PEDIATRIC HESI FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE- GRADED A+ 2024-
2025
The nurse is assessing a male adolescent client's knowledge of contraception. The teen states, "I have all
the info I need." What is the best response by the nurse?
"Tell me what you know about birth control."
Rationale: Teens often obtain information from peers, which may not be accurate. Knowing the source
of the information may assist the nurse in evaluating the information that the teenager has regarding
contraception
A child breaks out with varicella infection (chickenpox) while hospitalized for a minor surgical procedure.
Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
Place the child in strict isolation to prevent an outbreak on the unit.
Rationale: The period of communicability of varicella is 2 days before the rash appears until all lesions
are crusted; varicella is spread by direct or indirect contact of saliva or vesicles. Strict isolation is
indicated to prevent further exposure to staff and others. Staff who have had varicella or the vaccine are
not susceptible to contracting or spreading the virus and should be the only personnel assigned to care
for this client
An infant is receiving digoxin (Lanoxin) for congestive heart failure. The apical heart rate is assessed at
80 beats/min. What intervention should the nurse implement?
Obtain a therapeutic drug level.
Rationale: Sinus bradycardia (heart rate < 90 to 110 beats/min in an infant) is an indication of digoxin
toxicity, so assessment of the client's digoxin level has the highest priority.
,During administration of a blood transfusion, a child complains of chills, headache, and nausea. Which
action should the nurse implement?
Stop the infusion immediately and notify the healthcare provider.
An infant is born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and surgery is planned to correct the defect. The
nurse recognizes that surgical correction is designed to achieve which outcome?
Prevent the return of oxygenated blood to the lungs.
An 18-month-old is admitted to the hospital with possible Hirschsprung's disease. When obtaining a
nursing history, the nurse asks about bowel habits. What description of the disease?
Ribbon-like and brown.
A child falls on the playground and is brought to the school nurse with a small laceration on the forearm.
Which action should the nurse implement first?
Wash the wound gently with mild soap and water.
A 4-year-old girl continues to interrupt her mother during a routine clinic visit. The mother appears
irritated with the child and asks the nurse, "Is this normal behavior for a child this age?" The nurse's
response should be based on which information?
Children need to retain a sense of initiative without impinging on the rights and privileges of others.
,The nurse is assessing the neurovascular status of a child in Russell's traction. Which finding should the
nurse report to the healthcare provider?
Pale bluish coloration of the toes
The nurse reviews the latest laboratory results for a child who received chemotherapy last week and
identifies a reduced neutrophil count. Which nursing diagnosis has the highest priority for this child?
Risk for infection
A 3-month-old infant develops oral thrush. Which pharmacologic agent should the nurse plan to
administer for treatment of this disorder?
Nystatin (Mycostatin).
A nurse who is working in the Poison Control Center receives several telephone calls from parents
whose children have ingested possible poisons. The nurse should recommend inducing vomiting for
which child?
16-month old who drank 2 ounces of acetaminophen (Tylenol) elixir.
The mother of a preschool-aged child asks the nurse if it is all right to administer Pepto Bismol to her son
when he "has a tummy ache." After reminding the mother to check the label of all over-the-counter
drugs for the presence of aspirin, which instruction should the nurse include when replying to this
mother's question?
Do not give if the child has chickenpox, the flu, or any other viral illness.
A child is rescued from a burning house and brought to the emergency room with partial-thickness
burns on the face and chest. Which action should the nurse implemented first?
, Assess the child's respiratory status
A 6-year-old is admitted to the pediatric unit after falling off a bicycle. Which intervention should the
nurse implement to assist the child's adjustment to hospitalization?
Explain hospital schedules to the child, such as mealtimes.
A nurse provides the parents with information on health maintenance for their child with sickle cell
disease. Which information reflected by the parents indicates understanding of the child's care?
Plenty of fluids should be consumed daily.
When taking the health history of a child, the nurse knows that which finding is an early indication of
hypothyroidism in children?
Cessation of growth in a child that had been normal.
A 5-month-old is admitted to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. The pediatrician prescribes
dextrose 5% and 0.25% normal saline with 2 mEq KCl/100 ml to be infused at 25 ml/hour. Prior to
initiating the infusion, the nurse should obtain which assessment finding?
Serum BUN and creatinine levels
Surgery is being delayed for an infant with undescended testes. In collaboration with the healthcare
provider and the family, which prescription should the nurse anticipate
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE- GRADED A+ 2024-
2025
The nurse is assessing a male adolescent client's knowledge of contraception. The teen states, "I have all
the info I need." What is the best response by the nurse?
"Tell me what you know about birth control."
Rationale: Teens often obtain information from peers, which may not be accurate. Knowing the source
of the information may assist the nurse in evaluating the information that the teenager has regarding
contraception
A child breaks out with varicella infection (chickenpox) while hospitalized for a minor surgical procedure.
Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
Place the child in strict isolation to prevent an outbreak on the unit.
Rationale: The period of communicability of varicella is 2 days before the rash appears until all lesions
are crusted; varicella is spread by direct or indirect contact of saliva or vesicles. Strict isolation is
indicated to prevent further exposure to staff and others. Staff who have had varicella or the vaccine are
not susceptible to contracting or spreading the virus and should be the only personnel assigned to care
for this client
An infant is receiving digoxin (Lanoxin) for congestive heart failure. The apical heart rate is assessed at
80 beats/min. What intervention should the nurse implement?
Obtain a therapeutic drug level.
Rationale: Sinus bradycardia (heart rate < 90 to 110 beats/min in an infant) is an indication of digoxin
toxicity, so assessment of the client's digoxin level has the highest priority.
,During administration of a blood transfusion, a child complains of chills, headache, and nausea. Which
action should the nurse implement?
Stop the infusion immediately and notify the healthcare provider.
An infant is born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and surgery is planned to correct the defect. The
nurse recognizes that surgical correction is designed to achieve which outcome?
Prevent the return of oxygenated blood to the lungs.
An 18-month-old is admitted to the hospital with possible Hirschsprung's disease. When obtaining a
nursing history, the nurse asks about bowel habits. What description of the disease?
Ribbon-like and brown.
A child falls on the playground and is brought to the school nurse with a small laceration on the forearm.
Which action should the nurse implement first?
Wash the wound gently with mild soap and water.
A 4-year-old girl continues to interrupt her mother during a routine clinic visit. The mother appears
irritated with the child and asks the nurse, "Is this normal behavior for a child this age?" The nurse's
response should be based on which information?
Children need to retain a sense of initiative without impinging on the rights and privileges of others.
,The nurse is assessing the neurovascular status of a child in Russell's traction. Which finding should the
nurse report to the healthcare provider?
Pale bluish coloration of the toes
The nurse reviews the latest laboratory results for a child who received chemotherapy last week and
identifies a reduced neutrophil count. Which nursing diagnosis has the highest priority for this child?
Risk for infection
A 3-month-old infant develops oral thrush. Which pharmacologic agent should the nurse plan to
administer for treatment of this disorder?
Nystatin (Mycostatin).
A nurse who is working in the Poison Control Center receives several telephone calls from parents
whose children have ingested possible poisons. The nurse should recommend inducing vomiting for
which child?
16-month old who drank 2 ounces of acetaminophen (Tylenol) elixir.
The mother of a preschool-aged child asks the nurse if it is all right to administer Pepto Bismol to her son
when he "has a tummy ache." After reminding the mother to check the label of all over-the-counter
drugs for the presence of aspirin, which instruction should the nurse include when replying to this
mother's question?
Do not give if the child has chickenpox, the flu, or any other viral illness.
A child is rescued from a burning house and brought to the emergency room with partial-thickness
burns on the face and chest. Which action should the nurse implemented first?
, Assess the child's respiratory status
A 6-year-old is admitted to the pediatric unit after falling off a bicycle. Which intervention should the
nurse implement to assist the child's adjustment to hospitalization?
Explain hospital schedules to the child, such as mealtimes.
A nurse provides the parents with information on health maintenance for their child with sickle cell
disease. Which information reflected by the parents indicates understanding of the child's care?
Plenty of fluids should be consumed daily.
When taking the health history of a child, the nurse knows that which finding is an early indication of
hypothyroidism in children?
Cessation of growth in a child that had been normal.
A 5-month-old is admitted to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. The pediatrician prescribes
dextrose 5% and 0.25% normal saline with 2 mEq KCl/100 ml to be infused at 25 ml/hour. Prior to
initiating the infusion, the nurse should obtain which assessment finding?
Serum BUN and creatinine levels
Surgery is being delayed for an infant with undescended testes. In collaboration with the healthcare
provider and the family, which prescription should the nurse anticipate
