ATI RN NUTRITION 2026 PROCTORED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
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CORE DOMAINS
Nutritional Assessment and Anthropometric Measurement
Macronutrient Metabolism and Energy Requirements
Micronutrient Function, Deficiency, and Toxicity
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Chronic Disease
Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Support
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Diet-Drug Interactions and Food Safety
Ethical, Legal, and Cultural Considerations in Nutrition Care
INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive assessment is designed to evaluate the applied nutrition
knowledge and clinical decision-making skills required of the entry-level registered
nurse. The examination emphasizes the integration of foundational nutritional science
with real-world professional practice, including therapeutic diet management, nutrition
support, patient education, and regulatory compliance. Items are constructed to reflect
the cognitive complexity of the ATI proctored examination, utilizing multiple-choice and
scenario-based formats that require prioritization, clinical judgment, and the
application of evidence-based guidelines. The assessment prepares candidates for
safe, ethical, and effective nursing practice across diverse patient populations and
care settings.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–300
1. A nurse is teaching a client about complete proteins. Which food should the nurse
include as a complete protein?
,A. Black beans
B. Eggs
C. Peanut butter
D. Brown rice
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids in adequate proportions,
making them a complete protein. Legumes, nuts, and grains are incomplete proteins
and must be combined to provide the full profile of essential amino acids .
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for warfarin. The client asks
about dietary restrictions. Which instruction should the nurse provide?
A. "Increase your intake of leafy green vegetables."
B. "Maintain a consistent intake of vitamin K-rich foods."
C. "Avoid all foods containing vitamin K."
D. "Take a vitamin K supplement daily."
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Warfarin is a vitamin K antagonist. Clients should maintain a consistent,
not necessarily restricted, intake of vitamin K-rich foods to prevent fluctuations in the
international normalized ratio (INR). Sudden increases or decreases in vitamin K intake
can destabilize anticoagulation .
3. A nurse is assessing a client who reports night blindness. Which nutrient deficiency
should the nurse suspect?
A. Vitamin C
,B. Vitamin A
C. Vitamin D
D. Vitamin K
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Vitamin A is essential for the formation of rhodopsin, a photopigment in
the retina. Deficiency impairs dark adaptation and can progress to xerophthalmia if
untreated .
4. A client who has been taking broad-spectrum antibiotics for two weeks is at
increased risk for deficiency of which vitamin?
A. Vitamin C
B. Vitamin B12
C. Vitamin K
D. Folate
✔✔ C
RATIONALE: Intestinal bacteria synthesize a significant portion of the body's vitamin K.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupt normal gut flora, reducing endogenous vitamin K
production and increasing the risk of coagulopathy .
5. A nurse is reviewing laboratory values for a client with suspected iron-deficiency
anemia. Which finding is most consistent with this diagnosis?
A. Elevated serum ferritin
B. Decreased mean corpuscular volume
C. Elevated hemoglobin
D. Increased transferrin saturation
, ✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Iron deficiency results in microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells,
reflected by a decreased mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Ferritin and transferrin
saturation are typically low, not elevated, in iron deficiency .
6. A vegan client asks the nurse which nutrient requires supplementation to prevent
deficiency. Which response is correct?
A. Vitamin B12
B. Potassium
C. Vitamin C
D. Fiber
✔✔ A
RATIONALE: Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost exclusively in animal-derived foods.
Vegans require reliable supplementation or fortified foods to prevent megaloblastic
anemia and neurologic damage .
7. A nurse is calculating the body mass index (BMI) for a client who weighs 70 kg and is
1.75 m tall. Which value should the nurse obtain?
A. 18.5
B. 22.9
C. 26.3
D. 40.0
✔✔ B
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
CORE DOMAINS
Nutritional Assessment and Anthropometric Measurement
Macronutrient Metabolism and Energy Requirements
Micronutrient Function, Deficiency, and Toxicity
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Chronic Disease
Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Support
Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Diet-Drug Interactions and Food Safety
Ethical, Legal, and Cultural Considerations in Nutrition Care
INTRODUCTION
This comprehensive assessment is designed to evaluate the applied nutrition
knowledge and clinical decision-making skills required of the entry-level registered
nurse. The examination emphasizes the integration of foundational nutritional science
with real-world professional practice, including therapeutic diet management, nutrition
support, patient education, and regulatory compliance. Items are constructed to reflect
the cognitive complexity of the ATI proctored examination, utilizing multiple-choice and
scenario-based formats that require prioritization, clinical judgment, and the
application of evidence-based guidelines. The assessment prepares candidates for
safe, ethical, and effective nursing practice across diverse patient populations and
care settings.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–300
1. A nurse is teaching a client about complete proteins. Which food should the nurse
include as a complete protein?
,A. Black beans
B. Eggs
C. Peanut butter
D. Brown rice
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids in adequate proportions,
making them a complete protein. Legumes, nuts, and grains are incomplete proteins
and must be combined to provide the full profile of essential amino acids .
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for warfarin. The client asks
about dietary restrictions. Which instruction should the nurse provide?
A. "Increase your intake of leafy green vegetables."
B. "Maintain a consistent intake of vitamin K-rich foods."
C. "Avoid all foods containing vitamin K."
D. "Take a vitamin K supplement daily."
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Warfarin is a vitamin K antagonist. Clients should maintain a consistent,
not necessarily restricted, intake of vitamin K-rich foods to prevent fluctuations in the
international normalized ratio (INR). Sudden increases or decreases in vitamin K intake
can destabilize anticoagulation .
3. A nurse is assessing a client who reports night blindness. Which nutrient deficiency
should the nurse suspect?
A. Vitamin C
,B. Vitamin A
C. Vitamin D
D. Vitamin K
✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Vitamin A is essential for the formation of rhodopsin, a photopigment in
the retina. Deficiency impairs dark adaptation and can progress to xerophthalmia if
untreated .
4. A client who has been taking broad-spectrum antibiotics for two weeks is at
increased risk for deficiency of which vitamin?
A. Vitamin C
B. Vitamin B12
C. Vitamin K
D. Folate
✔✔ C
RATIONALE: Intestinal bacteria synthesize a significant portion of the body's vitamin K.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupt normal gut flora, reducing endogenous vitamin K
production and increasing the risk of coagulopathy .
5. A nurse is reviewing laboratory values for a client with suspected iron-deficiency
anemia. Which finding is most consistent with this diagnosis?
A. Elevated serum ferritin
B. Decreased mean corpuscular volume
C. Elevated hemoglobin
D. Increased transferrin saturation
, ✔✔ B
RATIONALE: Iron deficiency results in microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells,
reflected by a decreased mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Ferritin and transferrin
saturation are typically low, not elevated, in iron deficiency .
6. A vegan client asks the nurse which nutrient requires supplementation to prevent
deficiency. Which response is correct?
A. Vitamin B12
B. Potassium
C. Vitamin C
D. Fiber
✔✔ A
RATIONALE: Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost exclusively in animal-derived foods.
Vegans require reliable supplementation or fortified foods to prevent megaloblastic
anemia and neurologic damage .
7. A nurse is calculating the body mass index (BMI) for a client who weighs 70 kg and is
1.75 m tall. Which value should the nurse obtain?
A. 18.5
B. 22.9
C. 26.3
D. 40.0
✔✔ B
