TIA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield TIA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following findings is a classic sign of dehydration in an adult patient? → Decreased skin turgor
2. A patient with borderline personality disorder repeatedly calls the nursing station requesting different nurses. The most therapeutic response is to: → Maintain consistent staff assignments and clear limits
3. Which electrolyte is most important for regulating fluid balance inside cells (intracellular fluid)? → Potassium
4. A client is following a low-sodium diet for hypertension. Which food item should the nurse advise the client to limit? → Canned soup
5. A nurse is changing a wound dressing. Which action maintains sterile technique? → Keeping the sterile field in view at all times
6. Which assessment finding indicates a client is experiencing thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency? → Beriberi
7. A nurse is assessing a client with suspected scurvy. Which clinical finding is most characteristic of this condition? → Bleeding gums and poor wound healing
8. Which fetal heart rate pattern requires the nurse to immediately reposition the mother and notify the provider? → Late decelerations in a non-reactive NST
9. A patient receiving haloperidol develops muscle rigidity, high fever, altered consciousness, and autonomic instability. The nurse recognizes this as: → Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)
10. Select the element which is not part of the critical thinking standards. → Relativistic thinking
11. A nurse is preparing to perform a venipuncture on a 7-year-old. Which pain management strategy is most appropriate? → Apply EMLA cream 60 minutes before the procedure
12. A client's urine output over 8 hours is 200 mL. The nurse should recognize this as: → Oliguria
13. Which finding in a patient at 34 weeks gestation is consistent with preterm labor? → Regular contractions every 5 minutes with cervical dilation
14. What is the meaning of current information? → It is up to date.
15. A nurse manager notices that staff consistently skip the patient identification step before medication administration. The best management strategy is: → Conduct a root cause analysis and implement system-level safeguards
16. Which of the following are poorly perfused tissues? → None of the above
17. A nurse is assigned to care for four patients. Which patient should the nurse assess first? → A patient who had a seizure 30 minutes ago and is now postictal
18. A parent is concerned because their 18-month-old only says 5 words. The nurse knows that the expected vocabulary at 18 months is at least: → 10–15 words
19. A patient with anorexia nervosa is admitted weighing 82 lbs at 5'4". Which initial intervention is the priority? → Assess and stabilize vital signs and electrolytes
20. A nurse is using the CIWA-Ar scale. What is being assessed? → Severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
21. A nurse is caring for a child with Kawasaki disease. Which finding is characteristic of this condition? → Fever lasting more than 5 days with strawberry tongue and rash
22. When performing a bed bath, the nurse should wash the patient in which order? → Face → neck → arms → chest → abdomen → legs → perineum → back
23. A nurse is asked to float to the ICU but has never worked in that setting. The most appropriate action is to: → Accept the assignment after requesting orientation and appropriate supervision
24. A child with meningitis has a positive Kernig's sign. This is elicited by: → Extending the knee with the hip flexed, which causes pain and resistance
25. A nurse is planning care for five patients. Using the concept of prioritization, which patient has the highest priority? → A patient with SpO2 of 88% on 2 L/min nasal cannula
26. A nurse receives a verbal order from a physician by phone. What is the appropriate action? → Repeat the order back to the physician to confirm accuracy, then document
27. A hospital is implementing a new electronic health record (EHR) system. Which change management strategy is most effective? → Involve frontline nurses in the design and rollout process
28. A nurse is caring for a patient in active labor receiving magnesium sulfate. Which finding signals toxicity? → Loss of deep tendon reflexes
29. A nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. Which step should be performed first? → Explain the procedure to the patient
30. Which immunization is recommended at birth before hospital discharge in the United States? → Hepatitis B vaccine (first dose)