PEDIATRICS HESI EXIT EXAM 2021/2022

1. A mother brings her 8 mo. old baby boy to clinic be he has been vomiting and had

diarrhea for last 3 days. Which assessment is most important for nurse to make?

a. Assess infant abdomen for tenderness

b. Determine if the infant was exposed to a virus

c. Measure the infant’s pulse

d. Evaluate the infant’s cry

2. While obtaining the vital signs of a 10 year old who had a tonsillectomy this morning, the

nurse observes the child swallowing every 2-3 minutes. Which assessment should the

nurse implement?

a. Inspect the posterior oropharynx

b. Assess for teeth clenching or grinding

c. Touch the tonsillar pillars to stimulate the gag reflex

d. Ask the child to speak to evaluate change in voice tone

3. The parents of a 3-year old boy who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy ask, “How can

our son have this disease? We are wondering if we should have any more children.” What

information should the nurse provide to parents?

a. This is an inherited X-linked recessive disorder, which primarily affects male

children in the family

b. The striated muscle groups of males can be impacted by a lack of the protein

dystrophin in their mothers

c. The male infant had a viral infection that went unnoticed and untreated so muscle

damage was incurred

d. Birth trauma with a breech vaginal birth causes damage to the spinal cord, thus

weakening the muscles

4. A 2-week-old female infant is hospitalized for the surgical repair of an umbilical hernia.

After returning to the postoperative neonatal unit, her RR and HR have increased during

the last hour. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

a. Notify the HCP of these findings

b. Administer a PRN analgesic prescription

c. Record the findings in the child’s record

d. Wrap the infant tightly and rock in rocking chair

5. A 2-year-old girl is brought to the clinic by her 17 year old mother. When the nurse

observes that the child is drinking sweetened soda from her bottle, what information

should the nurse discuss with this mother?

a. A 2-year old should be speaking in 2 word phrases

b. Dental caries are associated with drinking soda

c. Drinking soda is related to childhood obesity

d. Toddlers should be sleeping 10 hours a night

e. Toddlers should be drinking from a cup by age 2

6. A mother brings her 3 month old infant to the clinic because the baby does not sleep

through the night. Which finding is most significant in planning care for this family?

a. The mother is a single parent and lives with her parents

b. The mother states the baby is irritable during feedings

c. The infant’s formula has been changed twice

d. The diaper area shows severe skin breakdown

7. The nurse determines that an infant admitted for surgical repair of an inguinal hernia

voids a urinary stream from the ventral surface of the penis. What action should the nurse

take?

a. Document the finding

b. Palpate scrotum for testicular descent

c. Assess for bladder distension

d. Auscultate bowel sounds

8. A 16 year old with acute myelocytic leukemia is receiving chemotherapy (CT) via an

implanted medication port at the out-patient oncology clinic. What action should the

nurse implement when the infusion is complete?

a. Administer Zofran

b. Obtain blood samples for RBCs, WBCs, and platelets

c. Flush mediport w/ saline and heparin solution

d. Initiate an infusion of normal saline

9. A mother brings her 3-week old infant to the clinic because the baby vomits after eating

and always seems hungry. Further assessment indicates that the infant’s vomiting is

projectile, and the child seems listless. Which additional assessment finding indicates the

possibility of a life threatening complication?

a. Irregular palpable pulse

b. Hyperactive bowel sounds

c. Underweight for age

d. Crying without tears

10. The nurse is performing a routine assessment of a 3-year old at a community health

center. Which behavior by the child should alert the nurse to request a follow-up for a

possible autistic spectrum disorder?

a. Performs odd repetitive behaviors

b. Shows indifference to verbal stimulation

c. Strokes the hair of a hand held doll

d. Has a history of temper tantrums

11. Following admission for cardiac catheterization, the nurse is providing discharge teaching

to the parents of a 2-year-old toddler with tetralogy of Fallot. What instruction should the

nurse give the parents if their child becomes pale, cool, lethargic?

a. Encourage oral electrolyte solution intake

b. Assess the child to a recumbent position

c. Contact their HCP immediately

d. Provide a quiet time by holding or rocking the toddler

12. A mother brings her 2 year old son to the clinic because he has been crying and pulling

on his earlobe for the past 12 hours. The child’s oral temperature is 101.2 F. Which

intervention should the nurse implement?

a. Ask the mother if the child has had a runny nose

b. Cleanse purulent exudate from the affected ear canal

c. Apply a topical antibiotic to the periauricle area

d. Provide parent education to prevent recurrence