CRITICAL CARE HESI
PRACTICE 2026
UPDATED QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED
a
The nurse is providing postprocedure care to a client who had a cardiac catheterization.
The client begins to manifest signs and symptoms associated with embolization. Which
action should the nurse take?
a. Notify the primary healthcare provider immediately
b. Apply a warm, moist compress to the incision site
c. Increase the intravenous fluid rate by 20 mL/hr
d. Monitor vital signs more frequently
b
A nurse observes a window washer falling 25 feet (7.6 m) to the ground. The nurse
rushes to the scene and determines that the person is in cardiopulmonary arrest. What
should the nurse do first?
a. Feel for a pulse
b. Begin chest compressions
c. Leave to call for assistance
d. Perform the abdominal thrust maneuver
00:2301:15
d
1
,A client reports left-sided chest pain after playing racquetball. The client is hospitalized
and diagnosed with left pneumothorax. When assessing the client's left chest area, the
nurse expects to identify which finding?
a. Dull sound on percussion
b. Vocal fremitus on palpation
c. Rales with rhonchi on auscultation
d. Absence of breath sounds on auscultation
c
A client is admitted to the hospital with partial- and full-thickness burns of the chest and
face sustained while trying to extinguish a brush fire. Which is the nurse's priority
concern?
a. Loss of skin integrity caused by the burns
b. Potential infection as a result of the burn injury
c. Inadequate gas exchange caused by smoke inhalation
d. Decreased fluid volume because of the depth of the burns
b
During the first 48 hours after a client has sustained a thermal injury, which conditions
should the nurse assess for?
a. Hypokalemia and hyponatremia
b. Hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
c. Hypokalemia and hypernatremia
d. Hyperkalemia and hypernatremia
A
An elderly client states, "Disease occurs when supernatural elements enter the body."
Which variable influences the client's health beliefs in this scenario?
a. Spiritual factors
b. Emotional factors
c. Intellectual background
d. Perception of functioning
c
2
,In order to provide ideal therapeutic communication to patients, a health care facility
provides interpreter services. Which statement regarding an interpreter is correct?
a. Interpreters can be relatives or friends of the patient as well.
b. The interpreter should be able to make literal, word-for-word translations.
c. The interpreter should be able to interpret not only the language but also the culture.
d. The interpreter should be available as long as the health care provider is caring for
the patient.
c
What is most important for the nurse to do to assist a couple to cope with their feelings
about the husband's terminal illness?
a. Referring the husband to a psychotherapist for help in dealing with his anger
b. Placing the couple in a couples' therapy group that addresses terminal illness
c. Helping the couple express to each other their feelings about his terminal illness
d. Encouraging the wife to verbalize her feelings to a therapist during individual therapy
sessions
a
A patient who is in the advanced stages of illness asks the nurse to contact pastoral
services for support. According to the Macmillan model, what is the best nursing
intervention in this situation?
a. Immediately involve pastoral services while caring for the patient.
b. Involve the family member in the patient's care instead of pastoral support.
c. Listen to the patient's request for support then carry on with the clinical work.
d. Falsely promise that pastoral services has been contacted and plan to see the
patient.
c
A nurse is assessing a client's ECG reading. The client's atrial and ventricular heart
rates are equal at 88 beats per min. The PR interval is 0.14 seconds, and the QRS
width is 0.10 seconds. Rhythm is regular with normal P waves and QRS complexes.
How will the nurse interpret this rhythm?
a. Normal sinus rhythm
b. Sinus tachycardia
3
, c. Sinus bradycardia
d. Sinus arrhythmia
b
The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Which is the
priority concern of the nurse when caring for this client?
a. Fluid volume
b. Skin integrity
c. Physical mobility
d. Urinary elimination
c
A client who had extensive pelvic surgery 24 hours ago becomes cyanotic, is gasping
for breath, and reports right-sided chest pain. What should the nurse do first?
a. Obtain vital signs
b. Initiate a cardiac arrest code
c. Administer oxygen using a face mask
d. Encourage the use of an incentive spirometer
c
A nurse is caring for a client with severe burns. The nurse determines that this client is
at risk for hypovolemic shock. Which physiologic finding supports the nurse's
conclusion?
a. Decreased rate of glomerular filtration
b. Excessive blood loss through the burned tissues
c. Plasma proteins moving out of the intravascular compartment
d. Sodium retention occurring as a result of the aldosterone mechanism
a
The nurse is caring for a client with burns and reviews the client's laboratory results:
blood urea nitrogen (BUN), 30 mg/dL (10.2 mmol/L); creatinine, 2.4 mg/dL (184
mcmol/L); serum potassium, 6.3 mEq/L (6.3 mmol/L); pH, 7.1; Po 2, 90 mm Hg; and
hemoglobin (Hgb), 7.4 g/dL (74 mmol/L). Which condition does the nurse suspect the
client has based upon these findings?
a. Azotemia
4
PRACTICE 2026
UPDATED QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED
a
The nurse is providing postprocedure care to a client who had a cardiac catheterization.
The client begins to manifest signs and symptoms associated with embolization. Which
action should the nurse take?
a. Notify the primary healthcare provider immediately
b. Apply a warm, moist compress to the incision site
c. Increase the intravenous fluid rate by 20 mL/hr
d. Monitor vital signs more frequently
b
A nurse observes a window washer falling 25 feet (7.6 m) to the ground. The nurse
rushes to the scene and determines that the person is in cardiopulmonary arrest. What
should the nurse do first?
a. Feel for a pulse
b. Begin chest compressions
c. Leave to call for assistance
d. Perform the abdominal thrust maneuver
00:2301:15
d
1
,A client reports left-sided chest pain after playing racquetball. The client is hospitalized
and diagnosed with left pneumothorax. When assessing the client's left chest area, the
nurse expects to identify which finding?
a. Dull sound on percussion
b. Vocal fremitus on palpation
c. Rales with rhonchi on auscultation
d. Absence of breath sounds on auscultation
c
A client is admitted to the hospital with partial- and full-thickness burns of the chest and
face sustained while trying to extinguish a brush fire. Which is the nurse's priority
concern?
a. Loss of skin integrity caused by the burns
b. Potential infection as a result of the burn injury
c. Inadequate gas exchange caused by smoke inhalation
d. Decreased fluid volume because of the depth of the burns
b
During the first 48 hours after a client has sustained a thermal injury, which conditions
should the nurse assess for?
a. Hypokalemia and hyponatremia
b. Hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
c. Hypokalemia and hypernatremia
d. Hyperkalemia and hypernatremia
A
An elderly client states, "Disease occurs when supernatural elements enter the body."
Which variable influences the client's health beliefs in this scenario?
a. Spiritual factors
b. Emotional factors
c. Intellectual background
d. Perception of functioning
c
2
,In order to provide ideal therapeutic communication to patients, a health care facility
provides interpreter services. Which statement regarding an interpreter is correct?
a. Interpreters can be relatives or friends of the patient as well.
b. The interpreter should be able to make literal, word-for-word translations.
c. The interpreter should be able to interpret not only the language but also the culture.
d. The interpreter should be available as long as the health care provider is caring for
the patient.
c
What is most important for the nurse to do to assist a couple to cope with their feelings
about the husband's terminal illness?
a. Referring the husband to a psychotherapist for help in dealing with his anger
b. Placing the couple in a couples' therapy group that addresses terminal illness
c. Helping the couple express to each other their feelings about his terminal illness
d. Encouraging the wife to verbalize her feelings to a therapist during individual therapy
sessions
a
A patient who is in the advanced stages of illness asks the nurse to contact pastoral
services for support. According to the Macmillan model, what is the best nursing
intervention in this situation?
a. Immediately involve pastoral services while caring for the patient.
b. Involve the family member in the patient's care instead of pastoral support.
c. Listen to the patient's request for support then carry on with the clinical work.
d. Falsely promise that pastoral services has been contacted and plan to see the
patient.
c
A nurse is assessing a client's ECG reading. The client's atrial and ventricular heart
rates are equal at 88 beats per min. The PR interval is 0.14 seconds, and the QRS
width is 0.10 seconds. Rhythm is regular with normal P waves and QRS complexes.
How will the nurse interpret this rhythm?
a. Normal sinus rhythm
b. Sinus tachycardia
3
, c. Sinus bradycardia
d. Sinus arrhythmia
b
The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Which is the
priority concern of the nurse when caring for this client?
a. Fluid volume
b. Skin integrity
c. Physical mobility
d. Urinary elimination
c
A client who had extensive pelvic surgery 24 hours ago becomes cyanotic, is gasping
for breath, and reports right-sided chest pain. What should the nurse do first?
a. Obtain vital signs
b. Initiate a cardiac arrest code
c. Administer oxygen using a face mask
d. Encourage the use of an incentive spirometer
c
A nurse is caring for a client with severe burns. The nurse determines that this client is
at risk for hypovolemic shock. Which physiologic finding supports the nurse's
conclusion?
a. Decreased rate of glomerular filtration
b. Excessive blood loss through the burned tissues
c. Plasma proteins moving out of the intravascular compartment
d. Sodium retention occurring as a result of the aldosterone mechanism
a
The nurse is caring for a client with burns and reviews the client's laboratory results:
blood urea nitrogen (BUN), 30 mg/dL (10.2 mmol/L); creatinine, 2.4 mg/dL (184
mcmol/L); serum potassium, 6.3 mEq/L (6.3 mmol/L); pH, 7.1; Po 2, 90 mm Hg; and
hemoglobin (Hgb), 7.4 g/dL (74 mmol/L). Which condition does the nurse suspect the
client has based upon these findings?
a. Azotemia
4
