2026 HESI Exit Exam 4 Comprehensive
Simulator with 300 Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationales/ RN HESI Exit
Predictor
The nurse transcribes the postoperative prescriptions for a client who returns to the unit following
surgery and notes that an antihypertensive medication that was prescribed preoperatively is not listed.
Which action should the nurse take?
A.
Consult with the pharmacist about the need to continue the medication.
B.
Administer the antihypertensive medication as prescribed preoperatively.
C.
Withhold the medication until the client is fully alert and vital signs are stable.
D.
Contact the health care provider to renew the prescription for the medication. - Correct Answer-D
Rationale: Medications prescribed preoperatively must be renewed postoperatively, so the nurse should
contact the health care provider if the antihypertensive medication is not included in the postoperative
prescriptions. The pharmacist does not prescribe medications or renew prescriptions. The nurse must
have a current prescription before administering any medications.
Which fluid will the nurse select to administer with the prescribed blood transfusion?
A.
5% Dextrose and water
B.
Normal saline
C.
Lactated Ringers solution
D.
1
,5% Dextrose and lactated ringers - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Normal saline solution is the only solution that is compatible with blood.
When assisting a client from the bed to a chair, which procedure is best for the nurse to follow?
A.
Place the chair parallel to the bed, with its back toward the head of the bed and assist the client in
moving to the chair.
B.
With the nurse's feet spread apart and knees aligned with the client's knees, stand and pivot the client
into the chair.
C.
Assist the client to a standing position by gently lifting upward, underneath the axillae.
D.
Stand beside the client, place the client's arms around the nurse's neck, and gently move the client to
the chair. - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Option B describes the correct positioning of the nurse and affords the nurse a wide base of
support while stabilizing the client's knees when assisting to a standing position. The chair should be
placed at a 45-degree angle to the bed, with the back of the chair toward the head of the bed. Clients
should never be lifted under the axillae; this could damage nerves and strain the nurse's back. The client
should be instructed to use the arms of the chair and should never place his or her arms around the
nurse's neck; this places undue stress on the nurse's neck and back and increases the risk for a fall.
The nurse is called to the waiting room of a pediatric clinic. The frantic mother states, "I think my 4-
month-old baby is choking!" What steps will the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A.
Compress the chest once between the nipples with two fingers.
B.
Note any obstruction or absence of breathing.
C.
Deliver five backslaps between the shoulder blades.
D.
Place the infant over the nurse's arm.
2
,E.
Perform a blind finger sweep. - Correct Answer-B, C, D
Rationale: The fingers are placed at the same location on an infant as chest compressions for CPR;
however, the nurse must deliver five chest thrusts, after the five back slaps. Blind sweeps are not used
as this action may push the object deeper into the throat. The remaining steps are correct.
The nurse observes a UAP taking a client's blood pressure in the lower extremity. Which observation of
this procedure requires the nurse to intervene with the UAP's approach?
A.
The cuff wraps around the girth of the leg.
B.
The UAP auscultates the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg.
C.
The client is placed in a prone position.
D.
The systolic reading is 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm. - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: When obtaining the blood pressure in the lower extremities, the popliteal pulse is the site for
auscultation when the blood pressure cuff is applied around the thigh. The nurse should intervene with
the UAP who has applied the cuff on the lower leg. Option A ensures an accurate assessment, and
option C provides the best access to the artery. Systolic pressure in the popliteal artery is usually 10 to
40 mm Hg higher than in the brachial artery.
During a clinic visit, the mother of a 7-year-old reports to the nurse that her child is often awake until
midnight playing and is then very difficult to awaken in the morning for school. Which assessment data
should the nurse obtain in response to the mother's concern?
A.
The occurrence of any episodes of sleep apnea
B.
The child's blood pressure, pulse, and respirations
C.
Length of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep that the child is experiencing
3
, D.
Description of the family's home environment - Correct Answer-D
Rationale: School-age children often resist bedtime. The nurse should begin by assessing the
environment of the home to determine factors that may not be conducive to the establishment of
bedtime rituals that promote sleep. Option A often causes daytime fatigue rather than resistance to
going to sleep. Option B is unlikely to provide useful data. The nurse cannot determine option C.
The nurse identifies a potential for infection in a client with partial-thickness (second-degree) and full-
thickness (third-degree) burns. What action has the highest priority in decreasing the client's risk of
infection?
A.
Administration of plasma expanders
B.
Use of careful handwashing technique
C.
Application of a topical antibacterial cream
D.
Limiting visitors to the client with burns - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Careful handwashing technique is the single most effective intervention for the prevention of
contamination to all clients. Option A reverses the hypovolemia that initially accompanies burn trauma
but is not related to decreasing the proliferation of infective organisms. Options C and D are
recommended by various burn centers as possible ways to reduce the chance of infection. Option B is a
proven technique to prevent infection.
The nurse assesses a 2-year-old who is admitted for dehydration and finds that the peripheral IV rate by
gravity has slowed, even though the venous access site is healthy. What should the nurse do next?
A.
Apply a warm compress proximal to the site.
B.
Check for kinks in the tubing and raise the IV pole.
C.
Adjust the tape that stabilizes the needle.
4
Simulator with 300 Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationales/ RN HESI Exit
Predictor
The nurse transcribes the postoperative prescriptions for a client who returns to the unit following
surgery and notes that an antihypertensive medication that was prescribed preoperatively is not listed.
Which action should the nurse take?
A.
Consult with the pharmacist about the need to continue the medication.
B.
Administer the antihypertensive medication as prescribed preoperatively.
C.
Withhold the medication until the client is fully alert and vital signs are stable.
D.
Contact the health care provider to renew the prescription for the medication. - Correct Answer-D
Rationale: Medications prescribed preoperatively must be renewed postoperatively, so the nurse should
contact the health care provider if the antihypertensive medication is not included in the postoperative
prescriptions. The pharmacist does not prescribe medications or renew prescriptions. The nurse must
have a current prescription before administering any medications.
Which fluid will the nurse select to administer with the prescribed blood transfusion?
A.
5% Dextrose and water
B.
Normal saline
C.
Lactated Ringers solution
D.
1
,5% Dextrose and lactated ringers - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Normal saline solution is the only solution that is compatible with blood.
When assisting a client from the bed to a chair, which procedure is best for the nurse to follow?
A.
Place the chair parallel to the bed, with its back toward the head of the bed and assist the client in
moving to the chair.
B.
With the nurse's feet spread apart and knees aligned with the client's knees, stand and pivot the client
into the chair.
C.
Assist the client to a standing position by gently lifting upward, underneath the axillae.
D.
Stand beside the client, place the client's arms around the nurse's neck, and gently move the client to
the chair. - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Option B describes the correct positioning of the nurse and affords the nurse a wide base of
support while stabilizing the client's knees when assisting to a standing position. The chair should be
placed at a 45-degree angle to the bed, with the back of the chair toward the head of the bed. Clients
should never be lifted under the axillae; this could damage nerves and strain the nurse's back. The client
should be instructed to use the arms of the chair and should never place his or her arms around the
nurse's neck; this places undue stress on the nurse's neck and back and increases the risk for a fall.
The nurse is called to the waiting room of a pediatric clinic. The frantic mother states, "I think my 4-
month-old baby is choking!" What steps will the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A.
Compress the chest once between the nipples with two fingers.
B.
Note any obstruction or absence of breathing.
C.
Deliver five backslaps between the shoulder blades.
D.
Place the infant over the nurse's arm.
2
,E.
Perform a blind finger sweep. - Correct Answer-B, C, D
Rationale: The fingers are placed at the same location on an infant as chest compressions for CPR;
however, the nurse must deliver five chest thrusts, after the five back slaps. Blind sweeps are not used
as this action may push the object deeper into the throat. The remaining steps are correct.
The nurse observes a UAP taking a client's blood pressure in the lower extremity. Which observation of
this procedure requires the nurse to intervene with the UAP's approach?
A.
The cuff wraps around the girth of the leg.
B.
The UAP auscultates the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg.
C.
The client is placed in a prone position.
D.
The systolic reading is 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm. - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: When obtaining the blood pressure in the lower extremities, the popliteal pulse is the site for
auscultation when the blood pressure cuff is applied around the thigh. The nurse should intervene with
the UAP who has applied the cuff on the lower leg. Option A ensures an accurate assessment, and
option C provides the best access to the artery. Systolic pressure in the popliteal artery is usually 10 to
40 mm Hg higher than in the brachial artery.
During a clinic visit, the mother of a 7-year-old reports to the nurse that her child is often awake until
midnight playing and is then very difficult to awaken in the morning for school. Which assessment data
should the nurse obtain in response to the mother's concern?
A.
The occurrence of any episodes of sleep apnea
B.
The child's blood pressure, pulse, and respirations
C.
Length of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep that the child is experiencing
3
, D.
Description of the family's home environment - Correct Answer-D
Rationale: School-age children often resist bedtime. The nurse should begin by assessing the
environment of the home to determine factors that may not be conducive to the establishment of
bedtime rituals that promote sleep. Option A often causes daytime fatigue rather than resistance to
going to sleep. Option B is unlikely to provide useful data. The nurse cannot determine option C.
The nurse identifies a potential for infection in a client with partial-thickness (second-degree) and full-
thickness (third-degree) burns. What action has the highest priority in decreasing the client's risk of
infection?
A.
Administration of plasma expanders
B.
Use of careful handwashing technique
C.
Application of a topical antibacterial cream
D.
Limiting visitors to the client with burns - Correct Answer-B
Rationale: Careful handwashing technique is the single most effective intervention for the prevention of
contamination to all clients. Option A reverses the hypovolemia that initially accompanies burn trauma
but is not related to decreasing the proliferation of infective organisms. Options C and D are
recommended by various burn centers as possible ways to reduce the chance of infection. Option B is a
proven technique to prevent infection.
The nurse assesses a 2-year-old who is admitted for dehydration and finds that the peripheral IV rate by
gravity has slowed, even though the venous access site is healthy. What should the nurse do next?
A.
Apply a warm compress proximal to the site.
B.
Check for kinks in the tubing and raise the IV pole.
C.
Adjust the tape that stabilizes the needle.
4
