HESI NCLEX Practice Test – Sample
Questions with Answers 2025
A client has not had a bowel movement in 2 days and reports this information to the nurse. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Instruct the caregiver to offer a glass of warm prune juice at mealtimes.
B. Notify the HCP and request a prescription for a stool softener
C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
D. Instruct the caregiver to increase the client's fluids to five 8 ounce glasses per day. -
ANSWER ✔✨---C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
Bowel movements vary per person. Some people go multiple times a day and others go a few times a
week. The answerwer is an assessment, not an intervention.
A client who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is resting in a semi-Fowler's position
with oxygen at 2 L/min per nasal cannula. The client develops dyspnea. Which action should the nurse
take first?
A. Call the HCP
B. Obtain a bedside pulse oximeter
C. Raise the head of the bed higher
D. Assess the clients vital signs - ANSWER ✔✨---C. Raise the head of the bed higher
,For COPD you want an SpO2 >90%. Fowler's position can help to open up the chest wall and aid in
breathing. B and D are normally done in the same assessment so you can check those off.
A client who has hyperparathyroidism is scheduled to receive a prescribed dose of oral phosphate. The
nurse notes that the client's serum calcium is 12.5 mg/dL. What action should the nurse take?
A. Hold the phosphate and notify the HCP
B. Review the client's serum parathyroid hormone level
C. Give a PRN dose of IV calcium per protocol
D. Administer the dose of oral phosphate - ANSWER ✔✨---D. Administer the dose of oral
phosphate
A normal calcium level is 5.5-10.5 mg/dL so this value is high. Calcium and phosphate have an inverse
reaction so in order to lower the calcium, there needs to be more phosphate. Giving the oral phosphate
will be beneficial to lowering the serum calcium level.
In completing a client's perioperative routine, the nurse finds that the consent form has not been
signed. The client begins to ask more questions about the surgical procedure. Which action should the
nurse take?
A. Witness the client's signature on the consent form
B. Answerwer the client's questions about the surgery
C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
D. Reassure the client that the surgeon will answerwer any questions before the anesthetic is
administered - ANSWER ✔✨---C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
The nurse has to witness the surgery in person but because the client has questions, informed consent is
not given. The nurse cannot answerwer questions about the surgery because that is the HCP's
responsibility. If the HCP does not know about questions, they may not answerwer them before the
surgery.
The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) reports to the staff nurse that a client who had surgery 4 hours
ago has a decrease in blood pressure (BP), from 150/80 to 110/70, in the past hour. The nurse advises
, the UAP to check the client's dressings for excess drainage and report the findings to the nurse. Which
factor is most important to consider when assessing the legal ramifications of this situation?
A. The parameters of the state's or province's nurse practice act
B. The need to complete an adverse occurrence report
C. Hospital protocol regarding the frequency of vital sign assessment every hour postoperatively
D. The healthcare provider's prescription for changing the postoperative dressing - ANSWER ✔✨---
A. The parameters of the state's or provinces nurse practice act
The nurse asked the UAP to perform a task that is outside of their scope of practice. This is states in the
Nurse Practice Act for the state or province.
The newly licensed nurse overhears two nurses talking in the elevator about a client who will lose her
leg because of negligence of the staff. Which action by the newly licensed nurse should be implemented
first?
A. Monitor the nurses closely for further occurrences
B. Advise them to cease their communication
C. Inform the nurse manager of the conversation
D. Submit an occurrence or variance report - ANSWER ✔✨---B. Advise them to cease their
communication
This is a HIPPA violation and needs to be addressed presently. The new nurse should tell them to talk
privately or not at all about the case. If they continue the conversation the nurse should inform the
nurse manager of the conversation. There is no event taken place with a patient or to a patient so a
report is not necessary.
An awake, alert client with impending pulmonary edema is brought to the emergency department. The
client provides the nurse with a copy of a living will that states that "no invasive" medical procedures
should be used to "keep her alive". The healthcare team is questioning whether the client should be
intubated. WHich information should guid the team's decision?
A. The living will removes the obligation to the client in any medical decision making.
Questions with Answers 2025
A client has not had a bowel movement in 2 days and reports this information to the nurse. Which
intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Instruct the caregiver to offer a glass of warm prune juice at mealtimes.
B. Notify the HCP and request a prescription for a stool softener
C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
D. Instruct the caregiver to increase the client's fluids to five 8 ounce glasses per day. -
ANSWER ✔✨---C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
Bowel movements vary per person. Some people go multiple times a day and others go a few times a
week. The answerwer is an assessment, not an intervention.
A client who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is resting in a semi-Fowler's position
with oxygen at 2 L/min per nasal cannula. The client develops dyspnea. Which action should the nurse
take first?
A. Call the HCP
B. Obtain a bedside pulse oximeter
C. Raise the head of the bed higher
D. Assess the clients vital signs - ANSWER ✔✨---C. Raise the head of the bed higher
,For COPD you want an SpO2 >90%. Fowler's position can help to open up the chest wall and aid in
breathing. B and D are normally done in the same assessment so you can check those off.
A client who has hyperparathyroidism is scheduled to receive a prescribed dose of oral phosphate. The
nurse notes that the client's serum calcium is 12.5 mg/dL. What action should the nurse take?
A. Hold the phosphate and notify the HCP
B. Review the client's serum parathyroid hormone level
C. Give a PRN dose of IV calcium per protocol
D. Administer the dose of oral phosphate - ANSWER ✔✨---D. Administer the dose of oral
phosphate
A normal calcium level is 5.5-10.5 mg/dL so this value is high. Calcium and phosphate have an inverse
reaction so in order to lower the calcium, there needs to be more phosphate. Giving the oral phosphate
will be beneficial to lowering the serum calcium level.
In completing a client's perioperative routine, the nurse finds that the consent form has not been
signed. The client begins to ask more questions about the surgical procedure. Which action should the
nurse take?
A. Witness the client's signature on the consent form
B. Answerwer the client's questions about the surgery
C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
D. Reassure the client that the surgeon will answerwer any questions before the anesthetic is
administered - ANSWER ✔✨---C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
The nurse has to witness the surgery in person but because the client has questions, informed consent is
not given. The nurse cannot answerwer questions about the surgery because that is the HCP's
responsibility. If the HCP does not know about questions, they may not answerwer them before the
surgery.
The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) reports to the staff nurse that a client who had surgery 4 hours
ago has a decrease in blood pressure (BP), from 150/80 to 110/70, in the past hour. The nurse advises
, the UAP to check the client's dressings for excess drainage and report the findings to the nurse. Which
factor is most important to consider when assessing the legal ramifications of this situation?
A. The parameters of the state's or province's nurse practice act
B. The need to complete an adverse occurrence report
C. Hospital protocol regarding the frequency of vital sign assessment every hour postoperatively
D. The healthcare provider's prescription for changing the postoperative dressing - ANSWER ✔✨---
A. The parameters of the state's or provinces nurse practice act
The nurse asked the UAP to perform a task that is outside of their scope of practice. This is states in the
Nurse Practice Act for the state or province.
The newly licensed nurse overhears two nurses talking in the elevator about a client who will lose her
leg because of negligence of the staff. Which action by the newly licensed nurse should be implemented
first?
A. Monitor the nurses closely for further occurrences
B. Advise them to cease their communication
C. Inform the nurse manager of the conversation
D. Submit an occurrence or variance report - ANSWER ✔✨---B. Advise them to cease their
communication
This is a HIPPA violation and needs to be addressed presently. The new nurse should tell them to talk
privately or not at all about the case. If they continue the conversation the nurse should inform the
nurse manager of the conversation. There is no event taken place with a patient or to a patient so a
report is not necessary.
An awake, alert client with impending pulmonary edema is brought to the emergency department. The
client provides the nurse with a copy of a living will that states that "no invasive" medical procedures
should be used to "keep her alive". The healthcare team is questioning whether the client should be
intubated. WHich information should guid the team's decision?
A. The living will removes the obligation to the client in any medical decision making.
