ATI Proctors

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Sample questions from ATI Proctors

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.At change of shift on a medical-surgical unit, a 68-year-old client with pneumonia has a temperature of 39.2 C, HR 124/min, RR 30/min, BP 86/50 mm Hg, and SpO2 88% on 2 L/min oxygen. Which action should the nurse take first?

   • A.Notify the client's family that the condition has worsened.
   • B.Activate the rapid response team and stay with the client.
   • C.Obtain a sputum specimen before administering prescribed antibiotics.
   • D.Increase the oxygen flow and reassess the client in 30 minutes.

   Rationale: The client has acute hypoxemia, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypotension, findings that suggest possible sepsis with clinical deterioration. Activating the rapid response team and remaining with the client allows immediate assessment and intervention. Increasing oxygen without escalating care delays evaluation, and family notification or specimen collection is not the immediate priority.

2. 2.During a home health visit, a 74-year-old client with limited mobility is ready for discharge from home nursing services. The client says, "I still cannot get to the bathroom without help," and has no caregiver available during the day. Which action should the nurse take?

   • A.Tell the client to use the furniture for support when walking to the bathroom.
   • B.Ask the client's neighbor to provide daily personal care.
   • C.Discharge the client because the skilled nursing goals have been met.
   • D.Arrange a referral for a social work and home safety assessment before discharge.

   Rationale: The client's mobility limitation and lack of daytime help indicate unresolved safety and support needs, so referral for assessment and care planning is appropriate before services end. Discharging solely because nursing goals are met overlooks the client's stated difficulty. Furniture is not a safe mobility aid, and assigning personal care to a neighbor without consent or a formal plan is inappropriate.

3. 3.In the emergency department, a 52-year-old client being evaluated for a possible stroke has new right arm weakness, facial droop, and slurred speech. At 0910, BP is 178/96 mm Hg, HR 92/min, RR 18/min, and SpO2 97% on room air; bedside glucose is 104 mg/dL. Which actions should the nurse take? Select all that apply.

   • A.Keep the client NPO until swallowing safety has been assessed.
   • B.Lower the blood pressure rapidly to below 120/80 mm Hg without a prescription.
   • C.Determine and document the exact time the client was last known well.
   • D.Activate the facility's stroke response process.
   • E.Give aspirin immediately before brain imaging is completed.

   Rationale: The sudden focal deficits require prompt stroke-team activation, and the last-known-well time guides time-sensitive treatment decisions. Keeping the client NPO reduces aspiration risk until swallowing is assessed. Aspirin should not be given before imaging excludes hemorrhage, and rapid blood pressure reduction without an order can compromise cerebral perfusion.

4. 4.A provider prescribes IV potassium chloride for a 16-year-old client with a potassium level of 2.8 mEq/L (reference range 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L). The client reports burning at the peripheral IV site, and the nurse notes swelling and coolness around the catheter. What should the nurse do first?

   • A.Stop the infusion and assess the IV site.
   • B.Apply a warm compress while the infusion continues.
   • C.Slow the infusion and reassess the site in 15 minutes.
   • D.Flush the catheter with 10 mL of saline.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A 29-year-old client scheduled for a laparoscopic procedure says in the preoperative area, "I do not understand what the surgeon plans to do, and I have changed my mind." The consent form is signed. Which response by the nurse is best?

   • A.Tell the client the signed consent means the procedure must proceed.
   • B.Ask the client's support person to explain the benefits of surgery.
   • C.Pause preparation and notify the surgeon that the client has questions and wishes to reconsider.
   • D.Explain the procedure using the information in the surgical handout.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.