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HESI A2 Critical Thinking Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
A patient refuses to take prescribed medication due to fear of side effects. What should be done first?
- Force the patient to comply
- Educate the patient about the medication benefits and risks
- Document the refusal and inform the healthcare provider
- Ignore the refusal and move on
✔✔C) Document the refusal and inform the healthcare provider
Two patients require immediate attention: one is stable but needs routine medication, the other is experiencing difficulty breathing. Which patient should be prioritized?
- The patient needing medication
- The patient having breathing difficulty
- Both at the same time
- The patient with a fever
✔✔B) The patient having breathing difficulty 1 / 4
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A nurse overhears coworkers arguing loudly in a busy ward. What is the best immediate response?
- Join the argument to support one side
- Report them to management without intervention
- Calmly intervene to de-escalate the situation
- Ignore and continue with assigned tasks
✔✔C) Calmly intervene to de-escalate the situation
During a handover, the nurse receives incomplete patient information. What should be done?
- Accept the information as sufficient
- Ask for clarification and check the patient records
- Ignore the gaps and proceed with care
- Wait for a supervisor to provide full details
✔✔B) Ask for clarification and check the patient records
If a colleague is consistently making errors, what is the most appropriate action?
- Confront them aggressively 2 / 4
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- Report the behavior to a supervisor discreetly
- Ignore the errors
- Correct the errors without informing anyone
✔✔B) Report the behavior to a supervisor discreetly
You observe a patient showing signs of distress but is unable to communicate verbally. What should you do?
- Wait for the patient to speak
- Use non-verbal assessment tools to evaluate the patient’s condition
- Assume the patient is fine since they are not speaking
- Call for assistance immediately without assessment
✔✔B) Use non-verbal assessment tools to evaluate the patient’s condition
When conflicting orders come from two doctors, what is the best course of action?
- Follow the order of the doctor you like best
- Clarify the orders with both doctors before proceeding
- Ignore both orders
- Choose the order that is easiest to carry out 3 / 4
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✔✔B) Clarify the orders with both doctors before proceeding
What is the best method to ensure clear communication with a patient who has limited English proficiency?
- Speak louder and slower
- Use professional interpreters or translation services
- Use medical jargon and technical terms
- Avoid communication to prevent misunderstanding
✔✔B) Use professional interpreters or translation services
If a nurse makes a mistake in medication administration, what is the correct first step?
- Hide the error and hope no one notices
- Immediately report the error and monitor the patient
- Blame another staff member
- Continue with the next task without mentioning it
✔✔B) Immediately report the error and monitor the patient
When faced with a rapidly changing patient condition, what should be prioritized?
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