HESI Comprehensive A Exam Questions with Answers
1. The nurse is correct in withholding an older adult client's dose of nifedipine
if which assessment finding is obtained?: Blood pressure of 90/56 mm Hg
2. Until the census on the obstetrics (OB) unit increases, an unlicensed
assistive personnel (UAP) who usually works in labor and delivery and the
newborn nursery is assigned to work on the postoperative unit. Which client
would be best for the charge nurse to assign to this UAP?: A woman who had a hip
replacement and may be transferred to the home care unit
3. A very busy hospital unit has had several discharges and the census is un-
usually low. What is the best way for the charge nurse to use the time of the
nursing staff?: Encourage statt to participate in online in-service education.
4. When the administration at a large urban medical center decides to
establish a unit to care for clients with infectious diseases, such as Ebola and
the avian flu, several employees express fear related to caring for these
clients. When choosing staff to work on this unit, which action is best for the
nurse manager to take?: Conduct an education program about infectious diseases and then assess the statt's
willingness to work with these clients.
5. The nurse is planning a community teaching program regarding the use of
folic acid to prevent neural tube birth defects. Which community group is
likely to benefit most from this program?: Those interested in having children
,6. Staff on a cardiac unit consists of an RN, two practical/vocational nurses (PNs),
and one UAP. Team 1's assignment includes two clients who are both 1 day
post angioplasty and two clients with unstable angina. Team 2's assignment
includes all stable clients, but two clients are bedridden and incontinent. Which
staffing plan represents the best use of available staff?: Team 1: RN team leader, PN; team
2: PN/VN team leader, UAP
7. A client is prescribed the amantadine HCl. Which action should the nurse
take?: Teach client to change positions slowly.
8. A client tells the nurse that he is suffering from insomnia. What priority
question will the nurse include in the client's intake interview?: "Before your
insomnia, what is your usual bedtime, and when do you generally wake up?"
9. A client has been on a mechanical ventilator for several days. What assess-
ment data should the nurse use to document and record this client's respira-
tions?: The ventilator setting for respiratory rate and the client-initiated respirations
10. Six hours following thoracic surgery, a client has the following arterial
blood gas (ABG) findings: pH, 7.50; PaCO2, 30 mm Hg; HCO3, 25 mEq/L; PaO2, 96
mm Hg. What is the best nursing action based on these results?: Assess the client
for pain and administer pain medication as prescribed.
11. A 77-year-old female client states that she has never been so large
around the waist and that she has frequent periods of constipation. Colon
disease has been ruled out with a flexible sigmoidoscopy. Which information
, should the nurse provide to this client?: With age, more fatty tissue develops in the abdomen and
decreased intestinal movement can cause constipation.
12. A mother of a 12-year-old boy states that her son is short and she
fears that he will always be shorter than his peers. She tells the nurse that her
now grown daughter only grew 2 inches after she was 12 years of age. Which
question is most important for the nurse to ask this mother?: "Did your daughter also
start her menstrual period at 12 years of age?"
13. Which question is most relevant to ask the parents when obtaining the
history of a 2-year-old child recently diagnosed with otitis externa?: "Has your child
been swimming recently?"
14. Prior to administering an oral suspension, what is the most important
nurs- ing action?: Assess the client's ability to swallow liquids.
15. Which assessment finding for a client with peritoneal dialysis
requires an immediate action by the nurse?: The color of the dialysate outflow is opaque
yellow.
16. Which client is best to assign to a graduate PN who is being oriented
to a renal unit?: A client with renal calculi whose urine needs to be strained
17. A client has been receiving levofloxacin, 500 mg IV piggyback q24h for 7
days. The UAP reports to the nurse that the client has had three loose foul-
smelling stools this morning. What is the most important nursing action for
this client?-
1. The nurse is correct in withholding an older adult client's dose of nifedipine
if which assessment finding is obtained?: Blood pressure of 90/56 mm Hg
2. Until the census on the obstetrics (OB) unit increases, an unlicensed
assistive personnel (UAP) who usually works in labor and delivery and the
newborn nursery is assigned to work on the postoperative unit. Which client
would be best for the charge nurse to assign to this UAP?: A woman who had a hip
replacement and may be transferred to the home care unit
3. A very busy hospital unit has had several discharges and the census is un-
usually low. What is the best way for the charge nurse to use the time of the
nursing staff?: Encourage statt to participate in online in-service education.
4. When the administration at a large urban medical center decides to
establish a unit to care for clients with infectious diseases, such as Ebola and
the avian flu, several employees express fear related to caring for these
clients. When choosing staff to work on this unit, which action is best for the
nurse manager to take?: Conduct an education program about infectious diseases and then assess the statt's
willingness to work with these clients.
5. The nurse is planning a community teaching program regarding the use of
folic acid to prevent neural tube birth defects. Which community group is
likely to benefit most from this program?: Those interested in having children
,6. Staff on a cardiac unit consists of an RN, two practical/vocational nurses (PNs),
and one UAP. Team 1's assignment includes two clients who are both 1 day
post angioplasty and two clients with unstable angina. Team 2's assignment
includes all stable clients, but two clients are bedridden and incontinent. Which
staffing plan represents the best use of available staff?: Team 1: RN team leader, PN; team
2: PN/VN team leader, UAP
7. A client is prescribed the amantadine HCl. Which action should the nurse
take?: Teach client to change positions slowly.
8. A client tells the nurse that he is suffering from insomnia. What priority
question will the nurse include in the client's intake interview?: "Before your
insomnia, what is your usual bedtime, and when do you generally wake up?"
9. A client has been on a mechanical ventilator for several days. What assess-
ment data should the nurse use to document and record this client's respira-
tions?: The ventilator setting for respiratory rate and the client-initiated respirations
10. Six hours following thoracic surgery, a client has the following arterial
blood gas (ABG) findings: pH, 7.50; PaCO2, 30 mm Hg; HCO3, 25 mEq/L; PaO2, 96
mm Hg. What is the best nursing action based on these results?: Assess the client
for pain and administer pain medication as prescribed.
11. A 77-year-old female client states that she has never been so large
around the waist and that she has frequent periods of constipation. Colon
disease has been ruled out with a flexible sigmoidoscopy. Which information
, should the nurse provide to this client?: With age, more fatty tissue develops in the abdomen and
decreased intestinal movement can cause constipation.
12. A mother of a 12-year-old boy states that her son is short and she
fears that he will always be shorter than his peers. She tells the nurse that her
now grown daughter only grew 2 inches after she was 12 years of age. Which
question is most important for the nurse to ask this mother?: "Did your daughter also
start her menstrual period at 12 years of age?"
13. Which question is most relevant to ask the parents when obtaining the
history of a 2-year-old child recently diagnosed with otitis externa?: "Has your child
been swimming recently?"
14. Prior to administering an oral suspension, what is the most important
nurs- ing action?: Assess the client's ability to swallow liquids.
15. Which assessment finding for a client with peritoneal dialysis
requires an immediate action by the nurse?: The color of the dialysate outflow is opaque
yellow.
16. Which client is best to assign to a graduate PN who is being oriented
to a renal unit?: A client with renal calculi whose urine needs to be strained
17. A client has been receiving levofloxacin, 500 mg IV piggyback q24h for 7
days. The UAP reports to the nurse that the client has had three loose foul-
smelling stools this morning. What is the most important nursing action for
this client?-
