NGN ATI COMPREHENSIVE TEST SCRIPT 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
▶ An older client just returned from surgery and is rating pain as "8" on a 0
to 10 scale. Which medications are unsafe choices for treatment of severe
pain in this older adult? (Select all that apply.)
A) Morphine (Durmorph)
B) Meperidine (Demerol)
C) Propoxyphene (Darvocet)
D) Methadone (Dolophine)
E) Codeine. Answer: B,C,D,E
Meperidine, propoxyphene, and codeine are not recommended for older
clients because toxic metabolites may accumulate. Codeine may cause
constipation as well. Methadone has an extremely long half-life (24 to 36
hours) and has a high potential for sedation and respiratory depression.
Morphine is considered the gold standard and may be used in the older
adult while monitoring for sedation and respiratory depression is
conducted.
▶ An emergency department (ED) nurse gives report on a client who is
being transferred to the medical-surgical floor. Because of an identified risk
for suicide, the ED nurse suggests that the floor nurse contact a sitter and
behavioral health. This statement represents which part of the SBAR hand-
off?
A) Situation
B) Recommendation
C) Background
D) Assessment. Answer: B
The ED nurse is giving recommendations to the medical-surgical floor
nurse about interventions to start for the client who is being transferred. No
communication is provided in the SBAR report about the situation,
background, or assessment.
,▶ Understanding classifications of pain helps nurses develop a plan of
care. A 62-year-old male has fallen while trimming tree branches sustaining
tissue injury. He describes his condition as an aching, throbbing back. This
is characteristic of:
A) mixed pain syndrome.
B) chronic pain.
C) neuropathic pain.
D) nociceptive pain.. Answer: D
Nociceptive pain refers to the normal functioning of physiological systems
that leads to the perception of noxious stimuli (tissue injury) as being
painful. Patients describe this type of pain as aching, cramping, or
throbbing. Neuropathic pain is pathologic and results from abnormal
processing of sensory input by the nervous system as a result of damage
to the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves. Patients describe this type of
pain as burning, sharp, and shooting. Chronic pain is constant and
unrelenting such as pain associated with cancer. Mixed pain syndrome is
not easily recognized, is unique with multiple underlying and poorly
understood mechanisms like fibromyalgia and low back pain.
▶ The new nurse is caring for a client with a high temperature. Which
action should the nurse perform FIRST?
A) Obtaining a fan from central supply for the client's room
B) Monitoring the client's temperature more often than ordered
C) Sponging the client while monitoring for shivering
D) Apply cool packs to the client's axillae and groin. Answer: D
The use of fans is discouraged to promote cooling in a febrile client
because the fan can disperse pathogens. The other actions are
appropriate.
▶ A patient has been newly diagnosed with hypertension. The nurse
assesses the need to develop a collaborative plan of care that includes a
goal of adhering to the prescribed regimen. When the nurse is planning
teaching for the patient, which is the most important initial learning goal?
A) The patient will demonstrate coping skills needed to manage
hypertension.
,B) The patient will verbalize the side effects of treatment.
C) The patient will select the type of learning materials they prefer.
D) The patient will verbalize an understanding of the importance of
following the regimen.. Answer: C
Adults learn best when given information they can understand that is
tailored to their learning styles and needs. Verbalizing an understanding is
important; however, the nurse will first need to teach the patient.
▶ When reviewing the purposes of a family assessment, the nurse
educator would identify a need for further teaching if the student responded
that family assessment is used to gain an understanding of the family.
A) development.
B) function.
C) structure.
D) political views.. Answer: D
An understanding of the political views of family members is not a primary
purpose of a family assessment. A family assessment provides the nurse
with information and an understanding of family dynamics. This is important
to nurses for the provision of quality health care. A family assessment
provides an understanding of family development, function, and structure.
▶ The client was given 15 mg of morphine IM for postsurgical pain. When
the nurse checks the client for pain relief 1 hour later, the client is sleeping
and has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min. What is the nurse's first
action?
A) Administering oxygen by nasal cannula
B) Documenting the findings and continuing to monitor
C) Arousing the client by calling his or her name
D) Administering naloxone (Narcan) IV push. Answer: C
Many clients experience some degree of respiratory depression with opioid
analgesics. If the client can be aroused with minimally intrusive techniques
and the rate of respiration is increased spontaneously, no further
intervention is required.
, ▶ The physician orders Lanoxin(digoxin)0.375 mg po every day. On hand
you have 0.25mg/5 mL. How many mL would you give your patient?
A) 8 mL
B) 7.5 mL
C) 7 mL
D) 5.5 mL. Answer: B
▶ The nurse is admitting an older adult with decompensated congestive
heart failure. The nursing assessment reveals adventitious lung sounds,
dyspnea, and orthopnea. The nurse should question which doctor's order?
A) KCl 20 mEq PO two times per day
B) Intravenous (IV) 500 mL of 0.9% NaCl at 125 mL/hr
C) Oxygen via face mask at 8 L/min
D) Furosemide (Lasix) 20 mg PO now. Answer: B
A patient with decompensated heart failure has extracellular fluid volume
(ECV) excess. The IV of 0.9% NaCl is normal saline, which should be
questioned because it would expand ECV and place an additional load on
the failing heart. Diuretics such as furosemide are appropriate to decrease
the ECV during heart failure. Increasing the potassium intake with KCl is
appropriate, because furosemide increases potassium excretion. Oxygen
administration is appropriate in this situation of near pulmonary edema from
ECV excess.
▶ The priority nursing intervention for a patient suspected to be
hypothermic would be to:
A) hydrate with intravenous (IV) fluids.
B) remove wet clothes.
C) assess vital signs.
D) provide a warm blanket.. Answer: B
The first thing to do with a patient suspected to be hypothermic is to
remove wet clothes, because heat loss is five times greater when clothing
is wet. Assessing vital signs is important, but the wet clothes should be
removed first. Hydration is very important with hyperthermia and the
associated danger of dehydration, but there is not a similar risk with
FULL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
▶ An older client just returned from surgery and is rating pain as "8" on a 0
to 10 scale. Which medications are unsafe choices for treatment of severe
pain in this older adult? (Select all that apply.)
A) Morphine (Durmorph)
B) Meperidine (Demerol)
C) Propoxyphene (Darvocet)
D) Methadone (Dolophine)
E) Codeine. Answer: B,C,D,E
Meperidine, propoxyphene, and codeine are not recommended for older
clients because toxic metabolites may accumulate. Codeine may cause
constipation as well. Methadone has an extremely long half-life (24 to 36
hours) and has a high potential for sedation and respiratory depression.
Morphine is considered the gold standard and may be used in the older
adult while monitoring for sedation and respiratory depression is
conducted.
▶ An emergency department (ED) nurse gives report on a client who is
being transferred to the medical-surgical floor. Because of an identified risk
for suicide, the ED nurse suggests that the floor nurse contact a sitter and
behavioral health. This statement represents which part of the SBAR hand-
off?
A) Situation
B) Recommendation
C) Background
D) Assessment. Answer: B
The ED nurse is giving recommendations to the medical-surgical floor
nurse about interventions to start for the client who is being transferred. No
communication is provided in the SBAR report about the situation,
background, or assessment.
,▶ Understanding classifications of pain helps nurses develop a plan of
care. A 62-year-old male has fallen while trimming tree branches sustaining
tissue injury. He describes his condition as an aching, throbbing back. This
is characteristic of:
A) mixed pain syndrome.
B) chronic pain.
C) neuropathic pain.
D) nociceptive pain.. Answer: D
Nociceptive pain refers to the normal functioning of physiological systems
that leads to the perception of noxious stimuli (tissue injury) as being
painful. Patients describe this type of pain as aching, cramping, or
throbbing. Neuropathic pain is pathologic and results from abnormal
processing of sensory input by the nervous system as a result of damage
to the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves. Patients describe this type of
pain as burning, sharp, and shooting. Chronic pain is constant and
unrelenting such as pain associated with cancer. Mixed pain syndrome is
not easily recognized, is unique with multiple underlying and poorly
understood mechanisms like fibromyalgia and low back pain.
▶ The new nurse is caring for a client with a high temperature. Which
action should the nurse perform FIRST?
A) Obtaining a fan from central supply for the client's room
B) Monitoring the client's temperature more often than ordered
C) Sponging the client while monitoring for shivering
D) Apply cool packs to the client's axillae and groin. Answer: D
The use of fans is discouraged to promote cooling in a febrile client
because the fan can disperse pathogens. The other actions are
appropriate.
▶ A patient has been newly diagnosed with hypertension. The nurse
assesses the need to develop a collaborative plan of care that includes a
goal of adhering to the prescribed regimen. When the nurse is planning
teaching for the patient, which is the most important initial learning goal?
A) The patient will demonstrate coping skills needed to manage
hypertension.
,B) The patient will verbalize the side effects of treatment.
C) The patient will select the type of learning materials they prefer.
D) The patient will verbalize an understanding of the importance of
following the regimen.. Answer: C
Adults learn best when given information they can understand that is
tailored to their learning styles and needs. Verbalizing an understanding is
important; however, the nurse will first need to teach the patient.
▶ When reviewing the purposes of a family assessment, the nurse
educator would identify a need for further teaching if the student responded
that family assessment is used to gain an understanding of the family.
A) development.
B) function.
C) structure.
D) political views.. Answer: D
An understanding of the political views of family members is not a primary
purpose of a family assessment. A family assessment provides the nurse
with information and an understanding of family dynamics. This is important
to nurses for the provision of quality health care. A family assessment
provides an understanding of family development, function, and structure.
▶ The client was given 15 mg of morphine IM for postsurgical pain. When
the nurse checks the client for pain relief 1 hour later, the client is sleeping
and has a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min. What is the nurse's first
action?
A) Administering oxygen by nasal cannula
B) Documenting the findings and continuing to monitor
C) Arousing the client by calling his or her name
D) Administering naloxone (Narcan) IV push. Answer: C
Many clients experience some degree of respiratory depression with opioid
analgesics. If the client can be aroused with minimally intrusive techniques
and the rate of respiration is increased spontaneously, no further
intervention is required.
, ▶ The physician orders Lanoxin(digoxin)0.375 mg po every day. On hand
you have 0.25mg/5 mL. How many mL would you give your patient?
A) 8 mL
B) 7.5 mL
C) 7 mL
D) 5.5 mL. Answer: B
▶ The nurse is admitting an older adult with decompensated congestive
heart failure. The nursing assessment reveals adventitious lung sounds,
dyspnea, and orthopnea. The nurse should question which doctor's order?
A) KCl 20 mEq PO two times per day
B) Intravenous (IV) 500 mL of 0.9% NaCl at 125 mL/hr
C) Oxygen via face mask at 8 L/min
D) Furosemide (Lasix) 20 mg PO now. Answer: B
A patient with decompensated heart failure has extracellular fluid volume
(ECV) excess. The IV of 0.9% NaCl is normal saline, which should be
questioned because it would expand ECV and place an additional load on
the failing heart. Diuretics such as furosemide are appropriate to decrease
the ECV during heart failure. Increasing the potassium intake with KCl is
appropriate, because furosemide increases potassium excretion. Oxygen
administration is appropriate in this situation of near pulmonary edema from
ECV excess.
▶ The priority nursing intervention for a patient suspected to be
hypothermic would be to:
A) hydrate with intravenous (IV) fluids.
B) remove wet clothes.
C) assess vital signs.
D) provide a warm blanket.. Answer: B
The first thing to do with a patient suspected to be hypothermic is to
remove wet clothes, because heat loss is five times greater when clothing
is wet. Assessing vital signs is important, but the wet clothes should be
removed first. Hydration is very important with hyperthermia and the
associated danger of dehydration, but there is not a similar risk with
