pg. 1
, HESI A2 Critical Thinking V1, V2 & V3 Exam
Pack 2025–2026 | Verified Questions,
Answers, and NCLEX-Style Study Guide for
Nursing Students
1. The nurse is working in the emergency department (ED) of a
children's medical center. Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The 1-month-old infant who has developed colic and is crying.
2. The 2-year-old toddler who was bitten by another child at the day-
care center. 3. The 6-year-old school-age child who was hit by a car
while riding a bicycle.
4. The 14-year-old adolescent whose mother suspects her child is
sexually active. - ANSWER -Rationale
Correct - 3-The child hit by a car should be assessed first because he or
she may have life- threatening injuries that must be assessed and
treated promptly.
1. In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid
his or her memory later. Which statement is true regarding note-taking?
A) Note-taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's
nonverbal behaviors.
B) Note-taking allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as
the nurse records what is said.
pg. 2
,C) Note-taking allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient,
resulting in an increased comfort level.
D) Note-taking allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient,
which may increase his or her level of comfort. - ANSWER -A) Note-
taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal
behaviors.
Page: 31 Some use of history forms and note-taking may be
unavoidable. But be aware that note-taking during the interview has
disadvantages. It breaks eye contact too often, and it shifts attention
away from the patient, which diminishes his or her sense of
importance. It also may interrupt the patient's narrative flow, and it
impedes the observation of the patient's nonverbal behavior.
2. The 8-year-old client diagnosed with a vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis
is complaining of a severe headache. Which intervention should the
nurse implement first?
1. Administer 6 L of oxygen via nasal cannula.
2. Assess the client's neurological status.
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push (IVP). 4. Increase
the client's intravenous (IV) rate. - ANSWER -Rationale
Correct - 2-Because the client is complaining of a headache, the nurse
should first rule out cerebrovascular accident (CVA) by assess- ing the
client's neurological status and then determine whether it is a headache
that can be treated with medication.
pg. 3
, 2. During an interview, the nurse states, "You mentioned shortness of
breath. Tell me more about that." Which verbal skill is used with this
statement?
A) Reflection
B) Facilitation
C) Direct question
D) Open-ended question - ANSWER -D) Open-ended question
Page: 32 The open-ended question asks for narrative information. It
states the topic to be discussed but only in general terms. The nurse
should use it to begin the interview, to introduce a new section of
questions, and whenever the person introduces a new topic.
3. The 6-year-old client who has undergone abdominal surgery is
attempting to make a pinwheel spin by blowing on it with the nurse's
assistance. The child starts crying because the pinwheel won't spin.
Which action should the nurse implement first?
1. Praise the child for the attempt to make the pinwheel spin.
2. Notify the respiratory therapist to implement incentive spirometry. 3.
Encourage the child to turn from side to side and cough.
4. Demonstrate how to make the pinwheel spin by blowing on it. -
ANSWER -Rationale
pg. 4
, HESI A2 Critical Thinking V1, V2 & V3 Exam
Pack 2025–2026 | Verified Questions,
Answers, and NCLEX-Style Study Guide for
Nursing Students
1. The nurse is working in the emergency department (ED) of a
children's medical center. Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The 1-month-old infant who has developed colic and is crying.
2. The 2-year-old toddler who was bitten by another child at the day-
care center. 3. The 6-year-old school-age child who was hit by a car
while riding a bicycle.
4. The 14-year-old adolescent whose mother suspects her child is
sexually active. - ANSWER -Rationale
Correct - 3-The child hit by a car should be assessed first because he or
she may have life- threatening injuries that must be assessed and
treated promptly.
1. In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid
his or her memory later. Which statement is true regarding note-taking?
A) Note-taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's
nonverbal behaviors.
B) Note-taking allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as
the nurse records what is said.
pg. 2
,C) Note-taking allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient,
resulting in an increased comfort level.
D) Note-taking allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient,
which may increase his or her level of comfort. - ANSWER -A) Note-
taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal
behaviors.
Page: 31 Some use of history forms and note-taking may be
unavoidable. But be aware that note-taking during the interview has
disadvantages. It breaks eye contact too often, and it shifts attention
away from the patient, which diminishes his or her sense of
importance. It also may interrupt the patient's narrative flow, and it
impedes the observation of the patient's nonverbal behavior.
2. The 8-year-old client diagnosed with a vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis
is complaining of a severe headache. Which intervention should the
nurse implement first?
1. Administer 6 L of oxygen via nasal cannula.
2. Assess the client's neurological status.
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push (IVP). 4. Increase
the client's intravenous (IV) rate. - ANSWER -Rationale
Correct - 2-Because the client is complaining of a headache, the nurse
should first rule out cerebrovascular accident (CVA) by assess- ing the
client's neurological status and then determine whether it is a headache
that can be treated with medication.
pg. 3
, 2. During an interview, the nurse states, "You mentioned shortness of
breath. Tell me more about that." Which verbal skill is used with this
statement?
A) Reflection
B) Facilitation
C) Direct question
D) Open-ended question - ANSWER -D) Open-ended question
Page: 32 The open-ended question asks for narrative information. It
states the topic to be discussed but only in general terms. The nurse
should use it to begin the interview, to introduce a new section of
questions, and whenever the person introduces a new topic.
3. The 6-year-old client who has undergone abdominal surgery is
attempting to make a pinwheel spin by blowing on it with the nurse's
assistance. The child starts crying because the pinwheel won't spin.
Which action should the nurse implement first?
1. Praise the child for the attempt to make the pinwheel spin.
2. Notify the respiratory therapist to implement incentive spirometry. 3.
Encourage the child to turn from side to side and cough.
4. Demonstrate how to make the pinwheel spin by blowing on it. -
ANSWER -Rationale
pg. 4
