HESI A2 CRITICAL THINKING PRACTICE TEST
2026 | QUESTIONS, ANSWERS &
STRATEGIES
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,2. The 8-year-old client diagnosed with a vaso-occlusive Rationale
sickle cell crisis is complaining of a severe headache. Correct - 2-Because the client is complaining of a headache, the nurse should first
Which intervention should the nurse implement first? rule out cerebrovascular accident (CVA) by assess- ing the client's neurological
1. Administer 6 L of oxygen via nasal cannula. status and then determine whether it is a headache that can be treated with
2. Assess the client's neurological status. medication.
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push
(IVP). 4. Increase the client's intravenous (IV) rate.
2. During an interview, the nurse states, "You mentioned D) Open-ended question
shortness of breath. Tell me more about that." Which
verbal skill is used with this statement? 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
A) Reflection the interview, to introduce a new section of questions, and whenever the person
B) Facilitation introduces a new topic.
C) Direct question
D) Open-ended question
3. The 6-year-old client who has undergone abdominal Rationale
surgery is attempting to make a pinwheel spin by blowing
on it with the nurse's assistance. The child starts crying Correct -1. The nurse should always praise the child for attempts at cooperation
because the pinwheel won't spin. Which action should the even if the child did not accomplish what the nurse asked.
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.
3. A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the C) using biased or leading questions.
patients attending a wellness workshop. On the history
form, one of the written questions asks, "You don't smoke, Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions. Asking, "You
drink, or take drugs, do you?" This question is an example don't smoke, do you?" implies that one answer is "better" than another. If the
of: person wants to please someone, he or she is either forced to answer in a way
corresponding to their implied values or is made to feel guilty when admitting the
A) talking too much. other answer.
B) using confrontation.
C) using biased or leading questions.
D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics.
,4. The nurse is caring for clients on the pediatric medical Rationale
unit. Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who has a Correct - 4. A pulse oximeter reading of less than 93% is significant and indicates
blood glucose level hypoxia, which is life threatening; therefore, this child should be assessed first.
of 180 mg/dL.
2. The child diagnosed with pneumonia who is coughing
and has a temperature of
100°F.
3. The child diagnosed with gastroenteritis who has a
potassium (K+) level
of 3.9 mEq/L.
4. The child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who has a
pulse oximeter reading of 90%.
4. During an interview, a parent of a hospitalized child is D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment.
sitting in an open position. As the interviewer begins to
discuss his son's treatment, however, he suddenly crosses Page: 37 Note the person's position. An open position with the extension of large
his arms against his chest and crosses his legs. This would muscle groups shows relaxation, physical comfort, and a willingness to share
suggest that the parent is: information. A closed position with the arms and legs crossed tends to look
defensive and anxious. Note any change in posture. If a person in a relaxed
A) just changing positions. position suddenly tenses, it suggests possible discomfort with the new topic.
B) more comfortable in this position.
C) tired and needs a break from the interview.
D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment.
5. The nurse has received the a.m. shift report for clients Rationale
on a pediatric unit. Which medication should the nurse
administer first? Correct - 3-Sliding scale insulin is ordered ac, which is before meals; therefore,
1. The third dose of the aminoglycoside antibiotic to the this medication must be administered first after receiving the a.m. shift report.
child diagnosed with 4-Routine medications have a 1-hour leeway before and after the scheduled time;
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). therefore, this medication does not have to be adminis- tered first.
2. The IVP steroid methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) to
the child diagnosed with
asthma.
3. The sliding scale insulin to the child diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes mellitus.
4. The stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) to a child
diagnosed with attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
5. The nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing A) Determine the communication method he prefers.
impairment. What techniques would be most beneficial in
communicating with this patient? Pages: 40-41 The nurse should ask the deaf person the preferred way to
communicate—by signing, lip reading, or writing. If the person prefers lip reading,
A) Determine the communication method he prefers. then the nurse should be sure to face him or her squarely and have good lighting
B) Avoid using facial and hand gestures because most on the nurse's face. The nurse should not exaggerate lip movements because this
hearing-impaired people find this degrading. distorts words. Similarly, shouting distorts the reception of a hearing aid the
C) Request a sign language interpreter before meeting person may wear. The nurse should speak slowly and should supplement his or
with him to help facilitate the communication. her voice with appropriate hand gestures or pantomime.
D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated facial movement
when talking with him because this helps with lip reading.
, 6. The nurse enters the client's room and realizes the 9- Rationale
month-old infant is not breath- ing. Which interventions Correct Answer: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1
should the nurse implement? Prioritize the nurse's actions 4. The nurse must first determine the
from first (1) to last (5). infant's responsiveness by thumping the
1. Perform cardiac compression 30:2. baby's feet.
2. Check the infant's brachial pulse. 3. Administer two 5. The nurse should then open the child's
puffs to the infant. 4. Determine unresponsiveness. airway using the head-tilt chin-lift tech- nique, with care taken not to hyperextend
5. Open the infant's airway. the neck. Then the nurse should look, listen, and feel for respirations.
3. The nurse then administers quick puffs of air while covering the child's mouth
and nose, preferably with a rescue mask.
2. The nurse should determine whether the infant has a pulse by checking the
brachial artery.
1. If the infant has no pulse, the nurse should begin chest compressions using two
fingers at a rate of 30:2.
6. The nurse is performing a health interview on a patient A) "Do you take medicine?"
who has a language barrier, and no interpreter is
available. Which is the best example of an appropriate Page: 46 In a situation where there is a language barrier and no interpreter
question for the nurse to ask in this situation? available, use simple words avoiding medical jargon. Avoid using contractions and
pronouns. Use nouns repeatedly and discuss one topic at a time.
A) "Do you take medicine?"
B) "Do you sterilize the bottles?"
C) "Do you have nausea and vomiting?"
D) "You have been taking your medicine, haven't you?"
7. A female patient does not speak English well, and the A) A trained interpreter
nurse needs to choose an interpreter. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate choice? Page: 46 whenever possible, the nurse should use a trained interpreter, preferably
one who knows medical terminology. In general, an older, more mature
A) A trained interpreter interpreter is preferred to a younger, less experienced one, and the same gender
B) A male family member is preferred when possible.
C) A female family member
D) A volunteer college student from the foreign language
studies department
7. The 3-year-old client has been admitted to the Rationale
pediatric unit. Which task should the nurse instruct the
unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to perform first? Correct - 1.The first intervention after the child is ad- mitted to the unit is to orient
1. Orient the parents and child to the room. the parents and child to the room, the call system, and the hospital rules, such as
2. Obtain an admission kit for the child. not leaving the child alone in the room.
3. Post the child's height and weight at the HOB. 4.
Provide the child with a meal tray.
8. The clinic nurse is preparing to administer an Rationale
intramuscular (IM) injection to the 2-year-old toddler. Correct - 2-The nurse must explain any procedure in words the child can
Which intervention should the nurse implement first? understand. It does not matter how old the child is.
1. Immobilize the child's leg.
2. Explain the procedure to the child.
3. Cleanse the area with an alcohol swab. 4. Administer
the medication in the thigh.
2026 | QUESTIONS, ANSWERS &
STRATEGIES
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales Included
,2. The 8-year-old client diagnosed with a vaso-occlusive Rationale
sickle cell crisis is complaining of a severe headache. Correct - 2-Because the client is complaining of a headache, the nurse should first
Which intervention should the nurse implement first? rule out cerebrovascular accident (CVA) by assess- ing the client's neurological
1. Administer 6 L of oxygen via nasal cannula. status and then determine whether it is a headache that can be treated with
2. Assess the client's neurological status. medication.
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push
(IVP). 4. Increase the client's intravenous (IV) rate.
2. During an interview, the nurse states, "You mentioned D) Open-ended question
shortness of breath. Tell me more about that." Which
verbal skill is used with this statement? 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
A) Reflection the interview, to introduce a new section of questions, and whenever the person
B) Facilitation introduces a new topic.
C) Direct question
D) Open-ended question
3. The 6-year-old client who has undergone abdominal Rationale
surgery is attempting to make a pinwheel spin by blowing
on it with the nurse's assistance. The child starts crying Correct -1. The nurse should always praise the child for attempts at cooperation
because the pinwheel won't spin. Which action should the even if the child did not accomplish what the nurse asked.
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.
3. A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the C) using biased or leading questions.
patients attending a wellness workshop. On the history
form, one of the written questions asks, "You don't smoke, Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions. Asking, "You
drink, or take drugs, do you?" This question is an example don't smoke, do you?" implies that one answer is "better" than another. If the
of: person wants to please someone, he or she is either forced to answer in a way
corresponding to their implied values or is made to feel guilty when admitting the
A) talking too much. other answer.
B) using confrontation.
C) using biased or leading questions.
D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics.
,4. The nurse is caring for clients on the pediatric medical Rationale
unit. Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who has a Correct - 4. A pulse oximeter reading of less than 93% is significant and indicates
blood glucose level hypoxia, which is life threatening; therefore, this child should be assessed first.
of 180 mg/dL.
2. The child diagnosed with pneumonia who is coughing
and has a temperature of
100°F.
3. The child diagnosed with gastroenteritis who has a
potassium (K+) level
of 3.9 mEq/L.
4. The child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who has a
pulse oximeter reading of 90%.
4. During an interview, a parent of a hospitalized child is D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment.
sitting in an open position. As the interviewer begins to
discuss his son's treatment, however, he suddenly crosses Page: 37 Note the person's position. An open position with the extension of large
his arms against his chest and crosses his legs. This would muscle groups shows relaxation, physical comfort, and a willingness to share
suggest that the parent is: information. A closed position with the arms and legs crossed tends to look
defensive and anxious. Note any change in posture. If a person in a relaxed
A) just changing positions. position suddenly tenses, it suggests possible discomfort with the new topic.
B) more comfortable in this position.
C) tired and needs a break from the interview.
D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment.
5. The nurse has received the a.m. shift report for clients Rationale
on a pediatric unit. Which medication should the nurse
administer first? Correct - 3-Sliding scale insulin is ordered ac, which is before meals; therefore,
1. The third dose of the aminoglycoside antibiotic to the this medication must be administered first after receiving the a.m. shift report.
child diagnosed with 4-Routine medications have a 1-hour leeway before and after the scheduled time;
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). therefore, this medication does not have to be adminis- tered first.
2. The IVP steroid methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) to
the child diagnosed with
asthma.
3. The sliding scale insulin to the child diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes mellitus.
4. The stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) to a child
diagnosed with attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
5. The nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing A) Determine the communication method he prefers.
impairment. What techniques would be most beneficial in
communicating with this patient? Pages: 40-41 The nurse should ask the deaf person the preferred way to
communicate—by signing, lip reading, or writing. If the person prefers lip reading,
A) Determine the communication method he prefers. then the nurse should be sure to face him or her squarely and have good lighting
B) Avoid using facial and hand gestures because most on the nurse's face. The nurse should not exaggerate lip movements because this
hearing-impaired people find this degrading. distorts words. Similarly, shouting distorts the reception of a hearing aid the
C) Request a sign language interpreter before meeting person may wear. The nurse should speak slowly and should supplement his or
with him to help facilitate the communication. her voice with appropriate hand gestures or pantomime.
D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated facial movement
when talking with him because this helps with lip reading.
, 6. The nurse enters the client's room and realizes the 9- Rationale
month-old infant is not breath- ing. Which interventions Correct Answer: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1
should the nurse implement? Prioritize the nurse's actions 4. The nurse must first determine the
from first (1) to last (5). infant's responsiveness by thumping the
1. Perform cardiac compression 30:2. baby's feet.
2. Check the infant's brachial pulse. 3. Administer two 5. The nurse should then open the child's
puffs to the infant. 4. Determine unresponsiveness. airway using the head-tilt chin-lift tech- nique, with care taken not to hyperextend
5. Open the infant's airway. the neck. Then the nurse should look, listen, and feel for respirations.
3. The nurse then administers quick puffs of air while covering the child's mouth
and nose, preferably with a rescue mask.
2. The nurse should determine whether the infant has a pulse by checking the
brachial artery.
1. If the infant has no pulse, the nurse should begin chest compressions using two
fingers at a rate of 30:2.
6. The nurse is performing a health interview on a patient A) "Do you take medicine?"
who has a language barrier, and no interpreter is
available. Which is the best example of an appropriate Page: 46 In a situation where there is a language barrier and no interpreter
question for the nurse to ask in this situation? available, use simple words avoiding medical jargon. Avoid using contractions and
pronouns. Use nouns repeatedly and discuss one topic at a time.
A) "Do you take medicine?"
B) "Do you sterilize the bottles?"
C) "Do you have nausea and vomiting?"
D) "You have been taking your medicine, haven't you?"
7. A female patient does not speak English well, and the A) A trained interpreter
nurse needs to choose an interpreter. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate choice? Page: 46 whenever possible, the nurse should use a trained interpreter, preferably
one who knows medical terminology. In general, an older, more mature
A) A trained interpreter interpreter is preferred to a younger, less experienced one, and the same gender
B) A male family member is preferred when possible.
C) A female family member
D) A volunteer college student from the foreign language
studies department
7. The 3-year-old client has been admitted to the Rationale
pediatric unit. Which task should the nurse instruct the
unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to perform first? Correct - 1.The first intervention after the child is ad- mitted to the unit is to orient
1. Orient the parents and child to the room. the parents and child to the room, the call system, and the hospital rules, such as
2. Obtain an admission kit for the child. not leaving the child alone in the room.
3. Post the child's height and weight at the HOB. 4.
Provide the child with a meal tray.
8. The clinic nurse is preparing to administer an Rationale
intramuscular (IM) injection to the 2-year-old toddler. Correct - 2-The nurse must explain any procedure in words the child can
Which intervention should the nurse implement first? understand. It does not matter how old the child is.
1. Immobilize the child's leg.
2. Explain the procedure to the child.
3. Cleanse the area with an alcohol swab. 4. Administer
the medication in the thigh.
