HESI Fundamentals Exam Practice
Questions and Correct Solutions
A female nurse who sometimes tries to save time by putting medications in her uniform pocket to deliver
to clients, confides that after arriving home she found a hydrocodone (Vicodin) tablet in her pocket.
Which possible outcome of this situation should be the nurse's greatest concern?
A.) Accused of diversion.
B.) Reported for stealing.
C.) Reported for a HIPAA violation.
D.) Accused of unprofessional conduct. - correct answers:A
Rationale: Even if this is only one incident, the nurse may be suspected of taking medications on a
regular basis and the incident could be interpreted as diversion (A), or diverting narcotics for her own
use, which should be reported to the peer review committee and to the State Board of Nursing. (B, C,
and D) are also of concern, but (A) is the most serious possible outcome.
A male client has a nursing diagnosis of "spiritual distress." What intervention is best for the nurse to
implement when caring for this client?
A.) Use distraction techniques during times of spiritual stress and crisis.
B.) Reassure the client that his faith will be regained with time and support.
C.) Consult with the staff chaplain and ask that the chaplain visit with the client.
D.) Use reflective listening techniques when the client expresses spiritual doubts. - correct answers:D
Rationale: The most beneficial nursing intervention is to use nonjudgmental reflective listening
techniques, to allow the client to feel comfortable expressing his concerns (D). (A and B) are not
therapeutic. The client should be consulted before implementing (C).
The nurse removes the dressing on a client's heel that is covering a pressure sore one-inch in diameter
and finds that there is straw-colored drainage seeping from the wound. What description of this finding
should the nurse include in the client's record?
,A.) Stage 1 pressure sore draining sero-sanguineous drainage.
B.) Pressure sore at bony prominence with exudate noted.
C.) One-inch pressure sore draining serous fluid.
D.) Pressure sore on heel with a small amount of purulent drainage. - correct answers:C
Rationale: Serous drainage is clear watery plasma, so (C) provides accurate documentation based on the
information provided. Information to stage this pressure score (A) is not provided, and sero-sanguineous
drainage is pale and watery with a combination of plasma and red cells, and may be blood-streaked.
Exudate (B) is fluid such as pus and serum. Purulent drainage (D) is thick, yellow, green, or brown
indicating the presence of dead or living organisms and white blood cells.
The nurse is preparing to give a client dehydration IV fluids delivered at a continuous rate of 175
ml/hour. Which infusion device should the nurse use?
A.) Portable syringe pump.
B.) Cassette infusion pump.
C.) Volumetric controller.
D.) Nonvolumetric controller. - correct answers:B
Rationale: A cassette pump (B) should be used to accurately deliver large volumes of fluid over longer
periods of time with extreme precision, such as ml/hour. A syringe pump (A) is accurate for low-dose
continuous infusion of low-dose medication at a basal rate, but not large fluid volume replacement.
Volumetric (C) and nonvolumetric (D) controllers count drops/minute to administer fluid volume and are
inherently inaccurate because of variation in drop size.
How should the nurse handle linens that are soiled with incontinent feces?
A.) Put the soiled linens in an isolation bag, then place it in the dirty linen hamper.
B.) Place an isolation hamper in the client's room and discard the linens in it.
C.) Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
D.) Ask the housekeeping staff to pick up the soiled linen from the dirty utility room. - correct answers:C
, Rationale: The nurse should be careful to keep the soiled linens from contaminating the fresh linens, and
should handle the soiled linens like any other dirty linen (C). (A, B, and D) are not indicated.
A low-sodium, low-protein diet is prescribed for a 45-year-old client with renal insufficiency and
hypertension, who gained 3 pounds in the last month. The nurse determines that the client has been
noncompliant with the diet, based on which report from the 24-hour dietary recall? (Select all that
apply.)
A.) Snack of potato chips, and diet soda.
B.) Lunch of tuna fish sandwich, carrot sticks, fresh fruit, and coffee.
C.) Breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.
D.) Dinner of vegetable lasagna, tossed salad, sherbet, and iced tea.
E.) Bedtime snack of crackers and milk. - correct answers:A, B, C, E
Rationale: Potato chips (A) are high in sodium. Tuna (B) is high in protein. Bacon (C) and crackers (E) are
high in sodium. Only (D) is a meal that is in compliance with a low sodium, low protein diet.
Which technique is most important for the nurse to implement when performing a physical assessment?
A.) A head-to-toe approach.
B.) The medical systems model.
C.) A consistent, systematic approach.
D.) An approach related to a nursing model. - correct answers:C
Rationale: The most important factor in performing a physical assessment is following a consistent and
systematic technique (C) each time an assessment is performed to minimize variation in sequence which
may increase the likelihood of omitting a step or exam of an isolated area. The method of completing a
physical assessment (A, B, and D) may be at the discretion of the examiner, but a consistent sequence by
the examiner provides a reliable method to ensure thorough review of the clients' history, complaints, or
body systems.
Questions and Correct Solutions
A female nurse who sometimes tries to save time by putting medications in her uniform pocket to deliver
to clients, confides that after arriving home she found a hydrocodone (Vicodin) tablet in her pocket.
Which possible outcome of this situation should be the nurse's greatest concern?
A.) Accused of diversion.
B.) Reported for stealing.
C.) Reported for a HIPAA violation.
D.) Accused of unprofessional conduct. - correct answers:A
Rationale: Even if this is only one incident, the nurse may be suspected of taking medications on a
regular basis and the incident could be interpreted as diversion (A), or diverting narcotics for her own
use, which should be reported to the peer review committee and to the State Board of Nursing. (B, C,
and D) are also of concern, but (A) is the most serious possible outcome.
A male client has a nursing diagnosis of "spiritual distress." What intervention is best for the nurse to
implement when caring for this client?
A.) Use distraction techniques during times of spiritual stress and crisis.
B.) Reassure the client that his faith will be regained with time and support.
C.) Consult with the staff chaplain and ask that the chaplain visit with the client.
D.) Use reflective listening techniques when the client expresses spiritual doubts. - correct answers:D
Rationale: The most beneficial nursing intervention is to use nonjudgmental reflective listening
techniques, to allow the client to feel comfortable expressing his concerns (D). (A and B) are not
therapeutic. The client should be consulted before implementing (C).
The nurse removes the dressing on a client's heel that is covering a pressure sore one-inch in diameter
and finds that there is straw-colored drainage seeping from the wound. What description of this finding
should the nurse include in the client's record?
,A.) Stage 1 pressure sore draining sero-sanguineous drainage.
B.) Pressure sore at bony prominence with exudate noted.
C.) One-inch pressure sore draining serous fluid.
D.) Pressure sore on heel with a small amount of purulent drainage. - correct answers:C
Rationale: Serous drainage is clear watery plasma, so (C) provides accurate documentation based on the
information provided. Information to stage this pressure score (A) is not provided, and sero-sanguineous
drainage is pale and watery with a combination of plasma and red cells, and may be blood-streaked.
Exudate (B) is fluid such as pus and serum. Purulent drainage (D) is thick, yellow, green, or brown
indicating the presence of dead or living organisms and white blood cells.
The nurse is preparing to give a client dehydration IV fluids delivered at a continuous rate of 175
ml/hour. Which infusion device should the nurse use?
A.) Portable syringe pump.
B.) Cassette infusion pump.
C.) Volumetric controller.
D.) Nonvolumetric controller. - correct answers:B
Rationale: A cassette pump (B) should be used to accurately deliver large volumes of fluid over longer
periods of time with extreme precision, such as ml/hour. A syringe pump (A) is accurate for low-dose
continuous infusion of low-dose medication at a basal rate, but not large fluid volume replacement.
Volumetric (C) and nonvolumetric (D) controllers count drops/minute to administer fluid volume and are
inherently inaccurate because of variation in drop size.
How should the nurse handle linens that are soiled with incontinent feces?
A.) Put the soiled linens in an isolation bag, then place it in the dirty linen hamper.
B.) Place an isolation hamper in the client's room and discard the linens in it.
C.) Place the soiled linens in a pillow case and deposit them in the dirty linen hamper.
D.) Ask the housekeeping staff to pick up the soiled linen from the dirty utility room. - correct answers:C
, Rationale: The nurse should be careful to keep the soiled linens from contaminating the fresh linens, and
should handle the soiled linens like any other dirty linen (C). (A, B, and D) are not indicated.
A low-sodium, low-protein diet is prescribed for a 45-year-old client with renal insufficiency and
hypertension, who gained 3 pounds in the last month. The nurse determines that the client has been
noncompliant with the diet, based on which report from the 24-hour dietary recall? (Select all that
apply.)
A.) Snack of potato chips, and diet soda.
B.) Lunch of tuna fish sandwich, carrot sticks, fresh fruit, and coffee.
C.) Breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.
D.) Dinner of vegetable lasagna, tossed salad, sherbet, and iced tea.
E.) Bedtime snack of crackers and milk. - correct answers:A, B, C, E
Rationale: Potato chips (A) are high in sodium. Tuna (B) is high in protein. Bacon (C) and crackers (E) are
high in sodium. Only (D) is a meal that is in compliance with a low sodium, low protein diet.
Which technique is most important for the nurse to implement when performing a physical assessment?
A.) A head-to-toe approach.
B.) The medical systems model.
C.) A consistent, systematic approach.
D.) An approach related to a nursing model. - correct answers:C
Rationale: The most important factor in performing a physical assessment is following a consistent and
systematic technique (C) each time an assessment is performed to minimize variation in sequence which
may increase the likelihood of omitting a step or exam of an isolated area. The method of completing a
physical assessment (A, B, and D) may be at the discretion of the examiner, but a consistent sequence by
the examiner provides a reliable method to ensure thorough review of the clients' history, complaints, or
body systems.
