HESI Critical Thinking RN & Critical Care Exit
Actual Exam 2025/2026: 140 Verified Questions
with Detailed Rationales to Ensure First-Time
Success
. 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. - 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? 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. 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%. - ANSWER//Rationale Correct - 4. A pulse
oximeter reading of less than 93% is significant and
indicates hypoxia, which is life threatening; therefore, this
child should be assessed first. 4. During an interview, a
parent of a hospitalized child is sitting in an open position.
As the interviewer begins to discuss his son's treatment,
however, he suddenly crosses his arms against his chest
and crosses his legs. This would suggest that the parent is:
A) just changing positions. B) more comfortable in this
position. C) tired and needs a break from the interview. D)
uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment. -
ANSWER//D) uncomfortable talking about his son's
treatment. Page: 37 Note the person's position. An open
position with the extension of large muscle groups shows
relaxation, physical comfort, and a willingness to share
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 position
suddenly tenses, it suggests possible discomfort with the
new topic. 5. The nurse has received the a.m. shift report
for clients on a pediatric unit. Which medication should the
nurse administer first? 1. The third dose of the
aminoglycoside antibiotic to the child diagnosed with
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 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). -
ANSWER//Rationale Correct - 3-Sliding scale insulin is
ordered ac, which is before meals; therefore, this
medication must be administered first after receiving the
a.m. shift report. 4-Routine medications have a 1-hour
leeway before and after the scheduled time; therefore, this
medication does not have to be adminis- tered first. 5. The
nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing
impairment. What techniques would be most beneficial in
communicating with this patient? A) Determine the
communication method he prefers. B) Avoid using facial
and hand gestures because most hearing-impaired people
find this degrading. C) Request a sign language
interpreter before meeting with him to help facilitate the
communication. D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated
facial movement when talking with him because this helps
with lip reading. - ANSWER//A) Determine the
communication method he prefers. 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, then the nurse should be sure
to face him or her squarely and have good lighting on the
nurse's face. The nurse should not exaggerate lip
movements because this distorts words. Similarly,
shouting distorts the reception of a hearing aid the person
may wear. The nurse should speak slowly and should
supplement his or her voice with appropriate hand
gestures or pantomime. 6. The nurse enters the client's
room and realizes the 9-month-old infant is not breath- ing.
Which interventions should the nurse implement?
Prioritize the nurse's actions from first (1) to last (5). 1.
Perform cardiac compression 30:2. 2. Check the infant's
brachial pulse. 3. Administer two puffs to the infant. 4.
Actual Exam 2025/2026: 140 Verified Questions
with Detailed Rationales to Ensure First-Time
Success
. 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. - 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? 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. 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%. - ANSWER//Rationale Correct - 4. A pulse
oximeter reading of less than 93% is significant and
indicates hypoxia, which is life threatening; therefore, this
child should be assessed first. 4. During an interview, a
parent of a hospitalized child is sitting in an open position.
As the interviewer begins to discuss his son's treatment,
however, he suddenly crosses his arms against his chest
and crosses his legs. This would suggest that the parent is:
A) just changing positions. B) more comfortable in this
position. C) tired and needs a break from the interview. D)
uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment. -
ANSWER//D) uncomfortable talking about his son's
treatment. Page: 37 Note the person's position. An open
position with the extension of large muscle groups shows
relaxation, physical comfort, and a willingness to share
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 position
suddenly tenses, it suggests possible discomfort with the
new topic. 5. The nurse has received the a.m. shift report
for clients on a pediatric unit. Which medication should the
nurse administer first? 1. The third dose of the
aminoglycoside antibiotic to the child diagnosed with
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 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). -
ANSWER//Rationale Correct - 3-Sliding scale insulin is
ordered ac, which is before meals; therefore, this
medication must be administered first after receiving the
a.m. shift report. 4-Routine medications have a 1-hour
leeway before and after the scheduled time; therefore, this
medication does not have to be adminis- tered first. 5. The
nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing
impairment. What techniques would be most beneficial in
communicating with this patient? A) Determine the
communication method he prefers. B) Avoid using facial
and hand gestures because most hearing-impaired people
find this degrading. C) Request a sign language
interpreter before meeting with him to help facilitate the
communication. D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated
facial movement when talking with him because this helps
with lip reading. - ANSWER//A) Determine the
communication method he prefers. 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, then the nurse should be sure
to face him or her squarely and have good lighting on the
nurse's face. The nurse should not exaggerate lip
movements because this distorts words. Similarly,
shouting distorts the reception of a hearing aid the person
may wear. The nurse should speak slowly and should
supplement his or her voice with appropriate hand
gestures or pantomime. 6. The nurse enters the client's
room and realizes the 9-month-old infant is not breath- ing.
Which interventions should the nurse implement?
Prioritize the nurse's actions from first (1) to last (5). 1.
Perform cardiac compression 30:2. 2. Check the infant's
brachial pulse. 3. Administer two puffs to the infant. 4.
