BSN Study Guide 2026

Everything you need to pass the BSN exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.

📋 BSN Exam Format at a Glance

100
Questions
300 min
Time Limit
70.00%
Passing Score

📚 BSN Topics to Study (33)

✍️ Sample BSN Questions & Answers

1. A child is diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot and experiences a hypercyanotic ('Tet') spell. Which position should the nurse place the child in?
✓ Knee-chest position

The knee-chest position increases systemic vascular resistance, reduces right-to-left shunting, and improves pulmonary blood flow, thereby relieving the hypercyanotic spell.

2. Which finding indicates that a patient's nasogastric tube is correctly placed in the stomach?
✓ Aspiration of gastric contents with a pH of 1–4

Gastric aspirate with a pH of 1–4 confirms correct placement in the stomach before administering feedings.

3. Which electrolyte imbalance increases a patient's risk for digoxin toxicity?
✓ Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia potentiates digoxin toxicity because low potassium levels increase myocardial sensitivity to the drug.

4. When using a PCA (patient-controlled analgesia) pump, which action by the patient's family member requires immediate nurse intervention?
✓ Pressing the PCA button while the patient is sleeping

Only the patient should activate the PCA; proxy dosing by a family member bypasses the safety mechanism and can cause respiratory depression.

5. A patient receiving epidural analgesia during labor develops sudden hypotension. What is the nurse's priority action?
✓ Increase IV fluid rate and position patient in left lateral position

Epidural-induced sympathetic blockade causes vasodilation and hypotension; IV fluid bolus and lateral positioning restore cardiac preload and maternal BP.

6. A patient at 38 weeks' gestation presents with sudden, painless, bright red vaginal bleeding. The nurse suspects which condition?
✓ Placenta previa

Placenta previa classically presents with painless bright red vaginal bleeding in the third trimester as the low-lying placenta separates.

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📖 BSN Guides & Articles

Your BSN Study Path
1. Learn with Flashcards → 2. Drill Practice Tests → 3. Take the Full Exam Simulation
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