ATI FUNDAMENTALS EXIT EXAM
2026: CASE-BASED QUESTIONS &
RATIONALES : QUESTIONS AND
RATIONALES/GRADED A+
UPDATE 100% CORRECT
Comprehensive Practice Test for Nursing Students
SECTION 1: SAFETY & INFECTION CONTROL (Questions 1-
15)
Question 1
A 78-year-old male patient is admitted with Clostridioides difficile infection. Which
isolation precaution should the nurse implement?
A) Airborne precautions
B) Droplet precautions
C) Contact precautions ✅
D) Protective precautions
Rationale: Contact precautions are required for C. diff because it spreads via direct
contact with contaminated surfaces or fecal-oral route. Airborne precautions are for
TB/measles. Droplet for flu/meningitis. Protective for immunocompromised.
Question 2
,A nurse enters a patient's room and finds the patient on the floor beside the bed.
What is the nurse's priority action?
A) Call the provider immediately
B) Assess the patient for injuries ✅
C) Complete an incident report
D) Help the patient back to bed
Rationale: Assessment of airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) and injury status
is priority. After assessing and stabilizing, notify provider, then complete incident
report.
Question 3
A nurse is applying restraints to a confused patient pulling at IV lines. Which action
demonstrates correct restraint use?
A) Apply restraints for 4 hours before reassessment
B) Tie restraints to the side rail for easy access
C) Remove restraints every 2 hours to assess skin and offer movement ✅
D) Use restraints as a first-line intervention
Rationale: Restraints require q2h removal, ROM exercises, skin assessment, and
toileting. Maximum 4 hours for adults, 2 hours for 9-17 years, 1 hour for <9 years.
Never tie to side rails.
Question 4
The nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. Which technique is
correct for maintaining sterility?
A) Open the outer sterile package toward the body
B) Maintain one sterile gloved hand and one unsterile hand ✅
C) Place sterile field 2 inches from the body
D) Use clean gloves for the entire procedure
Rationale: One sterile hand handles catheter and supplies; unsterile hand manages
labia/penis. Outer package opened away from body. Sterile field at waist level, 1 inch
from body edge.
Question 5
, A patient on droplet precautions needs transport to radiology. Which action is
correct?
A) Cancel the transport to avoid exposure
B) Have the patient wear an N95 mask
C) Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport ✅
D) Remove precautions since transport is brief
Rationale: Patient wears surgical mask during transport to contain droplets.
Healthcare workers wear mask within 3 feet. N95 is for airborne precautions.
Question 6
The nurse notes a small fire in a patient's trash can. What is the priority action using
RACE?
A) Pull the fire alarm
B) Rescue the patient from the room ✅
C) Extinguish the fire
D) Close all doors
Rationale: RACE: Rescue (move patients), Alarm (activate), Contain (close doors),
Extinguish (use extinguisher). Patient safety is priority.
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a patient with active tuberculosis. Which mask type is required?
A) Surgical mask
B) N95 respirator ✅
C) Procedure mask
D) Cloth mask
Rationale: N95 respirator or PAPR is required for airborne precautions (TB, measles,
varicella). Surgical masks are for droplet precautions.
Question 8
The nurse accidentally receives a needlestick injury after injecting a patient. What is
the first action?
A) Report to employee health
B) Wash the site with soap and water ✅
2026: CASE-BASED QUESTIONS &
RATIONALES : QUESTIONS AND
RATIONALES/GRADED A+
UPDATE 100% CORRECT
Comprehensive Practice Test for Nursing Students
SECTION 1: SAFETY & INFECTION CONTROL (Questions 1-
15)
Question 1
A 78-year-old male patient is admitted with Clostridioides difficile infection. Which
isolation precaution should the nurse implement?
A) Airborne precautions
B) Droplet precautions
C) Contact precautions ✅
D) Protective precautions
Rationale: Contact precautions are required for C. diff because it spreads via direct
contact with contaminated surfaces or fecal-oral route. Airborne precautions are for
TB/measles. Droplet for flu/meningitis. Protective for immunocompromised.
Question 2
,A nurse enters a patient's room and finds the patient on the floor beside the bed.
What is the nurse's priority action?
A) Call the provider immediately
B) Assess the patient for injuries ✅
C) Complete an incident report
D) Help the patient back to bed
Rationale: Assessment of airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) and injury status
is priority. After assessing and stabilizing, notify provider, then complete incident
report.
Question 3
A nurse is applying restraints to a confused patient pulling at IV lines. Which action
demonstrates correct restraint use?
A) Apply restraints for 4 hours before reassessment
B) Tie restraints to the side rail for easy access
C) Remove restraints every 2 hours to assess skin and offer movement ✅
D) Use restraints as a first-line intervention
Rationale: Restraints require q2h removal, ROM exercises, skin assessment, and
toileting. Maximum 4 hours for adults, 2 hours for 9-17 years, 1 hour for <9 years.
Never tie to side rails.
Question 4
The nurse is preparing to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. Which technique is
correct for maintaining sterility?
A) Open the outer sterile package toward the body
B) Maintain one sterile gloved hand and one unsterile hand ✅
C) Place sterile field 2 inches from the body
D) Use clean gloves for the entire procedure
Rationale: One sterile hand handles catheter and supplies; unsterile hand manages
labia/penis. Outer package opened away from body. Sterile field at waist level, 1 inch
from body edge.
Question 5
, A patient on droplet precautions needs transport to radiology. Which action is
correct?
A) Cancel the transport to avoid exposure
B) Have the patient wear an N95 mask
C) Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport ✅
D) Remove precautions since transport is brief
Rationale: Patient wears surgical mask during transport to contain droplets.
Healthcare workers wear mask within 3 feet. N95 is for airborne precautions.
Question 6
The nurse notes a small fire in a patient's trash can. What is the priority action using
RACE?
A) Pull the fire alarm
B) Rescue the patient from the room ✅
C) Extinguish the fire
D) Close all doors
Rationale: RACE: Rescue (move patients), Alarm (activate), Contain (close doors),
Extinguish (use extinguisher). Patient safety is priority.
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a patient with active tuberculosis. Which mask type is required?
A) Surgical mask
B) N95 respirator ✅
C) Procedure mask
D) Cloth mask
Rationale: N95 respirator or PAPR is required for airborne precautions (TB, measles,
varicella). Surgical masks are for droplet precautions.
Question 8
The nurse accidentally receives a needlestick injury after injecting a patient. What is
the first action?
A) Report to employee health
B) Wash the site with soap and water ✅
