HESI CRITICAL THINKING 2026 EXAM PREP
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS COMPLETE
REVIEW PACKAGE
◉ 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.
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.
◉ 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
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.
C) using biased or leading questions.
D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics.
Answer: C) using biased or leading questions.
Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions.
Asking, "You don't smoke, do you?" implies that one answer is
"better" than another. If the 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 other
answer.
◉ 4. The nurse is caring for clients on the pediatric medical unit.
Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who has a blood glucose
level
of 180 mg/dL.
2. The child diagnosed with pneumonia who is coughing and has a
temperature of
100°F.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS COMPLETE
REVIEW PACKAGE
◉ 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.
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.
◉ 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
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.
C) using biased or leading questions.
D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics.
Answer: C) using biased or leading questions.
Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions.
Asking, "You don't smoke, do you?" implies that one answer is
"better" than another. If the 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 other
answer.
◉ 4. The nurse is caring for clients on the pediatric medical unit.
Which client should the nurse assess first?
1. The child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who has a blood glucose
level
of 180 mg/dL.
2. The child diagnosed with pneumonia who is coughing and has a
temperature of
100°F.
