HESI PEDS EXAMINATION TEST COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION
●● Per the healthcare provider's orders, the nurse is preparing to
catheterize an 8-year-old child. Before gathering supplies and starting
the procedure, which action should the nurse take first?
-Obtain the parent's consent before initiating the procedure.
-Explain to the child and parents why the procedure is being done and
what will occur.
-After talking with the parents about the procedure, ask them to leave the
room.
-Provide the child with privacy by conducting the procedure in the
treatment room.
Answer: Explain to the child and parents why the procedure is being
done and what will occur.
An 8-year-old uses concrete operational thought (Piaget), can cooperate,
and should be included in the explanation of the plan of care. Explaining
why the procedure is needed and what will occur will enhance the child's
understanding and cooperation. A separate consent does not need to be
obtained and signed. The parents should be allowed to stay in the room
while the nurse still protects the child's privacy. There is no need to
move to a treatment room unless the nurse or parents feel it is needed.
More invasive procedures that can cause pain, such as IV insertion or
,blood draws, can be done in a treatment room so the child's room
remains a safe place.
●● A 6-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with a
systolic blood pressure of 58 mmHg. What action should the nurse take
first?
-Comfort the child.
-Assess responsiveness.
-Alert the healthcare provider.
-Initiate IV fluid replacement.
Answer: Alert the healthcare provider.
The lower limit for systolic blood pressure for a child older than 1 year
of age is 70 mmHg plus 2 times the child's age in years. The healthcare
provider should be notified immediately of the child's hypotension and
anticipate a prescription for IV fluids.
●● A mother expresses concern to the nurse about the behavior of her
15-year-old who is frequently finding fault and criticizing her. What
information should the nurse provide?
-The family value system may need to be changed to meet the teen's
changing needs.
-Teens create psychological distance from parents in order to separate
from them.
,-Parents should relinquish their relationship with their teen to the teen's
peers.
-Conflicts in the parent-teen relationship are to be expected during
adolescence.
Answer: Teens create psychological distance from parents in order to
separate from them.
Although a mutually respectful parent-adolescent relationship is
important, an adolescent may use critical and fault-finding behavior as a
mechanism to separate from the parent. Between the ages of 15 to 17
years, adolescents tend to have conflicts with their parents as they
struggle with issues of independence and control, and mature towards
late adolescence of 18 to 20 years of age.
●● When plotting a 20-week-old infant's weight on a standardized
growth chart, the nurse determines that the child's weight is between the
2nd and 3rd percentiles. Based on this finding, which action should the
nurse take?
-Teach the parents about interventions for failure to thrive syndrome.
-Compare this weight with previous weights recorded in the child's
record.
-Evaluate the parent's body build in relation to the infant's weight.
-Obtain a 24-hour nutritional history before making any conclusions.
Answer: Compare this weight with previous weights recorded in the
child's record.
, Evaluation of weight using a growth chart requires comparison of
current weight with previous weight measurements. An infant is defined
as having "failure to thrive" if their height or weight falls below the 3rd
percentile, but first the nurse should review the infant's health record to
assess the infant's weight history.
●● The nurse notices that the skirt hem on a preadolescent girl is
uneven. What procedure should the nurse follow to examine the girl for
scoliosis? (Arrange the examination process from the first step to the last
step.)
-Ask the girl to remove her shirt but leave on her bra or swimsuit top.
-Instruct the girl to bend at the waist so her back is parallel to the floor.
-Examine for scapular prominence.
-Look for asymmetry in the hip area.
Answer: 1. Ask the girl to remove her shirt but leave on her bra or
swimsuit top.
2. Look for asymmetry in the hip area.
3. Instruct the girl to bend at the waist so her back is parallel to the floor.
4. Examine for scapular prominence
To screen for scoliosis, the girl should first be asked to remove her shirt
and wear her bra or a swimsuit top. Then, as she stands erect, observe
for asymmetry of the shoulders, back, and hips while standing behind
the girl. Next, ask her to bend forward so that her back is parallel to the
floor. Finally observe her from the side and the back, noting asymmetry
or prominence of the rib cage and scapulae.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION
●● Per the healthcare provider's orders, the nurse is preparing to
catheterize an 8-year-old child. Before gathering supplies and starting
the procedure, which action should the nurse take first?
-Obtain the parent's consent before initiating the procedure.
-Explain to the child and parents why the procedure is being done and
what will occur.
-After talking with the parents about the procedure, ask them to leave the
room.
-Provide the child with privacy by conducting the procedure in the
treatment room.
Answer: Explain to the child and parents why the procedure is being
done and what will occur.
An 8-year-old uses concrete operational thought (Piaget), can cooperate,
and should be included in the explanation of the plan of care. Explaining
why the procedure is needed and what will occur will enhance the child's
understanding and cooperation. A separate consent does not need to be
obtained and signed. The parents should be allowed to stay in the room
while the nurse still protects the child's privacy. There is no need to
move to a treatment room unless the nurse or parents feel it is needed.
More invasive procedures that can cause pain, such as IV insertion or
,blood draws, can be done in a treatment room so the child's room
remains a safe place.
●● A 6-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with a
systolic blood pressure of 58 mmHg. What action should the nurse take
first?
-Comfort the child.
-Assess responsiveness.
-Alert the healthcare provider.
-Initiate IV fluid replacement.
Answer: Alert the healthcare provider.
The lower limit for systolic blood pressure for a child older than 1 year
of age is 70 mmHg plus 2 times the child's age in years. The healthcare
provider should be notified immediately of the child's hypotension and
anticipate a prescription for IV fluids.
●● A mother expresses concern to the nurse about the behavior of her
15-year-old who is frequently finding fault and criticizing her. What
information should the nurse provide?
-The family value system may need to be changed to meet the teen's
changing needs.
-Teens create psychological distance from parents in order to separate
from them.
,-Parents should relinquish their relationship with their teen to the teen's
peers.
-Conflicts in the parent-teen relationship are to be expected during
adolescence.
Answer: Teens create psychological distance from parents in order to
separate from them.
Although a mutually respectful parent-adolescent relationship is
important, an adolescent may use critical and fault-finding behavior as a
mechanism to separate from the parent. Between the ages of 15 to 17
years, adolescents tend to have conflicts with their parents as they
struggle with issues of independence and control, and mature towards
late adolescence of 18 to 20 years of age.
●● When plotting a 20-week-old infant's weight on a standardized
growth chart, the nurse determines that the child's weight is between the
2nd and 3rd percentiles. Based on this finding, which action should the
nurse take?
-Teach the parents about interventions for failure to thrive syndrome.
-Compare this weight with previous weights recorded in the child's
record.
-Evaluate the parent's body build in relation to the infant's weight.
-Obtain a 24-hour nutritional history before making any conclusions.
Answer: Compare this weight with previous weights recorded in the
child's record.
, Evaluation of weight using a growth chart requires comparison of
current weight with previous weight measurements. An infant is defined
as having "failure to thrive" if their height or weight falls below the 3rd
percentile, but first the nurse should review the infant's health record to
assess the infant's weight history.
●● The nurse notices that the skirt hem on a preadolescent girl is
uneven. What procedure should the nurse follow to examine the girl for
scoliosis? (Arrange the examination process from the first step to the last
step.)
-Ask the girl to remove her shirt but leave on her bra or swimsuit top.
-Instruct the girl to bend at the waist so her back is parallel to the floor.
-Examine for scapular prominence.
-Look for asymmetry in the hip area.
Answer: 1. Ask the girl to remove her shirt but leave on her bra or
swimsuit top.
2. Look for asymmetry in the hip area.
3. Instruct the girl to bend at the waist so her back is parallel to the floor.
4. Examine for scapular prominence
To screen for scoliosis, the girl should first be asked to remove her shirt
and wear her bra or a swimsuit top. Then, as she stands erect, observe
for asymmetry of the shoulders, back, and hips while standing behind
the girl. Next, ask her to bend forward so that her back is parallel to the
floor. Finally observe her from the side and the back, noting asymmetry
or prominence of the rib cage and scapulae.
