HESI RN Pharmacology Questions and Answers
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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers –
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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - b. Apply baby lotion to the skin twice daily. √√
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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers –
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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - 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 Answers - b. Apply baby lotion to the skin twice daily. √√
