pain medication 30 minutes before the scheduled
dose
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A newly admitted client with blood
pressure 90/50 mm Hg, heart rate 120/min, pale and diaphoretic
Rationale: Hypotension, tachycardia, pallor, and diaphoresis indicate
possible shock (hypovolemic, septic, or cardiogenic). This client is
hemodynamically unstable and requires immediate assessment and
intervention. Pain management and safety concerns are important but
secondary to physiological instability.
Question 2: A charge nurse is delegating tasks. Which task can be
safely assigned to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
A. Assessing a client's lung sounds
B. Teaching a client how to use an incentive spirometer
C. Measuring orthostatic blood pressures
D. Evaluating the effectiveness of a pain medication
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Measuring orthostatic blood pressures
Rationale: UAPs can perform routine vital signs, including orthostatic blood
pressure measurements. Assessment (A), teaching (B), and evaluation (D)
require RN judgment and cannot be delegated to unlicensed personnel.
Question 3: A nurse finds a client lying on the floor. What is the
nurse's first action?
,A. Call the healthcare provider
B. Assess the client for injury
C. Complete an incident report
D. Help the client back to bed
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Assess the client for injury
Rationale: The nurse must first assess the client for injury, including level of
consciousness, breathing, bleeding, and pain. Moving the client without
assessment could worsen injuries. Calling the provider and completing an
incident report occur after the client has been assessed and stabilized.
Question 4: A client is on contact precautions for Clostridioides
difficile. Which action should the nurse implement?
A. Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
B. Use alcohol-based hand rub after glove removal
C. Perform hand hygiene with soap and water
D. Keep the room door closed at all times
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Perform hand hygiene with soap and water
Rationale: C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol-based hand rubs. Soap
and water must be used for hand hygiene. N95 respirators are required for
airborne precautions, and keeping the door closed is required for airborne
and droplet precautions, not contact precautions.
Question 5: A nurse receives a telephone order from a provider.
Which action is most important for the nurse to take?
A. Repeat the order back to the provider
B. Ask another nurse to listen on the phone
C. Sign the order within 24 hours
D. Transcribe the order into the medication administration record
immediately
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Repeat the order back to the provider
Rationale: Read-back verification (repeating the order back to the provider)
is the most critical safety step to prevent medication and treatment errors
from telephone orders. While signing the order within 24 hours and
accurate transcription are required, read-back verification is the priority
safety measure.
,Question 6: A client is aggressive and threatening staff. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Apply soft wrist restraints
B. Administer an antipsychotic medication as prescribed
C. Attempt to verbally de-escalate the client
D. Place the client in seclusion
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Attempt to verbally de-escalate the client
Rationale: Verbal de-escalation is the least restrictive intervention and
should be attempted first. Restraints, seclusion, and medications are used
only when less restrictive measures have failed and the client poses an
imminent danger to self or others.
Question 7: A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube following
a thoracotomy. Which finding requires immediate intervention?
A. 1 cm of water present in the water seal chamber
B. Fluctuation of fluid in the water seal chamber with respiration
C. Continuous bubbling in the suction control chamber
D. Drainage of 50 mL in 8 hours
CORRECT ANSWER: A. 1 cm of water present in the water seal
chamber
Rationale: The water seal chamber should have 2 cm of water to maintain
the seal. A level of 1 cm indicates insufficient water, which could allow air
to enter the pleural space and cause a pneumothorax. Tidaling (B) is an
expected finding. Gentle bubbling in the suction control chamber (C) is
normal. Drainage of 50 mL in 8 hours (D) is within expected limits.
Question 8: A nurse is assessing a client who has a magnesium
level of 4.4 mEq/L. Which finding should the nurse expect?
A. Hyperreflexia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Muscle cramps
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Hypotension
Rationale: A magnesium level of 4.4 mEq/L indicates hypermagnesemia
(normal range 1.3-2.1 mEq/L). Manifestations include hypotension,
, bradycardia, lethargy, and diminished deep tendon reflexes. Hyperreflexia,
tachycardia, and muscle cramps are associated with hypomagnesemia.
Question 9: A nurse is providing dietary teaching to a client who
has an increased cholesterol level. Which food should the nurse
recommend?
A. Egg yolks
B. Egg whites
C. Whole milk
D. Organ meats
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Egg whites
Rationale: Egg whites are low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Egg yolks
(A), whole milk (C), and organ meats (D) are high in cholesterol and
saturated fat and should be limited in clients with hypercholesterolemia.
Question 10: A nurse is caring for a toddler who has respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV). Which action should the nurse plan to take?
A. Use a designated stethoscope when caring for the toddler
B. Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C. Place the toddler in a negative pressure room
D. Restrict all visitors from entering the room
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Use a designated stethoscope when caring
for the toddler
Rationale: RSV is transmitted via contact and droplet routes. Using
dedicated equipment such as a designated stethoscope prevents
transmission between clients. N95 respirators and negative pressure rooms
are not required for RSV. Visitors are not restricted unless they are
immunocompromised.
Question 11: A nurse is reviewing the medical history of a client
who takes a garlic supplement. The nurse should identify that
which finding is a contraindication for taking this supplement?
A. The client takes aspirin daily
B. The client has hypertension
C. The client has high cholesterol
D. The client takes vitamin C
