HESI RN PEDIATRICS 2026
Practice Exam - 50 Original Questions with Answers and Rationales
DEVELOP ASSESS RESP/INF FLUID/GI CARDIO/NEURO PRIORITY
8 8 9 8 9 8
HOW TO USE THIS PAPER
Complete all 50 items before checking the key. For each missed item, identify the age-specific cue, priority
problem, and safest nursing action. Review the rationale and retest the topic.
Coverage: growth and development, pediatric assessment and safety, respiratory and infectious conditions, fluids
and gastrointestinal care, cardiac, neurologic and endocrine disorders, medication safety, prioritization, and family
teaching.
Important: This independently created practice resource is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by
Elsevier, HESI, or any nursing school. It contains no copied, recalled, leaked, or actual secure exam questions.
Verify care against current course materials, local policy, and clinical guidance.
Suggested time: 65 minutes Target score: 80% or higher
Independent original pediatric nursing practice resource - educational use only Page 1
, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
1. Which toy is most appropriate for a hospitalized 9-month-old infant?
A. Large soft blocks
B. A 100-piece puzzle
C. A chemistry set
D. A board game with rules
2. Which behavior is expected of a 2-year-old child?
A. Parallel play beside another child
B. Reading short sentences
C. Understanding conservation
D. Cooperative team play
3. Which language milestone is expected near 12 months?
A. Using five-word sentences
B. Reading independently
C. Speaking one or two meaningful words
D. Telling a detailed story
4. A preschooler believes illness occurred because of a bad thought. Which concept explains this?
A. Formal operations
B. Abstract reasoning
C. Magical thinking
D. Object permanence
5. Which approach is best when preparing a preschooler for an IV insertion?
A. Explain several weeks in advance using abstract terms
B. Demonstrate shortly beforehand with simple words and a doll
C. Avoid all explanation
D. Ask the child to read the consent form
6. Which finding indicates toilet-training readiness?
A. Walking at 6 months
B. Reciting the alphabet
C. Sleeping through every night
D. Staying dry for about two hours
7. Which activity best supports an adolescent's developmental needs during hospitalization?
A. Limiting communication to parents
B. Providing only infant toys
C. Maintaining peer contact and involving the adolescent in decisions
D. Removing all privacy
Independent original pediatric nursing practice resource - educational use only Page 2
Practice Exam - 50 Original Questions with Answers and Rationales
DEVELOP ASSESS RESP/INF FLUID/GI CARDIO/NEURO PRIORITY
8 8 9 8 9 8
HOW TO USE THIS PAPER
Complete all 50 items before checking the key. For each missed item, identify the age-specific cue, priority
problem, and safest nursing action. Review the rationale and retest the topic.
Coverage: growth and development, pediatric assessment and safety, respiratory and infectious conditions, fluids
and gastrointestinal care, cardiac, neurologic and endocrine disorders, medication safety, prioritization, and family
teaching.
Important: This independently created practice resource is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by
Elsevier, HESI, or any nursing school. It contains no copied, recalled, leaked, or actual secure exam questions.
Verify care against current course materials, local policy, and clinical guidance.
Suggested time: 65 minutes Target score: 80% or higher
Independent original pediatric nursing practice resource - educational use only Page 1
, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
1. Which toy is most appropriate for a hospitalized 9-month-old infant?
A. Large soft blocks
B. A 100-piece puzzle
C. A chemistry set
D. A board game with rules
2. Which behavior is expected of a 2-year-old child?
A. Parallel play beside another child
B. Reading short sentences
C. Understanding conservation
D. Cooperative team play
3. Which language milestone is expected near 12 months?
A. Using five-word sentences
B. Reading independently
C. Speaking one or two meaningful words
D. Telling a detailed story
4. A preschooler believes illness occurred because of a bad thought. Which concept explains this?
A. Formal operations
B. Abstract reasoning
C. Magical thinking
D. Object permanence
5. Which approach is best when preparing a preschooler for an IV insertion?
A. Explain several weeks in advance using abstract terms
B. Demonstrate shortly beforehand with simple words and a doll
C. Avoid all explanation
D. Ask the child to read the consent form
6. Which finding indicates toilet-training readiness?
A. Walking at 6 months
B. Reciting the alphabet
C. Sleeping through every night
D. Staying dry for about two hours
7. Which activity best supports an adolescent's developmental needs during hospitalization?
A. Limiting communication to parents
B. Providing only infant toys
C. Maintaining peer contact and involving the adolescent in decisions
D. Removing all privacy
Independent original pediatric nursing practice resource - educational use only Page 2
