HESI LPN
HESI Practice Test for Fundamentals
1. A client with congestive heart failure (CHF) is receiving furosemide (Lasix). Which laboratory value should the LPN monitor closely while the client is taking this medication?
- A. Sodium
- B. Potassium
- C. Calcium
- D. Magnesium
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The LPN should monitor potassium levels closely while the client is taking furosemide (Lasix) due to the medication's potential to cause hypokalemia. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that can lead to potassium loss through increased urine output. Hypokalemia can result in serious complications such as cardiac dysrhythmias. Monitoring sodium levels (choice A) is important but not as critical as monitoring potassium in this context. Calcium (choice C) and magnesium (choice D) levels are not typically affected by furosemide and are not the priority for monitoring in this scenario.
2. A child has undergone a tonsillectomy, and a nurse is providing postoperative care. What is an important nursing intervention?
- A. Encouraging deep breathing exercises
- B. Encouraging the child to eat
- C. Administering antibiotics
- D. Applying ice to the throat
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Administering antibiotics is a crucial nursing intervention after a tonsillectomy because it helps prevent infections, which are a common postoperative complication. Encouraging deep breathing exercises (Choice A) is also important for promoting lung expansion and preventing respiratory complications. Encouraging the child to eat (Choice B) may not be appropriate immediately after a tonsillectomy due to the risk of throat irritation and discomfort. Applying ice to the throat (Choice D) is generally not recommended post-tonsillectomy as it may cause vasoconstriction and hinder the healing process.
3. A teenage girl has been placed in a brace for the treatment of scoliosis, the most common skeletal deformity of adolescence. The family asks what they can do to be more supportive. What suggestion from the nurse is the most appropriate?
- A. Enrolling her in a health club
- B. Taking her to the mall in a wheelchair
- C. Purchasing clothes to disguise the brace
- D. Spending a majority of their time with her
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The most appropriate suggestion from the nurse is to recommend purchasing clothes to disguise the brace. Adolescents with scoliosis often have body image concerns and wish to fit in with their peers. By providing clothes that help conceal the brace, the family can support the teenage girl's emotional well-being. Choices A, B, and D do not directly address the adolescent's concerns about body image and fitting in, making them less appropriate in this situation.
4. What behavior does the nurse anticipate when feeding a newborn with choanal atresia?
- A. Chokes during feeding
- B. Experiences swallowing challenges
- C. Lacks hunger cues
- D. Takes about half of the feeding
Correct answer: D
Rationale: When feeding a newborn with choanal atresia, the nurse can anticipate that the infant may take only part of the feeding before pausing for air. This is due to the fact that infants with choanal atresia struggle to breathe through their nose while feeding. Choice A is incorrect as choking typically involves a more severe airway obstruction. Choice B is incorrect because difficulty swallowing is not the primary concern in choanal atresia. Choice C is incorrect as the issue is not related to hunger cues but rather the physiological challenges associated with breathing while feeding.
5. The nurse is teaching a group of students about myelination in a child. Which statement by the students indicates that the teaching was successful?
- A. Myelination continues into adolescence and beyond.
- B. The process occurs in a cephalocaudal (head-to-toe) pattern.
- C. Myelination decreases the speed of nerve impulses.
- D. Myelination decreases the specificity of nerve impulses.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Myelination occurs in a cephalocaudal (head-to-toe) pattern, improving nerve function progressively. Choice A is incorrect as myelination continues into adolescence and beyond, not just during childhood. Choice C is incorrect because myelination actually increases the speed of nerve impulses rather than decreasing it. Choice D is incorrect as myelination enhances the specificity of nerve impulses, making them more efficient and precise rather than less specific.