Pediatric HESI Practice Questions
WITH Answers 100% Pass
The nurse is preparing a child with an intussusception for a prescribed barium
enema. What is the main purpose of conducting this procedure prior to surgical
intervention?
A.Evacuate the bowel of impacted feces.
B.Reduce the invaginated bowel segment.
C.Locate the presence of diverticula.
D.Identify the area of esophageal atresia. - ANSWER-ANS: B
Intussusception, an invagination or telescoping of one portion of the intestine into
another, causes intestinal obstruction in children (usually occurs between 3 months
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1
,and 5 years of age). Nonsurgical treatment is attempted with hydrostatic pressure
created by barium instillation, which often reduces the area of bowel
intussusception (B), thereby negating the need for surgical intervention. A barium
enema is likely to cause (A). A barium enema could be used to detect (C), but this
is not the reason for its use with intussusception. (D) is not a use for a barium
enema.
The nurse is teaching an adolescent girl with scoliosis about a Milwaukee brace that
her health care provider has prescribed. Which instruction should the nurse
provide to this client?
A.Remove the brace 1 hour each day for bathing only.
B.Remove the brace only for back range-of-motion exercises.
C.Wear the brace against the bare skin to ensure a good fit.
D.Wearing the brace will cure the spinal curvature. - ANSWER-ANS: A
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2
,The Milwaukee brace is designed to slow the progression in spinal curvature while
the adolescent is growing. The brace should be worn 23 hours a day and removed
a total of 1 hour a day for hygiene (A). There are no specific exercises for
increasing the range of motion in the back that should be performed (B). A T shirt
should be worn next to the body and the brace put on over the T shirt to protect
the skin (C). The brace will not cure the spinal curvature (D) but should slow the
progression of the scoliosis.
The nurse should teach the parents of a child with a cyanotic heart defect to
perform which action when a hypercyanotic spell occurs?
A.Place the child's head flat, with the knees on pillows above the level of the heart.
B.Have the child lie on the right side, with the head elevated on one pillow.
C.Allow the child to assume a knee-chest position, with the head and chest slightly
elevated.
D.Encourage the child to sit up at a 45-degree angle, drink cold water, and take
deep breaths. - ANSWER-ANS: C
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3
, Assuming a knee-chest position with the head and chest slightly elevated (C) will
help restore hemodynamic equilibrium. (A and B) are incorrect positions and may
hinder the child's condition. (D) may cause chest pain or a vasovagal response,
with resulting hypotension.
During routine screening at a school clinic, an otoscope examination of a child's
ear reveals a tympanic membrane that is pearly gray, slightly bulging, and not
movable. Based on these findings, what action should the nurse take?
A.No action is required, because this is an expected finding for a school-aged child.
B.Ask if the child has had a cold, runny nose, or any ear pain lately.
C.Send a note home advising parents to have the child evaluated by a health care
provider.
D.Call the parents and have them take the child home from school for the rest of
the day. - ANSWER-ANS: B
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4
WITH Answers 100% Pass
The nurse is preparing a child with an intussusception for a prescribed barium
enema. What is the main purpose of conducting this procedure prior to surgical
intervention?
A.Evacuate the bowel of impacted feces.
B.Reduce the invaginated bowel segment.
C.Locate the presence of diverticula.
D.Identify the area of esophageal atresia. - ANSWER-ANS: B
Intussusception, an invagination or telescoping of one portion of the intestine into
another, causes intestinal obstruction in children (usually occurs between 3 months
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1
,and 5 years of age). Nonsurgical treatment is attempted with hydrostatic pressure
created by barium instillation, which often reduces the area of bowel
intussusception (B), thereby negating the need for surgical intervention. A barium
enema is likely to cause (A). A barium enema could be used to detect (C), but this
is not the reason for its use with intussusception. (D) is not a use for a barium
enema.
The nurse is teaching an adolescent girl with scoliosis about a Milwaukee brace that
her health care provider has prescribed. Which instruction should the nurse
provide to this client?
A.Remove the brace 1 hour each day for bathing only.
B.Remove the brace only for back range-of-motion exercises.
C.Wear the brace against the bare skin to ensure a good fit.
D.Wearing the brace will cure the spinal curvature. - ANSWER-ANS: A
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2
,The Milwaukee brace is designed to slow the progression in spinal curvature while
the adolescent is growing. The brace should be worn 23 hours a day and removed
a total of 1 hour a day for hygiene (A). There are no specific exercises for
increasing the range of motion in the back that should be performed (B). A T shirt
should be worn next to the body and the brace put on over the T shirt to protect
the skin (C). The brace will not cure the spinal curvature (D) but should slow the
progression of the scoliosis.
The nurse should teach the parents of a child with a cyanotic heart defect to
perform which action when a hypercyanotic spell occurs?
A.Place the child's head flat, with the knees on pillows above the level of the heart.
B.Have the child lie on the right side, with the head elevated on one pillow.
C.Allow the child to assume a knee-chest position, with the head and chest slightly
elevated.
D.Encourage the child to sit up at a 45-degree angle, drink cold water, and take
deep breaths. - ANSWER-ANS: C
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3
, Assuming a knee-chest position with the head and chest slightly elevated (C) will
help restore hemodynamic equilibrium. (A and B) are incorrect positions and may
hinder the child's condition. (D) may cause chest pain or a vasovagal response,
with resulting hypotension.
During routine screening at a school clinic, an otoscope examination of a child's
ear reveals a tympanic membrane that is pearly gray, slightly bulging, and not
movable. Based on these findings, what action should the nurse take?
A.No action is required, because this is an expected finding for a school-aged child.
B.Ask if the child has had a cold, runny nose, or any ear pain lately.
C.Send a note home advising parents to have the child evaluated by a health care
provider.
D.Call the parents and have them take the child home from school for the rest of
the day. - ANSWER-ANS: B
©️COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4
