HESI Leadership Exit Exam Version 1
Questions, Answer💜💜s & Rationales
Verified for 2026
Total Questions: 130+
Topic 1: Management, Leadership, and Conflict Resolution
1. A charge nurse receives a report from assistive personnel (AP) that a client
who is 2 days postoperative following a hip arthroplasty has a new onset of
sudden, severe pain in the surgical hip. The client's vital signs are stable. Which
of the following actions should the charge nurse take first?
A. Administer a prescribed oral analgesic.
B. Instruct the AP to apply a warm compress to the hip.
C. Go to the client's room and assess the client.
D. Notify the orthopedic surgeon of the report.
Rationale: The first step in the nursing process is assessment. A new onset of
sudden, severe pain post-operatively requires immediate direct assessment by
the nurse to determine the client's condition and identify potential complications
(e.g., dislocation) before implementing or delegating interventions .
2. A nurse manager is addressing a conflict between two staff nurses regarding
workload distribution. One nurse feels consistently overworked. Which of the
,following conflict resolution strategies involves both parties working together to
find a mutually agreeable solution that satisfies everyone's concerns?
A. Avoidance
B. Accommodation
C. Competition
D. Collaboration
Rationale: Collaboration is a "win-win" conflict resolution strategy where all
parties work together to understand the underlying issues, identify common
goals, and develop a creative solution that fully satisfies the concerns of everyone
involved .
3. What is the first action a nurse leader should take when two staff members
are in conflict that disrupts the unit?
A. Reassign both staff members to different shifts.
B. Address the conflict directly with both staff members and mediate in a
private setting.
C. Document the incident in their personnel files.
D. Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own.
Rationale: The leader should address the conflict directly and privately. Mediation
helps facilitate communication and find a resolution, which is more effective than
avoidance or punitive measures .
4. Which statement best describes transformational leadership?
A. Leaders control all decisions and limit input from staff.
B. Leaders inspire and motivate staff to achieve shared goals and innovate.
,C. Leaders avoid change to maintain routine and stability.
D. Leaders focus only on task completion and meeting deadlines.
Rationale: Transformational leaders engage and motivate staff by creating a
shared vision, inspiring them to embrace change, and fostering an environment of
innovation and professional growth .
5. A staff nurse expresses moral distress about following a physician's order
they feel is unsafe. What should the nurse leader do?
A. Tell the nurse to follow the order to avoid conflict.
B. Encourage the nurse to advocate for the patient by seeking clarification with
the provider and following the chain of command if needed.
C. Report the nurse to the supervisor for insubordination.
D. Ignore the nurse's concerns to maintain team harmony.
Rationale: The leader should support the nurse's ethical obligation to advocate
for the patient. Encouraging clarification and use of the chain of command
upholds patient safety and staff integrity .
6. Two staff members are in conflict. What is the nurse manager's first step?
A. Hold a group meeting immediately to discuss the issue.
B. Meet privately with each staff member individually to understand their
perspective.
C. Discipline both staff members for disrupting the unit.
D. Create a new unit policy to prevent future conflicts.
Rationale: Understanding each party's perspective individually is the first step in
conflict resolution. It allows the manager to gather facts and identify the root
cause before mediating a solution .
, 7. A nurse manager notices that a unit's patient satisfaction scores have
decreased. What should the nurse manager do first?
A. Punish the staff for poor performance.
B. Ignore the scores and continue with usual practice.
C. Hold a staff meeting to identify causes and collaboratively develop solutions.
D. Change unit policies without seeking staff input.
Rationale: Collaborative problem-solving promotes staff buy-in and leads to more
effective, sustainable solutions. Engaging staff in identifying causes and solutions
is a key leadership strategy .
8. A team member consistently misses deadlines for care plans. Which
communication strategy is most effective for the nurse manager?
A. Criticize them in front of the team during a meeting.
B. Ignore the problem to avoid confrontation.
C. Hold a private meeting to discuss expectations, explore barriers, and develop
a plan for improvement.
D. Reassign the task of care plans to another nurse.
Rationale: Private, constructive feedback promotes accountability and
professional growth. Discussing expectations and barriers helps identify the root
cause and develop a collaborative plan for improvement .
9. A charge nurse observes a newly licensed nurse prepare to administer a
medication but express uncertainty. Which action should the charge nurse take?
A. Tell the newly licensed nurse to proceed and look it up later.
B. Immediately intervene and verify the medication with the newly licensed
nurse.
Questions, Answer💜💜s & Rationales
Verified for 2026
Total Questions: 130+
Topic 1: Management, Leadership, and Conflict Resolution
1. A charge nurse receives a report from assistive personnel (AP) that a client
who is 2 days postoperative following a hip arthroplasty has a new onset of
sudden, severe pain in the surgical hip. The client's vital signs are stable. Which
of the following actions should the charge nurse take first?
A. Administer a prescribed oral analgesic.
B. Instruct the AP to apply a warm compress to the hip.
C. Go to the client's room and assess the client.
D. Notify the orthopedic surgeon of the report.
Rationale: The first step in the nursing process is assessment. A new onset of
sudden, severe pain post-operatively requires immediate direct assessment by
the nurse to determine the client's condition and identify potential complications
(e.g., dislocation) before implementing or delegating interventions .
2. A nurse manager is addressing a conflict between two staff nurses regarding
workload distribution. One nurse feels consistently overworked. Which of the
,following conflict resolution strategies involves both parties working together to
find a mutually agreeable solution that satisfies everyone's concerns?
A. Avoidance
B. Accommodation
C. Competition
D. Collaboration
Rationale: Collaboration is a "win-win" conflict resolution strategy where all
parties work together to understand the underlying issues, identify common
goals, and develop a creative solution that fully satisfies the concerns of everyone
involved .
3. What is the first action a nurse leader should take when two staff members
are in conflict that disrupts the unit?
A. Reassign both staff members to different shifts.
B. Address the conflict directly with both staff members and mediate in a
private setting.
C. Document the incident in their personnel files.
D. Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves on its own.
Rationale: The leader should address the conflict directly and privately. Mediation
helps facilitate communication and find a resolution, which is more effective than
avoidance or punitive measures .
4. Which statement best describes transformational leadership?
A. Leaders control all decisions and limit input from staff.
B. Leaders inspire and motivate staff to achieve shared goals and innovate.
,C. Leaders avoid change to maintain routine and stability.
D. Leaders focus only on task completion and meeting deadlines.
Rationale: Transformational leaders engage and motivate staff by creating a
shared vision, inspiring them to embrace change, and fostering an environment of
innovation and professional growth .
5. A staff nurse expresses moral distress about following a physician's order
they feel is unsafe. What should the nurse leader do?
A. Tell the nurse to follow the order to avoid conflict.
B. Encourage the nurse to advocate for the patient by seeking clarification with
the provider and following the chain of command if needed.
C. Report the nurse to the supervisor for insubordination.
D. Ignore the nurse's concerns to maintain team harmony.
Rationale: The leader should support the nurse's ethical obligation to advocate
for the patient. Encouraging clarification and use of the chain of command
upholds patient safety and staff integrity .
6. Two staff members are in conflict. What is the nurse manager's first step?
A. Hold a group meeting immediately to discuss the issue.
B. Meet privately with each staff member individually to understand their
perspective.
C. Discipline both staff members for disrupting the unit.
D. Create a new unit policy to prevent future conflicts.
Rationale: Understanding each party's perspective individually is the first step in
conflict resolution. It allows the manager to gather facts and identify the root
cause before mediating a solution .
, 7. A nurse manager notices that a unit's patient satisfaction scores have
decreased. What should the nurse manager do first?
A. Punish the staff for poor performance.
B. Ignore the scores and continue with usual practice.
C. Hold a staff meeting to identify causes and collaboratively develop solutions.
D. Change unit policies without seeking staff input.
Rationale: Collaborative problem-solving promotes staff buy-in and leads to more
effective, sustainable solutions. Engaging staff in identifying causes and solutions
is a key leadership strategy .
8. A team member consistently misses deadlines for care plans. Which
communication strategy is most effective for the nurse manager?
A. Criticize them in front of the team during a meeting.
B. Ignore the problem to avoid confrontation.
C. Hold a private meeting to discuss expectations, explore barriers, and develop
a plan for improvement.
D. Reassign the task of care plans to another nurse.
Rationale: Private, constructive feedback promotes accountability and
professional growth. Discussing expectations and barriers helps identify the root
cause and develop a collaborative plan for improvement .
9. A charge nurse observes a newly licensed nurse prepare to administer a
medication but express uncertainty. Which action should the charge nurse take?
A. Tell the newly licensed nurse to proceed and look it up later.
B. Immediately intervene and verify the medication with the newly licensed
nurse.
