HESI EXAM vc
Exam Solution vc
HESI: Medical Surgical Assignment Exam and Rationale vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
2026 A+ GRADE ASSURED COMPLETE SOLUTIONS AND vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
VERIFIED ANSWERS (FEDD2) vc vc
QUESTION 1 vc
Which assessment is most important for the nurse to perform on a client who is hospitali
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zed for Guillain- vc vc
Barre syndrome that is rapidly progressing? A: Respiratory effort. B: Unsteady gait. C: Int
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ensity of pain. D: Ability to eat. vc vc vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Respiratory Effort (Guillain-
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Barre syndrome causes paralysis or weakness that typically starts at the feet and progresses upwards. A
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s the condition progresses, the nurse must ensure that the client is able to breathe effectively.)
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QUESTION 2 vc
A male client comes into the clinic with a history of penile discharge with painful, burnin
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g urination. Which action should the nurse implement? A: Collect a culture of the penile
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discharge. B: Palpate the inguinal lymph nodes gently. C: Observe for scrotal swelling an
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d redness. D: Express the discharge to determine color.
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ANSWER
A: Collect a culture of the penile discharge. (Penile discharge with painful urination is commonly associa
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ted with gonorrhea. The nurse should collect a culture of the penile discharge to determine the cause of
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these symptoms. The cause must be determined or confirmed through culture to identify the organism a
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nd ensure effective treatment.)
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QUESTION 3 vc
A client with history of atrial fibrillation is admitted to the telemetry unit with sudden o
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nset of shortness of breath. The nurse observes a new irregular heart rhythm and should
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perform which assessment at this time? A: Check for a pulse deficit. B: Palpate the apical
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impulse. C: Inspect jugular vein pulse. D: Examine for a carotid bruit.
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,ANSWER
A: Check for a pulse deficit. (A client with a past history of atrial fibrillation may return to that rhythm.
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Any signs of atrial fibrillation, such as sudden onset shortness of breath, requires further investigation.
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The nurse should assess this client for a pulse deficit because this condition occurs with atrial fibrillatio
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n.)
QUESTION 4 vc
Which client should be further assessed for an ectopic pregnancy? A: A 24-year-
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old with shoulder and lower abdominal quadrant pain. B: A 33-year-
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old with intermittent lower abdominal cramping. C: A 20-year-
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old with fever and right lower abdominal colic. D: A 40-year-
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old with jaundice and right lower abdominal pain.
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ANSWER
A: A 24-year-old with shoulder and lower abdominal quadrant pain. (A 24-year-
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old with sudden onset of lower abdominal quadrant pain should be assessed for an ectopic pregnancy. T
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he pain can also be referred to the shoulder and may be associated with vaginal bleeding.)
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QUESTION 5 vc
Which dietary assessment finding is most important for the nurse to address when carin
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g for a client with diabetic nephropathy? A: Drinks a six pack of beer every day. B: Enjoys
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a hamburger once a month. C: Eats fortified breakfast cereal daily. D: Consumes beans a
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nd rice every day.
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ANSWER
A: Drinks a six pack of beer every day. (Drinking six beers every day is the dietary assessment finding m
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ost important for the nurse to address when caring for a client with diabetic nephropathy. The usual ca
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n of beer is 12 ounces (355 mL). Clients with diabetes are recommended to drink no more than 12 ounc
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es of beer per day because beer contains carbohydrates that can create unhealthy fluctuations in blood
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glucose and promote poorglucose control. Nephropathy is exacerbated by poor blood glucose control.)
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QUESTION 6 vc
Which assessment finding is of greatest concern to the nurse who is caring for a client wi
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th stomatitis? A: Cough brought on by swallowing. B: Sore throat caused by speaking. C: P
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ainful and dry oral cavity. D: Unintended weight loss.
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ANSWER
A: Cough brought on by swallowing. A cough brought on by swallowing is a sign of dysphagia, which is
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a finding of particular concern in a client with stomatitis. Dysphagia can cause numerous problems, incl
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uding airway obstruction, and should be reported to the healthcare provider immediately.
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, QUESTION 7 vc
The nurse is teaching a client diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. Which genitour
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inary system complication should the nurse include in the teaching? A: Altered sexual re
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sponse. B: Sterility. C: Urinary incontinence. D: Decreased pelvic muscle tone.
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ANSWER
A: Altered sexual response. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular condition characterized
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by narrowing of the arteries and reduced blood flow to the extremities. PAD is known to alter the blood
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flow to the male's penis and is associated with erectile dysfunction in men.
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QUESTION 8 vc
A 40-year-
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old female client has a history of smoking. Which finding should the nurse identify as a ri
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sk factor for myocardia infarction? A: Oral contraceptives. B: Senile osteopenia. C: Levoth
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yroxine therapy. D: Pernicious anemia. vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Oral contraceptives. Women older than 35 years old who smoke and take oral contraceptives have an
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increased risk of myocardial infarction or stroke.
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QUESTION 9 vc
A client has been told that there is cataract formation over both eyes. Which finding shou
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ld the nurse expect when assessing the client? A: Decreased color perception. B: Presenc
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e of floaters. C: Loss of central vision. D: Reduced peripheral vision.
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ANSWER
A: Decreased color perception. Decreased color perception occurs with cataract formation. Cataract for
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mation is also associated with blurred vision and a global loss of vision so gradual that the client may n
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ot be aware of it.
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QUESTION 10 vc
Which assessment finding should most concern the nurse who is monitoring a client two
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hours after a thoracentesis? A: New onset of coughing. B: Low resting heart rate. C: Diste
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nded neck veins. D: Decreased shallow respirations.
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ANSWER
A: New onset of coughing. A pneumothorax (partial or complete lung collapse) is the potential complicat
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ion of a thoracentesis. Manifestations of a pneumothorax include new onset of a nagging cough, tachycar
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dia, and an increased shallow respiration rate.
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Exam Solution vc
HESI: Medical Surgical Assignment Exam and Rationale vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
2026 A+ GRADE ASSURED COMPLETE SOLUTIONS AND vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
VERIFIED ANSWERS (FEDD2) vc vc
QUESTION 1 vc
Which assessment is most important for the nurse to perform on a client who is hospitali
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
zed for Guillain- vc vc
Barre syndrome that is rapidly progressing? A: Respiratory effort. B: Unsteady gait. C: Int
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
ensity of pain. D: Ability to eat. vc vc vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Respiratory Effort (Guillain-
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Barre syndrome causes paralysis or weakness that typically starts at the feet and progresses upwards. A
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s the condition progresses, the nurse must ensure that the client is able to breathe effectively.)
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QUESTION 2 vc
A male client comes into the clinic with a history of penile discharge with painful, burnin
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g urination. Which action should the nurse implement? A: Collect a culture of the penile
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discharge. B: Palpate the inguinal lymph nodes gently. C: Observe for scrotal swelling an
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d redness. D: Express the discharge to determine color.
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ANSWER
A: Collect a culture of the penile discharge. (Penile discharge with painful urination is commonly associa
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ted with gonorrhea. The nurse should collect a culture of the penile discharge to determine the cause of
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these symptoms. The cause must be determined or confirmed through culture to identify the organism a
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nd ensure effective treatment.)
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QUESTION 3 vc
A client with history of atrial fibrillation is admitted to the telemetry unit with sudden o
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nset of shortness of breath. The nurse observes a new irregular heart rhythm and should
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perform which assessment at this time? A: Check for a pulse deficit. B: Palpate the apical
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impulse. C: Inspect jugular vein pulse. D: Examine for a carotid bruit.
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,ANSWER
A: Check for a pulse deficit. (A client with a past history of atrial fibrillation may return to that rhythm.
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Any signs of atrial fibrillation, such as sudden onset shortness of breath, requires further investigation.
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The nurse should assess this client for a pulse deficit because this condition occurs with atrial fibrillatio
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n.)
QUESTION 4 vc
Which client should be further assessed for an ectopic pregnancy? A: A 24-year-
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old with shoulder and lower abdominal quadrant pain. B: A 33-year-
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old with intermittent lower abdominal cramping. C: A 20-year-
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old with fever and right lower abdominal colic. D: A 40-year-
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old with jaundice and right lower abdominal pain.
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ANSWER
A: A 24-year-old with shoulder and lower abdominal quadrant pain. (A 24-year-
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old with sudden onset of lower abdominal quadrant pain should be assessed for an ectopic pregnancy. T
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he pain can also be referred to the shoulder and may be associated with vaginal bleeding.)
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QUESTION 5 vc
Which dietary assessment finding is most important for the nurse to address when carin
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g for a client with diabetic nephropathy? A: Drinks a six pack of beer every day. B: Enjoys
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a hamburger once a month. C: Eats fortified breakfast cereal daily. D: Consumes beans a
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nd rice every day.
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ANSWER
A: Drinks a six pack of beer every day. (Drinking six beers every day is the dietary assessment finding m
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ost important for the nurse to address when caring for a client with diabetic nephropathy. The usual ca
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n of beer is 12 ounces (355 mL). Clients with diabetes are recommended to drink no more than 12 ounc
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es of beer per day because beer contains carbohydrates that can create unhealthy fluctuations in blood
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glucose and promote poorglucose control. Nephropathy is exacerbated by poor blood glucose control.)
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QUESTION 6 vc
Which assessment finding is of greatest concern to the nurse who is caring for a client wi
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th stomatitis? A: Cough brought on by swallowing. B: Sore throat caused by speaking. C: P
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ainful and dry oral cavity. D: Unintended weight loss.
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ANSWER
A: Cough brought on by swallowing. A cough brought on by swallowing is a sign of dysphagia, which is
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
a finding of particular concern in a client with stomatitis. Dysphagia can cause numerous problems, incl
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uding airway obstruction, and should be reported to the healthcare provider immediately.
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
, QUESTION 7 vc
The nurse is teaching a client diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. Which genitour
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
inary system complication should the nurse include in the teaching? A: Altered sexual re
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sponse. B: Sterility. C: Urinary incontinence. D: Decreased pelvic muscle tone.
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Altered sexual response. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular condition characterized
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by narrowing of the arteries and reduced blood flow to the extremities. PAD is known to alter the blood
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flow to the male's penis and is associated with erectile dysfunction in men.
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QUESTION 8 vc
A 40-year-
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old female client has a history of smoking. Which finding should the nurse identify as a ri
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sk factor for myocardia infarction? A: Oral contraceptives. B: Senile osteopenia. C: Levoth
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yroxine therapy. D: Pernicious anemia. vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Oral contraceptives. Women older than 35 years old who smoke and take oral contraceptives have an
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increased risk of myocardial infarction or stroke.
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
QUESTION 9 vc
A client has been told that there is cataract formation over both eyes. Which finding shou
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ld the nurse expect when assessing the client? A: Decreased color perception. B: Presenc
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e of floaters. C: Loss of central vision. D: Reduced peripheral vision.
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
ANSWER
A: Decreased color perception. Decreased color perception occurs with cataract formation. Cataract for
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
mation is also associated with blurred vision and a global loss of vision so gradual that the client may n
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ot be aware of it.
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QUESTION 10 vc
Which assessment finding should most concern the nurse who is monitoring a client two
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hours after a thoracentesis? A: New onset of coughing. B: Low resting heart rate. C: Diste
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
nded neck veins. D: Decreased shallow respirations.
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ANSWER
A: New onset of coughing. A pneumothorax (partial or complete lung collapse) is the potential complicat
vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc vc
ion of a thoracentesis. Manifestations of a pneumothorax include new onset of a nagging cough, tachycar
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dia, and an increased shallow respiration rate.
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