HESI RN PEDIATRICS
EXAMINATION TEST 2026
EXAM SCRIPT FULL SOLUTIONS
100% CORRECT
◉ The nurse is completing the admission assessment of a 3-year
old who is admitted with bacterial meningitis and hydrocephalus.
Which assessment finding is evidence that the child is
experiencing increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?
A. Tachycardia and tachypnea
B. Sluggish and unequal pupillary responses
C. Increased head circumference and bulging fontanels
D. Blood pressure fluctuations and syncope. Answer: B.
Sluggish and unequal pupillary responses
◉ A client with acute pancreatitis is admitted with severe,
piercing abdominal pain and an elevated serum amylase. Which
additional information is the client most likely to report to the
nurse?
A. Abdominal pain decreases when lying supine
B. Pain lasts an hour and leaves the abdomen tender
C. Right upper quadrant pain refers to right scapula
D. Drinks alcohol until intoxicated at least twice weekly..
Answer: A. Abdominal pain decreases when lying supine
◉ A child newly diagnosed with sickle cell anemia (SCA) is
being discharged from the hospital. Which information is most
important for the nurse to provide the parents prior to discharge?
A. Instructions about how much fluid the child should drink
daily.
B. Signs of addiction to opioid pain medications
C. Information about non-pharmaceutical pain relief measures
D. Referral for social services for the child and family. Answer:
A. Instructions about how much fluid the child should drink
daily
,◉ To auscultate for a carotid bruit, the nurse places the
stethoscope at what location. (Select the location on the image
with a red dot).. Answer: I placed the red dot on the base of the
neck on the right side
◉ After receiving report on an inpatient acute care unit, which
client should the nurse assess first?
A. The client with an obstruction of the large intestine who is
experiencing abdominal distention
B. The client who had surgery yesterday and is experiencing a
paralytic ileus with absent bowel sounds
C. The client with a small bowel obstruction who has a
nasogastric tube that is draining greenish fluid
D. The client with a bowel obstruction due to a volvulus who is
experiencing abdominal rigidity. Answer: D. The client with a
bowel obstruction due to a volvulus who is experiencing
abdominal rigidity
◉ A teenager presents to the emergency department with
palpitations after vaping at a party. The client is anxious, fearful,
and hyperventilating. The nurse anticipates the client developing
which acid base imbalance?
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Metabolic alkalosis
C. Metabolic acidosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis. Answer: D. Respiratory alkalosis
◉ A client with dyspnea is being admitted to the medical unit.
To best prepare for the client's arrival, the nurse should ensure
that the client's bed is in which position?
A. Supine
B. supine; feet elevated higher than head
C. supine; head elevated higher than feet
D. Fowlers. Answer: Fowlers
,◉ The nurse is taking the blood pressure measurement of a
client with Parkinson's disease. Which information in the client's
admission assessment is relevant to the nurse's plan for taking
the blood pressure reading? (Select all the apply)
A. Frequent syncope
B. Occasional nocturia
C. Flat affect
D. Blurred vision
E. Frequent drooling. Answer: A. Frequent syncope
C. Flat affect
D. Blurred vision
◉ While caring for a client's postoperative dressing, the nurse
observes purulent drainage at the wound. Before reporting this
finding to the healthcare provider, the nurse should review
which of the client's laboratory values?
A. Serum albumin
B. Culture for sensitive organisms
C. Serum blood glucose level
D. Creatinine level. Answer: B. Culture for sensitive organisms
◉ A preschool-aged boy is admitted to the pediatric unit
following successful resuscitation from a near-drowning
incident. While providing care to the child, the nurse begins
talking with his preadolescent brother who rescued the child
from the swimming pool and initiated resuscitation. The nurse
notices the older boy becomes withdrawn when asked about
what happened. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Develop a water safety teaching plan for the family
B. Ask the older brother how he felt during the incident
C. Tell the older brother that he seems depressed
D. Commend the older brother for his heroic actions. Answer: B.
Ask the older brother how he felt during the incident
◉ A male client with cirrhosis has jaundice and pruritus. He
tells the nurse that he has been soaking in hot baths at night with
no relief of his discomfort. Which action should the nurse take?
, A. Encourage the client to use cooler water and apply calamine
lotion after soaking
B. Obtain a PRN prescription for an analgesic that the client can
use for symptom relief
C. Suggest that the client take brief showers and apply oil-based
lotion after showering
D. Explain that the symptoms are caused by liver damage and
cannot be relieved. Answer: A. Encourage the client to use
cooler water and apply calamine lotion after soaking
◉ An older client with a long history of coronary artery disease
(CAD), hypertension (HTN), and heart failure (HF) arrives in
the Emergency Department (ED) in respiratory distress. The
healthcare provider prescribes furosemide IV. Which
therapeutic response to furosemide should the nurse expected in
the client with acute HF?
A. Increased cardiac contractility
B. Reduced preload
C. Relaxed vascular tone
D. Decreased afterload. Answer: B. Reduced preload
◉ Which intervention should the nurse include in the plan of
care for a child with tetanus?
A. Encourage coughing and deep breathing
B. Minimize the amount of stimuli in the room
C. Reposition from side to side every hour
D. Open window shades to provide natural light. Answer: B.
Minimize the amount of stimuli in the room
◉ An adolescent who was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus
Type 1 at the age of 9, is admitted to the hospital in diabetic
ketoacidosis. Which occurrence is the most likely cause of the
ketoacidosis?
A. Ate an extra peanut butter sandwich before gym class
B. incorrectly administered too much insulin
C. Had a cold and ear infection for the past two days
EXAMINATION TEST 2026
EXAM SCRIPT FULL SOLUTIONS
100% CORRECT
◉ The nurse is completing the admission assessment of a 3-year
old who is admitted with bacterial meningitis and hydrocephalus.
Which assessment finding is evidence that the child is
experiencing increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?
A. Tachycardia and tachypnea
B. Sluggish and unequal pupillary responses
C. Increased head circumference and bulging fontanels
D. Blood pressure fluctuations and syncope. Answer: B.
Sluggish and unequal pupillary responses
◉ A client with acute pancreatitis is admitted with severe,
piercing abdominal pain and an elevated serum amylase. Which
additional information is the client most likely to report to the
nurse?
A. Abdominal pain decreases when lying supine
B. Pain lasts an hour and leaves the abdomen tender
C. Right upper quadrant pain refers to right scapula
D. Drinks alcohol until intoxicated at least twice weekly..
Answer: A. Abdominal pain decreases when lying supine
◉ A child newly diagnosed with sickle cell anemia (SCA) is
being discharged from the hospital. Which information is most
important for the nurse to provide the parents prior to discharge?
A. Instructions about how much fluid the child should drink
daily.
B. Signs of addiction to opioid pain medications
C. Information about non-pharmaceutical pain relief measures
D. Referral for social services for the child and family. Answer:
A. Instructions about how much fluid the child should drink
daily
,◉ To auscultate for a carotid bruit, the nurse places the
stethoscope at what location. (Select the location on the image
with a red dot).. Answer: I placed the red dot on the base of the
neck on the right side
◉ After receiving report on an inpatient acute care unit, which
client should the nurse assess first?
A. The client with an obstruction of the large intestine who is
experiencing abdominal distention
B. The client who had surgery yesterday and is experiencing a
paralytic ileus with absent bowel sounds
C. The client with a small bowel obstruction who has a
nasogastric tube that is draining greenish fluid
D. The client with a bowel obstruction due to a volvulus who is
experiencing abdominal rigidity. Answer: D. The client with a
bowel obstruction due to a volvulus who is experiencing
abdominal rigidity
◉ A teenager presents to the emergency department with
palpitations after vaping at a party. The client is anxious, fearful,
and hyperventilating. The nurse anticipates the client developing
which acid base imbalance?
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Metabolic alkalosis
C. Metabolic acidosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis. Answer: D. Respiratory alkalosis
◉ A client with dyspnea is being admitted to the medical unit.
To best prepare for the client's arrival, the nurse should ensure
that the client's bed is in which position?
A. Supine
B. supine; feet elevated higher than head
C. supine; head elevated higher than feet
D. Fowlers. Answer: Fowlers
,◉ The nurse is taking the blood pressure measurement of a
client with Parkinson's disease. Which information in the client's
admission assessment is relevant to the nurse's plan for taking
the blood pressure reading? (Select all the apply)
A. Frequent syncope
B. Occasional nocturia
C. Flat affect
D. Blurred vision
E. Frequent drooling. Answer: A. Frequent syncope
C. Flat affect
D. Blurred vision
◉ While caring for a client's postoperative dressing, the nurse
observes purulent drainage at the wound. Before reporting this
finding to the healthcare provider, the nurse should review
which of the client's laboratory values?
A. Serum albumin
B. Culture for sensitive organisms
C. Serum blood glucose level
D. Creatinine level. Answer: B. Culture for sensitive organisms
◉ A preschool-aged boy is admitted to the pediatric unit
following successful resuscitation from a near-drowning
incident. While providing care to the child, the nurse begins
talking with his preadolescent brother who rescued the child
from the swimming pool and initiated resuscitation. The nurse
notices the older boy becomes withdrawn when asked about
what happened. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Develop a water safety teaching plan for the family
B. Ask the older brother how he felt during the incident
C. Tell the older brother that he seems depressed
D. Commend the older brother for his heroic actions. Answer: B.
Ask the older brother how he felt during the incident
◉ A male client with cirrhosis has jaundice and pruritus. He
tells the nurse that he has been soaking in hot baths at night with
no relief of his discomfort. Which action should the nurse take?
, A. Encourage the client to use cooler water and apply calamine
lotion after soaking
B. Obtain a PRN prescription for an analgesic that the client can
use for symptom relief
C. Suggest that the client take brief showers and apply oil-based
lotion after showering
D. Explain that the symptoms are caused by liver damage and
cannot be relieved. Answer: A. Encourage the client to use
cooler water and apply calamine lotion after soaking
◉ An older client with a long history of coronary artery disease
(CAD), hypertension (HTN), and heart failure (HF) arrives in
the Emergency Department (ED) in respiratory distress. The
healthcare provider prescribes furosemide IV. Which
therapeutic response to furosemide should the nurse expected in
the client with acute HF?
A. Increased cardiac contractility
B. Reduced preload
C. Relaxed vascular tone
D. Decreased afterload. Answer: B. Reduced preload
◉ Which intervention should the nurse include in the plan of
care for a child with tetanus?
A. Encourage coughing and deep breathing
B. Minimize the amount of stimuli in the room
C. Reposition from side to side every hour
D. Open window shades to provide natural light. Answer: B.
Minimize the amount of stimuli in the room
◉ An adolescent who was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus
Type 1 at the age of 9, is admitted to the hospital in diabetic
ketoacidosis. Which occurrence is the most likely cause of the
ketoacidosis?
A. Ate an extra peanut butter sandwich before gym class
B. incorrectly administered too much insulin
C. Had a cold and ear infection for the past two days
