HESI Exam Key Notes Study Guides for 2025.
Vocabulary Section: -
Prognosis: - - "forecast"
- probable result or course of a disease.
- usually includes the likelihood of recovery for patient.
Incidence: - - "rate of occurrence"
- A doctor will often refer to the "incidence" of a disease or condition as a measure of its
severity or longevity.
Proscribe: - - "forbid"
- A doctor will "proscribe" certain behaviors if they would negatively impact patient health.
Distended: - - "swollen"
- Doctors will often refer to a "distended" abdomen, which accompanies bloating.
Paroxysm: - - "a violent seizure"
Discrete: - - "separate"
- "Discrete" symptoms are those that do not have any connection to one another.
Subtle: - - "delicate or mysterious in their intent"
Exacerbate: - - "aggravate"
- To "exacerbate" is to make something worse, and this is the same thing as aggravate.
Patent: - - "open"
- Doctors will describe an artery as "patent" when it allows a free flow of blood.
Convent: - - "a home for nuns or monks"
,- No relevance to healthcare, included on HESI to trick you.
Converted: - - "changed or altered"
Latent: - - "dormant"
- A health condition can be "latent" without manifesting problems for many years.
Precipitous: - - "abrupt"
- A "precipitous" change in health is immediate and unexpected.
Recur: - - "Return"
- A "recurring" problem is one that keeps coming back.
Diffuse: - - "Disseminate" or spread around.
Assert: - - "maintain"
Occlude: - - block, hinder, or prevent.
Untoward: - - "inappropriate"
Contingent: - - "Dependent"
- Contingency indicates a relationship between 2 or more items or events.
Patent: - - open or unconcealed.
- Something that is "patent" is open, obvious, clear, and leaving no doubt.
Labile: - - "Fluctuating"
- Lability indicates an ability to change quickly and rapidly, and the word "fluctuating"
suggests constant change and movement.
Impending: - - "approaching"
- An impending event is soon to arrive, and the word approaching indicates that something
is on it's way.
, Adsorb: - - "accumulate"
Distended: - - bulging beyond its expected boundaries.
Exiguous: - - "inadequacy" or lack of.
Untenable: - - "groundless" or without any support.
- The very opposite of an "untenable" claim would be a logical claim.
Placate: - - "to comfort"
- bring peace to someone or something.
Incite: - - "to create anger"
Inure: - - to toughen someone or something against a current or future event.
Clement: - - a situation that is beneficent or "favorable".
Inflame: - - aggravate suddenly.
Turgid: - - "inflated"/ "swollen"
Paucity: - - "lack of"
- scarcity of something
Turbid: - - "murky"
Proscribe: - - forbid something.
Austere: - - someone "stark" in choices, attitude, or behavior.
- severe, strict, harsh.
Delineate: - - to "detail" something clearly.
Vocabulary Section: -
Prognosis: - - "forecast"
- probable result or course of a disease.
- usually includes the likelihood of recovery for patient.
Incidence: - - "rate of occurrence"
- A doctor will often refer to the "incidence" of a disease or condition as a measure of its
severity or longevity.
Proscribe: - - "forbid"
- A doctor will "proscribe" certain behaviors if they would negatively impact patient health.
Distended: - - "swollen"
- Doctors will often refer to a "distended" abdomen, which accompanies bloating.
Paroxysm: - - "a violent seizure"
Discrete: - - "separate"
- "Discrete" symptoms are those that do not have any connection to one another.
Subtle: - - "delicate or mysterious in their intent"
Exacerbate: - - "aggravate"
- To "exacerbate" is to make something worse, and this is the same thing as aggravate.
Patent: - - "open"
- Doctors will describe an artery as "patent" when it allows a free flow of blood.
Convent: - - "a home for nuns or monks"
,- No relevance to healthcare, included on HESI to trick you.
Converted: - - "changed or altered"
Latent: - - "dormant"
- A health condition can be "latent" without manifesting problems for many years.
Precipitous: - - "abrupt"
- A "precipitous" change in health is immediate and unexpected.
Recur: - - "Return"
- A "recurring" problem is one that keeps coming back.
Diffuse: - - "Disseminate" or spread around.
Assert: - - "maintain"
Occlude: - - block, hinder, or prevent.
Untoward: - - "inappropriate"
Contingent: - - "Dependent"
- Contingency indicates a relationship between 2 or more items or events.
Patent: - - open or unconcealed.
- Something that is "patent" is open, obvious, clear, and leaving no doubt.
Labile: - - "Fluctuating"
- Lability indicates an ability to change quickly and rapidly, and the word "fluctuating"
suggests constant change and movement.
Impending: - - "approaching"
- An impending event is soon to arrive, and the word approaching indicates that something
is on it's way.
, Adsorb: - - "accumulate"
Distended: - - bulging beyond its expected boundaries.
Exiguous: - - "inadequacy" or lack of.
Untenable: - - "groundless" or without any support.
- The very opposite of an "untenable" claim would be a logical claim.
Placate: - - "to comfort"
- bring peace to someone or something.
Incite: - - "to create anger"
Inure: - - to toughen someone or something against a current or future event.
Clement: - - a situation that is beneficent or "favorable".
Inflame: - - aggravate suddenly.
Turgid: - - "inflated"/ "swollen"
Paucity: - - "lack of"
- scarcity of something
Turbid: - - "murky"
Proscribe: - - forbid something.
Austere: - - someone "stark" in choices, attitude, or behavior.
- severe, strict, harsh.
Delineate: - - to "detail" something clearly.
