HESI Pediatric Practice Exam with
Answers
Which restraint should be used for a toddler after a cleft palate repair? - ✔✔Elbow. Prevent
child from bending their arms to the oral surgical site.
The mother of a preschool-aged child asks the nurse if it is all right to administer Pepto Bismol
to her son when he "has a tummy ache." After reminding the mother to check the label of all
over-the-counter drugs for the presence of aspirin, which instruction should the nurse include
when replying to this mother's question? - ✔✔Do not give if the child has chickenpox, the flu,
or any other viral illness. There is a potential of Reye's syndrome.
The nurse observes a 4-year-old boy in a daycare setting. Which behavior should the nurse
consider normal for this child? - ✔✔Demonstrates aggressiveness by boasting when telling a
story.
The nurse receives a lab report stating a child with asthma has a theophylline level of 15
mcg/dl. What action will the nurse take? - ✔✔Pass the information on in report. The
therapeutic level is 10 to 20 mcg/dl.
All of the following interventions can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing and
medical interventions used to treat diarrhea. Which intervention is least useful in the nurse's
evaluation of a 20-month-old child? - ✔✔Assessing fontanels. Posterior fontanel closes at 2
months and anterior fontanel closes by 18 months of age.
A 5-month-old is admitted to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. The pediatrician
prescribes dextrose 5% and 0.25% normal saline with 2 mEq KCL/100 mL to be infused at 25
mL/hour. Prior to initiating the infusion, the nurse should obtain which assessment finding? -
✔✔Serum BUN and creatinine levels. Regardless of a client's age, adequate renal function must
be present before adding potassium to IV fluids.
, The nurse is assigning care for a 4 year-old child with otitis media and is concerned about the
child's increasing temperature over the past 24 hours. When planning care for this child, it is
important for the nurse to consider that - ✔✔A tympanic measurement of temperature will
provide the most accurate reading.
The nurse is assessing an 8-month-old child who has a medical diagnosis of Tetrology of Fallot.
Which symptom is this client most likely to exhibit? - ✔✔Clubbed fingers.
A preschool-age child who is hospitalized for hypospadias repair is most strongly influenced by
which behavior? - ✔✔Concern for body integrity.
An infant is born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and surgery is planned to correct the
defect. The nurse recognizes that surgical correction is designed to achieve which outcome? -
✔✔Prevent the return of oxygenated blood to the lungs. VSDs are acyanotic defects, which
means that no unoxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation.
The nurse is developing a plan of care for a 3-year-old who is scheduled for a cardiac
catheterization. To assist in decreasing anxiety for the child on the day of the procedure, which
intervention is best for the nurse to implement? - ✔✔Give the child a ride on a gurney to visit
the cardiac catheterization ab and meet a nurse who works there.
The nurse is teaching a 12-year-old male adolescent and his family about taking injections of
growth hormone for idiopathic hypopituitarism. Which adverse symptoms, commonly
associated with growth hormone therapy, should the nurse plan to describe to the child and his
family? - ✔✔Polyuria and polydipsia. Signs and symptoms of diabetes or hyperglycemia need to
be reported.
The nurse is caring for a twelve-year-old with SIADH. This child should be carefully assessed for
which complication? - ✔✔Changes in LOC. Hyponatremia, which creates secondary CNS
alterations.
A 4-year-old girl continues to interrupt her mother during a routine clinic visit. The mother
appears irritated with the child and asks the nurse, "Is this normal behavior for a child this age?
Answers
Which restraint should be used for a toddler after a cleft palate repair? - ✔✔Elbow. Prevent
child from bending their arms to the oral surgical site.
The mother of a preschool-aged child asks the nurse if it is all right to administer Pepto Bismol
to her son when he "has a tummy ache." After reminding the mother to check the label of all
over-the-counter drugs for the presence of aspirin, which instruction should the nurse include
when replying to this mother's question? - ✔✔Do not give if the child has chickenpox, the flu,
or any other viral illness. There is a potential of Reye's syndrome.
The nurse observes a 4-year-old boy in a daycare setting. Which behavior should the nurse
consider normal for this child? - ✔✔Demonstrates aggressiveness by boasting when telling a
story.
The nurse receives a lab report stating a child with asthma has a theophylline level of 15
mcg/dl. What action will the nurse take? - ✔✔Pass the information on in report. The
therapeutic level is 10 to 20 mcg/dl.
All of the following interventions can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing and
medical interventions used to treat diarrhea. Which intervention is least useful in the nurse's
evaluation of a 20-month-old child? - ✔✔Assessing fontanels. Posterior fontanel closes at 2
months and anterior fontanel closes by 18 months of age.
A 5-month-old is admitted to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. The pediatrician
prescribes dextrose 5% and 0.25% normal saline with 2 mEq KCL/100 mL to be infused at 25
mL/hour. Prior to initiating the infusion, the nurse should obtain which assessment finding? -
✔✔Serum BUN and creatinine levels. Regardless of a client's age, adequate renal function must
be present before adding potassium to IV fluids.
, The nurse is assigning care for a 4 year-old child with otitis media and is concerned about the
child's increasing temperature over the past 24 hours. When planning care for this child, it is
important for the nurse to consider that - ✔✔A tympanic measurement of temperature will
provide the most accurate reading.
The nurse is assessing an 8-month-old child who has a medical diagnosis of Tetrology of Fallot.
Which symptom is this client most likely to exhibit? - ✔✔Clubbed fingers.
A preschool-age child who is hospitalized for hypospadias repair is most strongly influenced by
which behavior? - ✔✔Concern for body integrity.
An infant is born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and surgery is planned to correct the
defect. The nurse recognizes that surgical correction is designed to achieve which outcome? -
✔✔Prevent the return of oxygenated blood to the lungs. VSDs are acyanotic defects, which
means that no unoxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation.
The nurse is developing a plan of care for a 3-year-old who is scheduled for a cardiac
catheterization. To assist in decreasing anxiety for the child on the day of the procedure, which
intervention is best for the nurse to implement? - ✔✔Give the child a ride on a gurney to visit
the cardiac catheterization ab and meet a nurse who works there.
The nurse is teaching a 12-year-old male adolescent and his family about taking injections of
growth hormone for idiopathic hypopituitarism. Which adverse symptoms, commonly
associated with growth hormone therapy, should the nurse plan to describe to the child and his
family? - ✔✔Polyuria and polydipsia. Signs and symptoms of diabetes or hyperglycemia need to
be reported.
The nurse is caring for a twelve-year-old with SIADH. This child should be carefully assessed for
which complication? - ✔✔Changes in LOC. Hyponatremia, which creates secondary CNS
alterations.
A 4-year-old girl continues to interrupt her mother during a routine clinic visit. The mother
appears irritated with the child and asks the nurse, "Is this normal behavior for a child this age?
