FREE NACE Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Questions and Answers 2026

Sample Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I PN-RN Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I PN-RN practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. Which action by a nursing student demonstrates correct understanding of surgical asepsis?

   • A. Reaching over a sterile field to pass instruments
   • B. Placing sterile items at the edge of the sterile field for easy access
   • C. Keeping sterile gloved hands above the waist and in view
   • D. Considering a sterile item safe to use if it was opened 2 hours ago

Answer: C. Keeping sterile gloved hands above the waist and in view

Sterile gloved hands must remain above waist level and in the nurse's field of vision to maintain sterility.

Answer: D. Monitoring cardiac rate and rhythm

Hyperkalemia (an elevated potassium level) is a life-threatening emergency primarily because of its effect on the heart's electrical conduction system. It can lead to dangerous and fatal dysrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest. Therefore, continuous cardiac monitoring is the highest priority assessment.

Answer: B. Keep the head of bed elevated at 30–45 degrees

Elevating the head of the bed 30–45 degrees reduces gastroesophageal reflux and the risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Answer: A. Search the facility and notify the charge nurse and security immediately

Patient elopement is a safety emergency; the nurse must immediately alert the charge nurse and security to initiate a search.

Take the full Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I PN-RN practice test