HESI A2 Exam Sections
The HESI A2 consists of multiple academic sections that your nursing program will specify. Below is an overview of all eight possible sections you may encounter.
Mathematics Section
55 questions covering basic operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, and measurement conversions (metric and household). This section heavily emphasizes dosage calculations and practical healthcare math.
Reading Comprehension Section
55 questions testing your ability to identify main ideas, make inferences, determine purpose, and draw conclusions from healthcare-related passages.
Vocabulary and General Knowledge
55 questions focused on definitions of common English words and medical or healthcare terminology used in nursing practice.
Grammar Section
55 questions covering parts of speech, sentence structure, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and common grammatical errors.
Science Sections
Anatomy & Physiology (25 questions): Body systems, organ functions, tissues, and basic physiological processes.
Biology (25 questions): Cell structure, metabolism, genetics, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration.
Chemistry (25 questions): Atoms, periodic table, chemical bonds, reactions, solutions, and acid-base chemistry.
Physics (25 questions): Motion, forces, energy, waves, and basic electricity. Required by fewer programs.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 55 questions, basic operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, and measurement conversions (metric and household). |
| Reading Comprehension | 55 questions, identify main ideas, make inferences, determine purpose, and draw conclusions from passages. |
| Vocabulary & General Knowledge | 55 questions, definitions of common English words and medical/healthcare terminology used in nursing. |
| Grammar | 55 questions, parts of speech, sentence structure, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and common grammatical errors. |
| Anatomy & Physiology | 25 questions, body systems, organ functions, tissues, and basic physiological processes. |
| Biology | 25 questions, cell structure, metabolism, genetics, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration. |
| Chemistry | 25 questions, atoms, periodic table, chemical bonds, reactions, solutions, and acid-base chemistry. |
| Physics | 25 questions, motion, forces, energy, waves, and basic electricity. Required by fewer programs. |
Key Topics to Study
Certain topics are tested heavily across HESI sections. Focusing on these areas maximizes your score improvement per hour of study.
Medical Terminology
Master prefixes (hyper-, hypo-, tachy-, brady-), suffixes (-itis, -ectomy, -ology), and root words (cardi-, pulmon-, hepat-). The vocabulary section relies heavily on these patterns. Learning 10-15 medical terms daily through flashcards unlocks hundreds of related words.
Dosage Calculations
Practice ratio and proportion for medication dosing, unit conversions between metric and household measurements, and IV drip rate calculations. These are high-frequency question types requiring daily practice.
Anatomy - Body Systems
Study the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Know the organs, their functions, and how systems interact with each other.
Fractions and Decimals
Master converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages. Practice adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions. These fundamentals are essential for both the math section and dosage calculations.
Reading Strategies
Identify topic sentences, distinguish fact from opinion, make inferences, and determine author's purpose in healthcare passages. Practice these skills daily with sample HESI passages.
Grammar Rules
Focus on subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, comma usage, apostrophes, and commonly confused words (affect/effect, their/there/they're).
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Medical Terminology | Prefixes (hyper-, hypo-, tachy-, brady-), suffixes (-itis, -ectomy, -ology), and root words (cardi-, pulmon-, hepat-). The vocabulary section relies heavily on these. |
| Dosage Calculations | Ratio and proportion for medication dosing, unit conversions between metric and household measurements, and IV drip rate calculations. |
| Anatomy, Body Systems | Cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive systems. Know organs, functions, and how systems interact. |
| Fractions and Decimals | Converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages. Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions. Essential for the math section. |
| Reading Strategies | Identifying topic sentences, distinguishing fact from opinion, making inferences, and determining author's purpose in healthcare-related passages. |
| Grammar Rules | Subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, comma usage, apostrophes, and commonly confused words (affect/effect, their/there/they're). |
Study Tips for HESI A2 Success
The HESI A2 rewards both breadth and depth of knowledge. Follow this practical study plan to maximize your results.
-
Identify your program's requirements. Do not waste time studying Physics or Chemistry if your school only requires Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, and A&P.
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Start with diagnostic testing. Take a practice test to identify your weakest sections, then allocate 60% of your study time to those areas.
-
Build medical vocabulary systematically. Learn 10-15 prefixes, suffixes, and root words per day using flashcards. These unlock the meaning of hundreds of medical terms.
-
Practice dosage calculations daily. These are high-frequency question types. They require procedural fluency, not just conceptual understanding.
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Study consistently for 4-6 weeks. Dedicate 45-60 minutes per day using spaced repetition. Consistent daily practice produces far better results than weekend cramming sessions.
- 1
Find out exactly which sections your program requires. Do not waste time studying Physics or Chemistry if your school only requires Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, and A&P.
- 2
Start with your weakest sections. Take a diagnostic practice test to identify where you need the most improvement, then allocate 60% of your study time to those areas.
- 3
Build medical vocabulary systematically using flashcards. Learn 10-15 prefixes, suffixes, and root words per day, they unlock the meaning of hundreds of medical terms.
- 4
For the math section, practice dosage calculations and unit conversions daily. These are high-frequency question types and require procedural fluency, not just conceptual understanding.
- 5
Study 45-60 minutes per day for 4-6 weeks. Consistent spaced repetition practice produces far better results than weekend cramming sessions.
HESI A2 Scoring and What Programs Expect
The HESI A2 reports individual section scores as percentages (0-100%) and a composite score that averages the sections your program requires. Most nursing programs set minimum composite scores between 75% and 85%.
Competitive Program Standards
The most competitive programs may require 90% or higher in certain sections. Some programs weight specific sections more heavily. For example, a program might require 80% overall but 85% in Math and Anatomy & Physiology specifically.
Gaining an Advantage
Because admission is competitive and many programs receive more qualified applicants than they can accept, scoring 5-10 percentage points above the minimum gives you a significant advantage. Check your target program's exact requirements before creating your study plan. Aim for at least 5-10 points above their published minimums.
Why Flashcards Work for HESI Prep
The HESI A2 tests discrete facts: vocabulary definitions, anatomy terms, math formulas, and grammar rules. Active recall with spaced repetition excels at building this type of knowledge.
How Retrieval Strengthens Memory
Each flashcard review strengthens the retrieval pathway for that specific piece of information. The FSRS algorithm ensures you practice material right before you would forget it. This timing maximizes retention and minimizes wasted study time.
Medical Terminology Advantage
For medical terminology, flashcards are unmatched in effectiveness. Learning that 'tachy-' means fast and '-cardia' means heart allows you to decode 'tachycardia' without ever encountering it before. FluentFlash's AI generates hundreds of medical terminology flashcards instantly, organized by prefix, suffix, or body system. You get a comprehensive vocabulary toolkit in minutes rather than hours of manual card creation.