HESI A2 Practice Test 2026/2027: 100 Exam
Questions with Answers, Rationales & Full
Study Guide for Nursing Admission Success
Description:
Prepare for the HESI A2 admission exam with this updated 2026/2027 practice test bank
featuring 100 exam-style questions with detailed answers and rationales. Covering Reading
Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Mathematics, Anatomy and Physiology, Biology,
Chemistry, and Professional Practice, this study guide mirrors the official HESI A2
blueprint. Includes select-all-that-apply items, ordered-response questions, a full answer-key
grid, domain score report, and evidence-based references. Ideal for nursing school applicants,
pre-nursing students, and exam-prep platforms.
Download your free HESI A2 practice test 2026/2027 today and pass with confidence!
, HESI A2 Practice Test 2026/2027 – Free 100 Questions & Answers
Section I: Reading Comprehension (Passage-Based Sets)
Passage A
A community hospital introduced a nurse-led discharge planning protocol in which bedside
nurses began medication reconciliation, patient education, and follow-up scheduling 48 hours
before discharge. Over twelve months, the 30-day readmission rate for heart failure patients fell
from 24% to 15%. Patient satisfaction scores rose, and the average length of stay decreased by
0.6 days. The authors note that the protocol required additional nursing time but produced cost
savings that exceeded the added labor expense.
Question 1
Which statement best expresses the central claim of Passage A?
A. Nurse-led discharge planning eliminated heart failure readmissions.
B. Nurse-led discharge planning is associated with lower readmissions and cost savings.
C. Discharge planning should be performed only by physicians.
D. Patient satisfaction is unrelated to discharge planning.
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage reports a readmission drop from 24% to 15% and notes cost savings
exceeding labor costs, supporting an association claim. A is wrong because readmissions fell but
were not eliminated. C contradicts the passage's premise. D is directly refuted by the reported
rise in satisfaction scores.
Question 2
The authors state the protocol "required additional nursing time but produced cost savings that
exceeded the added labor expense." What does this statement imply?
A. The protocol was financially unsustainable.
B. The net financial effect of the protocol was positive.
,C. Nursing time has no financial value.
D. Cost savings were unrelated to the protocol.
Answer: B
Explanation: If savings exceeded added labor expense, the net effect is positive. A misreads the
sentence. C is an unsupported absolute. D contradicts the causal framing of the passage.
Question 3
Which detail, if added, would most strengthen the passage's argument?
A. A description of the hospital's cafeteria menu
B. A comparison with a control unit that did not adopt the protocol
C. A list of nursing staff names
D. An anecdote about one patient's discharge
Answer: B
Explanation: A control comparison would isolate the protocol's effect from other variables,
strengthening causal inference. A is irrelevant. C adds no evidentiary value. D, a single anecdote,
carries far less weight than comparative data.
Question 4
The tone of Passage A is best described as?
A. Sarcastic
B. Objective and evaluative
C. Emotionally distressed
D. Dismissive of nursing roles
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage presents data and balanced commentary, including both benefits and
added labor, reflecting objective evaluation. A and C mischaracterize the neutral register. D is
contradicted by the passage's positive framing of nurse-led care.
, Passage B
Hand hygiene is widely regarded as the single most effective measure for preventing healthcare-
associated infections. Yet compliance rates in many facilities remain below 50%. Common
barriers include high workload, skin irritation from frequent washing, and poor access to sinks or
sanitizer dispensers. Multimodal interventions that combine education, accessible supplies,
leadership engagement, and performance feedback have produced the largest and most sustained
improvements.
Question 5
According to Passage B, which factor is most responsible for sustained improvement in hand
hygiene compliance?
A. Individual reminders alone
B. Multimodal interventions combining several strategies
C. Disciplinary action against noncompliant staff
D. Installing a single sanitizer dispenser
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage explicitly attributes the largest and most sustained improvements to
multimodal interventions. A, C, and D each describe single strategies that the passage does not
credit with sustained gains.
Question 6
Which inference is best supported by Passage B?
A. Low compliance is caused solely by staff negligence.
B. Environmental and workload factors contribute to low compliance.
C. Hand hygiene has little effect on infection rates.
D. Compliance rates are above 90% in most facilities.
Answer: B
Questions with Answers, Rationales & Full
Study Guide for Nursing Admission Success
Description:
Prepare for the HESI A2 admission exam with this updated 2026/2027 practice test bank
featuring 100 exam-style questions with detailed answers and rationales. Covering Reading
Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Mathematics, Anatomy and Physiology, Biology,
Chemistry, and Professional Practice, this study guide mirrors the official HESI A2
blueprint. Includes select-all-that-apply items, ordered-response questions, a full answer-key
grid, domain score report, and evidence-based references. Ideal for nursing school applicants,
pre-nursing students, and exam-prep platforms.
Download your free HESI A2 practice test 2026/2027 today and pass with confidence!
, HESI A2 Practice Test 2026/2027 – Free 100 Questions & Answers
Section I: Reading Comprehension (Passage-Based Sets)
Passage A
A community hospital introduced a nurse-led discharge planning protocol in which bedside
nurses began medication reconciliation, patient education, and follow-up scheduling 48 hours
before discharge. Over twelve months, the 30-day readmission rate for heart failure patients fell
from 24% to 15%. Patient satisfaction scores rose, and the average length of stay decreased by
0.6 days. The authors note that the protocol required additional nursing time but produced cost
savings that exceeded the added labor expense.
Question 1
Which statement best expresses the central claim of Passage A?
A. Nurse-led discharge planning eliminated heart failure readmissions.
B. Nurse-led discharge planning is associated with lower readmissions and cost savings.
C. Discharge planning should be performed only by physicians.
D. Patient satisfaction is unrelated to discharge planning.
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage reports a readmission drop from 24% to 15% and notes cost savings
exceeding labor costs, supporting an association claim. A is wrong because readmissions fell but
were not eliminated. C contradicts the passage's premise. D is directly refuted by the reported
rise in satisfaction scores.
Question 2
The authors state the protocol "required additional nursing time but produced cost savings that
exceeded the added labor expense." What does this statement imply?
A. The protocol was financially unsustainable.
B. The net financial effect of the protocol was positive.
,C. Nursing time has no financial value.
D. Cost savings were unrelated to the protocol.
Answer: B
Explanation: If savings exceeded added labor expense, the net effect is positive. A misreads the
sentence. C is an unsupported absolute. D contradicts the causal framing of the passage.
Question 3
Which detail, if added, would most strengthen the passage's argument?
A. A description of the hospital's cafeteria menu
B. A comparison with a control unit that did not adopt the protocol
C. A list of nursing staff names
D. An anecdote about one patient's discharge
Answer: B
Explanation: A control comparison would isolate the protocol's effect from other variables,
strengthening causal inference. A is irrelevant. C adds no evidentiary value. D, a single anecdote,
carries far less weight than comparative data.
Question 4
The tone of Passage A is best described as?
A. Sarcastic
B. Objective and evaluative
C. Emotionally distressed
D. Dismissive of nursing roles
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage presents data and balanced commentary, including both benefits and
added labor, reflecting objective evaluation. A and C mischaracterize the neutral register. D is
contradicted by the passage's positive framing of nurse-led care.
, Passage B
Hand hygiene is widely regarded as the single most effective measure for preventing healthcare-
associated infections. Yet compliance rates in many facilities remain below 50%. Common
barriers include high workload, skin irritation from frequent washing, and poor access to sinks or
sanitizer dispensers. Multimodal interventions that combine education, accessible supplies,
leadership engagement, and performance feedback have produced the largest and most sustained
improvements.
Question 5
According to Passage B, which factor is most responsible for sustained improvement in hand
hygiene compliance?
A. Individual reminders alone
B. Multimodal interventions combining several strategies
C. Disciplinary action against noncompliant staff
D. Installing a single sanitizer dispenser
Answer: B
Explanation: The passage explicitly attributes the largest and most sustained improvements to
multimodal interventions. A, C, and D each describe single strategies that the passage does not
credit with sustained gains.
Question 6
Which inference is best supported by Passage B?
A. Low compliance is caused solely by staff negligence.
B. Environmental and workload factors contribute to low compliance.
C. Hand hygiene has little effect on infection rates.
D. Compliance rates are above 90% in most facilities.
Answer: B
