1
CRITICAL CARE EXIT HESI EXAM PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
2025/2026
A client at 37 weeks' gestation is in the emergency department after a motor
vehicle accident. Vital signs upon admission are BP 110/72 mm Hg, HR 98
beats/min. The client begins complaining of sudden, sharp abdominal pain, and
repeated vital signs are BP 90/60 mm Hg, HR 108 beats/min. Which nursing
intervention is the priority at this time?
A. Apply an electronic fetal monitor.
B. Prepare for a possible cesarean birth.
C. Draw blood for a type and cross-match.
D. Assess the amount of vaginal bleeding. - correct-answer-A. Apply an electronic
fetal monitor.
Applying the fetal monitor will allow quick assessment of fetal condition so that
appropriate treatment can be instituted immediately. The client's clinical
manifestations suggest abruptio placentae. Other interventions may be done
simultaneously, depending on the urgency. Preparing for an emergent cesarean
section, drawing blood for type and cross-match, and assessing for vaginal
bleeding are critical next steps.
, 2
The nurse is assessing a client 12 hours after the client sustained a deep partial-
thickness burn on the forearm. Which characteristics would the nurse expect to
identify when assessing the injured tissue?
A. Painful and reddish-white
B. Pinkish and tender
C. Charred and white
D. Leathery and black - correct-answer-A. Painful and reddish-white
Deep partial-thickness burns involve some injury to the epidermis and dermis,
characterized by pain and red-to-white tissue color. Pinkish and tender describes a
superficial partial-thickness burn. The characteristics charred, white, leathery, and
black describe a full-thickness burn.
Which nursing action would be included in the plan of care to promote the
nutritional status of a client during the acute phase of treatment after extensive
burns?
A. Provide a diet high in sodium.
B. Limit caloric intake to decrease the work of the body.
C. Reduce protein intake to avoid overtaxing the kidneys.
D. Administer the prescribed intravenous fluid with the added vitamin C. - correct-
answer-D. Administer the prescribed intravenous fluid with the added vitamin C.
Vitamin C is essential for wound healing. It provides a component of intercellular
ground substance that develops into collagen and is necessary to build supportive
CRITICAL CARE EXIT HESI EXAM PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS
2025/2026
A client at 37 weeks' gestation is in the emergency department after a motor
vehicle accident. Vital signs upon admission are BP 110/72 mm Hg, HR 98
beats/min. The client begins complaining of sudden, sharp abdominal pain, and
repeated vital signs are BP 90/60 mm Hg, HR 108 beats/min. Which nursing
intervention is the priority at this time?
A. Apply an electronic fetal monitor.
B. Prepare for a possible cesarean birth.
C. Draw blood for a type and cross-match.
D. Assess the amount of vaginal bleeding. - correct-answer-A. Apply an electronic
fetal monitor.
Applying the fetal monitor will allow quick assessment of fetal condition so that
appropriate treatment can be instituted immediately. The client's clinical
manifestations suggest abruptio placentae. Other interventions may be done
simultaneously, depending on the urgency. Preparing for an emergent cesarean
section, drawing blood for type and cross-match, and assessing for vaginal
bleeding are critical next steps.
, 2
The nurse is assessing a client 12 hours after the client sustained a deep partial-
thickness burn on the forearm. Which characteristics would the nurse expect to
identify when assessing the injured tissue?
A. Painful and reddish-white
B. Pinkish and tender
C. Charred and white
D. Leathery and black - correct-answer-A. Painful and reddish-white
Deep partial-thickness burns involve some injury to the epidermis and dermis,
characterized by pain and red-to-white tissue color. Pinkish and tender describes a
superficial partial-thickness burn. The characteristics charred, white, leathery, and
black describe a full-thickness burn.
Which nursing action would be included in the plan of care to promote the
nutritional status of a client during the acute phase of treatment after extensive
burns?
A. Provide a diet high in sodium.
B. Limit caloric intake to decrease the work of the body.
C. Reduce protein intake to avoid overtaxing the kidneys.
D. Administer the prescribed intravenous fluid with the added vitamin C. - correct-
answer-D. Administer the prescribed intravenous fluid with the added vitamin C.
Vitamin C is essential for wound healing. It provides a component of intercellular
ground substance that develops into collagen and is necessary to build supportive
