HESI A2 Critical Thinking Questions
and certified answers.
Qs
During a nutritional assessment, why is it important for the nurse to ask a patient
what medications he or she is taking?
A) Certain drugs can affect the metabolism of nutrients.
B) The nurse needs to assess the patient for allergic reactions.
C) Medications need to be documented on the record for the physician's review.
D) Medications can affect one's memory and ability to identify food eaten in the last
24 hours. - n
Ans✔
A) Certain drugs can affect the metabolism of nutrients.
Page: 183
Analgesics, antacids, anticonvulsants, antibiotics, diuretics, laxatives, antineoplastic
drugs, steroids, and oral contraceptives are drugs that can interact with nutrients,
impairing their digestion, absorption, metabolism, or use. The other responses are
not correct.
Qs
The nurse is reviewing the nutritional assessment of an 82-year-old patient. Which
of these factors is most likely to affect the nutritional status of an elderly person?
A) Increase in taste and smell
B) Living alone on a fixed income
C) Change in cardiovascular status
D) Increase in gastrointestinal motility and absorption - n
Ans✔
B) Living alone on a fixed income
,Page: 176. Socioeconomic conditions frequently affect the nutritional status of the
aging adult; these factors should be closely evaluated. Physical limitations, income,
and social isolation are frequent problems that interfere with the acquisition of a
balanced diet. A decrease in taste and smell and decreased gastrointestinal motility
and absorption occur with aging. Cardiovascular status is not a factor that affects an
elderly person's nutritional status.
Qs
. When the mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold of an 82-year-old man
are evaluated, which is important for the nurse to remember?
A) These measurements are no longer necessary for the elderly.
B) Derived weight measures may be difficult to interpret because of wide ranges of
normal.
C) These measurements may not be accurate because of changes in skin and fat
distribution.
D) Measurements may be difficult to obtain if the patient is unable to flex his elbow
to at least 90 degrees. - n
Ans✔
C) These measurements may not be accurate because of changes in skin and fat
distribution.
Page: 191
Accurate mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold measurements are
difficult to obtain and interpret in older adults because of sagging skin, changes in
fat distribution, and declining muscle mass. Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio
are better indicators of obesity in the elderly.
Qs
. The nurse needs to perform anthropometric measures of an 80-year-old man who
is confined to a wheelchair. Which of the following is true in this situation?
A) Changes in fat distribution will affect the waist-to-hip ratio.
B) Height measurements may not be accurate because of changes in bone.
C) Declining muscle mass will affect the triceps skinfold measure.
,D) Mid-arm circumference is difficult to obtain because of loss of skin elasticity. - n
Ans✔
B) Height measurements may not be accurate because of changes in bone.
Page: 191. Height measures may not be accurate in individuals confined to a bed or
wheelchair or those over 60 years of age because of osteoporotic changes.
Qs
. The nurse is performing a nutritional assessment on an 80-year-old patient. The
nurse knows that physiological changes that directly affect the nutritional status of
the elderly include:
A) slowed gastrointestinal motility.
B) hyperstimulation of the salivary glands.
C) an increased sensitivity to spicy and aromatic foods.
D) decreased gastrointestinal absorption causing esophageal reflux. - n
Ans✔
A) slowed gastrointestinal motility.
Page: 176. Normal physiological changes in aging adults that affect nutritional
status include slowed gastrointestinal motility, decreased gastrointestinal
absorption, diminished olfactory and taste sensitivity, decreased saliva production,
decreased visual acuity, and poor dentition.
Qs
. The nurse keeps in mind that a thorough skin assessment is very important
because the skin holds information about a person's:
A) support systems.
B) circulatory status.
C) socioeconomic status.
D) psychological wellness. - n
, Ans✔
B) circulatory status.
Page: 211. The skin holds information about the body's circulation, nutritional
status, and signs of systemic diseases as well as topical data on the integument
itself.
Qs
. A patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that one of his moles has started to
burn and bleed. When assessing his skin, the nurse would pay special attention to
the danger signs for pigmented lesions and would be concerned with which
additional finding?
A) Color variation
B) Border regularity
C) Symmetry of lesions
D) Diameter less than 6 mm - n
Ans✔
A) Color variation
Pages: 212-213. Abnormal characteristics of pigmented lesions are summarized in
the mnemonic ABCD: asymmetry of pigmented lesion, border irregularity, color
variation, and diameter greater than 6 mm.
Qs
. An elderly woman is brought to the emergency department after being found
lying on the kitchen floor 2 days, and she is extremely dehydrated. What would the
nurse expect to see upon examination?
A) Smooth mucous membranes and lips
B) Dry mucous membranes and cracked lips
C) Pale mucous membranes
D) White patches on the mucous membranes - n
and certified answers.
Qs
During a nutritional assessment, why is it important for the nurse to ask a patient
what medications he or she is taking?
A) Certain drugs can affect the metabolism of nutrients.
B) The nurse needs to assess the patient for allergic reactions.
C) Medications need to be documented on the record for the physician's review.
D) Medications can affect one's memory and ability to identify food eaten in the last
24 hours. - n
Ans✔
A) Certain drugs can affect the metabolism of nutrients.
Page: 183
Analgesics, antacids, anticonvulsants, antibiotics, diuretics, laxatives, antineoplastic
drugs, steroids, and oral contraceptives are drugs that can interact with nutrients,
impairing their digestion, absorption, metabolism, or use. The other responses are
not correct.
Qs
The nurse is reviewing the nutritional assessment of an 82-year-old patient. Which
of these factors is most likely to affect the nutritional status of an elderly person?
A) Increase in taste and smell
B) Living alone on a fixed income
C) Change in cardiovascular status
D) Increase in gastrointestinal motility and absorption - n
Ans✔
B) Living alone on a fixed income
,Page: 176. Socioeconomic conditions frequently affect the nutritional status of the
aging adult; these factors should be closely evaluated. Physical limitations, income,
and social isolation are frequent problems that interfere with the acquisition of a
balanced diet. A decrease in taste and smell and decreased gastrointestinal motility
and absorption occur with aging. Cardiovascular status is not a factor that affects an
elderly person's nutritional status.
Qs
. When the mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold of an 82-year-old man
are evaluated, which is important for the nurse to remember?
A) These measurements are no longer necessary for the elderly.
B) Derived weight measures may be difficult to interpret because of wide ranges of
normal.
C) These measurements may not be accurate because of changes in skin and fat
distribution.
D) Measurements may be difficult to obtain if the patient is unable to flex his elbow
to at least 90 degrees. - n
Ans✔
C) These measurements may not be accurate because of changes in skin and fat
distribution.
Page: 191
Accurate mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold measurements are
difficult to obtain and interpret in older adults because of sagging skin, changes in
fat distribution, and declining muscle mass. Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio
are better indicators of obesity in the elderly.
Qs
. The nurse needs to perform anthropometric measures of an 80-year-old man who
is confined to a wheelchair. Which of the following is true in this situation?
A) Changes in fat distribution will affect the waist-to-hip ratio.
B) Height measurements may not be accurate because of changes in bone.
C) Declining muscle mass will affect the triceps skinfold measure.
,D) Mid-arm circumference is difficult to obtain because of loss of skin elasticity. - n
Ans✔
B) Height measurements may not be accurate because of changes in bone.
Page: 191. Height measures may not be accurate in individuals confined to a bed or
wheelchair or those over 60 years of age because of osteoporotic changes.
Qs
. The nurse is performing a nutritional assessment on an 80-year-old patient. The
nurse knows that physiological changes that directly affect the nutritional status of
the elderly include:
A) slowed gastrointestinal motility.
B) hyperstimulation of the salivary glands.
C) an increased sensitivity to spicy and aromatic foods.
D) decreased gastrointestinal absorption causing esophageal reflux. - n
Ans✔
A) slowed gastrointestinal motility.
Page: 176. Normal physiological changes in aging adults that affect nutritional
status include slowed gastrointestinal motility, decreased gastrointestinal
absorption, diminished olfactory and taste sensitivity, decreased saliva production,
decreased visual acuity, and poor dentition.
Qs
. The nurse keeps in mind that a thorough skin assessment is very important
because the skin holds information about a person's:
A) support systems.
B) circulatory status.
C) socioeconomic status.
D) psychological wellness. - n
, Ans✔
B) circulatory status.
Page: 211. The skin holds information about the body's circulation, nutritional
status, and signs of systemic diseases as well as topical data on the integument
itself.
Qs
. A patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that one of his moles has started to
burn and bleed. When assessing his skin, the nurse would pay special attention to
the danger signs for pigmented lesions and would be concerned with which
additional finding?
A) Color variation
B) Border regularity
C) Symmetry of lesions
D) Diameter less than 6 mm - n
Ans✔
A) Color variation
Pages: 212-213. Abnormal characteristics of pigmented lesions are summarized in
the mnemonic ABCD: asymmetry of pigmented lesion, border irregularity, color
variation, and diameter greater than 6 mm.
Qs
. An elderly woman is brought to the emergency department after being found
lying on the kitchen floor 2 days, and she is extremely dehydrated. What would the
nurse expect to see upon examination?
A) Smooth mucous membranes and lips
B) Dry mucous membranes and cracked lips
C) Pale mucous membranes
D) White patches on the mucous membranes - n
