HESI PEDIATRIC exam Question and Answer
(2026/2027) | Newly Updated with Detailed
Rationales | A+ Verified
• 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.
• An 18-month-old is admitted to the hospital with possible Hirschsprung's disease.
When obtaining a nursing history, the nurse asks about bowel habits. What description
of the disease? -✓✓ Ribbon-like and brown.
• A burned child is brought to the emergency room. In estimating the percentage of the
body burned, the nurse uses a modified "Rule of Nines." Which part of a child's body is
calculated as a larger percentage of total body surface than an adult's? -✓✓ Head and
neck.
• The nurse is preparing a health teaching program for parents of toddlers and
preschoolers and plans to include information about prevention of accidental
poisonings. It is most important for the nurse to include which instruction? -✓✓ Store all
toxic agents and medicines in locked cabinets.
• A child falls on the playground and is brought to the school nurse with a small
laceration on the forearm. Which action should the nurse implement first? -✓✓ Wash
the wound gently with mild soap and water.
• 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?" The nurse's response should be based on which information? -✓✓
Children need to retain a sense of initiative without impinging on the rights and
privileges of others.
• The nurse is assessing the neurovascular status of a child in Russell's traction. Which
finding should the nurse report to the healthcare provider? -✓✓ Pale bluish coloration of
the toes
• The nurse reviews the latest laboratory results for a child who received chemotherapy
last week and identifies a reduced neutrophil count. Which nursing diagnosis has the
highest priority for this child? -✓✓ Risk for infection
• A 3-month-old infant develops oral thrush. Which pharmacologic agent should the
nurse plan to administer for treatment of this disorder? -✓✓ Nystatin (Mycostatin).
, • A nurse who is working in the Poison Control Center receives several telephone calls
from parents whose children have ingested possible poisons. The nurse should
recommend inducing vomiting for which child? -✓✓ 16-month old who drank 2 ounces
of acetaminophen (Tylenol) elixir.
• 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.
• A child is rescued from a burning house and brought to the emergency room with
partial-thickness burns on the face and chest. Which action should the nurse
implemented first? -✓✓ Assess the child's respiratory status
• A 6-year-old is admitted to the pediatric unit after falling off a bicycle. Which
intervention should the nurse implement to assist the child's adjustment to
hospitalization? -✓✓ Explain hospital schedules to the child, such as mealtimes.
• 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.
• Which behavior would the nurse expect a 2-year-old child to exhibit? -✓✓ Display
possessiveness of toys.
• A nurse provides the parents with information on health maintenance for their child
with sickle cell disease. Which information reflected by the parents indicates
understanding of the child's care? -✓✓ Plenty of fluids should be consumed daily.
• When taking the health history of a child, the nurse knows that which finding is an
early indication of hypothyroidism in children? -✓✓ Cessation of growth in a child that
had been normal.
• 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
• Surgery is being delayed for an infant with undescended testes. In collaboration with
the healthcare provider and the family, which prescription should the nurse anticipate -
✓✓ A trial of human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone
• When assessing a child with asthma, the nurse should expect intercostal retractions
during -✓✓ inspiration
(2026/2027) | Newly Updated with Detailed
Rationales | A+ Verified
• 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.
• An 18-month-old is admitted to the hospital with possible Hirschsprung's disease.
When obtaining a nursing history, the nurse asks about bowel habits. What description
of the disease? -✓✓ Ribbon-like and brown.
• A burned child is brought to the emergency room. In estimating the percentage of the
body burned, the nurse uses a modified "Rule of Nines." Which part of a child's body is
calculated as a larger percentage of total body surface than an adult's? -✓✓ Head and
neck.
• The nurse is preparing a health teaching program for parents of toddlers and
preschoolers and plans to include information about prevention of accidental
poisonings. It is most important for the nurse to include which instruction? -✓✓ Store all
toxic agents and medicines in locked cabinets.
• A child falls on the playground and is brought to the school nurse with a small
laceration on the forearm. Which action should the nurse implement first? -✓✓ Wash
the wound gently with mild soap and water.
• 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?" The nurse's response should be based on which information? -✓✓
Children need to retain a sense of initiative without impinging on the rights and
privileges of others.
• The nurse is assessing the neurovascular status of a child in Russell's traction. Which
finding should the nurse report to the healthcare provider? -✓✓ Pale bluish coloration of
the toes
• The nurse reviews the latest laboratory results for a child who received chemotherapy
last week and identifies a reduced neutrophil count. Which nursing diagnosis has the
highest priority for this child? -✓✓ Risk for infection
• A 3-month-old infant develops oral thrush. Which pharmacologic agent should the
nurse plan to administer for treatment of this disorder? -✓✓ Nystatin (Mycostatin).
, • A nurse who is working in the Poison Control Center receives several telephone calls
from parents whose children have ingested possible poisons. The nurse should
recommend inducing vomiting for which child? -✓✓ 16-month old who drank 2 ounces
of acetaminophen (Tylenol) elixir.
• 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.
• A child is rescued from a burning house and brought to the emergency room with
partial-thickness burns on the face and chest. Which action should the nurse
implemented first? -✓✓ Assess the child's respiratory status
• A 6-year-old is admitted to the pediatric unit after falling off a bicycle. Which
intervention should the nurse implement to assist the child's adjustment to
hospitalization? -✓✓ Explain hospital schedules to the child, such as mealtimes.
• 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.
• Which behavior would the nurse expect a 2-year-old child to exhibit? -✓✓ Display
possessiveness of toys.
• A nurse provides the parents with information on health maintenance for their child
with sickle cell disease. Which information reflected by the parents indicates
understanding of the child's care? -✓✓ Plenty of fluids should be consumed daily.
• When taking the health history of a child, the nurse knows that which finding is an
early indication of hypothyroidism in children? -✓✓ Cessation of growth in a child that
had been normal.
• 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
• Surgery is being delayed for an infant with undescended testes. In collaboration with
the healthcare provider and the family, which prescription should the nurse anticipate -
✓✓ A trial of human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone
• When assessing a child with asthma, the nurse should expect intercostal retractions
during -✓✓ inspiration
