Question

A client experiences an ABO incompatibility reaction after multiple blood transfusions. Which finding should the nurse report immediately to the healthcare provider?

Answer 1

Correct Answers:

Lower back pain and hypotension.

Rationale :

💎 Lower back (flank) pain with hypotension is a classic sign of an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction from ABO incompatibility, making it a medical emergency.

💎 Incompatible blood triggers rapid intravascular hemolysis, releasing free hemoglobin that can cause renal failure and shock.

💎 Hypotension indicates possible circulatory collapse and impaired tissue perfusion, requiring immediate provider notification and rapid intervention.

💎 Back pain often occurs from hemolysis-related renal vasoconstriction and irritation as hemoglobin filters through the kidneys.

💎 The nurse must act immediately (stop transfusion, maintain IV with normal saline, monitor vitals, send blood tubing/bag per protocol) to prevent fatal complications.

Acute rhinitis and nasal stuffiness

💎These symptoms are more consistent with a mild allergic reaction or upper airway irritation rather than ABO hemolysis.

💎They are not the priority emergency indicator compared with hypotension and back pain.

Delayed painful rash with urticaria

💎Urticaria suggests an allergic transfusion reaction, which is usually less immediately life-threatening than acute hemolysis unless accompanied by airway compromise.

💎It does not match the hallmark signs of ABO incompatibility like shock and flank pain.

Arthritic joint changes and chronic pain

💎This describes a chronic condition and is not characteristic of transfusion incompatibility reactions.

💎ABO hemolytic reactions present acutely, often during or shortly after transfusion.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 2

Correct Highlights :

Agitated
chest pain described as pressure and tightness that is unrelieved with rest
Rapid regular rhythm
Rapid and shallow breaths

Rationale :

Neurological: Agitated

🟣 Agitation can be an early sign of hypoxia or decreased perfusion related to a possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

🟣 It may also reflect pain-related sympathetic activation, which increases myocardial oxygen demand.

🟣 In a client with chest pain, agitation can indicate worsening cardiopulmonary status and should trigger closer monitoring.

🟣 It increases risk for unsafe movement and can interfere with accurate assessment and treatment.

🟣 This finding requires follow-up to address oxygenation, pain control, and cardiac stability promptly.

Cardiovascular: Chest pain unrelieved with rest

🟣 Chest pain that is tightness/pressure and unrelieved by rest is highly suspicious for myocardial ischemia and possible MI.

🟣 The prolonged duration (over 20 minutes at rest) indicates a potentially unstable process rather than exertional discomfort only.

🟣 This pattern suggests the heart muscle may not be receiving adequate oxygen, risking tissue injury.

🟣 Immediate follow-up is needed to initiate chest pain protocols (ECG, labs, oxygen, meds per orders).

🟣 Rapid intervention reduces the risk of arrhythmias, infarction expansion, and cardiac arrest.

Cardiovascular: Rapid regular rhythm (HR 121)

🟣 Tachycardia (121 bpm) increases myocardial workload and raises oxygen demand, worsening ischemia if ACS is present.

🟣 It is a common sympathetic response to pain, anxiety, hypoxia, or early shock states.

🟣 In the context of chest pain, tachycardia is a red flag for cardiac strain and possible clinical deterioration.

🟣 This finding requires follow-up because persistent tachycardia can precipitate dysrhythmias and decrease coronary perfusion time.

🟣 Ongoing monitoring and timely management support stabilization and prevent worsening cardiac injury.

Respiratory: Rapid and shallow breaths

🟣 Rapid, shallow respirations can indicate distress from pain, hypoxemia, or impaired cardiopulmonary function.

🟣 Shallow breathing reduces alveolar ventilation and may worsen oxygenation, especially in a client already showing low SpO₂.

🟣 In chest pain cases, it can also reflect anxiety and an attempt to “guard” due to discomfort.

🟣 This pattern increases fatigue and can lead to worsening respiratory compromise if not addressed.

🟣 Follow-up is needed to assess breathing effectiveness, support oxygenation, and reduce cardiopulmonary strain.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 3

Correct Answers

Pain only relieved by opioids [ myocardial infarction ]
Occurring without cause [ angina ]
Epigastric distress [ angina ; myocardial infarction ]
Feelings of fear [ angina ; myocardial infarction ]

Rationale :

Pain only relieved by opioids → Myocardial Infarction (MI)

🟣 Chest pain that is severe, persistent, and unrelieved by rest is more consistent with myocardial infarction than typical angina.

🟣 In MI, pain often persists because there is prolonged ischemia with myocardial injury, not just temporary oxygen mismatch.

🟣 This type of pain may require opioids (e.g., morphine) when nitrates and rest do not provide adequate relief.

🟣 Opioids can reduce pain and anxiety, which helps decrease sympathetic stimulation and myocardial oxygen demand.

🟣 Pain needing opioids is a red-flag sign of acute coronary syndrome progression requiring urgent management.

Occurring without cause → Angina

🟣 Angina can present as chest discomfort that occurs at rest or without clear exertion, especially with unstable angina.

🟣 When oxygen demand and supply become imbalanced due to coronary artery narrowing or plaque instability, pain may occur without an obvious trigger.

🟣 This is still typically related to reversible ischemia, meaning the heart muscle is not yet permanently damaged.

🟣 Symptoms may be intermittent and can improve with prompt interventions such as nitroglycerin and rest.

🟣 Recognizing “without cause” pain is important because it can signal worsening angina that needs urgent evaluation.

Epigastric distress → Both

🟣 Epigastric distress can be a cardiac pain equivalent, especially in older adults and those with multiple cardiac risk factors.

🟣 Both angina and MI may present atypically with indigestion-like discomfort, nausea, or upper abdominal pressure.

🟣 This happens because cardiac ischemia can refer pain to the upper abdomen via shared nerve pathways.

🟣 Nurses must treat epigastric discomfort seriously when paired with risk factors like hypertension, obesity, and smoking history.

🟣 This symptom warrants rapid evaluation because it can represent either reversible ischemia (angina) or infarction (MI).

Feelings of fear → Both

🟣 Feelings of fear or impending doom can occur with both angina and MI because ischemia triggers a strong sympathetic nervous system response.

🟣 Anxiety often rises as oxygen delivery to the heart decreases and the client perceives the seriousness of the symptoms.

🟣 In MI, fear may be even more intense due to severe pain and physiologic instability, but it can also occur in angina episodes.

🟣 This symptom is clinically important because fear can increase catecholamines, raising heart rate and blood pressure, which worsens ischemia.

🟣 Addressing fear supports physiologic stability and improves cooperation with urgent interventions.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 4

Correct Answers

Blank 1 Correct Option: new onset angina
Blank 2 Correct Option: Troponin I

Rationale :

New onset angina

🟣 ST depression on ECG is a classic sign of myocardial ischemia, which commonly appears with angina (especially unstable/new-onset patterns).

🟣 The client’s chest pain is pressure/tightness, worsening, and unrelieved by rest, which fits an acute ischemic syndrome needing urgent evaluation.

🟣 When ischemia occurs without confirmed myocardial necrosis, the diagnosis aligns more with angina than infarction.

🟣 This is especially supported when troponin levels are normal, indicating no significant myocardial cell death at that time.

🟣 The term new onset angina fits because he reports no prior similar episodes, and symptoms started with exertion and progressed.

Troponin I

🟣 Troponin I is a highly specific marker for myocardial injury/necrosis, and it rises when heart muscle cells are damaged.

🟣 In angina, ischemia occurs but does not usually cause sustained cell death, so troponin can remain normal.

🟣 This fits the statement: ST depression shows ischemia on ECG, and normal troponin I supports no infarction at that time.

🟣 Troponin is essential in differentiating unstable angina vs NSTEMI, because NSTEMI requires troponin elevation.

🟣 A normal troponin level, paired with ischemic ECG changes, is most consistent with angina/ischemia without infarction.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 5

Correct Answers

Blank 1 Correct Option: pain
Blank 2 Correct Option: dysrhythmias

Rationale :

pain

🟣 PCI restores blood flow by opening a narrowed coronary artery, improving oxygen delivery to the myocardium.

🟣 When the heart muscle receives more oxygen, myocardial ischemia decreases, which directly reduces chest pain (angina).

🟣 Balloon angioplasty compresses plaque and a stent helps keep the vessel open to maintain perfusion.

🟣 Reduced ischemia lowers the build-up of metabolites (like lactate) that trigger pressure/tightness sensations.

🟣 This is why patients often experience less pain after the blocked vessel is treated.

dysrhythmias

🟣 Myocardial ischemia irritates cardiac cells and disrupts normal electrical stability, increasing risk for dysrhythmias.

🟣 By restoring coronary perfusion, PCI improves oxygen supply and reduces ischemic electrical instability.

🟣 This lowers the chance of dangerous rhythm changes such as ventricular dysrhythmias that can occur with reduced blood flow.

🟣 Improving perfusion also supports better conduction through myocardial tissue, decreasing ectopy triggered by ischemia.

🟣 For these reasons, PCI can lessen dysrhythmias while also reducing ischemic symptoms like chest pain.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 6

Correct Answers:

I will chew my nitroglycerin tabs as soon as pain begins.
I will take the nitroglycerin 1 or 2 more times 10 minutes apart if pain does not get better. F I will call 911 if there is no improvement in my chest pain after taking nitroglycerin.

Rationale :

I will chew my nitroglycerin tabs as soon as pain begins.

🟣 Nitroglycerin tablets for chest pain are designed to be taken sublingually, meaning they should dissolve under the tongue for rapid absorption.

🟣 Chewing can reduce effectiveness because it alters the intended route and may lead to more being swallowed and broken down before it works.

🟣 The correct action is to place one tablet under the tongue, allow it to dissolve completely, and avoid eating or drinking until it dissolves.

🟣 Proper administration gives the fastest relief by quickly dilating coronary vessels and reducing myocardial oxygen demand.

🟣 Teaching should emphasize do not chew or swallow the tablet unless the formulation specifically states otherwise.

I will take the nitroglycerin 1 or 2 more times 10 minutes apart if pain does not get better.

🟣 The standard teaching for sublingual nitroglycerin is repeat every 5 minutes, not every 10 minutes.

🟣 Delaying the second and third dose can prolong ischemia and increase the risk of myocardial injury.

🟣 The correct guideline is 1 tablet now, repeat every 5 minutes for up to 3 total doses if pain persists.

🟣 If chest pain is not relieved after the first dose (or persists after 3 doses within 15 minutes), the client should call emergency services.

🟣 Correct timing ensures prompt treatment and reduces risk of severe complications from ongoing ischemia.

I will wait 5 minutes after taking my nitroglycerin to see if the pain improves.

🟣 This is correct because nitroglycerin may be repeated every 5 minutes if pain continues.

🟣Waiting 5 minutes allows assessment of response before taking another dose.

I will lie down or sit if I start to feel any chest discomfort.

🟣 This is appropriate because nitroglycerin can cause hypotension and dizziness, increasing fall risk.

🟣Sitting or lying down promotes safety and decreases cardiac workload.

I will wear a medication alert bracelet to indicate my history of heart problems.

🟣 This is a smart safety measure that helps emergency responders act quickly and appropriately.

🟣 It can guide urgent decision-making if the client is unable to speak.

I will call 911 if there is no improvement in my chest pain after taking nitroglycerin.

🟣 This is correct because chest pain unrelieved by nitroglycerin may indicate acute coronary syndrome.

🟣Early EMS activation improves outcomes and speeds definitive treatment.

I will keep my nitroglycerin tablets with me all the time.

🟣 This is correct because angina can occur unexpectedly and early nitro use is important.

🟣Having it available supports prompt symptom response and safer management.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 7

Correct Answers:

Visual acuity.
Sensation in feet and legs.
Skin condition of lower extremities.
Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN).

Rationale :

Visual acuity

🟦 Long-term type 2 DM can cause diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma, leading to progressive vision loss.

🟦 Assessing visual acuity helps detect early decline and triggers referral for a dilated eye exam.

🟦 Vision changes may be subtle and develop gradually, so routine assessment is essential.

🟦 Early detection supports timely treatment to prevent permanent visual impairment.

🟦 Visual assessment is a direct screening for a major microvascular complication of diabetes.

Sensation in feet and legs

🟦 Diabetes commonly causes peripheral neuropathy, which reduces protective sensation in the lower extremities.

🟦 Loss of sensation increases risk for unnoticed injuries, ulcers, and infection.

🟦 Sensory testing (monofilament, light touch) identifies neuropathy early.

🟦 Detecting neuropathy supports preventive foot care and reduces risk for amputation.

🟦 This assessment targets a key long-term nerve complication of diabetes.

Skin condition of lower extremities

🟦 Diabetes can impair circulation and wound healing, increasing risk for skin breakdown and diabetic foot ulcers.

🟦 Inspecting skin identifies dryness, cracks, calluses, color changes, or open areas early.

🟦 Even small wounds can progress due to impaired healing and decreased sensation.

🟦 Early intervention prevents infection and severe tissue damage.

🟦 Skin checks support prevention of long-term vascular and neuropathic complications.

Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

🟦 Long-term DM can cause diabetic nephropathy, leading to declining kidney function.

🟦 Creatinine and BUN help assess renal filtration status and identify worsening kidney impairment.

🟦 Kidney damage may be present before symptoms appear, so lab monitoring is critical.

🟦 Abnormal results guide medication dosing, diet changes, and nephrology referral.

🟦 This assessment screens for a serious microvascular renal complication.

Signs of respiratory tract infection

🟦Infection monitoring is important, but it does not specifically evaluate long-term diabetic complications.

🟦It reflects acute illness risk rather than chronic neuropathy, retinopathy, or nephropathy.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 8

Correct Answers:

Check the abdominal surgical dressing.

Rationale :

🟩 A postoperative BP drop can indicate bleeding, and the first action is to assess for occult hemorrhage.

🟩 Checking the abdominal dressing helps identify external bleeding or significant drainage quickly.

🟩 This is a time-sensitive safety step because hemorrhage can progress rapidly after major surgery.

🟩 Early detection allows immediate escalation to prevent shock and organ hypoperfusion.

🟩 Addressing potential bleeding is a higher priority than trend review or deep breathing exercises.

Encourage the client to breathe deeply.

🟩 Deep breathing supports oxygenation but does not address the immediate risk of bleeding causing falling BP.

🟩 A focused circulatory assessment is more urgent.

Increase frequency of BP assessments.

🟩 More frequent vitals are appropriate after assessment, but the nurse must first check for a cause like hemorrhage.

🟩 Monitoring alone delays intervention.

Review the client's baseline BP trends.

🟩Baseline trends provide context but do not replace immediate assessment for acute postoperative complications.

🟩 A sudden decline requires evaluating for blood loss first.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 9

Correct Answers:

Chest tube insertion.

Rationale :

🟪 Increasing dyspnea with absent breath sounds on one side after trauma strongly suggests pneumothorax or hemothorax.

🟪 A chest tube restores lung expansion by removing air or blood from the pleural space.

🟪 This intervention is urgent because worsening pleural compromise can progress to tension pneumothorax and cardiovascular collapse.

🟪 Breath sound absence is a critical red flag for impaired ventilation on the affected side.

🟪 Preparing for chest tube insertion supports rapid stabilization of oxygenation and ventilation.

Pulmonary function test.

🟪PFTs are not used in acute trauma respiratory distress because they delay emergency stabilization.

🟪They are for chronic lung assessment, not life-threatening unilateral breath sound loss.

Bronchoscopy.

🟪Bronchoscopy evaluates airway obstruction or bleeding but does not immediately treat pleural air/blood collapse.

🟪The priority is re-expanding the lung with a chest tube.

Endotracheal intubation.

🟪Intubation supports airway/ventilation, but it does not remove air or blood trapped in the pleural space.

🟪The underlying problem requires pleural decompression via chest tube.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Answer 10

Correct Answers:

Demonstrate the use of visual scanning during meals to the client and family.

Rationale :

🟣 After a CVA, difficulty with visual perception often involves unilateral neglect, causing the client to ignore part of the tray.

🟣 Teaching visual scanning helps the client intentionally look to the affected side and improve overall food intake.

🟣 This intervention promotes independence and addresses the root cause rather than compensating by feeding the client.

🟣 Involving the family improves carryover of strategies during meals and supports consistent rehabilitation.

🟣 Correcting visual neglect techniques helps protect nutrition while reinforcing functional recovery.

Explain that weight loss will be reversed after the acute phase of the stroke has ended.

🟣This is not guaranteed and delays practical interventions needed now.

🟣The family needs a skill-based strategy to improve intake immediately.

Suggest that the family bring foods from home that the client enjoys eating.

🟣Preferred foods may help appetite but does not correct visual neglect causing the client to miss half the tray.

🟣The main issue is perception/attention, not preference.

Encourage the family to offer to feed the client when she does not eat her entire meal.

🟣Feeding can increase dependence and does not rehabilitate the visual deficit.

🟣The priority is teaching strategies that improve self-feeding and scanning.

Distractor Analysis :

Rationale for Incorrect Options to be Available Soon

Laboratory Test	Result	Range (Normal)
Cholesterol	240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L)	< 200 mg/dL (< 5.2 mmol/L)
Triglycerides	186 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/L)	40 - 60 mg/dL (0.45 - 1.81 mmol/L)
High-density Lipoproteins (HDL)	27 mg/dL (0.62 mmol/L)	> 45 mg/dL (> 1.16 mmol/L)
Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL)	150.8 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L)	< 130 mg/dL (< 3.4 mmol/L)

Laboratory Test	Result	Range (Normal)
Cholesterol	240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L)	< 200 mg/dL (< 5.2 mmol/L)
Triglycerides	186 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/L)	40 - 60 mg/dL (0.45 - 1.81 mmol/L)
High-density Lipoproteins (HDL)	27 mg/dL (0.62 mmol/L)	> 45 mg/dL (> 1.16 mmol/L)
Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL)	150.8 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L)	< 130 mg/dL (< 3.4 mmol/L)

Laboratory Test	Result	Range (Normal)
Cholesterol	240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L)	< 200 mg/dL (< 5.2 mmol/L)
Triglycerides	186 mg/dL (2.1 mmol/L)	40 - 60 mg/dL (0.45 - 1.81 mmol/L)
High-density Lipoproteins (HDL)	27 mg/dL (0.62 mmol/L)	> 45 mg/dL (> 1.16 mmol/L)
Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL)	150.8 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L)	< 130 mg/dL (< 3.4 mmol/L)

Hesi Medical surgical Adult I and II -Spring 2026

No.

1 :
A client experiences an ABO incompatibility reaction after multiple blood transfusions. Which finding should the nurse report immediately to the healthcare provider?

2 :
Patient Data.

Correct Highlights :

3 :
Patient Data.

Correct Answers

4 :
Patient Data.

Correct Answers

5 :
Patient Data.

Correct Answers

6 :
Patient Data.

Answer Options

7 :
An older adult client with long term type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is seen in the clinic for a routine health assessment. Which assessment(s) would the nurse complete to determine if a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is experiencing long term complications? Select all that apply.

8 :
One hour after major abdominal surgery, a client in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) has a blood pressure (BP) of 136/80 mm Hg. Fifteen minutes later, it is 114/72 mm Hg. Which action should the nurse take first?

9 :
A client arrives to the emergency department (ED) following a motor vehicle collision. The nurse observes the client experiencing increasing dyspnea and notes absent breath sounds on the left side. Which procedure should the nurse prepare the client for?

10 :
An older adult client who experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) has difficulty with visual perception and eats only half of the food on the meal tray. The client's family expresses concern about the client's nutritional status. How should the nurse respond to the family's concern?

Connect With Us

Symptoms	angina	myocardial infarction
Pain only relieved by opioids
Occurring without cause
Epigastric distress
Feelings of fear

Hesi Medical surgical Adult I and II -Spring 2026

No.

1 : A client experiences an ABO incompatibility reaction after multiple blood transfusions. Which finding should the nurse report immediately to the healthcare provider?

2 : Patient Data.

Correct Highlights :

3 : Patient Data.

Correct Answers

4 : Patient Data.

Correct Answers

5 : Patient Data.

Correct Answers

6 : Patient Data.

Answer Options

7 : An older adult client with long term type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is seen in the clinic for a routine health assessment. Which assessment(s) would the nurse complete to determine if a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is experiencing long term complications? Select all that apply.

8 : One hour after major abdominal surgery, a client in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) has a blood pressure (BP) of 136/80 mm Hg. Fifteen minutes later, it is 114/72 mm Hg. Which action should the nurse take first?

9 : A client arrives to the emergency department (ED) following a motor vehicle collision. The nurse observes the client experiencing increasing dyspnea and notes absent breath sounds on the left side. Which procedure should the nurse prepare the client for?

10 : An older adult client who experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) has difficulty with visual perception and eats only half of the food on the meal tray. The client's family expresses concern about the client's nutritional status. How should the nurse respond to the family's concern?

1 :
A client experiences an ABO incompatibility reaction after multiple blood transfusions. Which finding should the nurse report immediately to the healthcare provider?

2 :
Patient Data.

3 :
Patient Data.

4 :
Patient Data.

5 :
Patient Data.

6 :
Patient Data.

7 :
An older adult client with long term type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is seen in the clinic for a routine health assessment. Which assessment(s) would the nurse complete to determine if a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is experiencing long term complications? Select all that apply.

8 :
One hour after major abdominal surgery, a client in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) has a blood pressure (BP) of 136/80 mm Hg. Fifteen minutes later, it is 114/72 mm Hg. Which action should the nurse take first?

9 :
A client arrives to the emergency department (ED) following a motor vehicle collision. The nurse observes the client experiencing increasing dyspnea and notes absent breath sounds on the left side. Which procedure should the nurse prepare the client for?

10 :
An older adult client who experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) has difficulty with visual perception and eats only half of the food on the meal tray. The client's family expresses concern about the client's nutritional status. How should the nurse respond to the family's concern?