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HESI A2 Vocabulary and general knowledge practice questions

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These are original practice items written to the HESI A2 blueprint (4 options, no penalty for wrong answers), not actual exam questions. Try each one before you open the answer.

What this topic covers

Vocabulary and general knowledge sits inside the Vocabulary and General Knowledge section of the HESI A2. Our bank holds 306 verified items tagged to it, and the 4 below are a fixed sample so the page stays the same every time you open it. Each one shows the reasoning, not just the letter.

The topic tag comes from our own items rather than from a published syllabus, so treat it as a map of what we cover. For the official section breakdown see the HESI A2 page.

Vocabulary and general knowledge sample questions

Question 1

The patient exhibited a profound lack of energy, which the doctor attributed to anemia. What does 'profound' mean in this sentence?

  1. A Temporary or fleeting
  2. B Very great or intense
  3. C Slight or minimal
  4. D Unusual or rare
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

'Profound' means extremely deep or intense. Here it describes a severe lack of energy.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Temporary refers to duration, not intensity.
C: Slight is the opposite of profound.
D: Unusual implies rarity, not depth or severity.

Question 2

The patient's rash was determined to be iatrogenic, resulting from an adverse reaction to the prescribed antibiotic. 'Iatrogenic' means:

  1. A caused by the patient's own behavior
  2. B caused by an infection
  3. C caused by medical treatment
  4. D caused by environmental factors
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Iatrogenic comes from the Greek "iatros" (physician) and "-genic" (produced by), so it means caused by medical treatment or by a healthcare provider. A rash from a prescribed antibiotic fits exactly.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Harm caused by the patient's own actions is not iatrogenic; the cause here was a prescribed drug.
B: An infection is caused by a pathogen, but the sentence attributes the rash to a reaction to an antibiotic.
D: Environmental causes, such as allergens or heat, come from the surroundings, not from medical care.

Question 3

The shift in treatment protocols represented a new _______ in patient-centered care, moving away from the traditional physician-directed model.

  1. A anomaly
  2. B hypothesis
  3. C paradigm
  4. D variable
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

A paradigm is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, and standards. The sentence describes a fundamental change in approach, which is a paradigm shift.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: An anomaly is a deviation from the norm, but the sentence describes a new model, not just an exception.
B: A hypothesis is a testable proposition, not a broad framework for care.
D: A variable is a factor that can change, not a conceptual model.

Question 4

A research paper on antibiotic resistance suggests that new strategies are needed to mitigate the spread of resistant bacteria. What does 'mitigate' mean?

  1. A Exacerbate
  2. B Alleviate
  3. C Ignore
  4. D Intensify
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Mitigate means to make something less severe, serious, or painful. In this context, the goal is to reduce or lessen the spread of resistant bacteria.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Exacerbate means to make worse, which is the opposite of mitigate.
C: Ignore means to disregard or pay no attention, not to actively reduce.
D: Intensify means to increase in strength or severity, not reduce.

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All HESI A2 sample questions 7 sections All Vocabulary and General Knowledge questions 1 topics TEAS 7 sample questions with explanations NCLEX-RN sample questions with explanations

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