1|Page
RETAKE ATI RN FUNDAMENTALS 2026
EXAM WITH COMPLETE NGN-STYLE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
ANSWERS | 2026/2027 STUDY EDITION
Introduction
The ATI RN Fundamentals assessment evaluates essential nursing knowledge and clinical
judgment required to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care. It is particularly important for
nursing students preparing for a retake because it tests the ability to apply foundational principles
in realistic clinical situations rather than simply recall definitions.
This practice resource is intended for nursing students reviewing patient safety, infection
prevention, nursing process, prioritization, documentation, therapeutic communication, mobility,
hygiene, nutrition, medication administration, and basic physiological needs. The questions use
four-option multiple-choice formats, with clinical scenarios designed to strengthen decision-
making and recognition of patient risks. NGN-informed items emphasize recognizing cues,
analyzing findings, prioritizing hypotheses, selecting interventions, and evaluating outcomes.
Each question includes a highlighted correct answer and a detailed rationale explaining why the
best response is appropriate and why the alternatives are less appropriate. Use the explanations to
identify weak areas, review relevant course materials, and practice explaining the reasoning
behind each nursing action. Actual ATI assessment content and weighting may differ, so
combine this resource with your official course resources and current nursing standards.
Content Area Overview
The distribution below is a proposed study blueprint, not an official ATI examination blueprint.
1. Safety and infection prevention
Standard precautions, isolation, falls, restraints, environmental hazards.
18
18% weight
2. Nursing process and clinical judgment
Assessment, prioritization, clinical cues, interventions, evaluation.
,2|Page
15
15% weight
3. Basic care and comfort
Hygiene, mobility, positioning, nutrition, elimination, sleep.
14
14% weight
4. Pharmacology and medication safety
Medication rights, dosage safety, administration, error response.
13
13% weight
5. Vital signs and physiological assessment
Vital-sign trends, pain, oxygenation, reporting abnormal findings.
12
12% weight
6. Communication and documentation
Therapeutic responses, handoff, confidentiality, accurate records.
10
10% weight
7. Ethics, legal responsibilities, and delegation
Consent, scope of practice, accountability, assignment decisions.
10
10% weight
,3|Page
8. Fluid balance and specimen collection
Intake and output, dehydration, specimen integrity, laboratory safety.
8
8% weight
Total
100 questions
QUESTIONS 1–100
Domain 1: Safety and Infection Prevention
Q1: A nurse is caring for four clients. Which situation requires the nurse's immediate
intervention?
A) A client requests assistance arranging personal belongings.
B) A client receiving oxygen attempts to light a cigarette.
C) A client asks when the next meal will arrive.
D) A client requests clarification about discharge instructions.
Rationale: B is correct because smoking near supplemental oxygen creates a serious fire hazard.
The nurse should immediately stop the unsafe activity and follow facility safety procedures. A is
a routine comfort request. C is not an immediate safety threat. D requires education but is less
urgent than an active fire risk.
Q2: A nurse enters a room and discovers that a client with suspected Clostridioides difficile
infection has diarrhea. Which infection-control action is most appropriate?
A) Use alcohol-based hand rub as the only hand hygiene measure after care.
B) Wear a surgical mask but no gloves.
C) Place the client with any available roommate without considering precautions.
D) Use contact precautions, appropriate gown and gloves, and soap-and-water handwashing
according to facility policy.
, 4|Page
Rationale: D is correct because suspected or confirmed C. difficile requires contact precautions,
appropriate protective equipment, and careful hand hygiene. Soap and water are particularly
important because alcohol-based products do not reliably eliminate C. difficile spores. A is
insufficient as the sole approach in this context. B omits essential contact protection. C risks
transmission to another client.
Q3: A nurse is preparing to enter the room of a client on airborne precautions for suspected
pulmonary tuberculosis. Which action is appropriate?
A) Wear a standard surgical mask only.
B) Keep the room door open to improve ventilation.
C) Wear a fit-tested N95 respirator or other approved respirator according to policy and use an
airborne-infection isolation room when available.
D) Use gloves as a substitute for respiratory protection.
Rationale: C is correct because tuberculosis can spread through airborne particles, requiring
appropriate respiratory protection and airborne isolation. A does not provide the same protection
as a properly fitted respirator. B can undermine isolation-room airflow requirements. D confuses
contact protection with respiratory protection.
Q4: A nurse finds a client on the floor beside the bed. The client is awake and says, “I slipped.”
What should the nurse do first?
A) Help the client stand immediately.
B) Complete an incident report before assessing the client.
C) Return the client to bed without further assessment.
D) Assess responsiveness, airway, breathing, circulation, pain, and possible injury before moving
the client unnecessarily.
Rationale: D is correct because the nurse must first determine whether the fall caused injury or
instability. Moving a client before assessing for injury may worsen harm. A assumes standing is
safe. B delays clinical assessment. C may conceal an injury or cause further harm.
Q5: A client at high risk for falls repeatedly attempts to get out of bed without assistance. Which
intervention is most appropriate initially?
A) Apply wrist restraints without an order or assessment.
B) Identify the reason for the attempts, keep the call light accessible, provide scheduled
assistance, and use individualized fall-prevention measures.
RETAKE ATI RN FUNDAMENTALS 2026
EXAM WITH COMPLETE NGN-STYLE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
ANSWERS | 2026/2027 STUDY EDITION
Introduction
The ATI RN Fundamentals assessment evaluates essential nursing knowledge and clinical
judgment required to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care. It is particularly important for
nursing students preparing for a retake because it tests the ability to apply foundational principles
in realistic clinical situations rather than simply recall definitions.
This practice resource is intended for nursing students reviewing patient safety, infection
prevention, nursing process, prioritization, documentation, therapeutic communication, mobility,
hygiene, nutrition, medication administration, and basic physiological needs. The questions use
four-option multiple-choice formats, with clinical scenarios designed to strengthen decision-
making and recognition of patient risks. NGN-informed items emphasize recognizing cues,
analyzing findings, prioritizing hypotheses, selecting interventions, and evaluating outcomes.
Each question includes a highlighted correct answer and a detailed rationale explaining why the
best response is appropriate and why the alternatives are less appropriate. Use the explanations to
identify weak areas, review relevant course materials, and practice explaining the reasoning
behind each nursing action. Actual ATI assessment content and weighting may differ, so
combine this resource with your official course resources and current nursing standards.
Content Area Overview
The distribution below is a proposed study blueprint, not an official ATI examination blueprint.
1. Safety and infection prevention
Standard precautions, isolation, falls, restraints, environmental hazards.
18
18% weight
2. Nursing process and clinical judgment
Assessment, prioritization, clinical cues, interventions, evaluation.
,2|Page
15
15% weight
3. Basic care and comfort
Hygiene, mobility, positioning, nutrition, elimination, sleep.
14
14% weight
4. Pharmacology and medication safety
Medication rights, dosage safety, administration, error response.
13
13% weight
5. Vital signs and physiological assessment
Vital-sign trends, pain, oxygenation, reporting abnormal findings.
12
12% weight
6. Communication and documentation
Therapeutic responses, handoff, confidentiality, accurate records.
10
10% weight
7. Ethics, legal responsibilities, and delegation
Consent, scope of practice, accountability, assignment decisions.
10
10% weight
,3|Page
8. Fluid balance and specimen collection
Intake and output, dehydration, specimen integrity, laboratory safety.
8
8% weight
Total
100 questions
QUESTIONS 1–100
Domain 1: Safety and Infection Prevention
Q1: A nurse is caring for four clients. Which situation requires the nurse's immediate
intervention?
A) A client requests assistance arranging personal belongings.
B) A client receiving oxygen attempts to light a cigarette.
C) A client asks when the next meal will arrive.
D) A client requests clarification about discharge instructions.
Rationale: B is correct because smoking near supplemental oxygen creates a serious fire hazard.
The nurse should immediately stop the unsafe activity and follow facility safety procedures. A is
a routine comfort request. C is not an immediate safety threat. D requires education but is less
urgent than an active fire risk.
Q2: A nurse enters a room and discovers that a client with suspected Clostridioides difficile
infection has diarrhea. Which infection-control action is most appropriate?
A) Use alcohol-based hand rub as the only hand hygiene measure after care.
B) Wear a surgical mask but no gloves.
C) Place the client with any available roommate without considering precautions.
D) Use contact precautions, appropriate gown and gloves, and soap-and-water handwashing
according to facility policy.
, 4|Page
Rationale: D is correct because suspected or confirmed C. difficile requires contact precautions,
appropriate protective equipment, and careful hand hygiene. Soap and water are particularly
important because alcohol-based products do not reliably eliminate C. difficile spores. A is
insufficient as the sole approach in this context. B omits essential contact protection. C risks
transmission to another client.
Q3: A nurse is preparing to enter the room of a client on airborne precautions for suspected
pulmonary tuberculosis. Which action is appropriate?
A) Wear a standard surgical mask only.
B) Keep the room door open to improve ventilation.
C) Wear a fit-tested N95 respirator or other approved respirator according to policy and use an
airborne-infection isolation room when available.
D) Use gloves as a substitute for respiratory protection.
Rationale: C is correct because tuberculosis can spread through airborne particles, requiring
appropriate respiratory protection and airborne isolation. A does not provide the same protection
as a properly fitted respirator. B can undermine isolation-room airflow requirements. D confuses
contact protection with respiratory protection.
Q4: A nurse finds a client on the floor beside the bed. The client is awake and says, “I slipped.”
What should the nurse do first?
A) Help the client stand immediately.
B) Complete an incident report before assessing the client.
C) Return the client to bed without further assessment.
D) Assess responsiveness, airway, breathing, circulation, pain, and possible injury before moving
the client unnecessarily.
Rationale: D is correct because the nurse must first determine whether the fall caused injury or
instability. Moving a client before assessing for injury may worsen harm. A assumes standing is
safe. B delays clinical assessment. C may conceal an injury or cause further harm.
Q5: A client at high risk for falls repeatedly attempts to get out of bed without assistance. Which
intervention is most appropriate initially?
A) Apply wrist restraints without an order or assessment.
B) Identify the reason for the attempts, keep the call light accessible, provide scheduled
assistance, and use individualized fall-prevention measures.
