NCLEX PN Exam 2026 NGN | Verified Q&A Latest
Exam Questions Bank
Question 1**
**A client with type 2 diabetes mellitus is admitted with hyperglycemia.
The practical nurse (PN) observes a blood glucose level of 350 mg/dL.
Which action should the PN prioritize?**
A. Encourage the client to drink water immediately.
B. Administer sliding-scale insulin as prescribed.
C. Notify the healthcare provider of the glucose level.
D. Check the client's urine for ketones.
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The priority action is to treat the elevated blood
glucose. Administering sliding-scale insulin as prescribed directly
addresses the hyperglycemia by facilitating glucose uptake into cells.
Encouraging fluids (A) is important to prevent dehydration but is
secondary to insulin therapy. Notifying the provider (C) is not necessary
for a single high reading if a standing insulin protocol is in place.
Checking for ketones (D) is important to rule out diabetic ketoacidosis
(DKA), but the immediate life-threatening issue is the high glucose
level, which requires insulin .
---
,### **Question 2**
**The PN is caring for a client post-appendectomy who reports severe
abdominal pain. Which findings require immediate follow-up? (Select
all that apply.)**
A. Heart rate 110 beats/minute
B. Temperature 100.8°F (38.2°C)
C. Blood pressure 120/80 mmHg
D. Rigid abdomen on palpation
E. Pain rated 4/10 after analgesia
**Correct Answer: A, B, D**
**Rationale:** Tachycardia (A), fever (B), and a rigid abdomen (D) are
classic signs of peritonitis, a life-threatening complication following
abdominal surgery. These "red flag" findings indicate the need for
urgent medical evaluation. A normal blood pressure (C) is reassuring
but does not rule out early sepsis. Pain that is controlled (E) after
analgesia is an expected outcome, not an urgent finding .
---
### **Question 3**
, **A nurse is caring for a client who has just been admitted to the
nursing unit after receiving flame burns to the face and chest. The
nurse notes a hoarse cough and that the client is expectorating sputum
with black flecks. The client's eyelashes and eyebrows are singed, and
the eyelids are swollen. The client suddenly becomes restless, and his
color becomes dusky. The nurse interprets this data as indicating which
of the following?**
A. The client is having a panic attack.
B. The burn has probably caused laryngeal edema, which has occluded
the airway.
C. The client is developing a pulmonary infection.
D. The client is reacting to the pain medication.
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The findings of singed facial hair, hoarseness, black-
tinged sputum, and the sudden onset of restlessness and dusky color
are hallmark signs of an inhalation injury. This causes rapid and life-
threatening laryngeal edema, leading to airway obstruction. This is a
medical emergency requiring immediate intubation. While the client
may be anxious, the physical exam findings point directly to an organic
airway issue, not a panic attack (A). An infection (C) would take days to
develop, and pain medication (D) would cause respiratory depression,
not the described upper airway symptoms .
---
Exam Questions Bank
Question 1**
**A client with type 2 diabetes mellitus is admitted with hyperglycemia.
The practical nurse (PN) observes a blood glucose level of 350 mg/dL.
Which action should the PN prioritize?**
A. Encourage the client to drink water immediately.
B. Administer sliding-scale insulin as prescribed.
C. Notify the healthcare provider of the glucose level.
D. Check the client's urine for ketones.
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The priority action is to treat the elevated blood
glucose. Administering sliding-scale insulin as prescribed directly
addresses the hyperglycemia by facilitating glucose uptake into cells.
Encouraging fluids (A) is important to prevent dehydration but is
secondary to insulin therapy. Notifying the provider (C) is not necessary
for a single high reading if a standing insulin protocol is in place.
Checking for ketones (D) is important to rule out diabetic ketoacidosis
(DKA), but the immediate life-threatening issue is the high glucose
level, which requires insulin .
---
,### **Question 2**
**The PN is caring for a client post-appendectomy who reports severe
abdominal pain. Which findings require immediate follow-up? (Select
all that apply.)**
A. Heart rate 110 beats/minute
B. Temperature 100.8°F (38.2°C)
C. Blood pressure 120/80 mmHg
D. Rigid abdomen on palpation
E. Pain rated 4/10 after analgesia
**Correct Answer: A, B, D**
**Rationale:** Tachycardia (A), fever (B), and a rigid abdomen (D) are
classic signs of peritonitis, a life-threatening complication following
abdominal surgery. These "red flag" findings indicate the need for
urgent medical evaluation. A normal blood pressure (C) is reassuring
but does not rule out early sepsis. Pain that is controlled (E) after
analgesia is an expected outcome, not an urgent finding .
---
### **Question 3**
, **A nurse is caring for a client who has just been admitted to the
nursing unit after receiving flame burns to the face and chest. The
nurse notes a hoarse cough and that the client is expectorating sputum
with black flecks. The client's eyelashes and eyebrows are singed, and
the eyelids are swollen. The client suddenly becomes restless, and his
color becomes dusky. The nurse interprets this data as indicating which
of the following?**
A. The client is having a panic attack.
B. The burn has probably caused laryngeal edema, which has occluded
the airway.
C. The client is developing a pulmonary infection.
D. The client is reacting to the pain medication.
**Correct Answer: B**
**Rationale:** The findings of singed facial hair, hoarseness, black-
tinged sputum, and the sudden onset of restlessness and dusky color
are hallmark signs of an inhalation injury. This causes rapid and life-
threatening laryngeal edema, leading to airway obstruction. This is a
medical emergency requiring immediate intubation. While the client
may be anxious, the physical exam findings point directly to an organic
airway issue, not a panic attack (A). An infection (C) would take days to
develop, and pain medication (D) would cause respiratory depression,
not the described upper airway symptoms .
---
