ATI Fundamentals 2023 Proctored Exam
Review 2025/2026 Updated Practice
Questions & Verified Answers
1. A nurse is assisting with the care of a client who has a prescription for IV
therapy. The client reports numerous allergies. Which of the following allergies
should the nurse prioritize before initiation of therapy?
A. Eggs
B. Latex
C. Seafood
D. Bee stings
Correct Answer: B (Latex)
Rationale: Latex allergy is critical because IV tubing, injection ports, and many
supplies contain latex. Exposure can cause anaphylaxis. The nurse must use
latex-free equipment.
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for a high-protein diet
following surgery. The client's religion prohibits eating meat on particular days.
Which action should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the client to eat meat during this time to promote healing
B. Advise the client to eat everything on the tray except the meat
C. Suggest the client receive high-protein enteral feedings
D. Ask the dietitian to recommend alternative food choices for the client
Correct Answer: D (Ask the dietitian to recommend alternative food choices
for the client)
Rationale: The nurse respects the client’s religious dietary practices and consults
the dietitian to provide acceptable high-protein alternatives (e.g., eggs, legumes,
dairy).
3. A nurse is collecting data from a client who is 2 days postoperative following
colostomy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the
provider?
,A. A purple-colored stoma
B. Protrusion of the stoma
C. A small amount of bleeding from the stoma
D. Intestinal gas in the pouch
Correct Answer: A (A purple-colored stoma)
Rationale: A purple, dark, or dusky stoma indicates impaired blood supply
(ischemia) and must be reported immediately. Pink, red, moist stoma is normal.
4. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about carbohydrate counting with a client who
has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take first?
A. Use pictures of different food groups to help the client plan a daily meal plan
B. Ask the client what he already knows about meal planning
C. Give the client a brochure with sample menus for all meals
D. Involve the family in the discussion of the client’s meal plan
Correct Answer: B (Ask the client what he already knows about meal
planning)
Rationale: The first step in teaching is to assess the client’s baseline knowledge
to individualize instruction (ADPIE – assessment first).
5. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about self-administration of eye
drops. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding
of the teaching?
A. “I should cleanse my eye from the inner to the outer edge prior to the drops.”
B. “I should avoid pressing on my tear duct after putting the drops in my eyes.”
C. “I should hold the dropper tip against my eyeball to steady my hand.”
D. “I should wipe the dropper tip with alcohol between uses.”
Correct Answer: A (“I should cleanse my eye from the inner to the outer
edge prior to the drops.”)
Rationale: Cleansing from inner canthus to outer canthus prevents debris from
entering the nasolacrimal duct. Pressing on the tear duct (nasolacrimal occlusion)
is actually recommended to increase absorption; avoiding it is incorrect.
6. A nurse is assisting with the admission of an adult client to a medical-surgical
unit. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication
,that the client is stable and ready for routine admission?
A. Heart rate 89/min
B. Pink mucous membranes
C. Respiratory rate 26/min
D. Blood pressure 88/56 mm Hg
Correct Answer: B (Pink mucous membranes)
Rationale: Pink mucous membranes indicate adequate oxygenation and
perfusion. Tachycardia (89 is high normal but okay), tachypnea, and hypotension
are abnormal.
7. A nurse is planning to obtain a blood pressure on a client who is sitting in a
chair. The client’s arm is resting at the side of the chair. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take?
A. Leave the arm at the side, slightly flexed
B. Support the client’s arm at the level of the heart
C. Raise the arm above the heart to obtain a more accurate reading
D. Place the client supine before measuring
Correct Answer: B (Support the client’s arm at the level of the heart)
Rationale: For accurate BP, the arm should be supported at heart level. A
dependent arm (below heart) gives falsely high readings.
8. A nurse is caring for a client who has an indwelling urinary catheter. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take to prevent catheter-associated urinary
tract infection (CAUTI)?
A. Empty the drainage bag every 24 hours
B. Keep the drainage bag above the level of the bladder
C. Secure the catheter tubing to the client’s leg
D. Irrigate the catheter with sterile water daily
Correct Answer: C (Secure the catheter tubing to the client’s leg)
Rationale: Securing the catheter prevents urethral traction and meatal irritation,
reducing infection risk. Drainage bag should be below bladder, emptied q8h or
when full, and irrigation is not routine.
9. A nurse is reinforcing discharge teaching with a client who has a new
prescription for enoxaparin (Lovenox) injections. Which of the following
, instructions should the nurse include?
A. Massage the injection site after administration
B. Expel the air bubble from the prefilled syringe before injecting
C. Administer the injection in the abdomen
D. Aspirate for blood return before injecting
Correct Answer: C (Administer the injection in the abdomen)
Rationale: Enoxaparin is given subcutaneously in the abdomen, rotating sites.
The air bubble should not be expelled; massage is contraindicated; aspiration is
not recommended.
10. A nurse is checking a client’s capillary refill. Which of the following findings
indicates adequate perfusion?
A. Refill time of 2 seconds
B. Refill time of 4 seconds
C. Refill time of 6 seconds
D. Refill time of 8 seconds
Correct Answer: A (Refill time of 2 seconds)
Rationale: Normal capillary refill is ≤2 seconds. Longer refill suggests poor
perfusion or hypothermia.
11. A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving a blood transfusion. The client
reports chills and back pain. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
first?
A. Notify the provider
B. Stop the transfusion
C. Administer acetaminophen
D. Obtain a urine sample
Correct Answer: B (Stop the transfusion)
Rationale: Chills and back pain suggest a hemolytic transfusion reaction. The
first action is to stop the transfusion immediately, then notify the provider and
maintain IV access with saline.
12. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about food safety with a client who is
receiving chemotherapy. Which of the following statements by the client indicates
an understanding of the teaching?
Review 2025/2026 Updated Practice
Questions & Verified Answers
1. A nurse is assisting with the care of a client who has a prescription for IV
therapy. The client reports numerous allergies. Which of the following allergies
should the nurse prioritize before initiation of therapy?
A. Eggs
B. Latex
C. Seafood
D. Bee stings
Correct Answer: B (Latex)
Rationale: Latex allergy is critical because IV tubing, injection ports, and many
supplies contain latex. Exposure can cause anaphylaxis. The nurse must use
latex-free equipment.
2. A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for a high-protein diet
following surgery. The client's religion prohibits eating meat on particular days.
Which action should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the client to eat meat during this time to promote healing
B. Advise the client to eat everything on the tray except the meat
C. Suggest the client receive high-protein enteral feedings
D. Ask the dietitian to recommend alternative food choices for the client
Correct Answer: D (Ask the dietitian to recommend alternative food choices
for the client)
Rationale: The nurse respects the client’s religious dietary practices and consults
the dietitian to provide acceptable high-protein alternatives (e.g., eggs, legumes,
dairy).
3. A nurse is collecting data from a client who is 2 days postoperative following
colostomy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the
provider?
,A. A purple-colored stoma
B. Protrusion of the stoma
C. A small amount of bleeding from the stoma
D. Intestinal gas in the pouch
Correct Answer: A (A purple-colored stoma)
Rationale: A purple, dark, or dusky stoma indicates impaired blood supply
(ischemia) and must be reported immediately. Pink, red, moist stoma is normal.
4. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about carbohydrate counting with a client who
has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take first?
A. Use pictures of different food groups to help the client plan a daily meal plan
B. Ask the client what he already knows about meal planning
C. Give the client a brochure with sample menus for all meals
D. Involve the family in the discussion of the client’s meal plan
Correct Answer: B (Ask the client what he already knows about meal
planning)
Rationale: The first step in teaching is to assess the client’s baseline knowledge
to individualize instruction (ADPIE – assessment first).
5. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about self-administration of eye
drops. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding
of the teaching?
A. “I should cleanse my eye from the inner to the outer edge prior to the drops.”
B. “I should avoid pressing on my tear duct after putting the drops in my eyes.”
C. “I should hold the dropper tip against my eyeball to steady my hand.”
D. “I should wipe the dropper tip with alcohol between uses.”
Correct Answer: A (“I should cleanse my eye from the inner to the outer
edge prior to the drops.”)
Rationale: Cleansing from inner canthus to outer canthus prevents debris from
entering the nasolacrimal duct. Pressing on the tear duct (nasolacrimal occlusion)
is actually recommended to increase absorption; avoiding it is incorrect.
6. A nurse is assisting with the admission of an adult client to a medical-surgical
unit. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication
,that the client is stable and ready for routine admission?
A. Heart rate 89/min
B. Pink mucous membranes
C. Respiratory rate 26/min
D. Blood pressure 88/56 mm Hg
Correct Answer: B (Pink mucous membranes)
Rationale: Pink mucous membranes indicate adequate oxygenation and
perfusion. Tachycardia (89 is high normal but okay), tachypnea, and hypotension
are abnormal.
7. A nurse is planning to obtain a blood pressure on a client who is sitting in a
chair. The client’s arm is resting at the side of the chair. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take?
A. Leave the arm at the side, slightly flexed
B. Support the client’s arm at the level of the heart
C. Raise the arm above the heart to obtain a more accurate reading
D. Place the client supine before measuring
Correct Answer: B (Support the client’s arm at the level of the heart)
Rationale: For accurate BP, the arm should be supported at heart level. A
dependent arm (below heart) gives falsely high readings.
8. A nurse is caring for a client who has an indwelling urinary catheter. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take to prevent catheter-associated urinary
tract infection (CAUTI)?
A. Empty the drainage bag every 24 hours
B. Keep the drainage bag above the level of the bladder
C. Secure the catheter tubing to the client’s leg
D. Irrigate the catheter with sterile water daily
Correct Answer: C (Secure the catheter tubing to the client’s leg)
Rationale: Securing the catheter prevents urethral traction and meatal irritation,
reducing infection risk. Drainage bag should be below bladder, emptied q8h or
when full, and irrigation is not routine.
9. A nurse is reinforcing discharge teaching with a client who has a new
prescription for enoxaparin (Lovenox) injections. Which of the following
, instructions should the nurse include?
A. Massage the injection site after administration
B. Expel the air bubble from the prefilled syringe before injecting
C. Administer the injection in the abdomen
D. Aspirate for blood return before injecting
Correct Answer: C (Administer the injection in the abdomen)
Rationale: Enoxaparin is given subcutaneously in the abdomen, rotating sites.
The air bubble should not be expelled; massage is contraindicated; aspiration is
not recommended.
10. A nurse is checking a client’s capillary refill. Which of the following findings
indicates adequate perfusion?
A. Refill time of 2 seconds
B. Refill time of 4 seconds
C. Refill time of 6 seconds
D. Refill time of 8 seconds
Correct Answer: A (Refill time of 2 seconds)
Rationale: Normal capillary refill is ≤2 seconds. Longer refill suggests poor
perfusion or hypothermia.
11. A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving a blood transfusion. The client
reports chills and back pain. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
first?
A. Notify the provider
B. Stop the transfusion
C. Administer acetaminophen
D. Obtain a urine sample
Correct Answer: B (Stop the transfusion)
Rationale: Chills and back pain suggest a hemolytic transfusion reaction. The
first action is to stop the transfusion immediately, then notify the provider and
maintain IV access with saline.
12. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about food safety with a client who is
receiving chemotherapy. Which of the following statements by the client indicates
an understanding of the teaching?
