lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
Comprehensive ATI Exam Study Guide
Hi all! My name is Morgan and I recently graduated from Drexel University’s Accelerated Nursing Program
in Philadelphia! This program is 11 months in length, and is designed for students who have completed a prior
degree looking to complete their BSN in less than a year. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I
am so thankful for my educa,on and where
I am today!
This study guide is a condensed version of ATI’s Comprehensive Book (pink book) and it literally got me
through the ATI Comprehensive Final Exam with flying colors. Each sec,on is divided up between topics, and
there are subtopics in each sec,on to help facilitate your learning. Good luck, you got this!
Before we start, take a deep breath. ATI is designed to help you be1er prepare for the NCLEX, and while
it is daun,ng, you will slay the ATI if you follow this study guide and supplement your review with prac,ce
ques,ons (from ATI of course!) Set yourself up in a comfortable room, preferably a quiet one with few
distrac,ons. Take frequent breaks, drink lots of water, and stretch your legs when needed. YOU and your
mental health come first. You’ve got this, we’re roo,ng for you!
Timeline and How to Study
If you’re in your last quarter/semester, you’ve probably been thinking about preparing for the ATI Final Exam (or
have already started!) Use this ,meline as a guide to help space out your review. Feel free to double up on topics
or go in any order you’d like! This ,meline worked for me, but change it up to make it work for you.
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunda y
Adult Med Surg
Adult Med Adult Med Surg
Week Adult Med Surg Adult Med Surg Hematologic,
Fundamentals Surg Endocrine & Break
1 Respiratory Cardiovascular Immune, &
GI & Renal Integumentary
Cancers
Maternity
Diagnos,c Maternity
Adult Med Surg Adult Med
Week Tests & Signs of Maternity Maternity
Neuro & Surg Break
2 Reproduc,ve Pregnancy & L&D Postpartum
Musculoskeletal Reproduc,ve
System Complica,ons
Peds
Peds Procedures,
Week Mental
Maternity Newborn Developmental Poisoning, & Mental Health Cri cal Care Break
3 Health
Milestones Others
Pharm
Pharm Pharm Pharm Pharm Infec,ous
Week
Cri cal Care Calcula,ons & Cardiovascular Neuro & Maternity & Disease & Break
4
Conversions & Respiratory Reproduc,ve Psych Analgesics
Table of Contents Page #
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
Fundamentals
● Ethics and Laws 3
● Admissions 5
● Nursing Process 6
○ Lab Values to Know 7
● Pa,ent Needs 8
● Du,es of Different Professionals 9
● Death and Dying 10
● Nursing Procedures 10
● Important Considera,ons 11
● Common Clinical Signs 14
● Safety and Infec,on Control 15
● Transmission Based Precau,ons 15
● Nutri,on 18
Medical Surgical Nursing
● Respiratory 22
● Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Disorders 25
● Hematologic, Immune, and Cancers 28
● Gastrointes,nal System 30
● Renal System 34
● Endocrine System 38
● Neurosensory System 40
● Musculoskeletal System 44
● Integumentary System 47
Maternity
● Diagnos,c Tests and Reproduc,ve System 49
● Signs of Pregnancy 51
● Complica,ons During Pregnancy 52
● Labor and Delivery 54
Downloaded by Jean Estrada ()
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
● Postpartum Assessment 56
● Newborn Assessment 57
Pediatrics
● Developmental Milestones 60
● Procedures, Poisoning, & Others 69
Mental Health
● Overview 70
● Disorders 73
● Extrapyramidal Symptoms & Medica,ons 77
Pharmacology
● Overview 78
● Important Drugs 79
● Frequent Monitoring Drugs & Toxicity 82
Diagnos,c Lab Tests and Values
● Overview 86
Fundamentals Ethics
and Civil Law
● Repor,ng Act
○ Child and elderly abuse
○ Gunshot wounds
○ Communicable diseases
○ Ophthalmia Neonatorum
○ Phenylketonuria
○ Criminal acts
● Incident Reports
○ NEVER place in a pa,ent's chart
○ If a pa,ent wants to leave AMA, it is the provider's responsibility to advise the pa,ent of any risks
involved when they refuse care
● Advanced Direc,ves
○ Two Types
■ Living will
■ Durable Power of A1orney: transfers all rights to the designated agent
○ Intended to allow pa,ents to have more control over their health care decisions at the end of life
● Informed Consent
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
○ Not required in emergency situa,ons
○ Capacity-age (adult), competence (can make choices and understand
consequences)
○ Voluntary
■ Freedom of choice without force, fraud, duress, or coercion
○ Informed consent not to be made under the influence of a drug or alcohol
○ The nurse’s signature as a witness on a consent form indicates that the nurse observed the informed
consent or the clients authorized representa,ve voluntarily signed the consent form
● When to Ques,on Provider Orders
○ Ambiguous orders
○ Orders that the pa,ent ques,ons
○ Orders when the pa,ent’s condi,on has changed
○ Orders which do not match with your experience
○ Verbal orders that the doctor has not yet co-signed
● How to Protect your License
○ Do not let anyone else borrow it
○ Do not copy it unless you write COPY on it
○ If you lose your license, report it immediately
○ Be sure that the Board of Nursing is no,fied of any changes of address or name ○ Prac,ce
nursing according to the scope and standards of the state you work in ● Torts
○ Civil wrongs ○
Inten,onal
■ Assault, ba1ery, defama,on, false imprisonment, outage, invasion of privacy, wrongful
disclosure of confiden,al informa,on (can fax or email personal informa,on if consent was
given)
○ Uninten,onal (Negligence)
■ Failure of a nurse to perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not perform
in similar circumstances
■ Can be an act of omission or commission
■ Occurs when in ury results from the failure of the wrongdoer to exercise care ● Malprac,ce
○ Professional misconduct that is an unreasonable lack of skill or fidelity in du,es
○ Ex; not inser,ng a foley, not taking appropriate steps to decrease a pa,ent’s temperature, not
repor,ng worsening condi,ons of the pa,ent to the provider, not preven,ng falls
● Libel
○ Wri1en communica,on that in ures a person’s reputa,on
● Slander
○ Oral communica,on that in ures a person’s repudia,on
● Assault
○ A threat or an a1empt to make bodily contact with another person without the person's consent
○ Ex: threatening to give an in ec,on to a psycho,c pa,ent if they do not behave properly ● Ba1ery
○ Touching another person unlawfully or carrying out a threatened physical harm
Downloaded by Jean Estrada ()
Comprehensive ATI Exam Study Guide
Hi all! My name is Morgan and I recently graduated from Drexel University’s Accelerated Nursing Program
in Philadelphia! This program is 11 months in length, and is designed for students who have completed a prior
degree looking to complete their BSN in less than a year. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I
am so thankful for my educa,on and where
I am today!
This study guide is a condensed version of ATI’s Comprehensive Book (pink book) and it literally got me
through the ATI Comprehensive Final Exam with flying colors. Each sec,on is divided up between topics, and
there are subtopics in each sec,on to help facilitate your learning. Good luck, you got this!
Before we start, take a deep breath. ATI is designed to help you be1er prepare for the NCLEX, and while
it is daun,ng, you will slay the ATI if you follow this study guide and supplement your review with prac,ce
ques,ons (from ATI of course!) Set yourself up in a comfortable room, preferably a quiet one with few
distrac,ons. Take frequent breaks, drink lots of water, and stretch your legs when needed. YOU and your
mental health come first. You’ve got this, we’re roo,ng for you!
Timeline and How to Study
If you’re in your last quarter/semester, you’ve probably been thinking about preparing for the ATI Final Exam (or
have already started!) Use this ,meline as a guide to help space out your review. Feel free to double up on topics
or go in any order you’d like! This ,meline worked for me, but change it up to make it work for you.
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunda y
Adult Med Surg
Adult Med Adult Med Surg
Week Adult Med Surg Adult Med Surg Hematologic,
Fundamentals Surg Endocrine & Break
1 Respiratory Cardiovascular Immune, &
GI & Renal Integumentary
Cancers
Maternity
Diagnos,c Maternity
Adult Med Surg Adult Med
Week Tests & Signs of Maternity Maternity
Neuro & Surg Break
2 Reproduc,ve Pregnancy & L&D Postpartum
Musculoskeletal Reproduc,ve
System Complica,ons
Peds
Peds Procedures,
Week Mental
Maternity Newborn Developmental Poisoning, & Mental Health Cri cal Care Break
3 Health
Milestones Others
Pharm
Pharm Pharm Pharm Pharm Infec,ous
Week
Cri cal Care Calcula,ons & Cardiovascular Neuro & Maternity & Disease & Break
4
Conversions & Respiratory Reproduc,ve Psych Analgesics
Table of Contents Page #
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
Fundamentals
● Ethics and Laws 3
● Admissions 5
● Nursing Process 6
○ Lab Values to Know 7
● Pa,ent Needs 8
● Du,es of Different Professionals 9
● Death and Dying 10
● Nursing Procedures 10
● Important Considera,ons 11
● Common Clinical Signs 14
● Safety and Infec,on Control 15
● Transmission Based Precau,ons 15
● Nutri,on 18
Medical Surgical Nursing
● Respiratory 22
● Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Disorders 25
● Hematologic, Immune, and Cancers 28
● Gastrointes,nal System 30
● Renal System 34
● Endocrine System 38
● Neurosensory System 40
● Musculoskeletal System 44
● Integumentary System 47
Maternity
● Diagnos,c Tests and Reproduc,ve System 49
● Signs of Pregnancy 51
● Complica,ons During Pregnancy 52
● Labor and Delivery 54
Downloaded by Jean Estrada ()
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
● Postpartum Assessment 56
● Newborn Assessment 57
Pediatrics
● Developmental Milestones 60
● Procedures, Poisoning, & Others 69
Mental Health
● Overview 70
● Disorders 73
● Extrapyramidal Symptoms & Medica,ons 77
Pharmacology
● Overview 78
● Important Drugs 79
● Frequent Monitoring Drugs & Toxicity 82
Diagnos,c Lab Tests and Values
● Overview 86
Fundamentals Ethics
and Civil Law
● Repor,ng Act
○ Child and elderly abuse
○ Gunshot wounds
○ Communicable diseases
○ Ophthalmia Neonatorum
○ Phenylketonuria
○ Criminal acts
● Incident Reports
○ NEVER place in a pa,ent's chart
○ If a pa,ent wants to leave AMA, it is the provider's responsibility to advise the pa,ent of any risks
involved when they refuse care
● Advanced Direc,ves
○ Two Types
■ Living will
■ Durable Power of A1orney: transfers all rights to the designated agent
○ Intended to allow pa,ents to have more control over their health care decisions at the end of life
● Informed Consent
, lOMoARcPSD|492 205 24
○ Not required in emergency situa,ons
○ Capacity-age (adult), competence (can make choices and understand
consequences)
○ Voluntary
■ Freedom of choice without force, fraud, duress, or coercion
○ Informed consent not to be made under the influence of a drug or alcohol
○ The nurse’s signature as a witness on a consent form indicates that the nurse observed the informed
consent or the clients authorized representa,ve voluntarily signed the consent form
● When to Ques,on Provider Orders
○ Ambiguous orders
○ Orders that the pa,ent ques,ons
○ Orders when the pa,ent’s condi,on has changed
○ Orders which do not match with your experience
○ Verbal orders that the doctor has not yet co-signed
● How to Protect your License
○ Do not let anyone else borrow it
○ Do not copy it unless you write COPY on it
○ If you lose your license, report it immediately
○ Be sure that the Board of Nursing is no,fied of any changes of address or name ○ Prac,ce
nursing according to the scope and standards of the state you work in ● Torts
○ Civil wrongs ○
Inten,onal
■ Assault, ba1ery, defama,on, false imprisonment, outage, invasion of privacy, wrongful
disclosure of confiden,al informa,on (can fax or email personal informa,on if consent was
given)
○ Uninten,onal (Negligence)
■ Failure of a nurse to perform an act that a reasonable person would or would not perform
in similar circumstances
■ Can be an act of omission or commission
■ Occurs when in ury results from the failure of the wrongdoer to exercise care ● Malprac,ce
○ Professional misconduct that is an unreasonable lack of skill or fidelity in du,es
○ Ex; not inser,ng a foley, not taking appropriate steps to decrease a pa,ent’s temperature, not
repor,ng worsening condi,ons of the pa,ent to the provider, not preven,ng falls
● Libel
○ Wri1en communica,on that in ures a person’s reputa,on
● Slander
○ Oral communica,on that in ures a person’s repudia,on
● Assault
○ A threat or an a1empt to make bodily contact with another person without the person's consent
○ Ex: threatening to give an in ec,on to a psycho,c pa,ent if they do not behave properly ● Ba1ery
○ Touching another person unlawfully or carrying out a threatened physical harm
Downloaded by Jean Estrada ()
