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HESI PN OBSTETRICS / MATERNITY EXAM LATEST
2025/2026 ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE ACCURATE
QUESTIONS AND WELL ELABORATED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
A 2 year old child who is hospitalized has become withdrawn and
quiet on the fourth day after admission. The parent expresses
concern about this change in behavior. Which explanation should
the practical nurse (PN) provide? The child is
a) Experiencing the despair stage of separation
b) Detaching emotionally from the family
c) Protesting the separation from the parents
d) Adjusting to hospitalization - . . ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: A
Rationale:
In the despair stage of separation (A), the child exhibits signs of
hopelessness and becomes quiet, withdrawn, and apathetic.
Toddlers do not readily "adjust" to hospitalization (D) and
separation from caregivers. During the detachment stage (B)
which occurs after prolonged separation, the child becomes
interested in the environment and begins to play. In the protest
stage (C), the child is likely to cry and resist care by others, and
is inconsolable.
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A 3 year old boy cries, kicks, and clings to his father when the
parents try to leave the hospital room. The parents express their
concern to the practical nurse (PN). What response should the
PN provide?
a) "It is not helpful for parents to stay with children during
hospitalization."
b) "Your child's behavior indicates a need for a psychological
consultation."
c) "You can avoid this if you wait to leave after your child falls
asleep."
d) "Your child is showing a normal response to the stress of
hospitalization." - . . ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: D
Rationale:
The child is exhibiting a healthy attachment to the father (D).
Leaving while your child is asleep creates mistrust in the child
(C). To minimize the child's stress hospital policy often require
someone to stay with their child during hospitalization, not (A).
The child's behavior represents the protest stage of separation
and does not represent maladaptive behavior (B).
A 3 year old boy with cerebral palsy (CP) has difficulty
swallowing, cannot hold a utensil, and is slightly underweight for
his height. Which action should the practical nurse implement
when feeding this child?
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a) put the child in a well-supported semi-reclining position
b) offer a specialized formula per tube feeding
c) place the child in a sitting position with the neck
hyperextended
d) stabilize the child's jaw with the caregiver's hand - . .
ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: D
Rationale:
A child with CP should be fed in an upright, eating position, and
manual stability of the oral mechanisms during swallowing
should be provided to minimize the risk of aspiration. Hold the
child's jaw (D) from the side or front of the face assists with head
control, correction of the neck and trunk hyperextension, and jaw
stabilization. (A, B, and C) are not indicated.
A 3 year old male child who has been toilet trained has had
several urinary "accidents" since hospital admission. What action
should the practical nuse (PN) implement?
a) provide the child with frequent opportunities to urinate
b) inform the parent that the child will need to be retrained
c) determine how the long the child has been toilet trained
d) place a bedpan on the bedside table for the child to use - . .
ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: A
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Rationale:
Offering choices and allowing the child to make a decision
increases the child's sense of control. Asking the child frequently
if he has to go to the bathroom (A) helps reduce the incidents of
accidental urinations. Regression to previous behaviors is
common during hospitalization, even when the child has been
practicing the skill successfully (B). A 3 year old child is not
developmentally able to use a bedpan independently (D).
Relearning a skill such as toilet training, contributes to the
child's stress and should not be attempted during hospitalization.
A 3-day-old newborn who weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces at birth is
breast feeding and now weighs 6 pound and 15 ounces. Which
action should the practical nurse take? - . . ANSWER ✓✓
Document the weight loss
A 4 year old girl is brought to the emergent care center with a
frog like croaking sound on inspiration. She is having difficulty
breathing and has her chin trust forward with her mouth open.
She is drooling, agitated, and insists on sitting upright. What
action should the PN take?
a) Auscultate the lungs and make preparations for placing the
child in a mist tent.
b) Examine the oral pharynx and report to the HCP
c) make the child lie down on the stretcher & rest quietly
HESI PN OBSTETRICS / MATERNITY EXAM LATEST
2025/2026 ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE ACCURATE
QUESTIONS AND WELL ELABORATED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
A 2 year old child who is hospitalized has become withdrawn and
quiet on the fourth day after admission. The parent expresses
concern about this change in behavior. Which explanation should
the practical nurse (PN) provide? The child is
a) Experiencing the despair stage of separation
b) Detaching emotionally from the family
c) Protesting the separation from the parents
d) Adjusting to hospitalization - . . ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: A
Rationale:
In the despair stage of separation (A), the child exhibits signs of
hopelessness and becomes quiet, withdrawn, and apathetic.
Toddlers do not readily "adjust" to hospitalization (D) and
separation from caregivers. During the detachment stage (B)
which occurs after prolonged separation, the child becomes
interested in the environment and begins to play. In the protest
stage (C), the child is likely to cry and resist care by others, and
is inconsolable.
,2|Page
A 3 year old boy cries, kicks, and clings to his father when the
parents try to leave the hospital room. The parents express their
concern to the practical nurse (PN). What response should the
PN provide?
a) "It is not helpful for parents to stay with children during
hospitalization."
b) "Your child's behavior indicates a need for a psychological
consultation."
c) "You can avoid this if you wait to leave after your child falls
asleep."
d) "Your child is showing a normal response to the stress of
hospitalization." - . . ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: D
Rationale:
The child is exhibiting a healthy attachment to the father (D).
Leaving while your child is asleep creates mistrust in the child
(C). To minimize the child's stress hospital policy often require
someone to stay with their child during hospitalization, not (A).
The child's behavior represents the protest stage of separation
and does not represent maladaptive behavior (B).
A 3 year old boy with cerebral palsy (CP) has difficulty
swallowing, cannot hold a utensil, and is slightly underweight for
his height. Which action should the practical nurse implement
when feeding this child?
,3|Page
a) put the child in a well-supported semi-reclining position
b) offer a specialized formula per tube feeding
c) place the child in a sitting position with the neck
hyperextended
d) stabilize the child's jaw with the caregiver's hand - . .
ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: D
Rationale:
A child with CP should be fed in an upright, eating position, and
manual stability of the oral mechanisms during swallowing
should be provided to minimize the risk of aspiration. Hold the
child's jaw (D) from the side or front of the face assists with head
control, correction of the neck and trunk hyperextension, and jaw
stabilization. (A, B, and C) are not indicated.
A 3 year old male child who has been toilet trained has had
several urinary "accidents" since hospital admission. What action
should the practical nuse (PN) implement?
a) provide the child with frequent opportunities to urinate
b) inform the parent that the child will need to be retrained
c) determine how the long the child has been toilet trained
d) place a bedpan on the bedside table for the child to use - . .
ANSWER ✓✓ Answer: A
, 4|Page
Rationale:
Offering choices and allowing the child to make a decision
increases the child's sense of control. Asking the child frequently
if he has to go to the bathroom (A) helps reduce the incidents of
accidental urinations. Regression to previous behaviors is
common during hospitalization, even when the child has been
practicing the skill successfully (B). A 3 year old child is not
developmentally able to use a bedpan independently (D).
Relearning a skill such as toilet training, contributes to the
child's stress and should not be attempted during hospitalization.
A 3-day-old newborn who weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces at birth is
breast feeding and now weighs 6 pound and 15 ounces. Which
action should the practical nurse take? - . . ANSWER ✓✓
Document the weight loss
A 4 year old girl is brought to the emergent care center with a
frog like croaking sound on inspiration. She is having difficulty
breathing and has her chin trust forward with her mouth open.
She is drooling, agitated, and insists on sitting upright. What
action should the PN take?
a) Auscultate the lungs and make preparations for placing the
child in a mist tent.
b) Examine the oral pharynx and report to the HCP
c) make the child lie down on the stretcher & rest quietly
