HESI A2 Study Guide

Hi future nurse! Thanks for downloading our app. Here’s some more information about the HESI A2 exam, and how to use this app to pass your test:

1) This app is primarily designed to simulate the HESI A2 questions. Our practice questions are custom made by our nursing staff, who all passed their HESI A2 with over 95% scores. They wrote over 2,000+ practice questions based on their study notes from the official Elsevier textbook and real life experience taking the exam. We’re confident the questions are the most accurate reflection of real exam questions out there.

2) The study links are completely free, and are based on the study notes taken by our nursing staff from the Elsevier textbook. If you’re a better audio/visual learner, we’ve also included a section with Mometrix’s video lecture series, which is also free.

A bit more information about the HESI A2:

• 4-5 hours – the specific institution you take the HESI at determines the amount of time you’ll have.
• 250 – 300 questions – remember to take breaks!
• Physics questions and study links are optional – check with your exam center whether you’ll be tested on phyics.
• Read the question and answers carefully – do not jump into conclusions or make wild guesses. Read the entirety of the question including its choices before selecting your final answer.
• Look for keywords – avoid answers with absolutes like always, never, all, every, only, must, except, none, or no.
• Don’t read into the question – Never assume anything that has not been specifically mentioned and don’t add extra meaning to the question.
• Eliminate answers that are clearly wrong or incorrect – to increase your probability of selecting the correct answer!
• Watch for grammatical inconsistencies – Subjects and verbs should agree. If the question is an incomplete sentence, the correct answer should complete the question in a grammatically correct manner.
• Rephrase the question – putting the question into your own words can pluck the unneeded info and reveal the core of the stem.
• Make an educated guess – if you can’t make the best answer for a question after carefully reading it, choose the answer with the most information.

Comprehensive Content Overview

The HESI A2 Exam evaluates a wide array of foundational topics that are vital for progressing in healthcare education. The following overview of the HESI A2 Study Guide 2024–2025 aims to equip you with a solid grasp of what to expect and how to prepare effectively for each section.

1. Mathematics

This section evaluates your competency in handling math problems and applying numerical reasoning to healthcare-related tasks.

Main Areas:

• Basic Calculations:
  You’ll work on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers, fractions, and decimals—essential for tasks like adjusting dosages or managing supply inventories.
• Fractions & Decimals:
  Know how to reduce fractions, shift between fractions and decimals, and apply these skills to solve healthcare-related questions involving parts of a whole. Understanding ratios and proportions is also emphasized.
• Working with Percentages:
  You’ll be asked to apply percentage calculations to real-life medical examples, like figuring out dosage strengths or analyzing patient trends over time.
• Conversions in Measurement:
  The ability to convert between metric and standard units is necessary, as precision matters in clinical settings where dosage accuracy and patient measurements are involved.
• Introductory Algebra:
  You’ll use algebra to solve equations and simplify expressions—useful for interpreting formulas used in medical procedures or pharmacological contexts.
• Healthcare Word Problems:
  Expect to solve scenario-based math problems that mimic real situations in healthcare environments, testing both critical thinking and numerical skill.

2. Reading Comprehension

This portion assesses how well you can process written content, a key skill when reviewing medical notes or interpreting treatment plans.

Main Areas:

• Strategic Reading:
  You’ll practice identifying relevant points quickly from clinical texts and patient histories using strategies like scanning and skimming.
• Main Ideas and Evidence:
  Understanding the central message and how it’s supported is critical for interpreting patient instructions and medical documentation accurately.
• Inference and Interpretation:
  Many texts will require you to read between the lines. Being able to infer information helps in clinical decision-making and understanding subtle cues in documentation.
• Vocabulary in Context:
  You’ll build skills to deduce meanings of new words—especially medical terms—based on how they’re used in sentences.
• Author’s Intent and Emotional Tone:
  Recognizing why something was written and the tone used helps you respond appropriately in both academic and patient care settings.

3. Vocabulary and General Knowledge

Developing a strong medical and general vocabulary will improve your communication in clinical environments and academic settings.

Main Areas:

• Essential Healthcare Terms:
  You’ll become familiar with terminology often seen in healthcare facilities, including names of procedures, conditions, and commonly used treatments.
• Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes:
  By learning the components of medical terms, you’ll be better equipped to understand complex vocabulary without relying solely on memorization.
• Contextual Word Use:
  Focus on how healthcare-specific language is applied in various scenarios, such as reading instructions, charting, or reviewing policy documents.
• Word Relationships:
  Knowledge of synonyms and antonyms improves both reading accuracy and verbal clarity—important for professional communication.

4. Grammar

A strong command of grammar enhances clarity in writing, which is vital for healthcare documentation and communication.

Main Areas:

• Parts of Speech:
  Learn how each part of speech functions in a sentence. This helps ensure your writing is both grammatically sound and easy to understand in a clinical setting.
• Sentence Construction:
  You’ll practice organizing thoughts into clear sentence types—essential for communicating instructions or writing patient reports.
• Subject-Verb Consistency:
  Matching subjects to the correct verb forms avoids confusion in written documents, such as medication directions or care plans.
• Punctuation Usage:
  Knowing how to correctly use punctuation marks improves accuracy in writing—vital when recording patient information or interpreting reports.
• Avoiding Common Errors:
  You’ll focus on fixing typical mistakes like run-ons or dangling modifiers, which can lead to misinterpretation in healthcare environments.

5. Biology

This section introduces the basic biological principles that support an understanding of human anatomy and health.

Main Areas:

• Cell Structure and Function:
  Study how the parts of a cell operate, as this knowledge underpins how the human body functions and responds to disease.
• Genetic Code and Protein Production:
  Learn about how DNA and RNA direct protein synthesis—a fundamental process in tissue repair and bodily regulation.
• Principles of Inheritance:
  Explore genetic inheritance, dominant/recessive traits, and how these influence health risks across generations.
• Metabolic Functions:
  Gain an understanding of how the body generates and uses energy—important for grasping nutrition, exercise physiology, and disease processes.
• Intro to Microbiology:
  Review how bacteria, viruses, and fungi affect health. This helps prepare you to handle infections and apply basic hygiene and sterilization practices.

6. Chemistry

Basic chemistry knowledge supports your ability to understand drug actions, lab results, and treatment procedures.

Main Areas:

• Structure of Matter:
  Learn about atoms and subatomic particles. This forms the basis for understanding how medications are developed and how they interact in the body.
• Types of Chemical Bonds:
  Understand how atoms combine—knowledge that is essential when studying how drugs are absorbed or how the body reacts to chemical substances.
• Chemical Reactions:
  Learn how reactions occur and are balanced, which applies to real-life applications like creating drug compounds or analyzing biochemical lab data.

6. Physics

Not all HESI A2 exams include a physics section—make sure to confirm with your testing center before studying this topic.

Main Areas:

• Laws of Motion and Forces:
  Understand Newton’s laws, motion, and force. This helps explain how equipment like wheelchairs, stretchers, or IV poles behave in real-world use.
• Work, Energy, and Power:
  Grasp the basics of kinetic and potential energy, which relate to body movement and mechanical tools used in patient care.
• Waves and Sound:
  Know how sound travels—important for understanding how ultrasound and stethoscopes work in clinical practice.