Pediatric HESI Exam Questions and Answers With Verified Solutions 2025
The nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child who is 2 hours post-op from a cardiac catheterization via the
right femoral artery. which assessment finding is an indication of arterial obstruction?
a. Blood pressure trend is downward and pulse is rapid and irregular.
b. Right foot is cool to the touch and appears pale and blanched.
c. Pulse distal to the femoral artery is weaker on the left foot than right foot.
d. The pressure dressing at right femoral area is moist and oozing blood. - ✔✔B
Right foot is cool to the touch and appears pale and blanched
Following a motor vehicle collision, a 3-year old girl has a spica cast applied. Which toy is best for the
nurse for this 3 year old child?
a. duck that squeaks
b. fashion doll and clothes
c. set of cloth and hand puppets
d. hand held video game - ✔✔C
Set of cloth and hand puppets
An infant with tetralogy of Fallot becomes acutely cyanotic and hyperpneic. Which action should the
nurse implement first?
a. administer morphine sulfate
b. start IV fluids
c. place the infant knee to chest
d. provide 100% oxygen via face mask - ✔✔C
Place the infant knee to chest
A child admitted with DKAA is demonstrating Kussmaul repsirations. The nurse determines that the
increased respiratory rate is a compensatory mechanism for which acid base alteration?
a. metabolic alkalosis
b. respiratory acidosis
,c. respiratory alkalosis
d. metabolic acidosis - ✔✔D
metabolic acidosis
a 7-year-old is admitted to the hospital with persistent vomiting, and a nasogastric tube attached to low
intermittent suction is applied. Which finding is most important for the nurse to report to the healthcare
provider?
a. gastric output of 100 mL in the last 8 hours
b. shift intake of 640 mL iV fluids plus 30 mL PO ice chips
c. serum potassium of 3.0 mg/dL
d. serum pH of 7.45 - ✔✔C
serum potassium of 3.0
The nurse is evaluating diet teaching for a client who has nontropical sprue (celiac disease). Choosing
which food indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. creamed corn
b. pancakes
c. rye crackers
d. cooked oatmeal - ✔✔A
creamed corn
During a well-baby check, the nurse hides a block under the baby's blanket, and the baby looks for the
block. Which normal growth and development milestone is the baby developing?
a. separation anxiety
b. associative play
c. object prehension
d. object permanence - ✔✔D
object permanence
, The nurse is measuring the frontal occipital circumference (FOC) of a 3-month-old infant, and notes that
the FOC has increased 5 inches since birth and the child's head appears large in relation to body size.
Which action is most important for the nurse to take next?
a. measure the infant head-to-toe
b. palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
c. observe the infant for sunken eyes
d. plot the measurement on the infants growth chart - ✔✔B
palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
The nurse is preparing a 10-year-old with a lacerated forehead for suturing. Both parents and 12-year-
old sibling are at the child's bedside. Which instruction best supports family?
a. while waiting for the healthcare provider, only one visitor may stay with the child
b. all of you should leave while the HCP sutures the kids forehead
c. it is best if the sibling goes to the waiting room until the suturing is completed
d. please decide who will stay when the HCP begins suturing - ✔✔D
please decide who will stay when the HCP begins suturing
the nurse is planning for a 5-month-old with GERD whose weight has decreased by 3 ounces since the
last clinic visit one month ago. To increase caloric intake and decrease vomiting, what instructions
should the nurse provide this mother?
a. give small amounts of baby food with each feeding
b. thicken formula with cereal for each feeding
c. dilute the child's formula with equal parts of water
d. offer 10% dextrose in water between most feedings - ✔✔B
thicken formula with cereal for each feeding
While teaching a parenting class to new parents the nurse describes the needs of infants and toddlers
regarding discipline and limit setting. What is most important reason for implementing such parenting
behaviors?
a. children need help in developing social skills
b. this age child fears loss of self control
The nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child who is 2 hours post-op from a cardiac catheterization via the
right femoral artery. which assessment finding is an indication of arterial obstruction?
a. Blood pressure trend is downward and pulse is rapid and irregular.
b. Right foot is cool to the touch and appears pale and blanched.
c. Pulse distal to the femoral artery is weaker on the left foot than right foot.
d. The pressure dressing at right femoral area is moist and oozing blood. - ✔✔B
Right foot is cool to the touch and appears pale and blanched
Following a motor vehicle collision, a 3-year old girl has a spica cast applied. Which toy is best for the
nurse for this 3 year old child?
a. duck that squeaks
b. fashion doll and clothes
c. set of cloth and hand puppets
d. hand held video game - ✔✔C
Set of cloth and hand puppets
An infant with tetralogy of Fallot becomes acutely cyanotic and hyperpneic. Which action should the
nurse implement first?
a. administer morphine sulfate
b. start IV fluids
c. place the infant knee to chest
d. provide 100% oxygen via face mask - ✔✔C
Place the infant knee to chest
A child admitted with DKAA is demonstrating Kussmaul repsirations. The nurse determines that the
increased respiratory rate is a compensatory mechanism for which acid base alteration?
a. metabolic alkalosis
b. respiratory acidosis
,c. respiratory alkalosis
d. metabolic acidosis - ✔✔D
metabolic acidosis
a 7-year-old is admitted to the hospital with persistent vomiting, and a nasogastric tube attached to low
intermittent suction is applied. Which finding is most important for the nurse to report to the healthcare
provider?
a. gastric output of 100 mL in the last 8 hours
b. shift intake of 640 mL iV fluids plus 30 mL PO ice chips
c. serum potassium of 3.0 mg/dL
d. serum pH of 7.45 - ✔✔C
serum potassium of 3.0
The nurse is evaluating diet teaching for a client who has nontropical sprue (celiac disease). Choosing
which food indicates that the teaching has been effective?
a. creamed corn
b. pancakes
c. rye crackers
d. cooked oatmeal - ✔✔A
creamed corn
During a well-baby check, the nurse hides a block under the baby's blanket, and the baby looks for the
block. Which normal growth and development milestone is the baby developing?
a. separation anxiety
b. associative play
c. object prehension
d. object permanence - ✔✔D
object permanence
, The nurse is measuring the frontal occipital circumference (FOC) of a 3-month-old infant, and notes that
the FOC has increased 5 inches since birth and the child's head appears large in relation to body size.
Which action is most important for the nurse to take next?
a. measure the infant head-to-toe
b. palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
c. observe the infant for sunken eyes
d. plot the measurement on the infants growth chart - ✔✔B
palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
The nurse is preparing a 10-year-old with a lacerated forehead for suturing. Both parents and 12-year-
old sibling are at the child's bedside. Which instruction best supports family?
a. while waiting for the healthcare provider, only one visitor may stay with the child
b. all of you should leave while the HCP sutures the kids forehead
c. it is best if the sibling goes to the waiting room until the suturing is completed
d. please decide who will stay when the HCP begins suturing - ✔✔D
please decide who will stay when the HCP begins suturing
the nurse is planning for a 5-month-old with GERD whose weight has decreased by 3 ounces since the
last clinic visit one month ago. To increase caloric intake and decrease vomiting, what instructions
should the nurse provide this mother?
a. give small amounts of baby food with each feeding
b. thicken formula with cereal for each feeding
c. dilute the child's formula with equal parts of water
d. offer 10% dextrose in water between most feedings - ✔✔B
thicken formula with cereal for each feeding
While teaching a parenting class to new parents the nurse describes the needs of infants and toddlers
regarding discipline and limit setting. What is most important reason for implementing such parenting
behaviors?
a. children need help in developing social skills
b. this age child fears loss of self control
