1
HESI A2 Critical Thinking Practice
Questions 2025–2026 – Complete Exam
Review with Detailed Answers
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. - Correct 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?
1
, 2
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.
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. - Correct 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.
2
, 3
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push
(IVP). 4. Increase the client's intravenous (IV) rate. -
Correct 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.
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 - Correct 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
, 4
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. - Correct Answer-Rationale
Correct -1. The nurse should always praise the child for
attempts at cooperation even if the child did not
accomplish what the nurse asked.
3. A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the
patients attending a wellness workshop. On the history
form, one of the written questions asks, "You don't smoke,
drink, or take drugs, do you?" This question is an example
of:
A) talking too much.
B) using confrontation.
4
HESI A2 Critical Thinking Practice
Questions 2025–2026 – Complete Exam
Review with Detailed Answers
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. - Correct 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?
1
, 2
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.
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. - Correct 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.
2
, 3
3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push
(IVP). 4. Increase the client's intravenous (IV) rate. -
Correct 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.
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 - Correct 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
, 4
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. - Correct Answer-Rationale
Correct -1. The nurse should always praise the child for
attempts at cooperation even if the child did not
accomplish what the nurse asked.
3. A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the
patients attending a wellness workshop. On the history
form, one of the written questions asks, "You don't smoke,
drink, or take drugs, do you?" This question is an example
of:
A) talking too much.
B) using confrontation.
4
