ATI Critical Thinking Exam Questions
and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026
| Correct & Verified
A nurse walks into a room and finds the patient lying on the floor. What is the first action the
nurse should take?
a. Call the healthcare provider
✔✔b. Assess the patient for injury
c. Document the incident
d. Notify the charge nurse
A patient is confused and trying to remove their IV line. What should the nurse do first?
a. Apply soft wrist restraints
✔✔b. Stay with the patient and reorient them
c. Notify the provider for sedation
d. Call security
A nurse receives an order for a medication that the patient reports being allergic to. What is the
most appropriate action?
1
,✔✔a. Hold the medication and clarify with the provider
b. Administer the medication and monitor closely
c. Ask the patient if they are sure about the allergy
d. Document the allergy and give the drug anyway
A nurse hears another nurse shouting at a patient. What is the correct action?
a. Ignore the situation
b. Report it at the next staff meeting
✔✔c. Report the behavior immediately to the charge nurse or supervisor
d. Confront the nurse later in private
A post-op patient reports pain of 10/10 but is smiling and eating. What should the nurse do?
a. Delay medication due to nonverbal cues
b. Encourage deep breathing instead
✔✔c. Assess pain using multiple methods and treat as reported
d. Assume the patient is exaggerating
While changing a dressing, the nurse notes foul-smelling drainage. What is the best response?
2
,✔✔a. Notify the provider and obtain a wound culture
b. Apply a new dressing and reassess tomorrow
c. Increase the frequency of dressing changes
d. Clean with saline and document
The nurse finds a 4-year-old wandering near the elevator on the pediatric floor. What is the first
action?
a. Call the child’s parents
✔✔b. Escort the child safely back to their room
c. Alert security to lock the doors
d. Notify the pediatrician
A nurse enters the room of a confused client and sees smoke coming from the wall outlet. What
is the priority action?
a. Attempt to unplug the equipment
✔✔b. Remove the patient from the room
c. Call maintenance
d. Use a fire extinguisher
3
, A client begins to complain of shortness of breath while lying flat. What should the nurse do
first?
✔✔a. Elevate the head of the bed
b. Apply warm blankets
c. Offer ice chips
d. Administer prescribed laxative
A patient with a known latex allergy is scheduled for surgery. What is the nurse’s priority?
✔✔a. Ensure the surgical team uses latex-free supplies
b. Educate the patient about latex
c. Schedule surgery last in the day
d. Inform the family
A nurse is administering medications and realizes one dose is missing from the patient's drawer.
What should the nurse do?
✔✔a. Notify the pharmacy and obtain a replacement
b. Skip the dose and document
4
and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026
| Correct & Verified
A nurse walks into a room and finds the patient lying on the floor. What is the first action the
nurse should take?
a. Call the healthcare provider
✔✔b. Assess the patient for injury
c. Document the incident
d. Notify the charge nurse
A patient is confused and trying to remove their IV line. What should the nurse do first?
a. Apply soft wrist restraints
✔✔b. Stay with the patient and reorient them
c. Notify the provider for sedation
d. Call security
A nurse receives an order for a medication that the patient reports being allergic to. What is the
most appropriate action?
1
,✔✔a. Hold the medication and clarify with the provider
b. Administer the medication and monitor closely
c. Ask the patient if they are sure about the allergy
d. Document the allergy and give the drug anyway
A nurse hears another nurse shouting at a patient. What is the correct action?
a. Ignore the situation
b. Report it at the next staff meeting
✔✔c. Report the behavior immediately to the charge nurse or supervisor
d. Confront the nurse later in private
A post-op patient reports pain of 10/10 but is smiling and eating. What should the nurse do?
a. Delay medication due to nonverbal cues
b. Encourage deep breathing instead
✔✔c. Assess pain using multiple methods and treat as reported
d. Assume the patient is exaggerating
While changing a dressing, the nurse notes foul-smelling drainage. What is the best response?
2
,✔✔a. Notify the provider and obtain a wound culture
b. Apply a new dressing and reassess tomorrow
c. Increase the frequency of dressing changes
d. Clean with saline and document
The nurse finds a 4-year-old wandering near the elevator on the pediatric floor. What is the first
action?
a. Call the child’s parents
✔✔b. Escort the child safely back to their room
c. Alert security to lock the doors
d. Notify the pediatrician
A nurse enters the room of a confused client and sees smoke coming from the wall outlet. What
is the priority action?
a. Attempt to unplug the equipment
✔✔b. Remove the patient from the room
c. Call maintenance
d. Use a fire extinguisher
3
, A client begins to complain of shortness of breath while lying flat. What should the nurse do
first?
✔✔a. Elevate the head of the bed
b. Apply warm blankets
c. Offer ice chips
d. Administer prescribed laxative
A patient with a known latex allergy is scheduled for surgery. What is the nurse’s priority?
✔✔a. Ensure the surgical team uses latex-free supplies
b. Educate the patient about latex
c. Schedule surgery last in the day
d. Inform the family
A nurse is administering medications and realizes one dose is missing from the patient's drawer.
What should the nurse do?
✔✔a. Notify the pharmacy and obtain a replacement
b. Skip the dose and document
4
