HESI A2 Entrance Exam ... 07/13/2017

Nursing Students HESI

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Specializes in ICU.

HESI A2 Entrance Exam ... 07/13/2017

Yesterday, I took the HESI A2 Entrance Exam. The exam was actually a bit harder than what I had initially expected. However, I pushed through it. My journey to becoming a nurse is a bit different than most. I'm 26 years young. I already hold a BS in Biology - Biochemistry, BS in Psychology and a Master of Public Health. So i'm doing things a little backwards.

For the programs that I applied to I was required to take READING, MATH, VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR, ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, AND CRITICAL THINKING. The learning styles sections were also available, however optional for my particular program.

Once I arrived at the testing center, I received two pieces for scratch paper, two number 2 pencils, and a basic function calculator. After given instruction, I was able to select the order of the sections I wanted to complete. My testing center & testing experience in general was terrible. The center was quite noisy as it was located next to a very busy construction site.

After the first section, the guy next to me began to cry (assuming he didn't get the desired score) and he walks out. The guy across the room had tourettes. It was a very hard test taking experience.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (84%)

MATH (92%)

GRAMMAR (78%) *Worst Section* - Master this section.

VOCABULARY (96%)

READING (92%)

CRITICAL THINKING (800)

Composite Score: 88.4%

To prepare for the exam, I used 2 Books.

- HESI Assessment Exam Review, 4TH Edition ($40)

- Human Anatomy & Physiology (Marieb, Human Anatomy & Physiology) - I had since undergrad.

I'm here to answer any questions that you may have for the HESI.

Hi I take my HESI exam in 9 days. How was the critical thinking section? Is there anything specific I should study or look into for that section?

Hi Jae, thanks for sharing tips with us. I'm taking the exam on Thurs. and I am stressed about the math. I'm older than you and a bit rusty to put it mildly ; )

Should I be killing myself over roman numerals at all? Or is my time better spent being able to convert measurements/weight/volume? I am using the same HESI review book, so I assume it is sufficient.

I'm mostly nervous about it being timed and on a computer where I cannot go back to triple check my work. I'm a pencil/paper fan and utilize scratch paper heavily. If you have tips on what sections to focus more heavily on it would be appreciated and hopefully nerve calming.

Specializes in ICU.

The critical thinking section was the last section that I completed. It contained about 30 questions strictly geared towards being a nurse. It will present you with 30 different scenarios and it will ask you how you would perform a task or handle the situation. It will also ask you to rank and prioritize certain situations.

You want to do really good on this section because it is the first glance the school gets to see of your nursing judgement.

My advice would be to always remember that the patient always comes first no matter what.

For Example (Totally Made Up):

Patient: 80 Year Old Male.

Situation: Patient woke up confused and disoriented. He deficated all over the sheets and there are no clean linen on the entire med floor.

As a nurse what would you do next?

- Your first priority is not to clean the bed or find fresh linen. It is to the patient. Get the patient clean and dressed. Then focus on the bed and the soiled bed dressings. Wrap the bed in some type of towel or garment until you can provide him with clean linens.

Specializes in ICU.

The critical thinking section was the last section that I completed. It contained about 30 questions strictly geared towards being a nurse. It will present you with 30 different scenarios and it will ask you how you would perform a task or handle the situation. It will also ask you to rank and prioritize certain situations.

You want to do really good on this section because it is the first glance the school gets to see of your nursing judgement.

My advice would be to always remember that the patient always comes first no matter what.

For Example (Totally Made Up):

Patient: 80 Year Old Male.

Situation: Patient woke up confused and disoriented. He deficated all over the sheets and there are no clean linen on the entire med floor.

As a nurse what would you do next??

- Your first priority is not to clean the bed or find fresh linen. It is to the patient. Get the patient clean and dressed. Then focus on the bed and the soiled bed dressings. Wrap the bed in some type of towel or garment until you can provide him with clean linens.

Specializes in ICU.

The math section was the second section I completed. I'm 26 but very old fashion. I actually used the scratch paper to basically write down everything. I am a pencil and paper type of guy. I like to scribble notes and stuff.

My advice on the Roman Numerals is to know them but I wouldn't waste too much time on them. It is only one maybe two questions about Roman Numerals on the entire test. My exam focused mostly on conversions & word problems. It was also quite a bit of fill-in-the blank questions. So be sure to read those carefully.

Although I have had Calculus I and II, I am not really that good at math. Decent but very rusty because I too have been out of school for a while. I have learned to master conversions and fractions. There are 55 math questions it took me an hour and 30 min to finish.

I took my HESI last Thursday. I only made 780 on Critical Thinking, so my adviser told me to retake it basically for the Critical Thinking. I remember the questions about the linen/sheets too! I can't remember what I answered though. I didn't have any questions where I can apply the ABC's (Airways, Breathing, and Circulation).

I will retake mine this coming Thursday, July 20 and hopefully, I can score above an 800 in Critical Thinking.

Thank you for the direction Jae. I'm glad I'm not the only paper/pencil person left on the planet. I'm applying for an Associate's level school (OTA program) so I only need to take the math and reading portions. The higher my score, the higher my chances of getting in.

I've got almost 20 years on you and considerable math rust to dust off. I'm using Khan academy for practice on my weaker areas of math (fractions, ratios, and algebra).

How long did you study before taking the exam?

Specializes in ICU.

I took 2 weeks to study however if you can provide yourself with more time please take it.

It might be stated above but are you allowed to use a calculator for the math portion?

Thanks!

Specializes in ICU.

Yes, you can use a calculator. It is either provided by the testing facility or integrated in the test on the computer.

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