Virginia HESI Level 4 Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which sentence uses proper capitalization?
• Which tool is used to measure abnormal degrees of lateral spinal curvature during scoliosis screening?
• What is the normal adult Hb range for women?
• A bacterial cell that lacks a nucleus is called what?
• In DNA base pairing, which base pairs with cytosine?
• In a 1:2 dilution, what fraction of the final solution is solvent?
• What is the major function of the renal system?
• Which ethical principle emphasizes patient autonomy and informed consent?
• Which math topic is essential for nursing dosage calculations?
• Which intervention best minimizes stimulation of the pancreas in acute pancreatitis?
• In a solution, 4 parts solvent to 1 part solute are present. What percent of the solution is solute?
• Surgical correction of a ventricular septal defect is designed to achieve which outcome?
• Which sequence correctly describes how a nurse screens for scoliosis?
• A buffer typically consists of which components?
• Which sentence uses parallel structure?
• A client who recently had a permanent pacemaker insertion is in the immediate post-op period. Which finding should the nurse observe?
• Septic shock is best explained by which mechanism?
• Which chamber receives oxygenated blood from the lungs?
• A client returns to the ICU after having a permanent pacemaker inserted. Which finding should the nurse observe for during the immediate hours after insertion?
• The nurse is requesting several days off from work during a period of anticipated high acuity client census. Which approach should the nurse use when speaking with the nurse manager?
• Which structure is part of the lower respiratory tract?
• What is the most appropriate initial action when a patient is hypoxemic?
• What is the normal adult Hb range for men?
• Which type of reasoning involves applying general rules to specific cases?
• Which lab value is the most reliable indicator of kidney function?
• In pharmacology, which statement best defines a drug's half-life?
• Which component is part of the lower respiratory tract?
• If a recipe is reduced by 25%, what percent of the original amount remains?
• Which expression correctly converts a dose from mcg/kg/min to mcg/min when weight is W kg?
• Which term describes a tumor that does not invade or metastasize?
• Which organ is primarily responsible for filtering blood and forming urine?
• Which statement best describes the clinical significance of a drug's half-life?
• What is the normal fasting blood glucose range for adults?
• If a patient weighs 70 kg and the medication dose is 5 mg/kg, what is the total dose?
• Which term describes inflammation of the stomach?
• If a nurse notes that a procedure was tolerated without complications, what does this indicate?
• Which statement correctly identifies the role of collagen in connective tissue?
• Which ethical principle emphasizes patient independence and decision-making authority?
• In cellular respiration, which molecule is the final electron acceptor?
• A solution is prepared with a 1:2 dilution (1 part solute to 2 parts solvent). What fraction of the final solution is solute?
• A diagnostic test for suspected myasthenia gravis uses edrophonium chloride (Tensilon). What is the expected outcome after administration?
• If scoliosis is suspected after initial screening, which action is most appropriate next?
• Mitosis yields two genetically identical diploid daughter cells.
• In preparing for home oral feeding for a ventilator-dependent child, which sequence of actions should the nurse take?
• Which sentence demonstrates proper quotation marks and punctuation?
• Which statement best distinguishes anatomy from physiology?
• Identify the sentence with correct use of quotation marks.
• A conscious, alert patient experiences telemetry alarms. What action should the nurse implement first when this rhythm occurs?
• Which sentence shows correct possessive apostrophe usage?
• In reading passages, what does an 'inference' refer to?
• What is the purpose of using a scoliometer in scoliosis screening?
• Which strategy best helps identify the main idea in a paragraph?
• A patient with multiple traumatic injuries has a Glasgow Coma Scale of 6. Which intervention should the nurse prepare for?
• A client on a ventilator demonstrates a tracheal shift to the right, decreased breath sounds on the left, tachycardia, and hypotension. What action should the nurse implement first?
• Which dietary approach is typically used initially for a patient with acute pancreatitis?
• Convert 3/4 to a decimal.
• A client with chronic Hepatitis C virus infection is scheduled for a liver biopsy. Which intervention should the nurse perform after the procedure?
• A client is comatose 24 hours after cardiac arrest. Which physical finding best predicts a poor outcome?
• The epidermis contains melanocytes. Which skin layer is primarily responsible for this?
• Which vessel carries blood away from the heart?
• Which base pairing is correct in DNA?
• A patient requires an IV flow rate of 120 mL per hour for 8 hours. What is the total volume?
• The healthcare provider prescribes furosemide (Lasix) 15 mg IV STAT for a client. On hand is an ampoule labeled, furosemide (Lasix) 20 mg/2ml. How many milliliters should the nurse administer?
• Which term describes a condition caused by medical treatment or intervention?
• Which formula correctly converts Fahrenheit to Celsius?
• Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?
• A client suspected of poisoning presents with symmetric, descending flaccid paralysis, blurred vision, diplopia, and dry mouth. The nurse should consider these findings consistent with which bioterrorism agent?
• Which laboratory marker best validates myocardial damage that occurred several days earlier?
• After a Whipple procedure, which diagnostic test should the nurse prepare to confirm an anastomotic leak?
• What is the primary method used to ensure correct unit dosing in calculations?
• Which postoperative condition should be considered first in a patient who develops sudden dyspnea and chest pain with a drop in SpO2 to 86%?
• Which organ is part of the nervous system?
• Using the SBAR technique to communicate with the healthcare provider, which statement best conveys information about the client’s situation?
• What is the typical resting heart rate range for adults?
• Which energy-carrying molecule is produced by mitochondria during cellular respiration?
• Which strategy helps identify supporting details in a passage?
• A medication order is 0.5 mg/kg for a 60 kg patient. What is the total dose in milligrams?
• Convert 1.25 L to milliliters.
• In a large community disaster triage scenario, what action should the nurse implement first when encountering a blast victim?
• A nurse advocates for a patient’s wishes in care decisions. What principle does this demonstrate?
• Which word most nearly means 'persistent' in a medical context?
• A short passage states that prevention depends on early detection. What is the main idea?
• When evaluating a laboratory report, which skill is essential?
• A client reports shortness of breath and chest pressure radiating down the left arm. ECG shows ST segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, and V4R. Which action should the nurse implement first?
• Which is an example of a run-on sentence?
• What is the primary function of mitochondria?
• Which term describes a drug that kills bacteria?
• A brief excerpt states, 'The nurse emphasized hand hygiene to prevent infections.' What is the main idea?
• A patient needs 1.25 g of a drug with a concentration of 250 mg/mL. How many milliliters should be administered?
• What is the role of the sinoatrial (SA) node?
• A client is in cardiac arrest with resuscitation ongoing; the spouse arrives and asks to stay with the client. What action should the nurse implement?
• Which body system coordinates internal communication and responses to stimuli?
• Which action should the nurse take first before visiting a new home care client?
• What is the primary purpose of a chest drainage system attached to a chest tube?
• The RN is assisting with the removal of a chest tube. After the removal, which intervention has the highest priority to anticipate?
• Which medications are typically administered during an episode of acute respiratory distress?
• Which description matches the term in vitro?
• A client with acute pancreatitis reports severe epigastric pain radiating to the back. Which nursing intervention has the highest priority?
• Gastrografin is used in imaging to evaluate which postoperative complication?
• In DNA base pairing, which base pairs with adenine?
• List the typical sequence of steps in the scientific method in order.
• Which statement best describes the role of Gastrografin in GI imaging after abdominal surgery?
• Which statement about the renal system is true?
• Which of the following is an involuntary action regulated by the autonomic nervous system?
• Which macromolecule provides the primary source of long-term energy?
• Which type of chart is best for showing data trends over time?
• Which precaution is appropriate for a patient with a contagious respiratory infection transmitted via droplets?
• What action should the nurse implement when accessing an implanted infusion port for a client who receives long-term IV medications?
• Which sentence uses correct capitalization and punctuation?
• Who should be the primary audience for a formal proposal to implement a new computer system in a clinic?
• A medication order is 0.5 mg/kg for a 40 kg patient. What is the total dose in milligrams?
• Which statement best explains why NPO status is used in acute pancreatitis?
• Which statement about line charts and bar charts is true?
• The phenomenon where allele frequencies change due to random sampling, more pronounced in small populations, is called what?
• In sepsis treatment evaluation, which finding most strongly indicates improvement in tissue perfusion after antibiotics are started?
• A client reports to the nurse feeling achy and weak, being tired and coughing all the time, frequent headaches and night sweats. Which diagnostic procedure should the nurse prepare to do first?
• An 8-month-old with patent ductus arteriosus arrives for a follow-up. Which finding should the nurse document in the medical record?
• An older client is transferred to a telemetry unit after placement of a pacemaker. What action should the RN take first?
• The nervous system includes which structures?
• In a passage where the author's tone shifts from optimistic to skeptical, which question helps detect tone?
• A patient has a high WBC count and fever; what is most likely?
• If a patient’s chart shows chronic miscommunication between patient and staff leading to errors, what practice best reduces risk?
• Which muscle is the primary muscle of respiration?
• What action is essential to preventing medication errors in clinical practice?
• Which organ is part of the urinary system?
• Which term refers to the study of the origin and history of words?
• Vertebrae belong to which skeletal division?
• Which device is used to monitor intracranial pressure in ICU patients?
• In a patient with sepsis who is receiving broad-spectrum IV antibiotics, which laboratory value best indicates that the treatment is effective?
• For a dopamine infusion ordered at 8 mcg/kg/min for an 86 kg patient with a concentration of 1600 mcg/mL, what is the dose in mcg/min?
• What is the primary purpose of a nursing care plan?
• Which sentence demonstrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?
• A patient weighing 15 kg requires 2 mg/kg. What is the total dose?
• How many 8-hour intervals are there in 24 hours?
• When reviewing a lab result, which aspect helps ensure accuracy of interpretation?
• Which storage condition helps preserve most biological samples during transport?
• Which suffix denotes inflammation?
• In sepsis, the term 'systemic inflammatory response' refers to which concept?
• Which infection control practices are essential to prevent the spread of pathogens?
• What is the primary purpose of checklists in clinical handoffs?
• The nurse neglects to record the home care client’s daily dressing change in the medical record. Which action should the nurse anticipate?
• In a client with a circumferential burn, which finding indicates potential compartment syndrome and should be reported?
• Which finding should the nurse report to the healthcare provider for a client with a circumferential extremity burn?
• Which task should the nurse delegate to an experienced unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
• What is the primary purpose of reading comprehension on the HESI Level 4 exam?
• What is the primary metabolic action of insulin?
• Genetic drift is influenced most by population size; which scenario increases its impact?
• In hyponatremia, which electrolyte is low?
• A client arrives with asymmetrical chest wall expansion during respiration after a motor vehicle collision. What action should the nurse implement next?
• During scoliosis screening, which component of the Adam’s forward bend test is included?
• After a right thoracotomy for removal of lung lobes, two chest tubes are attached to a chest drainage system to re-establish negative pleural pressure. Which finding provides the earliest indication that the chest tube may be displaced?
• The autonomic nervous system regulates which type of actions?
• In SBAR, which component corresponds to the statement 'The client is reporting pain radiating down the left arm'?
• In the patient described with sepsis features (fever, tachycardia, hypotension), which finding most strongly indicates the need for urgent fluid resuscitation?
• A patient with an intraventricular catheter monitoring device for increased ICP has an ICP reading of 15 mm Hg. This indicates what outcome?
• Which occupational hazard could quickly become a national problem for nurses working in acute care settings?
• A postoperative client develops sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, and anxiety. Oxygen saturation drops to 86%. Which condition should the nurse suspect first?
• For a patient with nephrotic syndrome presenting with pitting edema, which dietary modification is appropriate?
• Which description best matches the major role of the renal system?
• A client has a prescription for inamrinone (Inocor) 0.75 mg/kg IV bolus to be delivered over 3 minutes. The client weighs 80 kg. Inamrinone is available for injection 100 mg/20 ml. How many ml of inamrinone should the nurse administer?
• Which macronutrient provides the most energy per gram?
• In monitoring sepsis, which value is most useful to assess perfusion status?
• Prefix 'brady-' means which of the following?
• A client's blood pressure drops suddenly from 160/90 mmHg to 60/40 mmHg minutes after the nurse administers a 0.3 mg sublingual dose of nitroglycerin for chest pain. The client reports crushing chest pain, severe nausea, dizziness, and left arm numbness. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
• What is the normal adult respiratory rate range?
• In medication orders, what does the abbreviation PRN indicate?
• Convert 0.75 L to milliliters.
• Iatrogenic refers to something that is:
• A patient has a BMI of 32.0. Which category does this fall into?
• Convert the concentration of dispensed dopamine to mcg/mL given 800 mg in 500 mL.
• What action should the nurse take first when a patient reports acute chest pain after a PTCA?
• Which finding would prompt intubation in a patient with head injury?
• Which macromolecule is the primary source of long-term energy storage?
• For a patient with fever, crackles throughout the lungs, and edema, which diagnostic procedure should the nurse prepare to do first?
• A patient’s SpO2 declines from 98% to 90% with increased work of breathing over an hour. Which assessment conclusion is most justified?
• Which bone is located in the upper limb?
• Which laboratory value trend is most closely associated with tissue perfusion status in sepsis?
• Round 3.456 cm to the nearest tenth.
• Which statement is true about energy yield per gram for macronutrients?
• Which statement best describes the primary action of insulin on blood glucose?
• A medication order reads 0.75 mg. If the vial contains 0.25 mg/mL, how many milliliters should be administered?
• Suffix '-itis' denotes which of the following?
• Which statement best describes a buffer's purpose?
• Which laboratory trend best indicates improving tissue perfusion in a patient with sepsis receiving antibiotics?
• Convert 154 lb to kilograms using 1 kg = 2.2046 lb. Round to the nearest tenth.
• A client experiencing cardiogenic shock receives a prescription for an IV infusion of milrinone (Primacor) 10 mg in 100 ml at a rate of 46 mcg/min. The nurse should program the infusion pump to deliver how many ml/hour?
• A patient with a history of heroin and alcohol abuse has right arm cellulitis with a puncture wound. Vitals show tachycardia, fever, hypotension. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
• Convert 2.5 liters to milliliters.
• In a patient with a cuffed tracheostomy, which sign indicates the client may tolerate cuff deflation for speaking and swallowing?
• What is the difference between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics?
• Which organ filters the blood and forms urine?
• Which step in the scientific method involves testing a hypothesis under controlled conditions?
• Which value best represents a typical normal resting heart rate for adults?
• The registered nurse is assisting with the removal of a chest tube. Which intervention has the highest priority and should be anticipated by the RN after the removal of the chest tube?
• Which organ is primarily responsible for filtering blood and forming urine?
• Drip rate is 40 mL/hour for 3.5 hours. What is the total volume to be infused?
• In monitoring sepsis treatment, which lactate trend indicates improvement?
• Which condition is characterized by edema and heavy proteinuria often requiring sodium restriction?
• What is the decimal equivalent of 3/4?
• Root 'cardi-' relates to which organ?
• Which value is most useful to monitor the effectiveness of sepsis therapy in terms of perfusion?
• During induction for intubation using IV sedative and paralytic, which sequence should the nurse implement?
• Which sentence uses correct grammar and punctuation?
• A medication order is 500 mg every 8 hours. How many milligrams are administered in 24 hours?
• Using the same parameters as above (8 mcg/kg/min, 86 kg, 1600 mcg/mL), what is the infusion rate in mL/hour?
• A patient presents with fever, tachycardia, hypotension, and confusion. Which interpretation best explains these findings?
• Which body system regulates hormonal activity via glands?
• Which finding in an elderly patient requires the most immediate follow-up?
• Which factor most affects the accuracy of eGFR calculations?
• Convert 750 mL to liters.
• In the circulatory system, which vessel carries oxygenated blood away from the heart?
• When assessing a client with dyspnea, the nurse hears an audible inspiratory crowing sound. Which lung sound should the nurse document?
• In a patient with traumatic brain injury, which finding is most important for the nurse to assess further?
• Which imaging modality is most appropriate to confirm scoliosis after screening suggests curvature?
• If a drip rate is 60 mL/hour for 2.5 hours, what is the total volume?
• What is the best way for the nurse to introduce the idea of obtaining a computer system for the clinic?
• Before visiting a new home care client, what action should the nurse take first?
• Which bone is part of the axial skeleton?
• Which strategy has shown to be the most effective way for nurse leaders to manage conflict?
• When faced with an ethical dilemma, which resource should the nurse utilize?
• Which sentence correctly distinguishes its from it's?
• Which sentence demonstrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement with 'each'?
• Convert 7 mg to micrograms.
• Which type of needle is used to access an implanted infusion port?
• A client weighing 86 kg is receiving dopamine at 8 mcg/kg/min. The drug is dispensed as dopamine 800 mg/500 mL. The nurse should program the infusion pump to deliver how many mL/hour?
• A cuffed tracheostomy tube is in place and the patient is breathing spontaneously. To evaluate if the client can tolerate cuff deflation to promote speaking and swallowing, what action should the nurse implement?
• Which statement about fat-soluble vitamins is true?
• If a dose is administered every 8 hours for 24 hours, how many doses are given?
• The healthcare provider prescribed propofol IV and succinylcholine IV for a client being prepared for intubation. Which action should the nurse implement to assist during administration of these two drugs?
• In the sentence 'The new policy will have a ___ on the schedule,' which word completes the sentence correctly?
• Which vitamin is fat-soluble?
• In a solution with 4 parts solvent to 1 part solute, what percent of the solution is solute?
• An IV infusion of Inocor is prescribed as a 0.1 g/100 mL solution to run at 400 mcg/min. The rate should be set to how many mL per hour?
• Which concept is described by the maintenance of stable internal conditions despite changes in the external environment?
• Which sentence uses correct comma placement?
• What is the normal pH range for human blood?
• Antonym of benign in medical terms?
• In the management of acute pancreatitis, which statement best justifies keeping the patient NPO?
• Which protein provides a structural framework in connective tissue?
• Which statement best describes why maintaining NPO status is important in acute pancreatitis management?