1
RN Fundamentals Exam Actual Exam
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified –
Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
VERSION 1 (V1) - Safety, Infection Control, Basic Care & Comfort (Questions 1-50)
Q1: Which of the following is a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) related to identifying
patients correctly?
A. Use at least two patient identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) when providing care,
treatment, or services.
B. Perform hand hygiene before entering every patient room.
C. Ensure all patients have a fall risk assessment upon admission.
D. Label all medication containers off the patient's bedside.
Correct Answer: A
A. Use at least two patient identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) when providing care,
treatment, or services. [CORRECT]
Rationale: The NPSG for patient identification requires the use of at least two identifiers (neither
being the room number) whenever administering medications or blood, or collecting blood
samples and other specimens for clinical testing. Hand hygiene and fall prevention are also
NPSGs but distinct goals.
Q2: A nurse is using the Morse Fall Scale to assess a patient. Which of the following findings
contributes the highest score to the fall risk?
A. History of falling.
B. Secondary diagnosis (more than one medical diagnosis).
C. Ambulatory aid usage (walker/crutches).
D. IV therapy/heparin lock.
Correct Answer: A
A. History of falling. [CORRECT]
,2
Rationale: On the Morse Fall Scale, a history of falling (immediate or within 3 months) receives
the highest score (25 points). Ambulatory aid (15) and IV therapy (20) score lower. Immediate
history of falling is a strong predictor of future falls.
Q3: A nurse is caring for a patient who is on Contact Precautions for Clostridioides difficile (C.
diff). Which action is most important to prevent the spread of infection?
A. Wear a gown and gloves upon entering the room.
B. Wear an N95 respirator.
C. Place the patient in a negative pressure room.
D. Perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub after removing gloves.
Correct Answer: A
A. Wear a gown and gloves upon entering the room. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Contact Precautions require the use of gown and gloves to prevent contact with the
infectious agent. Alcohol-based hand rub is not effective against C. diff spores; soap and water
must be used. N95 and negative pressure are for Airborne Precautions.
Q4: The nurse is preparing to administer a medication via the intramuscular (IM) route to an
adult patient. Which site is preferred for the administration of viscous medications or larger
volumes (>3 mL)?
A. Deltoid muscle.
B. Ventrogluteal muscle.
C. Dorsogluteal muscle.
D. Vastus lateralis muscle.
Correct Answer: B
B. Ventrogluteal muscle. [CORRECT]
Rationale: The ventrogluteal site is free of major nerves and blood vessels and can accommodate
larger volumes (up to 5 mL) of medication. It is considered the safest and preferred site for IM
injections in adults. The dorsogluteal site is avoided due to the risk of sciatic nerve injury.
,3
Q5: A patient is complaining of severe abdominal pain. The nurse asks the patient to describe the
pain. Which of the following is an example of using the "PQRST" method?
A. "Does the pain radiate to your back?"
B. "What does the pain feel like: sharp, dull, or burning?"
C. "How many times have you vomited?"
D. "Are you allergic to any pain medications?"
Correct Answer: B
B. "What does the pain feel like: sharp, dull, or burning?" [CORRECT]
Rationale: The "Q" in PQRST stands for Quality, asking the patient to describe the quality of the
pain. "P" is Provocation/Palliation, "R" is Region/Radiation, "S" is Severity, and "T" is Timing.
Q6: The nurse is performing bed bath for an older adult patient. Which action should the nurse
take to maintain the patient's dignity and privacy?
A. Close the room door and pull the curtains.
B. Wash the patient's face first with cold water.
C. Wear sterile gloves.
D. Refrain from speaking to the patient to speed up the bath.
Correct Answer: A
A. Close the room door and pull the curtains. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Closing the door and curtains ensures privacy and dignity, which is crucial when
patients are in a vulnerable state. Warm water should be used for bathing, clean gloves are
sufficient (not sterile), and conversation helps reduce anxiety and comfort the patient.
Q7: A patient has a nasogastric (NG) tube to suction. Which method should the nurse use to
verify the placement of the tube before administering medications or feedings?
A. Injecting 30 mL of air and auscultating over the epigastrium.
B. Aspirating gastric contents and testing the pH (expected pH < 5.5).
C. Checking the length of the tube at the nose.
D. Obtaining an abdominal X-ray.
, 4
Correct Answer: B
B. Aspirating gastric contents and testing the pH (expected pH < 5.5). [CORRECT]
Rationale: The most reliable bedside method is to aspirate gastric contents and test the pH.
Gastric fluid is acidic (pH 1-5). While X-ray is the gold standard, pH testing is the recommended
initial verification. Auscultating air insufflation is no longer recommended as it can be
misleading.
Q8: The nurse is caring for a patient who has a new colostomy. The nurse observes that the
stoma is pink, moist, and shiny. The nurse interprets this as:
A. Healthy and viable.
B. Ischemic and compromised.
C. Infected.
D. Healing incorrectly.
Correct Answer: A
A. Healthy and viable. [CORRECT]
Rationale: A healthy stoma should be pink/red, moist, and shiny, resembling the mucous
membrane inside the mouth. A dark, dusky, or pale stoma indicates ischemia or necrosis. A deep
purple or black color indicates tissue death.
Q9: Which diet is most appropriate for a patient 24 hours after a tonsillectomy?
A. Clear liquid.
B. Full liquid.
C. Mechanical soft.
D. Regular.
Correct Answer: B
B. Full liquid. [CORRECT]
Rationale: After a tonsillectomy, the patient is usually advanced from clear liquids to full liquids
as tolerated. Red or acidic foods are avoided initially due to the risk of bleeding and throat
irritation. Mechanical soft is introduced once the patient can swallow without difficulty or
bleeding.
RN Fundamentals Exam Actual Exam
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified –
Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
VERSION 1 (V1) - Safety, Infection Control, Basic Care & Comfort (Questions 1-50)
Q1: Which of the following is a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) related to identifying
patients correctly?
A. Use at least two patient identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) when providing care,
treatment, or services.
B. Perform hand hygiene before entering every patient room.
C. Ensure all patients have a fall risk assessment upon admission.
D. Label all medication containers off the patient's bedside.
Correct Answer: A
A. Use at least two patient identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) when providing care,
treatment, or services. [CORRECT]
Rationale: The NPSG for patient identification requires the use of at least two identifiers (neither
being the room number) whenever administering medications or blood, or collecting blood
samples and other specimens for clinical testing. Hand hygiene and fall prevention are also
NPSGs but distinct goals.
Q2: A nurse is using the Morse Fall Scale to assess a patient. Which of the following findings
contributes the highest score to the fall risk?
A. History of falling.
B. Secondary diagnosis (more than one medical diagnosis).
C. Ambulatory aid usage (walker/crutches).
D. IV therapy/heparin lock.
Correct Answer: A
A. History of falling. [CORRECT]
,2
Rationale: On the Morse Fall Scale, a history of falling (immediate or within 3 months) receives
the highest score (25 points). Ambulatory aid (15) and IV therapy (20) score lower. Immediate
history of falling is a strong predictor of future falls.
Q3: A nurse is caring for a patient who is on Contact Precautions for Clostridioides difficile (C.
diff). Which action is most important to prevent the spread of infection?
A. Wear a gown and gloves upon entering the room.
B. Wear an N95 respirator.
C. Place the patient in a negative pressure room.
D. Perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub after removing gloves.
Correct Answer: A
A. Wear a gown and gloves upon entering the room. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Contact Precautions require the use of gown and gloves to prevent contact with the
infectious agent. Alcohol-based hand rub is not effective against C. diff spores; soap and water
must be used. N95 and negative pressure are for Airborne Precautions.
Q4: The nurse is preparing to administer a medication via the intramuscular (IM) route to an
adult patient. Which site is preferred for the administration of viscous medications or larger
volumes (>3 mL)?
A. Deltoid muscle.
B. Ventrogluteal muscle.
C. Dorsogluteal muscle.
D. Vastus lateralis muscle.
Correct Answer: B
B. Ventrogluteal muscle. [CORRECT]
Rationale: The ventrogluteal site is free of major nerves and blood vessels and can accommodate
larger volumes (up to 5 mL) of medication. It is considered the safest and preferred site for IM
injections in adults. The dorsogluteal site is avoided due to the risk of sciatic nerve injury.
,3
Q5: A patient is complaining of severe abdominal pain. The nurse asks the patient to describe the
pain. Which of the following is an example of using the "PQRST" method?
A. "Does the pain radiate to your back?"
B. "What does the pain feel like: sharp, dull, or burning?"
C. "How many times have you vomited?"
D. "Are you allergic to any pain medications?"
Correct Answer: B
B. "What does the pain feel like: sharp, dull, or burning?" [CORRECT]
Rationale: The "Q" in PQRST stands for Quality, asking the patient to describe the quality of the
pain. "P" is Provocation/Palliation, "R" is Region/Radiation, "S" is Severity, and "T" is Timing.
Q6: The nurse is performing bed bath for an older adult patient. Which action should the nurse
take to maintain the patient's dignity and privacy?
A. Close the room door and pull the curtains.
B. Wash the patient's face first with cold water.
C. Wear sterile gloves.
D. Refrain from speaking to the patient to speed up the bath.
Correct Answer: A
A. Close the room door and pull the curtains. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Closing the door and curtains ensures privacy and dignity, which is crucial when
patients are in a vulnerable state. Warm water should be used for bathing, clean gloves are
sufficient (not sterile), and conversation helps reduce anxiety and comfort the patient.
Q7: A patient has a nasogastric (NG) tube to suction. Which method should the nurse use to
verify the placement of the tube before administering medications or feedings?
A. Injecting 30 mL of air and auscultating over the epigastrium.
B. Aspirating gastric contents and testing the pH (expected pH < 5.5).
C. Checking the length of the tube at the nose.
D. Obtaining an abdominal X-ray.
, 4
Correct Answer: B
B. Aspirating gastric contents and testing the pH (expected pH < 5.5). [CORRECT]
Rationale: The most reliable bedside method is to aspirate gastric contents and test the pH.
Gastric fluid is acidic (pH 1-5). While X-ray is the gold standard, pH testing is the recommended
initial verification. Auscultating air insufflation is no longer recommended as it can be
misleading.
Q8: The nurse is caring for a patient who has a new colostomy. The nurse observes that the
stoma is pink, moist, and shiny. The nurse interprets this as:
A. Healthy and viable.
B. Ischemic and compromised.
C. Infected.
D. Healing incorrectly.
Correct Answer: A
A. Healthy and viable. [CORRECT]
Rationale: A healthy stoma should be pink/red, moist, and shiny, resembling the mucous
membrane inside the mouth. A dark, dusky, or pale stoma indicates ischemia or necrosis. A deep
purple or black color indicates tissue death.
Q9: Which diet is most appropriate for a patient 24 hours after a tonsillectomy?
A. Clear liquid.
B. Full liquid.
C. Mechanical soft.
D. Regular.
Correct Answer: B
B. Full liquid. [CORRECT]
Rationale: After a tonsillectomy, the patient is usually advanced from clear liquids to full liquids
as tolerated. Red or acidic foods are avoided initially due to the risk of bleeding and throat
irritation. Mechanical soft is introduced once the patient can swallow without difficulty or
bleeding.
