HESI Med-Surg Practice Exam Questions and
Answers (2026) | 100% Verified Solutions | A+
Study Pack
• A client who is receiving the sixth unit of packed red blood cell transfusion is
demonstrating signs and symptoms of a febrile, nonhemolytic reaction. What
assessment finding is most important for the nurse to identify?
Increased anxiety since the transfusion began.
Drowsiness after receiving diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
Complaints of feeling cold.
Flushed skin and headache. -✓✓Flushed skin and headache.
• The nurse is caring for a male client who had an inguinal herniorrhaphy 3 hours
ago. The nurse determines the client's lower abdomen is distended and assesses
dullness to percussion. What is the priority nursing action?
Assessment of the client's vital signs.
Document the finding as the only action.
Determine the time the client last voided.
Insert a rectal tube for the passage of flatus. -✓✓Determine the time the client last
voided.
• A client with sickle cell anemia is admitted with severe abdominal pain and the
diagnosis is sickle cell crisis. What is the most important nursing action to
implement?
Limit the client's intake of oral fluids and food.
, Evaluate the effectiveness of narcotic analgesics.
Encourage the client to ambulate as tolerated.
Teach the client about prevention of crises. -✓✓Evaluate the effectiveness of
narcotic analgesics.
• What is the priority nursing action while caring for a client on a ventilator when
an electrical fire occurs in the intensive care unit?
Tell another staff member to bring extinguishing equipment to the bedside.
Close the doors to the client's area when attempting to extinguish the fire.
Use a bag-valve-mask resuscitator while removing the client from the area.
Implement an emergency protocol to remove the client from the ventilator. -
✓✓Use a bag-valve-mask resuscitator while removing the client from the area.
• Three weeks after discharge for an acute myocardial infarction (MI), a client
returns to the cardiac center for follow-up. When the nurse asks about sleep
patterns, the client tells the nurse that he sleeps fine but that his wife moved into
the spare bedroom to sleep when he returned home. He states, "I guess we will
never have sex again after this." Which response is best for the nurse to provide?
Sexual intercourse can be strenuous on your heart, but closeness and intimacy,
such as holding and cuddling, can be maintained with your wife.
Sexual activity can be resumed whenever you and your wife feel like it because the
sexual response is more emotional rather than physical.
You should discuss your questions about your sexual activity with your healthcare
provider because sexual activity may be limited by your heart damage.
Sexual activity is similar in cardiac workload and energy expenditure as climbing
two flights -✓✓Sexual activity is similar in cardiac workload and energy
Answers (2026) | 100% Verified Solutions | A+
Study Pack
• A client who is receiving the sixth unit of packed red blood cell transfusion is
demonstrating signs and symptoms of a febrile, nonhemolytic reaction. What
assessment finding is most important for the nurse to identify?
Increased anxiety since the transfusion began.
Drowsiness after receiving diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
Complaints of feeling cold.
Flushed skin and headache. -✓✓Flushed skin and headache.
• The nurse is caring for a male client who had an inguinal herniorrhaphy 3 hours
ago. The nurse determines the client's lower abdomen is distended and assesses
dullness to percussion. What is the priority nursing action?
Assessment of the client's vital signs.
Document the finding as the only action.
Determine the time the client last voided.
Insert a rectal tube for the passage of flatus. -✓✓Determine the time the client last
voided.
• A client with sickle cell anemia is admitted with severe abdominal pain and the
diagnosis is sickle cell crisis. What is the most important nursing action to
implement?
Limit the client's intake of oral fluids and food.
, Evaluate the effectiveness of narcotic analgesics.
Encourage the client to ambulate as tolerated.
Teach the client about prevention of crises. -✓✓Evaluate the effectiveness of
narcotic analgesics.
• What is the priority nursing action while caring for a client on a ventilator when
an electrical fire occurs in the intensive care unit?
Tell another staff member to bring extinguishing equipment to the bedside.
Close the doors to the client's area when attempting to extinguish the fire.
Use a bag-valve-mask resuscitator while removing the client from the area.
Implement an emergency protocol to remove the client from the ventilator. -
✓✓Use a bag-valve-mask resuscitator while removing the client from the area.
• Three weeks after discharge for an acute myocardial infarction (MI), a client
returns to the cardiac center for follow-up. When the nurse asks about sleep
patterns, the client tells the nurse that he sleeps fine but that his wife moved into
the spare bedroom to sleep when he returned home. He states, "I guess we will
never have sex again after this." Which response is best for the nurse to provide?
Sexual intercourse can be strenuous on your heart, but closeness and intimacy,
such as holding and cuddling, can be maintained with your wife.
Sexual activity can be resumed whenever you and your wife feel like it because the
sexual response is more emotional rather than physical.
You should discuss your questions about your sexual activity with your healthcare
provider because sexual activity may be limited by your heart damage.
Sexual activity is similar in cardiac workload and energy expenditure as climbing
two flights -✓✓Sexual activity is similar in cardiac workload and energy
