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HESI RN Critical Care Exam Questions and Answers
2025|Already Graded A+.
The nurse is providing postprocedure care to a client who had a cardiac catheterization. The client
begins to manifest signs and symptoms associated with embolization. Which action should the nurse
take?
a. Notify the primary healthcare provider immediately
b. Apply a warm, moist compress to the incision site
c. Increase the intravenous fluid rate by 20 mL/hr
d. Monitor vital signs more frequently - ANSWER-a
A nurse observes a window washer falling 25 feet (7.6 m) to the ground. The nurse rushes to the scene
and determines that the person is in cardiopulmonary arrest. What should the nurse do first?
a. Feel for a pulse
b. Begin chest compressions
c. Leave to call for assistance
d. Perform the abdominal thrust maneuver - ANSWER-b
A client reports left-sided chest pain after playing racquetball. The client is hospitalized and diagnosed
with left pneumothorax. When assessing the client's left chest area, the nurse expects to identify which
finding?
a. Dull sound on percussion
b. Vocal fremitus on palpation
c. Rales with rhonchi on auscultation
d. Absence of breath sounds on auscultation - ANSWER-d
A client is admitted to the hospital with partial- and full-thickness burns of the chest and face sustained
while trying to extinguish a brush fire. Which is the nurse's priority concern?
a. Loss of skin integrity caused by the burns
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,2
b. Potential infection as a result of the burn injury
c. Inadequate gas exchange caused by smoke inhalation
d. Decreased fluid volume because of the depth of the burns - ANSWER-c
During the first 48 hours after a client has sustained a thermal injury, which conditions should the nurse
assess for?
a. Hypokalemia and hyponatremia
b. Hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
c. Hypokalemia and hypernatremia
d. Hyperkalemia and hypernatremia - ANSWER-b
A nurse is assessing a client's ECG reading. The client's atrial and ventricular heart rates are equal at 88
beats per min. The PR interval is 0.14 seconds, and the QRS width is 0.10 seconds. Rhythm is regular
with normal P waves and QRS complexes. How will the nurse interpret this rhythm?
a. Normal sinus rhythm
b. Sinus tachycardia
c. Sinus bradycardia
d. Sinus arrhythmia - ANSWER-a
The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Which is the priority concern of
the nurse when caring for this client?
a. Fluid volume
b. Skin integrity
c. Physical mobility
d. Urinary elimination - ANSWER-b
A client who had extensive pelvic surgery 24 hours ago becomes cyanotic, is gasping for breath, and
reports right-sided chest pain. What should the nurse do first?
a. Obtain vital signs
b. Initiate a cardiac arrest code
2
,3
c. Administer oxygen using a face mask
d. Encourage the use of an incentive spirometer - ANSWER-c
A nurse is caring for a client with severe burns. The nurse determines that this client is at risk for
hypovolemic shock. Which physiologic finding supports the nurse's conclusion?
a. Decreased rate of glomerular filtration
b. Excessive blood loss through the burned tissues
c. Plasma proteins moving out of the intravascular compartment
d. Sodium retention occurring as a result of the aldosterone mechanism - ANSWER-c
The nurse is caring for a client with burns and reviews the client's laboratory results: blood urea nitrogen
(BUN), 30 mg/dL (10.2 mmol/L); creatinine, 2.4 mg/dL (184 mcmol/L); serum potassium, 6.3 mEq/L (6.3
mmol/L); pH, 7.1; Po 2, 90 mm Hg; and hemoglobin (Hgb), 7.4 g/dL (74 mmol/L). Which condition does
the nurse suspect the client has based upon these findings?
a. Azotemia
b. Hypokalemia
c. Metabolic alkalosis
d. Respiratory alkalosis - ANSWER-a
A nurse is caring for a client who experienced serious burns in a fire. Which relationship between a
client's burned body surface area and fluid loss should the nurse consider when evaluating fluid loss in a
client with burns?
a. Equal
b. Unrelated
c. Inversely related
d. Directly proportional - ANSWER-d
A burn client is receiving the open method for wound treatment. Which information will the nurse
explain to the client?
a. Bathing will not be permitted.
b. Dressings will be changed daily.
3
, 4
c. Personal protective equipment will be worn by staff.
d. Room temperature will be kept below 72° F (22.2° C). - ANSWER-c
A client presents to the emergency department with weakness and dizziness. The blood pressure is
90/60 mm Hg, pulse is 92 and weak, and body weight reflects a 3-pound (1.4 kilogram) loss in two days.
The weather has been hot. Which condition should the nurse conclude is the priority for this client?
a. Deficient fluid volume
b. Impaired skin integrity
c. Inadequate nutritional intake
d. Decreased participation in activities - ANSWER-a
A client is admitted with severe burns. The nurse is caring for the client 36 hours after the client's
admission and identifies the client's potassium level of 6.0 mEq/L (6.0 mmol/L). Which drink will the
nurse recommend be included in the client's diet?
a. Milk
b. Tea
c. Orange juice
d. Tomato juice - ANSWER-b
A woman comes to the office of her healthcare provider reporting shortness of breath and epigastric
distress that is not relieved by antacids. To which question would a woman experiencing a myocardial
infarction respond differently than a man?
a. "Do you have chest pain?"
b. "Are you feeling anxious?"
c. "Do you have any palpitations?"
d. "Are you feeling short of breath?" - ANSWER-a
During a vertex vaginal birth the nurse notes meconium-stained amniotic fluid. What is the priority
nursing intervention for the newborn?
a. Stimulating crying
b. Suctioning the airway
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HESI RN Critical Care Exam Questions and Answers
2025|Already Graded A+.
The nurse is providing postprocedure care to a client who had a cardiac catheterization. The client
begins to manifest signs and symptoms associated with embolization. Which action should the nurse
take?
a. Notify the primary healthcare provider immediately
b. Apply a warm, moist compress to the incision site
c. Increase the intravenous fluid rate by 20 mL/hr
d. Monitor vital signs more frequently - ANSWER-a
A nurse observes a window washer falling 25 feet (7.6 m) to the ground. The nurse rushes to the scene
and determines that the person is in cardiopulmonary arrest. What should the nurse do first?
a. Feel for a pulse
b. Begin chest compressions
c. Leave to call for assistance
d. Perform the abdominal thrust maneuver - ANSWER-b
A client reports left-sided chest pain after playing racquetball. The client is hospitalized and diagnosed
with left pneumothorax. When assessing the client's left chest area, the nurse expects to identify which
finding?
a. Dull sound on percussion
b. Vocal fremitus on palpation
c. Rales with rhonchi on auscultation
d. Absence of breath sounds on auscultation - ANSWER-d
A client is admitted to the hospital with partial- and full-thickness burns of the chest and face sustained
while trying to extinguish a brush fire. Which is the nurse's priority concern?
a. Loss of skin integrity caused by the burns
1
,2
b. Potential infection as a result of the burn injury
c. Inadequate gas exchange caused by smoke inhalation
d. Decreased fluid volume because of the depth of the burns - ANSWER-c
During the first 48 hours after a client has sustained a thermal injury, which conditions should the nurse
assess for?
a. Hypokalemia and hyponatremia
b. Hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
c. Hypokalemia and hypernatremia
d. Hyperkalemia and hypernatremia - ANSWER-b
A nurse is assessing a client's ECG reading. The client's atrial and ventricular heart rates are equal at 88
beats per min. The PR interval is 0.14 seconds, and the QRS width is 0.10 seconds. Rhythm is regular
with normal P waves and QRS complexes. How will the nurse interpret this rhythm?
a. Normal sinus rhythm
b. Sinus tachycardia
c. Sinus bradycardia
d. Sinus arrhythmia - ANSWER-a
The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Which is the priority concern of
the nurse when caring for this client?
a. Fluid volume
b. Skin integrity
c. Physical mobility
d. Urinary elimination - ANSWER-b
A client who had extensive pelvic surgery 24 hours ago becomes cyanotic, is gasping for breath, and
reports right-sided chest pain. What should the nurse do first?
a. Obtain vital signs
b. Initiate a cardiac arrest code
2
,3
c. Administer oxygen using a face mask
d. Encourage the use of an incentive spirometer - ANSWER-c
A nurse is caring for a client with severe burns. The nurse determines that this client is at risk for
hypovolemic shock. Which physiologic finding supports the nurse's conclusion?
a. Decreased rate of glomerular filtration
b. Excessive blood loss through the burned tissues
c. Plasma proteins moving out of the intravascular compartment
d. Sodium retention occurring as a result of the aldosterone mechanism - ANSWER-c
The nurse is caring for a client with burns and reviews the client's laboratory results: blood urea nitrogen
(BUN), 30 mg/dL (10.2 mmol/L); creatinine, 2.4 mg/dL (184 mcmol/L); serum potassium, 6.3 mEq/L (6.3
mmol/L); pH, 7.1; Po 2, 90 mm Hg; and hemoglobin (Hgb), 7.4 g/dL (74 mmol/L). Which condition does
the nurse suspect the client has based upon these findings?
a. Azotemia
b. Hypokalemia
c. Metabolic alkalosis
d. Respiratory alkalosis - ANSWER-a
A nurse is caring for a client who experienced serious burns in a fire. Which relationship between a
client's burned body surface area and fluid loss should the nurse consider when evaluating fluid loss in a
client with burns?
a. Equal
b. Unrelated
c. Inversely related
d. Directly proportional - ANSWER-d
A burn client is receiving the open method for wound treatment. Which information will the nurse
explain to the client?
a. Bathing will not be permitted.
b. Dressings will be changed daily.
3
, 4
c. Personal protective equipment will be worn by staff.
d. Room temperature will be kept below 72° F (22.2° C). - ANSWER-c
A client presents to the emergency department with weakness and dizziness. The blood pressure is
90/60 mm Hg, pulse is 92 and weak, and body weight reflects a 3-pound (1.4 kilogram) loss in two days.
The weather has been hot. Which condition should the nurse conclude is the priority for this client?
a. Deficient fluid volume
b. Impaired skin integrity
c. Inadequate nutritional intake
d. Decreased participation in activities - ANSWER-a
A client is admitted with severe burns. The nurse is caring for the client 36 hours after the client's
admission and identifies the client's potassium level of 6.0 mEq/L (6.0 mmol/L). Which drink will the
nurse recommend be included in the client's diet?
a. Milk
b. Tea
c. Orange juice
d. Tomato juice - ANSWER-b
A woman comes to the office of her healthcare provider reporting shortness of breath and epigastric
distress that is not relieved by antacids. To which question would a woman experiencing a myocardial
infarction respond differently than a man?
a. "Do you have chest pain?"
b. "Are you feeling anxious?"
c. "Do you have any palpitations?"
d. "Are you feeling short of breath?" - ANSWER-a
During a vertex vaginal birth the nurse notes meconium-stained amniotic fluid. What is the priority
nursing intervention for the newborn?
a. Stimulating crying
b. Suctioning the airway
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