Med Surg HESI Practice Exam 2025 ACTUAL EXAM
COMPLETE 115 QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED VERIFIED
ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS) /ALREADY GRADED A+
A client is admitted to the medical intensive care unit with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
The client's history indicates the infarction occurred ten hours ago. Which laboratory test result
would the nurse expect this client to exhibit? - ANSWER-Elevated CK-MB.
Rationale
The cardiac isoenzyme CK-MB (C) is the one of the cardiac markers to indicate myocardial
damage in the presence of MI symptoms and after a positive troponin. The troponin levels will
elevate within 2-3 hours indicating myocardial ischemia, followed by the CK-MB cardiac markers
within 6-9 hours, peaking within 12 to 20 hours after myocardial infarction (MI).
A 51-year-old truck driver who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and is 30 pounds
overweight is diagnosed with having a gastric ulcer. What content is most important for the
nurse to include in the discharge teaching for this client? - ANSWER-Information about smoking
cessation.
Rationale
Smoking has been associated with ulcer formation, and stopping or decreasing the number of
cigarettes smoked per day is an important aspect of ulcer management.
,A client who is HIV positive asks the nurse, "How will I know when I have AIDS?" Which
response is best for the nurse to provide? - ANSWER-"AIDS is diagnosed when a specific
opportunistic infection is found in an otherwise healthy individual."
Rationale
AIDS is diagnosed when one of several processes defined by the CDC is present in an individual
who is not otherwise immunosuppressed (PCP, candidacies, cryptococcus, cryptosporidiosis,
Kaposi's sarcoma, CNS lymphomas) and/or a CD4+ T cell countless than 200 (normal count
1,000).
The nurse is assisting a client out of bed for the first time after surgery. What action should the
nurse do first? - ANSWER-Allow the client to sit with the bed in a high Fowler's position.
Rationale
The first step is to raise the head of the bed to a high Fowler's position, which allow venous
return to compensate from lying flat and the vasodilation effects of perioperative drugs. This
helps prevent the client from becoming light-headed and decreases the chance of a client fall.
After the fourth dose of gentamicin sulfate (Garamycin) IV, the nurse plans to draw blood
samples to determine peak and trough levels. When are the best times to draw these samples?
- ANSWER-5 minutes before and 30 minutes after the next dose.
Rationale
Peak drug serum levels are achieved 30 minutes after the completion of the IV infusion of
gentamicin sulfate. The best time to draw a trough is the closest time to the next
administration.
,In assessing a client diagnosed with primary hyperaldosteronism, the nurse expects the
laboratory test results to indicate an increased serum level of which substance? - ANSWER-
Sodium.
Rationale
Clients with primary aldosteronism exhibit an increase in serum sodium levels (hypernatremia)
and have profound decline in the serum levels of potassium (hypokalemia)--hypertension is the
most prominent and universal sign. Antidiuretic hormone is decreased with diabetes insipidus.
Glucose is not affected by primary aldosteronism.
Which milestone indicates to the nurse successful achievement of young adulthood? - ANSWER-
Completes education and becomes self-supporting.
Rationale
Transitioning through young adulthood is characterized by establishing independence as an
adult, and includes developmental tasks such as completing education, beginning a career, and
becoming self-supporting (B). (A and C) are characteristic of adolescence. Although strong
bonds with parents are an expected finding for this age group, the need for support and
approval (D) indicates dependency, which is a developmental delay.
The nurse is assessing a client who smokes cigarettes and has been diagnosed with emphysema.
Which finding would the nurse expect this client to exhibit? - ANSWER-Normal skin coloring.
Rationale
The differentiation between the "pink puffer" and the "blue bloater" is a well-known method of
differentiating clients exhibiting symptoms of emphysema (normal color but puffing
, respirations) from those exhibiting symptoms of chronic bronchitis (edematous, cyanotic,
shallow respirations).
A male client who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day states he understands that smoking
cigarettes is contributing to the difficulty that he and his wife are having in getting pregnant and
wants to know if other factors could be contributing to their difficulty. What information is best
for the nurse to provide? (Select all that apply.) - ANSWER-Alcohol consumption can cause
erectile dysfunction.
Low testosterone levels affect sperm production.
Cessation of smoking improves general health and fertility.
Rationale
Use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana may affect sperm counts. Sperm count is also negatively
affected by low testerone levels and obesity.
The nurse working on a telemetry unit finds a client unconscious and in pulseless ventricular
tachycardia (VT). The client has an implanted automatic defibrillator. What action should the
nurse implement? - ANSWER-Shock the client with 200 joules per hospital policy.
Rationale
The client must be externally shocked 200 joules per hospital policy to restore an effective
cardiac rhythm. The automatic defibrillator is obviously malfunctioning.
What is the correct procedure for performing an opthalmoscopic examination on a client's right
retina? - ANSWER-From a distance of 12 to 15 inches and slightly to the side, shine the light into
the client's pupil.
Rationale
COMPLETE 115 QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED VERIFIED
ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS) /ALREADY GRADED A+
A client is admitted to the medical intensive care unit with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
The client's history indicates the infarction occurred ten hours ago. Which laboratory test result
would the nurse expect this client to exhibit? - ANSWER-Elevated CK-MB.
Rationale
The cardiac isoenzyme CK-MB (C) is the one of the cardiac markers to indicate myocardial
damage in the presence of MI symptoms and after a positive troponin. The troponin levels will
elevate within 2-3 hours indicating myocardial ischemia, followed by the CK-MB cardiac markers
within 6-9 hours, peaking within 12 to 20 hours after myocardial infarction (MI).
A 51-year-old truck driver who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and is 30 pounds
overweight is diagnosed with having a gastric ulcer. What content is most important for the
nurse to include in the discharge teaching for this client? - ANSWER-Information about smoking
cessation.
Rationale
Smoking has been associated with ulcer formation, and stopping or decreasing the number of
cigarettes smoked per day is an important aspect of ulcer management.
,A client who is HIV positive asks the nurse, "How will I know when I have AIDS?" Which
response is best for the nurse to provide? - ANSWER-"AIDS is diagnosed when a specific
opportunistic infection is found in an otherwise healthy individual."
Rationale
AIDS is diagnosed when one of several processes defined by the CDC is present in an individual
who is not otherwise immunosuppressed (PCP, candidacies, cryptococcus, cryptosporidiosis,
Kaposi's sarcoma, CNS lymphomas) and/or a CD4+ T cell countless than 200 (normal count
1,000).
The nurse is assisting a client out of bed for the first time after surgery. What action should the
nurse do first? - ANSWER-Allow the client to sit with the bed in a high Fowler's position.
Rationale
The first step is to raise the head of the bed to a high Fowler's position, which allow venous
return to compensate from lying flat and the vasodilation effects of perioperative drugs. This
helps prevent the client from becoming light-headed and decreases the chance of a client fall.
After the fourth dose of gentamicin sulfate (Garamycin) IV, the nurse plans to draw blood
samples to determine peak and trough levels. When are the best times to draw these samples?
- ANSWER-5 minutes before and 30 minutes after the next dose.
Rationale
Peak drug serum levels are achieved 30 minutes after the completion of the IV infusion of
gentamicin sulfate. The best time to draw a trough is the closest time to the next
administration.
,In assessing a client diagnosed with primary hyperaldosteronism, the nurse expects the
laboratory test results to indicate an increased serum level of which substance? - ANSWER-
Sodium.
Rationale
Clients with primary aldosteronism exhibit an increase in serum sodium levels (hypernatremia)
and have profound decline in the serum levels of potassium (hypokalemia)--hypertension is the
most prominent and universal sign. Antidiuretic hormone is decreased with diabetes insipidus.
Glucose is not affected by primary aldosteronism.
Which milestone indicates to the nurse successful achievement of young adulthood? - ANSWER-
Completes education and becomes self-supporting.
Rationale
Transitioning through young adulthood is characterized by establishing independence as an
adult, and includes developmental tasks such as completing education, beginning a career, and
becoming self-supporting (B). (A and C) are characteristic of adolescence. Although strong
bonds with parents are an expected finding for this age group, the need for support and
approval (D) indicates dependency, which is a developmental delay.
The nurse is assessing a client who smokes cigarettes and has been diagnosed with emphysema.
Which finding would the nurse expect this client to exhibit? - ANSWER-Normal skin coloring.
Rationale
The differentiation between the "pink puffer" and the "blue bloater" is a well-known method of
differentiating clients exhibiting symptoms of emphysema (normal color but puffing
, respirations) from those exhibiting symptoms of chronic bronchitis (edematous, cyanotic,
shallow respirations).
A male client who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day states he understands that smoking
cigarettes is contributing to the difficulty that he and his wife are having in getting pregnant and
wants to know if other factors could be contributing to their difficulty. What information is best
for the nurse to provide? (Select all that apply.) - ANSWER-Alcohol consumption can cause
erectile dysfunction.
Low testosterone levels affect sperm production.
Cessation of smoking improves general health and fertility.
Rationale
Use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana may affect sperm counts. Sperm count is also negatively
affected by low testerone levels and obesity.
The nurse working on a telemetry unit finds a client unconscious and in pulseless ventricular
tachycardia (VT). The client has an implanted automatic defibrillator. What action should the
nurse implement? - ANSWER-Shock the client with 200 joules per hospital policy.
Rationale
The client must be externally shocked 200 joules per hospital policy to restore an effective
cardiac rhythm. The automatic defibrillator is obviously malfunctioning.
What is the correct procedure for performing an opthalmoscopic examination on a client's right
retina? - ANSWER-From a distance of 12 to 15 inches and slightly to the side, shine the light into
the client's pupil.
Rationale
