Aissa's HESI Prep Site
HESI test overview
The HESI A2 is a 4-hour exam that some schools give to prospective nursing candidates. Schools may use this test to determine if the applicant qualifies for acceptance into their program. The exam also reveals information about candidates' learning styles, giving schools more information about incoming students.
Some schools customize the HESI for their program by excluding some information and determining their required passing score. If you are taking the HESI exam, contact your nursing program for more exam details.
Sections of the HESI A2 Exam
There are 326 questions on the HESI A2. The test includes eight different sections in the following subjects:
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Reading Comprehension
The reading section includes passages and subsequent questions about the content, main ideas, themes, and other reading concepts. It measures the student’s ability to read about medical and health situations and draw conclusions.
Additional information
Space reserved for strategies, timing tips, and break-downs of common question types. You can add notes and resources here later.
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Vocabulary
The HESI A2 vocabulary portion contains questions about the meaning and use of vocabulary words, including health-related terms that should be familiar to the student.
Additional information
Use this space to add high-yield word lists, flashcard sets, and study schedules.
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Grammar
The HESI A2 grammar section checks for understanding of language, communication, and rules for words and sentence structure. The test covers the parts of speech, important grammar concepts, and typical grammatical errors.
Additional information
Placeholder for quick-reference rules, common pitfalls, and practice sets.
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Math
The test asks questions about basic operations, decimals, ratios, fractions, military time, algebraic equations, roman numerals, measurements, and conversions. Physical calculators are not allowed, but a digital calculator is provided on-screen for math questions.
Additional information
Placeholder for formula sheets, conversion tables, and pacing plans.
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Biology
The biology section covers the plants, animals, and microorganisms. Test questions cover general biology basics, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, metabolism, biological molecules, cells, genetics, and DNA.
Additional information
Placeholder for topic checklists, diagrams, and practice quizzes.
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Anatomy and Physiology
The topics you will need to understand for this section include basic terminology, fundamental anatomy and body systems, anatomical planes and directions, and histology.
Additional information
Placeholder for system-by-system outlines and mnemonic aids.
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Physics
The physics section includes questions about friction, gravity, energy, Newton’s laws of motion, light, optics, and acceleration.
Additional information
Placeholder for key equations, formula cards, and worked examples.
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Chemistry
The HESI A2 chemistry section tests students on chemical equations, the periodic table, anatomic structure, chemical bonding and reactions, acids and bases, scientific notation, metric system, oxidation-reduction, and biochemistry.
Additional information
Placeholder for reference tables, reaction types, and practice problem sets.