ATI COMPREHENSIVE EXIT EXAM RETAKE Actual
Exam 2026/2027 – Complete Questions and
Answers with Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Total Questions: 180 | Time: 240 min | Pass: Level 2 Proficiency
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 | Management of Care | Q1 – Q25
Section 2 | Safety & Infection Control | Q26 – Q50
Section 3 | Health Promotion & Maintenance | Q51 – Q73
Section 4 | Psychosocial Integrity | Q74 – Q96
Section 5 | Basic Care & Comfort | Q97 – Q114
Section 6 | Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies | Q115 – Q137
Section 7 | Reduction of Risk Potential | Q138 – Q160
Section 8 | Physiological Adaptation | Q161 – Q180
Instructions: Choose the single best answer. Pass: Level 2 proficiency in 240 minutes.
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: MANAGEMENT OF CARE Q1 – Q25
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 180
A nurse manager on a busy medical-surgical unit receives a call from the emergency
department that four patients will be admitted within the next hour. The unit currently
has 28 occupied beds out of 30, with two nurses scheduled to leave at the end of their
shift in 30 minutes and no replacement staff available. The nurse manager's first priority
is to:
A. Call off all elective admissions for the remainder of the day to reduce census
B. Assess patient acuity on the unit and request emergency staffing from the house
supervisor
,C. Ask the two departing nurses to work a mandatory double shift
D. Transfer two stable patients to a long-term care facility to free up beds
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assessing current patient acuity and requesting emergency staffing through
proper chain of command ensures safe nurse-to-patient ratios before accepting new
admissions. Canceling elective admissions is a downstream administrative decision
that the manager may not have authority to make independently. Mandatory overtime is
an inappropriate first response that violates labor agreements and contributes to nurse
burnout.
Question 2 of 180
A charge nurse is reviewing assignments for the oncoming shift. A registered nurse with
2 years of experience on the unit is paired with a newly licensed nurse who graduated
last month. The charge nurse should assign this team to care for:
A. Four patients including a postoperative day one craniotomy and a patient on
vasoactive drips
B. A group of medical patients with stable chronic conditions and one postoperative
patient day two
C. Two patients in isolation for multidrug-resistant organisms and a patient with a chest
tube
D. A patient requiring conscious sedation for a bedside procedure and a fresh
tracheostomy
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A team with one experienced nurse and one new graduate is best suited for a
group of stable medical patients and one routine postoperative patient, allowing the
preceptor to supervise while building the new nurse's confidence. Craniotomy patients,
vasoactive drips, conscious sedation, and fresh tracheostomies require advanced
assessment skills and should be assigned to more experienced nurses. Isolation
,precautions add complexity that may overwhelm a new graduate during the orientation
period.
Question 3 of 180
A nurse is caring for a patient who requires a blood transfusion. The unit is
short-staffed, and the nurse is asked to assume care of an additional patient while the
transfusion is running. The nurse should:
A. Accept the additional patient because all nurses must be flexible during staffing
shortages
B. Refuse the additional assignment and document the staffing concern in the incident
report
C. Complete the transfusion and then accept the new patient to avoid splitting attention
D. Request that another nurse take over the transfusion so the new patient can be
assumed
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Blood transfusions require vigilant monitoring for acute reactions, and
accepting an additional patient during this high-risk procedure compromises patient
safety and the nurse's ability to respond to emergencies. Refusing the assignment and
documenting the staffing concern through proper channels protects both patients
without abandoning care. Completing the transfusion first delays care for the new
patient, and transferring an in-progress transfusion introduces handoff risks.
Question 4 of 180
A nurse is delegating morning care tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel. The
nurse appropriately assigns the UAP to:
A. Evaluate a postoperative patient's pain level using the numeric rating scale
B. Measure and record vital signs for a patient being discharged later in the day
C. Insert a nasogastric tube for a patient with a small bowel obstruction
D. Assess a patient's surgical incision for signs of dehiscence or infection
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Measuring and recording vital signs for a stable patient being discharged is
within the UAP's scope of practice when the task is routine and the nurse verifies the
findings. Pain assessment requires clinical judgment and cannot be delegated, and both
nasogastric tube insertion and incision assessment require nursing licensure and
specialized training. The nurse retains accountability for all delegated tasks.
Question 5 of 180
A nurse is participating in a quality improvement project to reduce hospital-acquired
pressure injuries. The nurse reviews data and discovers that most injuries occur within
the first 24 hours of admission. The nurse should recommend that the team focus on:
A. Improving the initial skin risk assessment and documentation upon admission
B. Increasing the frequency of patient turning to every hour instead of every two hours
C. Purchasing more expensive specialty mattresses for all patient rooms
D. Discharging patients within 12 hours to reduce exposure to the hospital environment
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Since pressure injuries are occurring within the first 24 hours, the root cause
is likely a failure to identify high-risk patients during the initial admission assessment,
which delays preventive interventions. Turning every hour is impractical and may cause
sleep deprivation, and expensive equipment is not indicated for all patients. Discharging
patients within 12 hours is not clinically appropriate and does not address the
assessment gap.
Question 6 of 180
A nurse is caring for a patient who has a do-not-resuscitate order documented in the
electronic health record. A family member arrives and demands that the nurse "do
everything" if the patient's heart stops. The nurse should:
Exam 2026/2027 – Complete Questions and
Answers with Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Total Questions: 180 | Time: 240 min | Pass: Level 2 Proficiency
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 | Management of Care | Q1 – Q25
Section 2 | Safety & Infection Control | Q26 – Q50
Section 3 | Health Promotion & Maintenance | Q51 – Q73
Section 4 | Psychosocial Integrity | Q74 – Q96
Section 5 | Basic Care & Comfort | Q97 – Q114
Section 6 | Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies | Q115 – Q137
Section 7 | Reduction of Risk Potential | Q138 – Q160
Section 8 | Physiological Adaptation | Q161 – Q180
Instructions: Choose the single best answer. Pass: Level 2 proficiency in 240 minutes.
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: MANAGEMENT OF CARE Q1 – Q25
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 180
A nurse manager on a busy medical-surgical unit receives a call from the emergency
department that four patients will be admitted within the next hour. The unit currently
has 28 occupied beds out of 30, with two nurses scheduled to leave at the end of their
shift in 30 minutes and no replacement staff available. The nurse manager's first priority
is to:
A. Call off all elective admissions for the remainder of the day to reduce census
B. Assess patient acuity on the unit and request emergency staffing from the house
supervisor
,C. Ask the two departing nurses to work a mandatory double shift
D. Transfer two stable patients to a long-term care facility to free up beds
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assessing current patient acuity and requesting emergency staffing through
proper chain of command ensures safe nurse-to-patient ratios before accepting new
admissions. Canceling elective admissions is a downstream administrative decision
that the manager may not have authority to make independently. Mandatory overtime is
an inappropriate first response that violates labor agreements and contributes to nurse
burnout.
Question 2 of 180
A charge nurse is reviewing assignments for the oncoming shift. A registered nurse with
2 years of experience on the unit is paired with a newly licensed nurse who graduated
last month. The charge nurse should assign this team to care for:
A. Four patients including a postoperative day one craniotomy and a patient on
vasoactive drips
B. A group of medical patients with stable chronic conditions and one postoperative
patient day two
C. Two patients in isolation for multidrug-resistant organisms and a patient with a chest
tube
D. A patient requiring conscious sedation for a bedside procedure and a fresh
tracheostomy
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A team with one experienced nurse and one new graduate is best suited for a
group of stable medical patients and one routine postoperative patient, allowing the
preceptor to supervise while building the new nurse's confidence. Craniotomy patients,
vasoactive drips, conscious sedation, and fresh tracheostomies require advanced
assessment skills and should be assigned to more experienced nurses. Isolation
,precautions add complexity that may overwhelm a new graduate during the orientation
period.
Question 3 of 180
A nurse is caring for a patient who requires a blood transfusion. The unit is
short-staffed, and the nurse is asked to assume care of an additional patient while the
transfusion is running. The nurse should:
A. Accept the additional patient because all nurses must be flexible during staffing
shortages
B. Refuse the additional assignment and document the staffing concern in the incident
report
C. Complete the transfusion and then accept the new patient to avoid splitting attention
D. Request that another nurse take over the transfusion so the new patient can be
assumed
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Blood transfusions require vigilant monitoring for acute reactions, and
accepting an additional patient during this high-risk procedure compromises patient
safety and the nurse's ability to respond to emergencies. Refusing the assignment and
documenting the staffing concern through proper channels protects both patients
without abandoning care. Completing the transfusion first delays care for the new
patient, and transferring an in-progress transfusion introduces handoff risks.
Question 4 of 180
A nurse is delegating morning care tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel. The
nurse appropriately assigns the UAP to:
A. Evaluate a postoperative patient's pain level using the numeric rating scale
B. Measure and record vital signs for a patient being discharged later in the day
C. Insert a nasogastric tube for a patient with a small bowel obstruction
D. Assess a patient's surgical incision for signs of dehiscence or infection
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Measuring and recording vital signs for a stable patient being discharged is
within the UAP's scope of practice when the task is routine and the nurse verifies the
findings. Pain assessment requires clinical judgment and cannot be delegated, and both
nasogastric tube insertion and incision assessment require nursing licensure and
specialized training. The nurse retains accountability for all delegated tasks.
Question 5 of 180
A nurse is participating in a quality improvement project to reduce hospital-acquired
pressure injuries. The nurse reviews data and discovers that most injuries occur within
the first 24 hours of admission. The nurse should recommend that the team focus on:
A. Improving the initial skin risk assessment and documentation upon admission
B. Increasing the frequency of patient turning to every hour instead of every two hours
C. Purchasing more expensive specialty mattresses for all patient rooms
D. Discharging patients within 12 hours to reduce exposure to the hospital environment
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Since pressure injuries are occurring within the first 24 hours, the root cause
is likely a failure to identify high-risk patients during the initial admission assessment,
which delays preventive interventions. Turning every hour is impractical and may cause
sleep deprivation, and expensive equipment is not indicated for all patients. Discharging
patients within 12 hours is not clinically appropriate and does not address the
assessment gap.
Question 6 of 180
A nurse is caring for a patient who has a do-not-resuscitate order documented in the
electronic health record. A family member arrives and demands that the nurse "do
everything" if the patient's heart stops. The nurse should:
