ATI RN Comprehensive Predictor 2026 Exit
Exam with NGN Package 100% Verified
Answers and Rationales 180 Questions
ATI RN Comprehensive Predictor 2026 Exit Exam with NGN Package
Professional Practice Examination — 180 Questions
SECTION 1: MANAGEMENT OF CARE (Q1–Q40)
Q1. A nurse is receiving change-of-shift report on four clients. Which client should the nurse assess
first?
A. A client with diabetes who has a blood glucose of 142 mg/dL
B. A client with pneumonia who has an oxygen saturation of 91%
C. A client with heart failure who has new pink, frothy sputum
D. A client who is awaiting discharge instructions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pink, frothy sputum indicates acute pulmonary edema, which is a life-threatening
emergency requiring immediate intervention to maintain airway and breathing. The client with
pneumonia and SpO2 of 91% also requires attention but is not as acutely unstable. Blood glucose of
142 mg/dL is mildly elevated and non-urgent. Discharge teaching can wait.
Q2. A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
A. A client with COPD reporting a headache
B. A client 2 days postoperative reporting calf pain and shortness of breath
C. A client with diabetes requesting a snack
D. A client with a cast reporting mild itching
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Calf pain with shortness of breath suggests deep vein thrombosis with possible
pulmonary embolism—a life-threatening emergency. COPD headache may indicate CO2 retention
but is less acute than a suspected PE. Mild itching under a cast and hunger are non-urgent concerns.
Q3. A nurse is delegating tasks to assistive personnel (AP). Which task is appropriate to delegate?
A. Teaching a client about a new insulin regimen
B. Ambulating a stable client to the bathroom
C. Assessing a client's surgical wound
D. Administering a PRN pain medication
pg. 1
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ambulating a stable client is within the AP's scope of practice. Teaching, assessment, and
medication administration require a licensed nurse's clinical judgment and are not delegable to AP.
Q4. A charge nurse is assigning clients to an LPN/LVN. Which assignment is appropriate?
A. A client requiring initial discharge teaching
B. A client with an unstable airway
C. A client requiring routine wound care
D. A client experiencing a new seizure
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: LPNs/LVNs can provide care to stable clients with predictable outcomes, including routine
wound care. Initial teaching, unstable airway management, and new-onset seizures require RN-level
assessment and intervention.
Q5. A nurse discovers that a client received another client's medication. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Complete an incident report
B. Notify the provider
C. Assess the client
D. Notify the nursing supervisor
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse's immediate responsibility is to assess the client for adverse effects and ensure
safety. After assessment, the nurse should notify the provider, complete an incident report, and
notify the supervisor as appropriate.
Q6. A competent adult refuses a prescribed blood transfusion for religious reasons. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Ask the family to convince the client
B. Administer the transfusion because it is prescribed
C. Respect the client's informed decision
D. Request that the provider obtain a court order
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Competent adults have the right to accept or refuse treatment after receiving
appropriate information. The nurse must respect the client's autonomy and document the refusal,
notifying the provider as appropriate.
Q7. Which client should a nurse assign to an experienced RN rather than a newly licensed RN?
pg. 2
,A. Client with stable hypertension
B. Client needing routine oral medications
C. Client with a new tracheostomy and respiratory distress
D. Client awaiting discharge
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Respiratory distress in a client with a new airway is an unstable, potentially life-
threatening condition requiring advanced assessment and intervention. The other clients have
stable, predictable needs appropriate for a new nurse.
Q8. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action best prevents medication errors?
A. Relying on memory for frequently administered medications
B. Comparing the medication label with the prescription during preparation
C. Asking another nurse to administer unfamiliar medications
D. Documenting administration before giving the medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Medication verification at multiple points—comparing the label with the prescription—
helps prevent wrong-medication, wrong-dose, and wrong-route errors. Memory is unreliable,
documentation before administration is unsafe, and asking another nurse does not substitute for the
nurse's own verification.
Q9. A nurse is triaging clients after a mass casualty event. Which client should receive care first using
disaster triage?
A. Client with a tension pneumothorax
B. Client with an open femur fracture
C. Client with a sprained ankle
D. Client with a minor laceration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Under disaster triage, life-threatening but survivable injuries receive immediate (red)
priority. Tension pneumothorax compromises breathing and requires immediate needle
decompression. Open femur fracture requires urgent care but airway/breathing takes precedence.
Sprained ankle and minor laceration are non-urgent.
Q10. A nurse is caring for a client who has a living will. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Withhold food and water from the client
B. Follow the client's wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment
C. Ignore the document if the family disagrees
D. Administer all treatments regardless of the document
Correct Answer: B
pg. 3
, Rationale: A living will is a legal document that specifies the client's wishes regarding life-sustaining
treatment. The nurse must follow the client's documented wishes. Withholding food and water is
not automatically authorized, family disagreement does not override the document, and
administering all treatments against the client's wishes violates autonomy.
Q11. A nurse is assigned to care for a client who speaks a different language. Which action should
the nurse take?
A. Use a family member as an interpreter
B. Use a professional interpreter
C. Speak loudly and slowly
D. Use gestures only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Professional interpreters ensure accurate communication and protect confidentiality.
Family members may misinterpret medical information or filter sensitive content. Speaking loudly
does not overcome language barriers, and gestures alone are insufficient for medical
communication.
Q12. A nurse is preparing to administer medication to a client. Which action is most important for
preventing medication errors?
A. Verify the client's identity using two identifiers
B. Ask the client to state their name only
C. Check the medication once at the nursing station
D. Administer the medication quickly
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Using two approved identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) is the standard for verifying
client identity before medication administration. Asking only the client's name is insufficient,
checking medication only once is unsafe, and speed is not a safety practice.
Q13. A nurse is caring for a client who has a terminal illness. The family asks about hospice care.
What information should the nurse provide?
A. "Hospice is designed to help cure the underlying disease"
B. "Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life, not a cure"
C. "Hospice provides services only in the hospital setting"
D. "Once you start hospice, you cannot ever stop treatment"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hospice is palliative care for clients with a life expectancy of 6 months or less. The focus is
on comfort, pain management, and symptom control—not curative treatment. Hospice can be
provided in various settings including home, and clients can revoke hospice services if desired.
pg. 4
Exam with NGN Package 100% Verified
Answers and Rationales 180 Questions
ATI RN Comprehensive Predictor 2026 Exit Exam with NGN Package
Professional Practice Examination — 180 Questions
SECTION 1: MANAGEMENT OF CARE (Q1–Q40)
Q1. A nurse is receiving change-of-shift report on four clients. Which client should the nurse assess
first?
A. A client with diabetes who has a blood glucose of 142 mg/dL
B. A client with pneumonia who has an oxygen saturation of 91%
C. A client with heart failure who has new pink, frothy sputum
D. A client who is awaiting discharge instructions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pink, frothy sputum indicates acute pulmonary edema, which is a life-threatening
emergency requiring immediate intervention to maintain airway and breathing. The client with
pneumonia and SpO2 of 91% also requires attention but is not as acutely unstable. Blood glucose of
142 mg/dL is mildly elevated and non-urgent. Discharge teaching can wait.
Q2. A nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
A. A client with COPD reporting a headache
B. A client 2 days postoperative reporting calf pain and shortness of breath
C. A client with diabetes requesting a snack
D. A client with a cast reporting mild itching
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Calf pain with shortness of breath suggests deep vein thrombosis with possible
pulmonary embolism—a life-threatening emergency. COPD headache may indicate CO2 retention
but is less acute than a suspected PE. Mild itching under a cast and hunger are non-urgent concerns.
Q3. A nurse is delegating tasks to assistive personnel (AP). Which task is appropriate to delegate?
A. Teaching a client about a new insulin regimen
B. Ambulating a stable client to the bathroom
C. Assessing a client's surgical wound
D. Administering a PRN pain medication
pg. 1
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ambulating a stable client is within the AP's scope of practice. Teaching, assessment, and
medication administration require a licensed nurse's clinical judgment and are not delegable to AP.
Q4. A charge nurse is assigning clients to an LPN/LVN. Which assignment is appropriate?
A. A client requiring initial discharge teaching
B. A client with an unstable airway
C. A client requiring routine wound care
D. A client experiencing a new seizure
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: LPNs/LVNs can provide care to stable clients with predictable outcomes, including routine
wound care. Initial teaching, unstable airway management, and new-onset seizures require RN-level
assessment and intervention.
Q5. A nurse discovers that a client received another client's medication. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Complete an incident report
B. Notify the provider
C. Assess the client
D. Notify the nursing supervisor
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse's immediate responsibility is to assess the client for adverse effects and ensure
safety. After assessment, the nurse should notify the provider, complete an incident report, and
notify the supervisor as appropriate.
Q6. A competent adult refuses a prescribed blood transfusion for religious reasons. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Ask the family to convince the client
B. Administer the transfusion because it is prescribed
C. Respect the client's informed decision
D. Request that the provider obtain a court order
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Competent adults have the right to accept or refuse treatment after receiving
appropriate information. The nurse must respect the client's autonomy and document the refusal,
notifying the provider as appropriate.
Q7. Which client should a nurse assign to an experienced RN rather than a newly licensed RN?
pg. 2
,A. Client with stable hypertension
B. Client needing routine oral medications
C. Client with a new tracheostomy and respiratory distress
D. Client awaiting discharge
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Respiratory distress in a client with a new airway is an unstable, potentially life-
threatening condition requiring advanced assessment and intervention. The other clients have
stable, predictable needs appropriate for a new nurse.
Q8. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action best prevents medication errors?
A. Relying on memory for frequently administered medications
B. Comparing the medication label with the prescription during preparation
C. Asking another nurse to administer unfamiliar medications
D. Documenting administration before giving the medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Medication verification at multiple points—comparing the label with the prescription—
helps prevent wrong-medication, wrong-dose, and wrong-route errors. Memory is unreliable,
documentation before administration is unsafe, and asking another nurse does not substitute for the
nurse's own verification.
Q9. A nurse is triaging clients after a mass casualty event. Which client should receive care first using
disaster triage?
A. Client with a tension pneumothorax
B. Client with an open femur fracture
C. Client with a sprained ankle
D. Client with a minor laceration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Under disaster triage, life-threatening but survivable injuries receive immediate (red)
priority. Tension pneumothorax compromises breathing and requires immediate needle
decompression. Open femur fracture requires urgent care but airway/breathing takes precedence.
Sprained ankle and minor laceration are non-urgent.
Q10. A nurse is caring for a client who has a living will. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Withhold food and water from the client
B. Follow the client's wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment
C. Ignore the document if the family disagrees
D. Administer all treatments regardless of the document
Correct Answer: B
pg. 3
, Rationale: A living will is a legal document that specifies the client's wishes regarding life-sustaining
treatment. The nurse must follow the client's documented wishes. Withholding food and water is
not automatically authorized, family disagreement does not override the document, and
administering all treatments against the client's wishes violates autonomy.
Q11. A nurse is assigned to care for a client who speaks a different language. Which action should
the nurse take?
A. Use a family member as an interpreter
B. Use a professional interpreter
C. Speak loudly and slowly
D. Use gestures only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Professional interpreters ensure accurate communication and protect confidentiality.
Family members may misinterpret medical information or filter sensitive content. Speaking loudly
does not overcome language barriers, and gestures alone are insufficient for medical
communication.
Q12. A nurse is preparing to administer medication to a client. Which action is most important for
preventing medication errors?
A. Verify the client's identity using two identifiers
B. Ask the client to state their name only
C. Check the medication once at the nursing station
D. Administer the medication quickly
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Using two approved identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) is the standard for verifying
client identity before medication administration. Asking only the client's name is insufficient,
checking medication only once is unsafe, and speed is not a safety practice.
Q13. A nurse is caring for a client who has a terminal illness. The family asks about hospice care.
What information should the nurse provide?
A. "Hospice is designed to help cure the underlying disease"
B. "Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life, not a cure"
C. "Hospice provides services only in the hospital setting"
D. "Once you start hospice, you cannot ever stop treatment"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hospice is palliative care for clients with a life expectancy of 6 months or less. The focus is
on comfort, pain management, and symptom control—not curative treatment. Hospice can be
provided in various settings including home, and clients can revoke hospice services if desired.
pg. 4
