Pediatric HESI Practice Questions
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1. 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.: 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 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.
2. 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.: ANS: A
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
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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.
3. 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.: ANS: C
Assuming a knee-chest position with the head and chest slightly elevated (C) will help restore hemodynamic equilib-
rium. (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.
4. 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
, Pediatric HESI Practice Questions
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of the day.: ANS: B
More information is needed to interpret these findings (B). The tympanic membrane is normally pearly gray, not
bulging, and moves when a client blows against resistance or when a small puff of air is blown into the ear canal.
Because these findings are not completely normal, further assessment of history and related signs and symptoms are
needed to interpret the findings accurately. Based on the data obtained from the otoscope examination, (A, C, and D)
are not indicated.
5. A newborn female whose mother is HIV-positive is scheduled for the first
follow-up assessment with the nurse. If the child is HIV-positive, which initial
symptom is she most likely to exhibit?
A.Shortness of breath
B.Joint pain
C.Persistent cold
D.Organomegaly: ANS: C
Respiratory tract infections commonly occur in the pediatric population, but the child with AIDS has a decreased ability to
defend the body against these common infections. Thus, the most typical presenting symptom of a child who contracted
AIDS through vertical transmission (i.e., from the mother during delivery) is a persistent cold or respiratory infection
(C). (A, B, and D) are symptoms of AIDS complications that may occur later as the disease progresses.
6. A child breaks out with varicella infection (chickenpox) while hospitalized for
a minor surgical procedure. Which intervention should the nurse implement
first?
A.Place a mask on the child before transporting the child outside the room.
B.Immunize exposed family members with the varicella vaccine.
C.Place the child in strict isolation to prevent an outbreak on the unit.
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_6zv1qa
1. 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.: 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 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.
2. 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.: ANS: A
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
, Pediatric HESI Practice Questions
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_6zv1qa
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.
3. 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.: ANS: C
Assuming a knee-chest position with the head and chest slightly elevated (C) will help restore hemodynamic equilib-
rium. (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.
4. 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
, Pediatric HESI Practice Questions
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_6zv1qa
of the day.: ANS: B
More information is needed to interpret these findings (B). The tympanic membrane is normally pearly gray, not
bulging, and moves when a client blows against resistance or when a small puff of air is blown into the ear canal.
Because these findings are not completely normal, further assessment of history and related signs and symptoms are
needed to interpret the findings accurately. Based on the data obtained from the otoscope examination, (A, C, and D)
are not indicated.
5. A newborn female whose mother is HIV-positive is scheduled for the first
follow-up assessment with the nurse. If the child is HIV-positive, which initial
symptom is she most likely to exhibit?
A.Shortness of breath
B.Joint pain
C.Persistent cold
D.Organomegaly: ANS: C
Respiratory tract infections commonly occur in the pediatric population, but the child with AIDS has a decreased ability to
defend the body against these common infections. Thus, the most typical presenting symptom of a child who contracted
AIDS through vertical transmission (i.e., from the mother during delivery) is a persistent cold or respiratory infection
(C). (A, B, and D) are symptoms of AIDS complications that may occur later as the disease progresses.
6. A child breaks out with varicella infection (chickenpox) while hospitalized for
a minor surgical procedure. Which intervention should the nurse implement
first?
A.Place a mask on the child before transporting the child outside the room.
B.Immunize exposed family members with the varicella vaccine.
C.Place the child in strict isolation to prevent an outbreak on the unit.
