age 1 of 282
HESI A2 Critical Thinking Questions with Rationale and
Verified Answers 2022/2023
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. ......ANSWER........Rationale
,age 2 of 282
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.
,age 3 of 282
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?
, age 4 of 282
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
HESI A2 Critical Thinking Questions with Rationale and
Verified Answers 2022/2023
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. ......ANSWER........Rationale
,age 2 of 282
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.
,age 3 of 282
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?
, age 4 of 282
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
