Pediatric HESI Practice Questions and 100% correct answers | latest 2025/2026

Pediatric HESI Practice Questions and 100% correct
answers | latest 2025/2026
The nurse is preparing a child with an intussusception for a prescribed barium enema. What is the mai
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n purpose of conducting this procedure prior to surgical intervention?
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B




A.Evacuate the bowel of impacted feces. B B B B B



B




B.Reduce the invaginated bowel segment. B B B B


B




C.Locate the presence of diverticula. B B B B



B




D.Identify the area of esophageal atresia. - ANSWER-ANS: B
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Intussusception, an invagination or telescoping of one portion of the intestine into another, causes int
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estinal obstruction in children (usually occurs between 3 months and 5 years of age). Nonsurgical trea
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tment is attempted with hydrostatic pressure created by barium instillation, which often reduces the a
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rea of bowel intussusception (B), thereby negating the need for surgical intervention. A barium enema
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Bis likely to cause (A). A barium enema could be used to detect (C), but this is not the reason for its use
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with intussusception. (D) is not a use for a barium enema.
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The nurse is teaching an adolescent girl with scoliosis about a Milwaukee brace that her health care pr
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ovider has prescribed. Which instruction should the nurse provide to this client?
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A.Remove the brace 1 hour each day for bathing only.
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B.Remove the brace only for back range-of-motion exercises.
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B




C.Wear the brace against the bare skin to ensure a good fit.
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B




D.Wearing the brace will cure the spinal curvature. - ANSWER-ANS: A
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The Milwaukee brace is designed to slow the progression in spinal curvature while the adolescent is gr
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owing. The brace should be worn 23 hours a day and removed a total of 1 hour a day for hygiene (A). T
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here are no specific exercises for increasing the range of motion in the back that should be performed
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(B). A T shirt should be worn next to the body and the brace put on over the T shirt to protect the skin
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(C). The brace will not cure the spinal curvature (D) but should slow the progression of the scoliosis.
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,The nurse should teach the parents of a child with a cyanotic heart defect to perform which action wh
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en a hypercyanotic spell occurs?
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A.Place the child's head flat, with the knees on pillows above the level of the heart.
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B




B.Have the child lie on the right side, with the head elevated on one pillow.
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B




C.Allow the child to assume a knee-chest position, with the head and chest slightly elevated.
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B




D.Encourage the child to sit up at a 45-degree angle, drink cold water, and take deep breaths. -
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ANSWER-ANS: C
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Assuming a knee- B B


chest position with the head and chest slightly elevated (C) will help restore hemodynamic equilibriu
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m. (A and B) are incorrect positions and may hinder the child's condition. (D) may cause chest pain or
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a vasovagal response, with resulting hypotension.
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During routine screening at a school clinic, an otoscope examination of a child's ear reveals a tympanic
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Bmembrane that is pearly gray, slightly bulging, and not movable. Based on these findings, what action
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should the nurse take? B B B




A.No action is required, because this is an expected finding for a school-aged child.
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B




B.Ask if the child has had a cold, runny nose, or any ear pain lately.
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B




C.Send a note home advising parents to have the child evaluated by a health care provider.
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B




D.Call the parents and have them take the child home from school for the rest of the day. - ANSWER-
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ANS: B B




More information is needed to interpret these findings (B). The tympanic membrane is normally pearl
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y gray, not bulging, and moves when a client blows against resistance or when a small puff of air is blo
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wn into the ear canal. Because these findings are not completely normal, further assessment of histor
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y and related signs and symptoms are needed to interpret the findings accurately. Based on the data o
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btained from the otoscope examination, (A, C, and D) are not indicated.
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, A newborn female whose mother is HIV-positive is scheduled for the first follow-
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up assessment with the nurse. If the child is HIV-
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positive, which initial symptom is she most likely to exhibit?
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A.Shortness of breath B B



B



B.Joint pain B



B



C.Persistent cold B



B



D.Organomegaly - ANSWER-ANS: C B B B




Respiratory tract infections commonly occur in the pediatric population, but the child with AIDS has a
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decreased ability to defend the body against these common infections. Thus, the most typical presenti
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ng symptom of a child who contracted AIDS through vertical transmission (i.e., from the mother durin
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g delivery) is a persistent cold or respiratory infection (C). (A, B, and D) are symptoms of AIDS complica
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tions that may occur later as the disease progresses.
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A child breaks out with varicella infection (chickenpox) while hospitalized for a minor surgical procedu
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re. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
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A.Place a mask on the child before transporting the child outside the room.
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B




B.Immunize exposed family members with the varicella vaccine. B B B B B B B




C.Place the child in strict isolation to prevent an outbreak on the unit.
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B




D.Determine which staff have had varicella before making assignments. - ANSWER-ANS: C
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The period of communicability of varicella is 2 days before the rash appears until all lesions are cruste
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d; varicella is spread by direct or indirect contact of saliva or vesicles. Strict isolation (C) is indicated to
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prevent further exposure to staff and others. Staff who have had varicella or the vaccine are not susce
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ptible to contracting or spreading the virus and should be the only personnel assigned to care for this
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client (D). (A) is not sufficient to prevent exposure to others. (B) must be done prior to exposure.
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When inserting a nasogastric tube into the stomach of a 3-month-
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old infant, which nursing intervention is most important to implement?
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