HESI RN CRITICAL CARE EXAM
COMPLETE ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR - JUST RELEASED
1. A client has a chest tube connected to a closed water
seal drainage system with suction. What equipment
should the nurse always have available at the clients
bedside? - ANSWER ✓ Occlusive dressing
2. A client who has a craniotomy yesterday develops an
oral temperature of 103F. The nurse gives the client a
tepid sponge bath. With instituting measure to reduce the
clients fever, what additional action should be taken to
prevent an increase in intracranial pressure? - ANSWER
✓ Limit exposure to shivering
3. A client has been treated for uncontrolled A. Fib with
cardioversion. Following the cardioversion, what
assessment finding indicated to the nurse the desired
outcome of the procedure was achieved? - ANSWER ✓
Normal sinus rhythms with rate for 84
,4. What intervention is most important for the nurse ti
implement when dealing with family members of a critically
ill client? - ANSWER ✓ Off the family current information
about the clients condition
5. pt. long history of smoking; sob; ABG pH7.25, PCO2 50,
HCO3 24 - ANSWER ✓ respiratory acidosis (if CO2 is
high it will always be resp. acidosis)
6. "heart is pounding outside of her chest" client is in SVT;
intervention - ANSWER ✓ coach client in relaxation and
deep breathing
7. insulin protocol; pt. insulin is infused at 5 units/hr and
her current glucose reading is 165. what to do? -
ANSWER ✓ increase drip by 1 unit/hr
8. calculate; 1,500,000 IU in 500 mL of 0.9% NS -
ANSWER ✓ 33
9. DKA math question - ANSWER ✓ 1000 mL NS with
30 mEq of sodium
,10. older client comes in with CAP and SpO2 89%. what
is priority intervention? - ANSWER ✓ assist client with
turning, coughing, and deep breathing
11. pt. received ETT 7 days ago and is currently on 50%
O2. Pt is currently anxious and hyperventilating. what is
the priority intervention? - ANSWER ✓ auscultate lungs
12. client has not been taking cortisone for either 2 weeks
or 2 months and husband bring her into ED; not feeling
well. SIADH. what to do? - ANSWER ✓ initiate fall
precautions (SIADH causes seizures)
13. UAP assisting nurse in situation where pt is having
SVT and nurse has to prepare for cardioversion. what task
for UAP - ANSWER ✓ bring resuscitation cart to the
bedside
14. pt has cardioversion due to uncontrolled a fib. what
vital shows that the cardioversion was successful? -
ANSWER ✓ normal sinus rhythm with HR 84
, 15. Bretylium 1 mg/min via infusion is prescribed for a
client and ventricular tachycardia. The available solution is
500 mL D5W contains bretylium 1 gram. The nurse should
program the infusion time to deliver how many mL/hr? -
ANSWER ✓ 30
16. The client is receiving an infusion of nitroglycerin 100
mg and 500 mL D5W at 6 mL/hr. How many mcg/min of
nitroglycerin is infusing? - ANSWER ✓ 20
17. A client arrives in the ER complaining of pain. What
description of pain should prompt the nurse to suspect it
originated in the myocardium? - ANSWER ✓ Produces
chest heaviness with left arm pain
18. Four days ago a chest tube was inserted into the
second intercostal space of a client who has a
pneumothorax. Today the nurse notes that there is no
fluctuation in the water-seal chamber of the Pleuravac.
Which intervention would be most appropriate for the
nurse to implement? - ANSWER ✓ Assess the clients
breath sounds of the affected lung
19. In developing a care plan for a client that has a chest
tube due to a hemothorax, the nurse should recognize
COMPLETE ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR - JUST RELEASED
1. A client has a chest tube connected to a closed water
seal drainage system with suction. What equipment
should the nurse always have available at the clients
bedside? - ANSWER ✓ Occlusive dressing
2. A client who has a craniotomy yesterday develops an
oral temperature of 103F. The nurse gives the client a
tepid sponge bath. With instituting measure to reduce the
clients fever, what additional action should be taken to
prevent an increase in intracranial pressure? - ANSWER
✓ Limit exposure to shivering
3. A client has been treated for uncontrolled A. Fib with
cardioversion. Following the cardioversion, what
assessment finding indicated to the nurse the desired
outcome of the procedure was achieved? - ANSWER ✓
Normal sinus rhythms with rate for 84
,4. What intervention is most important for the nurse ti
implement when dealing with family members of a critically
ill client? - ANSWER ✓ Off the family current information
about the clients condition
5. pt. long history of smoking; sob; ABG pH7.25, PCO2 50,
HCO3 24 - ANSWER ✓ respiratory acidosis (if CO2 is
high it will always be resp. acidosis)
6. "heart is pounding outside of her chest" client is in SVT;
intervention - ANSWER ✓ coach client in relaxation and
deep breathing
7. insulin protocol; pt. insulin is infused at 5 units/hr and
her current glucose reading is 165. what to do? -
ANSWER ✓ increase drip by 1 unit/hr
8. calculate; 1,500,000 IU in 500 mL of 0.9% NS -
ANSWER ✓ 33
9. DKA math question - ANSWER ✓ 1000 mL NS with
30 mEq of sodium
,10. older client comes in with CAP and SpO2 89%. what
is priority intervention? - ANSWER ✓ assist client with
turning, coughing, and deep breathing
11. pt. received ETT 7 days ago and is currently on 50%
O2. Pt is currently anxious and hyperventilating. what is
the priority intervention? - ANSWER ✓ auscultate lungs
12. client has not been taking cortisone for either 2 weeks
or 2 months and husband bring her into ED; not feeling
well. SIADH. what to do? - ANSWER ✓ initiate fall
precautions (SIADH causes seizures)
13. UAP assisting nurse in situation where pt is having
SVT and nurse has to prepare for cardioversion. what task
for UAP - ANSWER ✓ bring resuscitation cart to the
bedside
14. pt has cardioversion due to uncontrolled a fib. what
vital shows that the cardioversion was successful? -
ANSWER ✓ normal sinus rhythm with HR 84
, 15. Bretylium 1 mg/min via infusion is prescribed for a
client and ventricular tachycardia. The available solution is
500 mL D5W contains bretylium 1 gram. The nurse should
program the infusion time to deliver how many mL/hr? -
ANSWER ✓ 30
16. The client is receiving an infusion of nitroglycerin 100
mg and 500 mL D5W at 6 mL/hr. How many mcg/min of
nitroglycerin is infusing? - ANSWER ✓ 20
17. A client arrives in the ER complaining of pain. What
description of pain should prompt the nurse to suspect it
originated in the myocardium? - ANSWER ✓ Produces
chest heaviness with left arm pain
18. Four days ago a chest tube was inserted into the
second intercostal space of a client who has a
pneumothorax. Today the nurse notes that there is no
fluctuation in the water-seal chamber of the Pleuravac.
Which intervention would be most appropriate for the
nurse to implement? - ANSWER ✓ Assess the clients
breath sounds of the affected lung
19. In developing a care plan for a client that has a chest
tube due to a hemothorax, the nurse should recognize
