2025 HESI RN EXIT EXAM WITH
QUESTION, ANSWERS AND RATIONALE
1. A male client with stomach cancer returns to the unit following a total gastrectomy. He has a
nasogastric tube to suction and is receiving Lactated Ringer's solution at 75 mL/hour IV. One
hour after admission to the unit, the nurse notes 300 mL of blood in the suction canister, the
client's heart rate is 155 beats/minute, and his blood pressure is 78/48 mmHg. In addition to
reporting the finding to the surgeon. Which action should the nurse implement first? -------
Correct Ans ---------- d. Increase the infusion rate of Lactated Ringer's solution.
2. an adult male who fell 20 feet from the roof of this home has multiple injuries, including a right
pneumothorax. Chest tubes were inserted in the emergency department prior to his transfer to
the intensive care unit (ICU). the nurse notes that the suction control chamber is bubbling at the
- 10 cm H2O mark, with fluctuation in the water seal, and over the past hour 75 ml of bright red
blood is measured in the collection chamber. Which intervention should the nurse implement? --
----- Correct Ans ---------- a. Add sterile water to the suction control chamber.
3. A client who received hemodialysis yesterday is experiencing a blood pressure of 200/100
mmHg, heart rate 110 beats/minute, and respiratory rate 36 breaths/minute. The client is
manifesting shortness of breath, bilateral 2+ pedal edema, and an oxygen saturation on room
air of 89%. Which action should the nurse take first? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. Begin
supplemental oxygen.
4. A client with Addison's crisis is admitted for treatment with adrenal cortical supplementation.
Based on the client's admitting diagnosis, which findings require immediate action by the nurse?
(Select all that apply) ------- Correct Ans ---------- Headache and tremors
Irregular heart rate
pallor and diaphoresis
5. An older client is admitted with fluid volume deficit and dehydration. Which assessment
finding is the best indicator of hydration that the nurse should report to the healthcare provider?
------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Skin tenting occurs when the client's forearm is pinched.
6. After an inservice about electronic health record (EHR) security and safeguarding client
information, the nurse observes a colleague going home with printed copies of client information
,in a uniform pocket. Which action should the nurse take? ------- Correct Ans ---------- a. File a
detailed incident report with the specific hiring facility.
7. The nurse is evaluating a tertiary prevention program for clients with cardiovascular disease
implemented in a rural health clinic. Which outcome indicate the program is effective? -------
Correct Ans ---------- c. Clients who incurred disease complications promptly received
rehabilitation.
8. The nurse is caring for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who uses
oxygen at 2 L/minute per nasal cannula continuously. The nurse observes that the client is
having increased shortness of breath with respirations at 23 breaths/minute. Which action
should the nurse implement first? ------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Assess the delivery mechanism
of the oxygen tank, tubing, and cannula.
9. Which statement by a client who is 24 hours post-subtotal thyroidectomy requires an
immediate investigation by the nurse? ------- Correct Ans ---------- When I get out of bed quickly,
I feel a little dizzy."
10. An older adult male who is in his early 70's is admitted to the emergency department
because of a COPD exacerbation. This client is struggling to breathe and the healthcare team is
preparing for endotracheal intubation. The spouse's wife, who is 30 years younger than the
client, asks the nurse to stop the procedure and provide the nurse a copy of the client's living
will. Which action should the nurse take? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Notify the healthcare
provider of the client's wishes.
11. An unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) is assigned to provide personal care for a client
whose prescribed activity is bedrest with bedside commode use. The UAP reports to the nurse
that the client is so obese that the UAP feels unable to safely assist the client in transferring
from the bed to the bedside commode. How should the nurse respond? ------- Correct Ans -------
--- c. Advice the client to maintain bedrest so that safety can be ensured.
12. A nurse determines that more than 25% of the students at a middle school are overweight.
The nurse presents the information at the parent-teacher meeting. What action is most
important for the nurse to include in the meeting? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. Distribute a
shopping list of suggested healthy snack items.
13. After several months of chronic fatigue, morning stiffness, and join pain, a young adult is
diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and the healthcare provider prescribes prednisone. Which
, education should the nurse provide the client with regard to taking prednisone? ------- Correct
Ans ---------- c. If sequential doses are missed, notify the healthcare provider.
14. The psychiatric nurse is caring for clients on an adolescent unit. Which client requires the
nurse's immediate attention? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. An 18-year-old client with antisocial
behavior who is being yelled at by other clients
15. The nurse caring for a child with mononucleosis can expect the child to exhibit which
symptoms? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Ear pain and fever.
16. A client arrives for an annual physical exam and complains of having calf pain. The client's
health history reveals peripheral atrial disease. Which question should the nurse ask the client
about expected finding related to chronic arterial symptoms? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Does
the calf pain occur when walking short distances?
17. The nurse is preparing to send a client to the cardiac catheterization lab for an angioplasty.
Which client report is most important for them to explore further prior to the start of the
procedure? ------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Experience facial swelling after eating crab.
18. The nurse is assessing a 4-year-old child with eczema. The child's skin is dry and scaly, and
the mother reports that the child frequently scratches the lesions on the skin to the point of
causing bleeding. Which guideline is indicated for care of this child? ------- Correct Ans ----------
b. Apply baby lotion to the skin twice daily.
19. A new mother on the postpartum unit runs out of the room screaming that her newborn
infant's crib is empty and the baby is missing. What action should the nurse take first? -------
Correct Ans ---------- d. Match ID bands of all infants and mothers on the unit.
20. While providing a health history, a female client tells the clinic nurse that she frequently
thinks about hurting herself. Which question is most important for the nurse to ask? -------
Correct Ans ---------- c. "Have you thought about taking your life?"
21. A college student brings a dorm roommate to the campus clinic because the roommate has
been talking to someone who is not present. The client tells the nurse that the voices are
saying, "kill, kill." What question should the nurse ask the client next? ------- Correct Ans ----------
c. "Are you planning to obey the voices?"
QUESTION, ANSWERS AND RATIONALE
1. A male client with stomach cancer returns to the unit following a total gastrectomy. He has a
nasogastric tube to suction and is receiving Lactated Ringer's solution at 75 mL/hour IV. One
hour after admission to the unit, the nurse notes 300 mL of blood in the suction canister, the
client's heart rate is 155 beats/minute, and his blood pressure is 78/48 mmHg. In addition to
reporting the finding to the surgeon. Which action should the nurse implement first? -------
Correct Ans ---------- d. Increase the infusion rate of Lactated Ringer's solution.
2. an adult male who fell 20 feet from the roof of this home has multiple injuries, including a right
pneumothorax. Chest tubes were inserted in the emergency department prior to his transfer to
the intensive care unit (ICU). the nurse notes that the suction control chamber is bubbling at the
- 10 cm H2O mark, with fluctuation in the water seal, and over the past hour 75 ml of bright red
blood is measured in the collection chamber. Which intervention should the nurse implement? --
----- Correct Ans ---------- a. Add sterile water to the suction control chamber.
3. A client who received hemodialysis yesterday is experiencing a blood pressure of 200/100
mmHg, heart rate 110 beats/minute, and respiratory rate 36 breaths/minute. The client is
manifesting shortness of breath, bilateral 2+ pedal edema, and an oxygen saturation on room
air of 89%. Which action should the nurse take first? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. Begin
supplemental oxygen.
4. A client with Addison's crisis is admitted for treatment with adrenal cortical supplementation.
Based on the client's admitting diagnosis, which findings require immediate action by the nurse?
(Select all that apply) ------- Correct Ans ---------- Headache and tremors
Irregular heart rate
pallor and diaphoresis
5. An older client is admitted with fluid volume deficit and dehydration. Which assessment
finding is the best indicator of hydration that the nurse should report to the healthcare provider?
------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Skin tenting occurs when the client's forearm is pinched.
6. After an inservice about electronic health record (EHR) security and safeguarding client
information, the nurse observes a colleague going home with printed copies of client information
,in a uniform pocket. Which action should the nurse take? ------- Correct Ans ---------- a. File a
detailed incident report with the specific hiring facility.
7. The nurse is evaluating a tertiary prevention program for clients with cardiovascular disease
implemented in a rural health clinic. Which outcome indicate the program is effective? -------
Correct Ans ---------- c. Clients who incurred disease complications promptly received
rehabilitation.
8. The nurse is caring for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who uses
oxygen at 2 L/minute per nasal cannula continuously. The nurse observes that the client is
having increased shortness of breath with respirations at 23 breaths/minute. Which action
should the nurse implement first? ------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Assess the delivery mechanism
of the oxygen tank, tubing, and cannula.
9. Which statement by a client who is 24 hours post-subtotal thyroidectomy requires an
immediate investigation by the nurse? ------- Correct Ans ---------- When I get out of bed quickly,
I feel a little dizzy."
10. An older adult male who is in his early 70's is admitted to the emergency department
because of a COPD exacerbation. This client is struggling to breathe and the healthcare team is
preparing for endotracheal intubation. The spouse's wife, who is 30 years younger than the
client, asks the nurse to stop the procedure and provide the nurse a copy of the client's living
will. Which action should the nurse take? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Notify the healthcare
provider of the client's wishes.
11. An unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) is assigned to provide personal care for a client
whose prescribed activity is bedrest with bedside commode use. The UAP reports to the nurse
that the client is so obese that the UAP feels unable to safely assist the client in transferring
from the bed to the bedside commode. How should the nurse respond? ------- Correct Ans -------
--- c. Advice the client to maintain bedrest so that safety can be ensured.
12. A nurse determines that more than 25% of the students at a middle school are overweight.
The nurse presents the information at the parent-teacher meeting. What action is most
important for the nurse to include in the meeting? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. Distribute a
shopping list of suggested healthy snack items.
13. After several months of chronic fatigue, morning stiffness, and join pain, a young adult is
diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and the healthcare provider prescribes prednisone. Which
, education should the nurse provide the client with regard to taking prednisone? ------- Correct
Ans ---------- c. If sequential doses are missed, notify the healthcare provider.
14. The psychiatric nurse is caring for clients on an adolescent unit. Which client requires the
nurse's immediate attention? ------- Correct Ans ---------- c. An 18-year-old client with antisocial
behavior who is being yelled at by other clients
15. The nurse caring for a child with mononucleosis can expect the child to exhibit which
symptoms? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Ear pain and fever.
16. A client arrives for an annual physical exam and complains of having calf pain. The client's
health history reveals peripheral atrial disease. Which question should the nurse ask the client
about expected finding related to chronic arterial symptoms? ------- Correct Ans ---------- b. Does
the calf pain occur when walking short distances?
17. The nurse is preparing to send a client to the cardiac catheterization lab for an angioplasty.
Which client report is most important for them to explore further prior to the start of the
procedure? ------- Correct Ans ---------- d. Experience facial swelling after eating crab.
18. The nurse is assessing a 4-year-old child with eczema. The child's skin is dry and scaly, and
the mother reports that the child frequently scratches the lesions on the skin to the point of
causing bleeding. Which guideline is indicated for care of this child? ------- Correct Ans ----------
b. Apply baby lotion to the skin twice daily.
19. A new mother on the postpartum unit runs out of the room screaming that her newborn
infant's crib is empty and the baby is missing. What action should the nurse take first? -------
Correct Ans ---------- d. Match ID bands of all infants and mothers on the unit.
20. While providing a health history, a female client tells the clinic nurse that she frequently
thinks about hurting herself. Which question is most important for the nurse to ask? -------
Correct Ans ---------- c. "Have you thought about taking your life?"
21. A college student brings a dorm roommate to the campus clinic because the roommate has
been talking to someone who is not present. The client tells the nurse that the voices are
saying, "kill, kill." What question should the nurse ask the client next? ------- Correct Ans ----------
c. "Are you planning to obey the voices?"
