HESI MED-SURG EXAM 130 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED DETAILED
CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST 2024
1. Which method elicits the most accurate information during a physical assessment of an
older client?: Use reliable assessment tools for older adults
2. A client who has just tested positive for HIV does not appear to hear what the nurse is
saying during post-test counseling. Which information should the nurse offer to facilitate
the client's adjustment to HIV infection?: Discuss retesting to verify the results, which will
ensure continuing contact and give the patient support and hope, as well as time to cope
3. The nurse is caring for a client with HIV who develops Mycobacterium avium complex.
What is the most significant desired outcome for this patient?: Return to pre-illness weight
MAC is an opportunistic infection that presents like TB
MAC is a major contributing factor to development of wasting syndrome so adequate nutrition
and return to pre-illness weight is priority
4. A client who had abdominal surgery two days ago has prescriptions for IV morphine
sulfate 4 mg every 2 hours and clear liquid diet. Client complains of feeling distended and
has sharp, cramping gas pains. What nursing intervention should be implemented?: Assist
the client to ambulate in the hall
5. A client with Meniere's disease is incapacitated by vertigo and is lying in bed grasping
the side rails and staring at the television. Which nursing intervention should the nurse
implement?: Turn off the television and darken the room.
Any visual stimuli or rotational movement should be minimized
6. A client who has chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum returns to the unit after a
bronchoscopy. What nursing interventions should be implemented in the immediate post-
procedural period?: NPO until gag reflex returns
Prior to bronchoscopy the nasal pharynx and pharynx are anesthetized and bronchoscope is
coated with lidocaine to inhibit gag reflex during insertion.
7. The nurse is assessing a client with a cuffed tracheostomy tube in place who is
breathing spontaneously. To evaluate if the client can tolerate cuff deflation to promote
speaking and swallowing, what action should the nurse implement?: Observe the client for
coughing colored sputum after drinking a small amount of colored water
8. What assessment finding should the nurse identify that indicates a client with an
acute asthma exacerbation is beginning to improve after treatment?: Wheezing becomes
louder as airways (that were initially so restricted wheezing was absent) successfully respond
to bronchodilators
9. 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?:
Evaluate the effectiveness of narcotic analgesics because pain management is priority for
patient during sickle cell crisis
10. The nurse is caring for a client with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who is receiving
chemotherapy. Lab results reveal platelet count of 10,000/mL. What action should the nurse
, implement?: Check stools for occult blood because platelets less than 100,000/mL are
indicative of thrombocytopenia (a common side effect of chemotherapy)
11. A client is admitted for complaints of chest pain and aching for the past 4 days. The
results for serum creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and troponin levels are obtained. What
rationale should the nurse use to evaluate lab findings?: Myocardial damage that occurred
several days early is best validated by serum troponin levels.
**CK-MB and troponin are 2 most important cardiac markers for MI
12. A male client with chronic atrial fibrillation and a slow ventricular response is
scheduled for surgical placement of a permanent pacemaker. The client asks the nurse how
this device will help him. How should the nurse explain the action of a synchronous
pacemaker?: An electrical stimulus is discharged when no ventricular response is sensed.
Synchronous - impulse generated on demand or as needed according to patient intrinsic
rhythm
13. A man who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day wants to know if smoking is
contributing to the difficulty that he and his wife are having getting pregnant. What
information is best for the nurse to provide?: Smoking can decrease quantity and quality of
sperm
The first semen analysis should be repeated to confirm sperm counts
Cessation of smoking improves general health and fertility
14. The nurse is providing postoperative instructions for a female client after a
mastectomy. Which information should the nurse include in the teaching
plan?: Report inflammation of the incision site or affected arm
Avoid lifting more than 4.5 kg (10lb) or reaching above head
15. A client in the preoperative holding area receives a prescription for midazolam
(Versed) IV. The nurse determines that the surgical consent form needs to be signed by the
client. Which action should the nurse implement?: Withhold the drug until the client
validates understanding of the surgical procedure and signs the consent form.
The HCP should explain procedure to client before arriving to the preoperative area 16. A
client with acute osteomyelitis has undergone surgical debridement of the diseased bone
and asks the nurse how long will antibiotics have to be administered. Which information
should the nurse communicate?: Parenteral antibiotics for 4-8 weeks then oral antibiotics for
4-8 weeks.
17. The nurse is preparing an adult client for an upper GI series. Which information should
the nurse include in the teaching plan?: Nothing by mouth is allowed for 6-8 hours before the
study
18. The nurse is caring for a client scheduled to undergo insertion of a percutaneous
endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. The client asked the nurse to explain how a PEG tube
differs from a gastrostomy tube (GT). Which explanation best describes how they are
different?: Method of insertion. GT - incision in the wall of the abdomen and suturing the tube
to the gastric wall. PEG - inserted with endoscopic visualization through the esophagus into
the stomach and then pulled through a stab wound in the abdominal wall.
CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST 2024
1. Which method elicits the most accurate information during a physical assessment of an
older client?: Use reliable assessment tools for older adults
2. A client who has just tested positive for HIV does not appear to hear what the nurse is
saying during post-test counseling. Which information should the nurse offer to facilitate
the client's adjustment to HIV infection?: Discuss retesting to verify the results, which will
ensure continuing contact and give the patient support and hope, as well as time to cope
3. The nurse is caring for a client with HIV who develops Mycobacterium avium complex.
What is the most significant desired outcome for this patient?: Return to pre-illness weight
MAC is an opportunistic infection that presents like TB
MAC is a major contributing factor to development of wasting syndrome so adequate nutrition
and return to pre-illness weight is priority
4. A client who had abdominal surgery two days ago has prescriptions for IV morphine
sulfate 4 mg every 2 hours and clear liquid diet. Client complains of feeling distended and
has sharp, cramping gas pains. What nursing intervention should be implemented?: Assist
the client to ambulate in the hall
5. A client with Meniere's disease is incapacitated by vertigo and is lying in bed grasping
the side rails and staring at the television. Which nursing intervention should the nurse
implement?: Turn off the television and darken the room.
Any visual stimuli or rotational movement should be minimized
6. A client who has chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum returns to the unit after a
bronchoscopy. What nursing interventions should be implemented in the immediate post-
procedural period?: NPO until gag reflex returns
Prior to bronchoscopy the nasal pharynx and pharynx are anesthetized and bronchoscope is
coated with lidocaine to inhibit gag reflex during insertion.
7. The nurse is assessing a client with a cuffed tracheostomy tube in place who is
breathing spontaneously. To evaluate if the client can tolerate cuff deflation to promote
speaking and swallowing, what action should the nurse implement?: Observe the client for
coughing colored sputum after drinking a small amount of colored water
8. What assessment finding should the nurse identify that indicates a client with an
acute asthma exacerbation is beginning to improve after treatment?: Wheezing becomes
louder as airways (that were initially so restricted wheezing was absent) successfully respond
to bronchodilators
9. 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?:
Evaluate the effectiveness of narcotic analgesics because pain management is priority for
patient during sickle cell crisis
10. The nurse is caring for a client with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who is receiving
chemotherapy. Lab results reveal platelet count of 10,000/mL. What action should the nurse
, implement?: Check stools for occult blood because platelets less than 100,000/mL are
indicative of thrombocytopenia (a common side effect of chemotherapy)
11. A client is admitted for complaints of chest pain and aching for the past 4 days. The
results for serum creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and troponin levels are obtained. What
rationale should the nurse use to evaluate lab findings?: Myocardial damage that occurred
several days early is best validated by serum troponin levels.
**CK-MB and troponin are 2 most important cardiac markers for MI
12. A male client with chronic atrial fibrillation and a slow ventricular response is
scheduled for surgical placement of a permanent pacemaker. The client asks the nurse how
this device will help him. How should the nurse explain the action of a synchronous
pacemaker?: An electrical stimulus is discharged when no ventricular response is sensed.
Synchronous - impulse generated on demand or as needed according to patient intrinsic
rhythm
13. A man who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day wants to know if smoking is
contributing to the difficulty that he and his wife are having getting pregnant. What
information is best for the nurse to provide?: Smoking can decrease quantity and quality of
sperm
The first semen analysis should be repeated to confirm sperm counts
Cessation of smoking improves general health and fertility
14. The nurse is providing postoperative instructions for a female client after a
mastectomy. Which information should the nurse include in the teaching
plan?: Report inflammation of the incision site or affected arm
Avoid lifting more than 4.5 kg (10lb) or reaching above head
15. A client in the preoperative holding area receives a prescription for midazolam
(Versed) IV. The nurse determines that the surgical consent form needs to be signed by the
client. Which action should the nurse implement?: Withhold the drug until the client
validates understanding of the surgical procedure and signs the consent form.
The HCP should explain procedure to client before arriving to the preoperative area 16. A
client with acute osteomyelitis has undergone surgical debridement of the diseased bone
and asks the nurse how long will antibiotics have to be administered. Which information
should the nurse communicate?: Parenteral antibiotics for 4-8 weeks then oral antibiotics for
4-8 weeks.
17. The nurse is preparing an adult client for an upper GI series. Which information should
the nurse include in the teaching plan?: Nothing by mouth is allowed for 6-8 hours before the
study
18. The nurse is caring for a client scheduled to undergo insertion of a percutaneous
endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. The client asked the nurse to explain how a PEG tube
differs from a gastrostomy tube (GT). Which explanation best describes how they are
different?: Method of insertion. GT - incision in the wall of the abdomen and suturing the tube
to the gastric wall. PEG - inserted with endoscopic visualization through the esophagus into
the stomach and then pulled through a stab wound in the abdominal wall.
