HESI A2 – Critical Thinking Test | 2026/2027 Edition| Complete Practice Exam | Verified Q&A | Latest Updated Version

HESI A2 – Critical Thinking Test| 2026/2027 Edition| Complete Practice Exam | Verified Q&A | Latest Updated Version 1. The nurse is working in the emergency department (ED) of a children's medical center. Which client should the nurse assess first? 1. The 1-month-old infant who has developed colic and is crying. 2. The 2-year-old toddler who was bitten by another child at the day-care center. 3. The 6-year old school-age child who was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. 4. The 14-year-old adolescent whose mother suspects her child is sexually active. Rationale Correct - 3-The child hit by a car should be assessed first because he or she may have life threatening injuries that must be assessed and treated promptly. 1. In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid his or her memory later. Which statement is true regarding note-taking? A) Note-taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal behaviors. B) Note-taking allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as the nurse records what is said. C) Note-taking allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient, resulting in an increased comfort level. D) Note-taking allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient, which may increase his or her level of comfort. A) Note-taking may impede the nurse's observation of the patient's nonverbal behaviors. Page: 31 Some use of history forms and note-taking may be unavoidable. But be aware that note taking during the interview has disadvantages. It breaks eye contact too often, and it shifts attention away from the patient, which diminishes his or her sense of importance. It also may interrupt the patient's narrative flow, and it impedes the observation of the patient's nonverbal behavior. 2. The 8-year-old client diagnosed with a vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis is complaining of a severe headache. Which intervention should the nurse implement first? 1. Administer 6 L of oxygen via nasal cannula. 2. Assess the client's neurological status. 3. Administer a narcotic analgesic by intravenous push (IVP). 4. Increase the client's intravenous (IV) rate. Rationale Correct - 2-Because the client is complaining of a headache, the nurse should first rule out cerebrovascular accident (CVA) by assess- ing the client's neurological status and then determine whether it is a headache that can be treated with medication. 2. During an interview, the nurse states, "You mentioned shortness of breath. Tell me more about that." Which verbal skill is used with this statement? A) Reflection B) Facilitation C) Direct question D) Open-ended question D) Open-ended question Page: 32 The open-ended question asks for narrative information. It states the topic to be discussed but only in general terms. The nurse should use it to begin the interview, to introduce a new section of questions, and whenever the person introduces a new topic. 3. The 6-year-old client who has undergone abdominal surgery is attempting to make a pinwheel spin by blowing on it with the nurse's assistance. The child starts crying because the pinwheel won't spin. Which action should the nurse implement first? 1. Praise the child for the attempt to make the pinwheel spin. 2. Notify the respiratory therapist to implement incentive spirometry. 3. Encourage the child to turn from side to side and cough. 4. Demonstrate how to make the pinwheel spin by blowing on it. Rationale Correct -1. The nurse should always praise the child for attempts at cooperation even if the child did not accomplish what the nurse asked. 3. A nurse is taking complete health histories on all of the patients attending a wellness workshop. On the history form, one of the written questions asks, "You don't smoke, drink, or take drugs, do you?" This question is an example of: A) talking too much. B) using confrontation. C) using biased or leading questions. D) using blunt language to deal with distasteful topics. C) using biased or leading questions. Page: 36 This is an example of using leading or biased questions. Asking, "You don't smoke, do you?" implies that one answer is "better" than another. If the person wants to please someone, he or she is either forced to answer in a way corresponding to their implied values or is made to feel guilty when admitting the other answer. 4. The nurse is caring for clients on the pediatric medical unit. Which client should the nurse assess first? 1. The child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who has a blood glucose level of 180 mg/dL. 2. The child diagnosed with pneumonia who is coughing and has a temperature of 100°F. 3. The child diagnosed with gastroenteritis who has a potassium (K+) level of 3.9 mEq/L. 4. The child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who has a pulse oximeter reading of 90%. Rationale Correct - 4. A pulse oximeter reading of less than 93% is significant and indicates hypoxia, which is life threatening; therefore, this child should be assessed first. 4. During an interview, a parent of a hospitalized child is sitting in an open position. As the interviewer begins to discuss his son's treatment, however, he suddenly crosses his arms against his chest and crosses his legs. This would suggest that the parent is: A) just changing positions. B) more comfortable in this position. C) tired and needs a break from the interview. D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment. D) uncomfortable talking about his son's treatment. Page: 37 Note the person's position. An open position with the extension of large muscle groups shows relaxation, physical comfort, and a willingness to share information. A closed position with the arms and legs crossed tends to look defensive and anxious. Note any change in posture. If a person in a relaxed position suddenly tenses, it suggests possible discomfort with the new topic. 5. The nurse has received the a.m. shift report for clients on a pediatric unit. Which medication should the nurse administer first? 1. The third dose of the aminoglycoside antibiotic to the child diagnosed with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 2. The IVP steroid methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) to the child diagnosed with asthma. 3. The sliding scale insulin to the child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. 4. The stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) to a child diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Rationale Correct - 3-Sliding scale insulin is ordered ac, which is before meals; therefore, this medication must be administered first after receiving the a.m. shift report. 4-Routine medications have a 1-hour leeway before and after the scheduled time; therefore, this medication does not have to be adminis- tered first. 5. The nurse is interviewing a patient who has a hearing impairment. What techniques would be most beneficial in communicating with this patient? A) Determine the communication method he prefers. B) Avoid using facial and hand gestures because most hearing-impaired people find this degrading. C) Request a sign language interpreter before meeting with him to help facilitate the communication. D) Speak loudly and with exaggerated facial movement when talking with him because this helps with lip reading. A) Determine the communication method he prefers. Pages: 40-41 The nurse should ask the deaf person the preferred way to communicate—by signing, lip reading, or writing. If the person prefers lip reading, then the nurse should be sure to face him or her squarely and have good lighting on the nurse's face. The nurse should not exaggerate lip movements because this distorts words. Similarly, shouting distorts the reception of a hearing aid the person may wear. The nurse should speak slowly and should supplement his or her voice with appropriate hand gestures or pantomime. 6. The nurse enters the client's room and realizes the 9-month-old infant is not breath- ing. Which interventions should the nurse implement? Prioritize the nurse's actions from first (1) to last (5). 1. Perform cardiac compression 30:2. 2. Check the infant's brachial pulse. 3. Administer two puffs to the infant. 4. Determine unresponsiveness. 5. Open the infant's airway. Rationale Correct Answer: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1 4. The nurse must first determine the infant's responsiveness by thumping the baby's feet. 5. The nurse should then open the child's airway using the head-tilt chin-lift tech- nique, with care taken not to hyperextend the neck. Then the nurse should look, listen, and feel for respirations. 3. The nurse then administers quick puffs of air while covering the child's mouth and nose, preferably with a rescue mask. 2. The nurse should determine whether the infant has a pulse by checking the brachial artery. 1. If the infant has no pulse, the nurse should begin chest compressions using two fingers at a rate of 30:2. 6. The nurse is performing a health interview on a patient who has a language barrier, and no interpreter is available. Which is the best example of an appropriate question for the nurse to ask in this situation? A) "Do you take medicine?" B) "Do you sterilize the bottles?" C) "Do you have nausea and vomiting?" D) "You have been taking your medicine, haven't you?" A) "Do you take medicine?" Page: 46 In a situation where there is a language barrier and no interpreter available, use simple words avoiding medical jargon. Avoid using contractions and pronouns. Use nouns repeatedly and discuss one topic at a time. 7. A female patient does not speak English well, and the nurse needs to choose an interpreter. Which of the following would be the most appropriate choice? A) A trained interpreter B) A male family member C) A female family member D) A volunteer college student from the foreign language studies department A) A trained interpreter Page: 46 whenever possible, the nurse should use a trained interpreter, preferably one who knows medical terminology. In general, an older, more mature interpreter is preferred to a younger, less experienced one, and the same gender is preferred when possible. 7. The 3-year-old client has been admitted to the pediatric unit. Which task should the nurse instruct the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to perform first? 1. Orient the parents and child to the room. 2. Obtain an admission kit for the child. 3. Post the child's height and weight at the HOB. 4. Provide the child with a meal tray. Rationale Correct - 1.The first intervention after the child is ad- mitted to the unit is to orient the parents and child to the room, the call system, and the hospital rules, such as not leaving the child alone in the room. 8. The clinic nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular (IM) injection to the 2-year-old toddler. Which intervention should the nurse implement first? 1. Immobilize the child's leg. 2. Explain the procedure to the child. 3. Cleanse the area with an alcohol swab. 4. Administer the medication in the thigh. Rationale Correct - 2-The nurse must explain any procedure in words the child can understand. It does not matter how old the child is. 8. The nurse is conducting an interview. Which of these statements is true regarding open ended questions? Select all that apply. A) They elicit cold facts. B) They allow for self-expression. C) They build and enhance rapport. D) They leave interactions neutral. E) They call for short one- to two-word answers. F) They are used when narrative information is needed. B) They allow for self-expression. C) They build and enhance rapport. F) They are used when narrative information Page: 32 Open-ended questions allow for self-expression, build rapport, and obtain narrative information. These features enhance communication during an interview. The other statements are appropriate for closed or direct questions. 9. The nurse is writing a care plan for the 5-year-old child diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Which client problem is priority? 1. Imbalanced nutrition. 2. Fluid volume deficit. 3. Knowledge deficit. 4. Risk for infection. Rationale Correct - 2-The child diagnosed with gastroenteritis is at high risk for hypovolemic shock resulting from vomiting and diarrhea; therefore, maintaining fluid and elec- trolyte homeostasis is priority. 9. The nurse is conducting an interview in an outpatient clinic and is using a computer to record data. Which is the best use of the computer in this situation? Select all that apply. A) Collect the patient's data in a direct, face-to-face manner. B) Enter all the data as the patient states it. C) Ask the patient to wait as the nurse enters data. D) Type the data into the computer after the narrative is fully explored. E) Allow the patient to see the monitor during typing. A) Collect the patient's data in a direct, face-to-face manner. D) Type the data into the computer after the narrative is fully explored. E) Allow the patient to see the monitor during typing. Page: 32 The use of a computer can become a barrier. The nurse should begin the interview as usual by greeting the patient, establishing rapport, and collecting the patient's narrative story in a direct face-to-face manner. Only after the narrative is fully explored should the nurse type data into the computer. When typing, the nurse should position the monitor so that the patient can see it. 10. Which data would warrant immediate intervention from the pediatric nurse? 1. Proteinuria for the child diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. 2. Petechiae for the child diagnosed with leukemia. 3. Drooling for a child diagnosed with acute epiglottitis. 4. Elevated temperature in a child diagnosed with otitis media. Rationale Correct - 3-Drooling indicates the child is having trouble swallowing, and the epiglottis is at risk of completely occluding the air- way. This warrants immediate interven- tion. The nurse should notify the HCP and obtain an emergency tracheostomy tray for the bedside. 10. During an assessment, the nurse notices that a patient is handling a small charm that is tied to a leather strip around his neck. Which action by the nurse is appropriate? A) Ask the patient about the item and its significance. B) Ask the patient to lock the item with other valuables in the hospital's safe. C) Tell the patient that a family member should take valuables home. D) No action is necessary. A) Ask the patient about the item and its significance. Page: 21 The nurse should inquire about the amulet's meaning. Amulets, such as charms, are often seen as an important means of protection from "evil spirits" by some cultures. 11. Which client should the pediatric nurse assess first after receiving the a.m. shift report? 1. The 6-month old child diagnosed with bacterial meningitis who is irritable and crying. 2. The 9-month old child diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) who has edema of the face. 3. The 11-month old child diagnosed with Reye syndrome who is lethargic and vomiting. 4. The 13-month-old child diagnosed with diarrhea who has sunken eyeballs and decreased urine output. Rationale Correct - 4. Sunken eyeballs and decreased urine out- put are signs of dehydration, which is a life-threatening complication of diarrhea; therefore, this child should be assessed first. 11. In the majority culture of America, coughing, sweating, and diarrhea are symptoms of an illness. For some individuals of Mexican-American origin, however, these symptoms are a normal part of living. The nurse recognizes that this is true, probably because Mexican Americans: A) have less efficient immune systems and are often ill. B) consider these symptoms a part of normal living, not symptoms of ill health. C) come from Mexico and coughing is normal and healthy there. D) are usually in a lower socioeconomic group and are more likely to be sick. B) consider these symptoms a part of normal living, not symptoms of ill health. Page: 27 The nurse needs to identify the meaning of health to the patient, remembering that concepts are derived, in part, from the way in which members of the cultural group define health. 12. The pediatric clinic nurse is triaging telephone calls. Which client's parent should the nurse call first? 1. The 4-month-old child who had immunizations yesterday and the parent is report- ing a high pitched cry and a 103°F fever. 2. The 8-month-old whose parent is reporting the child is pulling on the right ear and has a fever. 3. The 2-year-old child who has patent ductus arteriosis whose parent reports running out of digoxin. 4. The 3-year-old child whose mother called and reported her daughter may have chickenpox. Rationale Correct 1-A high fever and high-pitched crying may indicate a reaction to the immunizations; therefore, this parent needs to be called first to bring the child to the clinic. 12. Among many Asians there is a belief in the yin/yang theory, rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophy of Tao. The nurse recognizes which statement that most accurately reflects "health" in an Asian with this belief? A) A person is able to work and produce. B) A person is happy, stable, and feels good. C) All aspects of the person are in perfect balance. D) A person is able to care for others and function socially. C) All aspects of the person are in perfect balance. Page: 21 Many Asians believe in the yin/yang theory, in which health is believed to exist when all aspects of the person are in perfect balance. The other statements do not describe this theory. 13. The parent of a 12-year-old male child with a left below-the-knee cast calls the pedi- atric clinic nurse and tells the nurse, "My son's foot is cold and he told me it feels like his foot is asleep." Which action should the nurse implement first? 1. Prepare to bifurcate the left below-the-knee cast. 2. Tell the parent to bring the child to the office. 3. Instruct the parent to elevate the left leg on two pillows. 4. Notify the child's orthopedist of the situation. Rationale Correct - 3. The nurse should first take care of the client's body by having the parent elevate the left leg. 13. An individual who takes the magicoreligious perspective of illness and disease is likely to believe that his or her illness was caused by: A) germs and viruses. B) supernatural forces. C) eating imbalanced foods. D) an imbalance within his or her spiritual nature. B) supernatural forces. Page: 21 The basic premise of the magicoreligious perspective is that the world is seen as an arena in which supernatural forces dominate. The fate of the world and those in it depends on the actions of supernatural forces for good or evil. The other answers do not reflect the magicoreligious perspective. 14. If an American Indian has come to the clinic to seek help with regulating her diabetes, the nurse can expect that she: A) will comply with the treatment prescribed. B) has obviously given up her beliefs in naturalistic causes of disease. C) may also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or medicine man. D) will need extra help in dealing with her illness and may be experiencing a crisis of faith. C) may also be seeking the assistance of a shaman or medicine man. Page: 23 When self-treatment is unsuccessful, the individual may turn to the lay or folk healing systems, to spiritual or religious healing, or to scientific biomedicine. In addition to seeking help from a biomedical or scientific health care provider, patients may also seek help from folk or religious healers. 14. Which child requires the nurse to notify the healthcare provider? 1. The 1-year-old child with iron deficiency anemia who has dark-colored stool. 2. The 3-year-old child with phenylketonuria (PKU) whose parent does not feed the child any meat or milk products. 3. The 5-year-old child with rheumatic heart fever who is having difficulty breathing. 4. The 7-year-old child diagnosed with acute glomerulonephritis who has dark "tea"-colored urine. Rationale Correct - 3-A complication of rheumatic heart disease is valvular disorders that may be mani fested by respiratory problems; therefore, the nurse should notify the child's health- care provider. 15. The pediatric nurse on the surgical unit has just received a.m. shift report. Which client should the nurse assess first? 1. The 3-week-old child 1 day postoperative with surgical repair of a myelomeningo cele who has bulging fontanels. 2. The 3-month-old child 2 days postoperative temporary colostomy secondary to Hirschsprung's disease who has a moist, pink stoma. 3. The 9-month-old child with a cleft palate repair who is spitting up formula and refusing to eat. 4. The 4-year-old child 1 day postoperative for repair of hypospadias who has clear amber urine draining from indwelling catheter. Rationale Correct - 1-Bulging fontanels is a sign of increased intracranial pressure, which is a compli cation of neurological surgery; therefore, this child should be assessed first. 15. An elderly Mexican-American woman with traditional beliefs has been admitted to an inpatient care unit. A culturally-sensitive nurse would: A) contact the hospital administrator about the best course of action. B) automatically get a curandero for her because it is not culturally appropriate for her to request one. C) further assess the patient's cultural beliefs and offer the patient assistance in contacting a curandero or priest if she desires. D) ask the family what they would like to do because Mexican-Americans traditionally give control of decisions to their families. C) further assess the patient's cultural beliefs and offer the patient assistance in contacting a curandero or priest if she desires. Pages: 22-23 In addition to seeking help from the biomedical/scientific health care provider, patients may also seek help from folk or religious healers. Some people, such as those of Mexican-American or American Indian origins, may believe that the cure is incomplete unless the body, mind, and spirit are also healed (although the division of the person into parts is a Western concept). 16. The charge nurse has assigned a staff nurse to care for an 8-year-old client diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Which nursing action by the staff nurse would warrant immediate intervention by the charge nurse? 1. The staff nurse performs gentle range-of-motion (ROM) exercises to extremities. 2. The staff nurse puts the client's bed in the lowest position possible. 3. The staff nurse takes the client in a wheelchair to the activity room. 4. The staff nurse places the child in semi-Fowler's position to eat lunch. Rationale Correct - 4-The child should be positioned upright to prevent aspiration during meals; there fore, this action would require the charge nurse to intervene. 16. The nurse is reviewing concepts of cultural aspects of pain. Which statement is true regarding pain? A) All patients will behave the same way when in pain. B) Just as patients vary in their perceptions of pain, so will they vary in their expressions of pain. C) Cultural norms have very little to do with pain tolerance, because pain tolerance is always biologically determined. D) A patient's expression of pain is largely dependent on the amount of tissue injury associated with the pain. B) Just as patients vary in their perceptions of pain, so will they vary in their expressions of pain. Page: 25 In addition to expecting variations in pain perception and tolerance, the nurse should expect variations in the expression of pain. It is well known that individuals turn to their social environment for validation and comparison. The other statements are incorrect. 17. The nurse and the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for clients on the pediatric unit. Which action by the nurse indicates appropriate delegation? 1. The nurse requests the UAP to check the circulation on the child with a cast. 2. The nurse asks the UAP to feed an infant who has just had a cleft palate repair. 3. The nurse has the UAP demonstrate a catheterization for a child with a neurogenic bladder. 4. The nurse checks to make sure the UAP's delegated tasks have been completed. Rationale Correct - 4. The last step of delegating to a UAP is for the nurse to evaluate and determine whether the delegated tasks have been completed and performed correctly. This indicates the nurse has delegated appropriately. 17. The nurse recognizes that working with children with a different cultural perspective may be especially difficult because: A) children have spiritual needs that are influenced by their stages of development. B) children have spiritual needs that are direct reflections of what is occurring in their homes. C) religious beliefs rarely affect the parents' perceptions of the illness. D) parents are often the decision makers, and they have no knowledge of their children's spiritual needs. A) children have spiritual needs that are influenced by their stages of development. Page: 20. Illness during childhood may be an especially difficult clinical situation. Children, as well as adults, have spiritual needs that vary according to the child's developmental level and the religious climate that exists in the family. The other statements are not correct. 18. The nurse on a pediatric unit has received the a.m. shift report and tells the unli- censed assistive personnel (UAP) to keep the 2-year-old child NPO for a procedure. At 0830, the nurse observes the mother feeding the child. Which action should the nurse implement first? 1. Determine what the UAP did not understand about the instruction. 2. Tell the HCP the UAP did not follow the nurse's direction. 3. Ask the mother why she was feeding her child if the child was NPO. 4. Notify the dietary department to hold the child's meal trays. Rationale Correct - 1.Communication to the UAP must be clear, concise, correct, and complete. The nurse must determine why there was a lack of communication, which resulted in the child receiving food; therefore, this action should be implemented first. 18. When providing culturally competent care, nurses must incorporate cultural assessments into their health assessments. Which statement is most appropriate to use when initiating an assessment of cultural beliefs with an elderly American Indian patient? A) "Are you of the Christian faith?" B) "Do you want to see a medicine man?" C) "How often do you seek help from medical providers?" D) "What cultural or spiritual beliefs are important to you?" D) "What cultural or spiritual beliefs are important to you?" Page: 17. The nurse needs to assess the cultural beliefs and practices of the patient. American Indians may seek assistance from a medicine man or shaman, but the nurse should not assume this. An open-ended question regarding cultural and spiritual beliefs is best used initially when performing a cultural assessment. 19. The charge nurse on the six-bed pediatric burn unit is making shift assignments and has one registered nurse (RN), one scrub technician, one unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), and a unit secretary. Which client care assignment indicates the best use of the hospital personnel? 1. The RN performs daily whirlpool dressing changes. 2. The unit secretary transcribes the HCP's orders. 3. The scrub technician medicates the client prior to dressing changes. 4. The UAP places the current laboratory results on the chart. 1-The scrub technician is assigned to perform daily whirlpool dressing changes, which is a lengthy procedure. Therefore, assigning the one RN to this task would be inappropriate because he or she cannot be unavailable for an extended period of time. **2-One of the responsibilities of the unit secretary is to transcribe the HCP's orders, but the licensed nurse retains total responsibility for the correctness and accuracy of the transcribed orders. 3-The scrub technician cannot administer medications. 4-The unit secretary and laboratory personnel are responsible for posting laboratory data into the client's charts. The UAP should be on the unit taking care of the clients. 19. When planning a cultural assessment, the nurse should include which component? A) Family history B) Chief complaint C) Medical history D) Health-related beliefs D) Health-related beliefs Pages: 19-20. Health-related beliefs and practices are one component of a cultural assessment. The other items reflect other aspects of the patient's history. 20. The RN and the UAP are caring for clients on a pediatric surgical unit. Which tasks would be most appropriate to delegate to the UAP? Select all that apply. 1. Pass dietary trays to the clients. 2. Obtain routine vital signs on the clients. 3. Complete the preoperative checklist. 4. Change linens on the clients' beds. 5. Document the clients' intake and output. 1, 2, 4, and 5 are correct. 1. The UAP can pass the dietary trays to the clients because it does not require judgment. 2. One of the responsibilities of the UAP is taking routine vital signs on clients. 3. The nurse must complete the preoperative checklist because it requires nursing judg- ment to determine whether the client is ready for surgery. 4. One of the responsibilities of the UAP is changing bed linens. 5. The UAP can document the client's in- take and output, but the UAP cannot evaluate the numbers. 20. When the nurse is evaluating the reliability of a patient's responses, which of these statements would be correct? The patient: A. has a history of drug abuse and therefore is not reliable. B. provided consistent information and therefore is reliable. C. smiled throughout interview and therefore is assumed reliable. D. would not answer questions concerning stress and therefore is not reliable. B. provided consistent information and therefore is reliable. Page: 50. A reliable person always gives the same answers, even when questions are rephrased or are repeated later in the interview. The other statements are not correct. 21. Which client should the charge nurse on the pediatric unit assign to the most experienced nurse? 1. The 4-year-old child diagnosed with hemophilia receiving factor VIII. 2. The 8-year-old child with headaches who is scheduled for a CT scan. 3. The 6-year-old child recovering from a sickle cell crisis. 4. The 11-year-old child newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. 1- The administration of blood products does not require the most experienced nurse. 2- Preparing a child for a routine procedure does not require the most experienced nurse. 3- The child recovering from a sickle cell crisis would not require the most experienced nurse. **4-The child newly diagnosed with a chronic disease, which will have acute exacerba- tions, requires extensive teaching; there- fore, the most experienced nurse should be assigned to this child and family. 21. In recording the childhood illnesses of a patient who denies having had any, which note by the nurse would be most accurate? A. Patient denies usual childhood illnesses. B. Patient states he was a "very healthy" child. C. Patient states sister had measles, but he didn't. D. Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, and strep throat. D. Patient denies measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, and strep throat. Page: 51. Childhood illnesses include measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pertussis, and strep throat. Avoid recording "usual childhood illnesses" because an illness common in the person's childhood may be unusual today (e.g., measles). 22. The charge nurse is making shift assignments on a pediatric oncology unit. Which delegation/assignment would be most appropriate? 1. Delegate the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to obtain routine blood work from the central line. 2. Instruct the licensed practical nurse (LPN) to contact the leukemia support group. 3. Assign the chemotherapy-certified RN to administer chemotherapeutic medication. 4. Have the dietitian check the meal trays for the amount eaten. 1-Only an RN can withdraw blood from a central line. 2. The social worker or case manager is respon- sible for referring clients to support groups. This is not an expected responsibility of a floor nurse/LPN. **3. Only chemotherapy-certified RNs can administer antineoplastic, chemothera- peutic medications. This is a national minimal standard of care according to the Oncology Nursing Society. 4. The dietician is responsible for ensuring that the proper food is provided along with evalu ating the child's nutritional intake, not checking the amount of food eaten—this is the responsibility of the nursing staff. 22. The mother of a 16-month-old toddler tells the nurse that her daughter has an earache. What would be an appropriate response? A. "Maybe she is just teething." B. "I will check her ear for an ear infection." C. "Are you sure she is really having pain?" D. "Please describe what she is doing to indicate she is having pain." D. "Please describe what she is doing to indicate she is having pain." Page: 60. With a very young child, ask the parent, "How do you know the child is in pain?" Pulling at ears alerts parent to ear pain. The statements about teething and questioning whether the child is really having pain do not explore the symptoms, which should be done before a physical examination. 23. The nurse observes the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) bringing a cartoon video to a 6 year-old female child on bed rest so that she can watch it on the television. Which action should the nurse take? 1. Tell the UAP that the child should not be watching videos. 2. Explain that this is the responsibility of the child life therapist. 3. Praise the UAP for providing the child with an appropriate activity. 4. Notify the charge nurse that the UAP gave the child videos to watch. 1. A 6 year old child on best rest needs an appropriate activity to help with distraction; a cartoon video would be an age appropriate activity. 2. The child life therapist is responsible for recreational and developmental activity for the hospitalized child, but any staff member should address the child's psychosocial needs. **3. Part of the delegation process is to evaluate the UAP's performance of duties, and the nurse should praise any initiative on the part of the UAP in being a client advocate. 4. Videos are one of the few age-appropriate activities to occupy a 6-year-old on bed rest; therefore, there is no reason to notify the charge nurse. 23. A 5-year-old boy is being admitted to the hospital to have his tonsils removed. Which information should the nurse collect before this procedure? A. The child's birth weight B. The age at which he crawled C. Whether he has had the measles D. Reactions to previous hospitalizations D. Reactions to previous hospitalizations Assess how the child reacted to hospitalization and any complications. If the child reacted poorly, he or she may be afraid now and will need special preparation for the examination that is to follow. The other items are not significant for the procedure. 24. Which newborn should the nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) assign to a new graduate who has just completed an NICU internship? 1. The 1-day-old infant diagnosed with a myelomeningocele. 2. The 2-week-old infant who was born 6 weeks premature. 3. The 3-hour-old infant who is being evaluated for esophageal atresia. 4. The 1-week-old infant diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot. 1-The newborn with the myelomeningocele has a portion of the spinal cord and mem- branes protruding through the back and is at risk for hydrocephalus and meningitis; this client should be assigned to a more experi- enced nurse. **2-The new graduate who has completed the NICU internship should be able to care for a premature infant because care is primarily supportive. 3-Esophageal atresia, a congenital anomaly in which the esophagus does not completely develop, is a clinical and surgical emergency. It puts the newborn at risk for aspiration be- cause the upper esophagus ends in a blind pouch with the lower part of the esophagus connected to the trachea. This newborn should be assigned to a more experienced nurse. 4-Tetralogy of Fallot is a cyanotic, congenital anomaly. It includes a combination of four defects of the heart, all of which result in unoxygenated blood being pumped into the systemic circulation. This newborn must be assigned to an experienced nurse. 24. The nurse is preparing to do a functional assessment. Which statement best describes the purpose of a functional assessment? A. It assesses how the individual is coping with life at home. B. It determines how children are meeting developmental milestones. C. It can identify any problems with memory the individual may be experiencing. D. It helps to determine how a person is managing day-to-day activities. D. It helps to determine how a person is managing day-to-day activities. Page: 67. The functional assessment measures how a person manages day-to-day activities. The other answers do not reflect the purpose of a functional assessment. 25. The newly hired nurse is working on a pediatric unit and needs the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to obtain a urine specimen on an 11-month-old infant. Which statement made to the UAP indicates the nurse understands the delegation process? 1. "Be sure to weigh the diaper when obtaining the urine specimen." 2. "Do you know how to apply the urine collection bag?" 3. "Use a small indwelling catheter when obtaining the urine specimen." 4. "I need for you to get a urine specimen on the infant." 1- Weighing the diaper is the procedure for de- termining the infant's urinary output and is not part of the procedure for obtaining a urine specimen. **2-The NCSBN position paper in 1995 defined delegation as transferring to a competent individual the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a se- lected situation. The nurse retains the accountability for the delegation. The nurse must determine whether the UAP has the ability and knowledge to perform a task. This question clarifies whether the UAP has the ability to obtain a urine specimen. 3-Obtaining a urine specimen with an in- dwelling catheter on an 11-month-old infant would require more expertise than a UAP would have on the pediatric unit. Furthermore, it does not determine whether the UAP understands how to do the procedure. 4. This statement does not determine whether the UAP understands how to perform the procedure of obtaining a urine specimen from an 11-month-old infant. 25. The nurse is performing a functional assessment on an 82-year-old patient who recently had a stroke. Which of these questions would be most important to ask? A. "Do you wear glasses?" B. "Are you able to dress yourself?" C. "Do you have any thyroid problems?" D. "How many times a day do you have a bowel movement?" B. "Are you able to dress yourself?" Page: 67. Functional assessment measures how a person manages day-to-day activities. For the older person, the meaning of health becomes those activities that they can or cannot do. The other responses do not relate to functional assessment. 26. Which task is most appropriate for the pediatric nurse to delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? 1. Ask the UAP to orient the parents and child to the room. 2. Tell the UAP to prepare the child for an endoscopy. 3. Request the UAP to log roll the client who had a spinal surgery. 4. Instruct the UAP to assess the child's developmental level. **1-The UAP can orient the parents and child to the room, and demonstrate how to use the call light, how the bed works, or how the television works. 2- The UAP cannot prepare a child for en- doscopy; this requires assessment and evaluation to determine if the child is ready for the procedure. 3- There must be at least two people to log roll a child, and the UAP cannot do this procedure alone. 4- The nurse cannot delegate assessment to the UAP. 26. The nurse is conducting a developmental history on a 5-year-old child. Which questions are appropriate to ask the parents for this part of the assessment? Select all that apply. A. "How much junk food does your child eat?" B. "How many teeth has he lost, and when did he lose them?" C. "Is he able to tie his shoelaces?" D. "Does he take a children's vitamin?" E. "Can he tell time?" F. "Does he have any food allergies?" B. "How many teeth has he lost, and when did he lose them?" C. "Is he able to tie his shoelaces?" E. "Can he tell time?" Page: 61. Questions about tooth loss, ability to tell time, and ability to tie shoelaces are appropriate questions for a developmental assessment. Questions about junk food intake and vitamins are part of a nutritional history. Questions about food allergies are not part of a developmental history. 27. Which behavior by the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) warrants intervention by the nurse? 1. The UAP weighs the child's diaper on a scale and records the urine output on the intake & output (I&O) sheet. 2. The UAP sits with the child while the parent goes down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. 3. The UAP bathes the child with congenital dislocated hip with the Pavlik harness on the child. 4. The UAP applies wrist restraints on the 7-month-old who is 1 day postoperative cleft palate repair. 1-The UAP can weigh the diapers and obtain urine output. The nurse must evaluate the output. 2-A child under 12 years of age cannot be left alone in the room, and the UAP could stay with the child while the parent gets some- thing to eat. 3-The Pavlik harness should not be removed, so bathing the child in the harness is appro- priate and does not warrant intervention. **4- The 7-month-old should have elbow restraints, not wrist restraints. Elbow restraints prevent the child from putting fingers into the mouth, but allow the child to move the arms. 27. During an examination, the nurse can assess mental status by which activity? A) Examining the patient's electroencephalogram B) Observing the patient as he or she performs an IQ test C) Observing the patient and inferring health or dysfunction D) Examining the patient's response to a specific set of questions C) Observing the patient and inferring health or dysfunction Page: 71. Mental status cannot be scrutinized directly like the characteristics of skin or heart sounds. Its functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's behaviors, such as consciousness, language, mood and affect, and other aspects. 28. The nurse is assessing a 75-year-old man. As the nurse begins the mental status portion of the assessment, the nurse expects that this patient: A) will have no decrease in any of his abilities, including response time. B) will have difficulty on tests of remote memory because this typically decreases with age. C) may take a little longer to respond, but his general knowledge and abilities should not have declined. D) will have had a decrease in his response time because of language loss and a decrease in general knowledge. C) may take a little longer to respond, but his general knowledge and abilities should not have declined. Page: 72. The aging process leaves the parameters of mental status mostly intact. There is no decrease in general knowledge and little or no loss in vocabulary. Response time is slower than in youth. It takes a bit longer for the brain to process information and to react to it. Recent memory, which requires some processing is somewhat decreased with aging, but remote memory is not affected. 28. The nurse is caring for pediatric clients. Which tasks are most appropriate to assign to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) and/or a licensed vocational nurse (LPN)? Select all that apply. 1. Instruct the LPN to teach the parent of a child new diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. 2. Tell the UAP to apply an ice collar to the child who is 1 day postoperative tonsillectomy. 3. Ask the UAP to place ointment on a child's diaper rash around the anal area. 4. Request the LPN to double-check the medication dose for the child receiving an antibiotic. 5. Tell the LPN to transcribe the healthcare provider's orders for the child with cystic fibrosis. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are correct. 1. The nurse cannot assign teaching to the LPN. 2. The UAP can apply an ice collar since the client is stable. 3. The UAP can apply ointment to a diaper rash—it is a medication but it can be applied by the UAP. 4. The LPN can double-check a dose of medication. The nurse can assign med ication administration to an LPN. 5. The LPN can transcribe a healthcare provider's orders. 29. The nurse is discharging a 4-month-old child with a temporary colostomy. Which intervention should the nurse implement? 1. Request the UAP to complete the discharge written documentation. 2. Tell the LPN to show the parent how to irrigate the colostomy. 3. Ask the UAP to remove the child's intravenous catheter. 4. Request the UAP to escort the parent and child to the car. 1- The nurse cannot delegate teaching to the UAP. 2- The LPN could teach a client how to irrigate a colostomy, but a 4-month-old is inconti- nent of stool; therefore, irrigating the colostomy is not done. 3- The LPN or nurse should remove the IV catheter of a 4-month-old child, not the UAP. **4-The UAP can escort the child and parents to the car. 29. The nurse is preparing to do a mental status examination. Which statement is true regarding the mental status examination? A) A patient's family is the best resource for information about the patient's coping skills. B) It is usually sufficient to gather mental status information during the health history interview. C) It takes an enormous amount of extra time to integrate the mental status examination into the health history interview. D) It is usually necessary to perform a complete mental status examination to get a good idea of the patient's level of functioning. B) It is usually sufficient to gather mental status information during the health history interview. Page: 73. The full mental status examination is a systematic check of emotional and cognitive functioning. The steps described here, though, rarely need to be taken in their entirety. Usually, one can assess mental status through the context of the health history interview. 30. The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) tells the nurse the child with Down syndrome who is 2 days postoperative appendectomy is having pain. Which intervention should the nurse implement first? 1. Tell the UAP to check the child's vital signs. 2. Assess the child's abdominal dressing and pain immediately. 3. Notify the healthcare provider. 4. Check the MAR for last time pain medication was administered. 1-The UAP can take vital signs but the nurse should assess the child to determine whether this is routine postoperative pain (expected), or whether a complication is occurring. **2. A rule of thumb—if anyone else gives the nurse information about a client, the nurse should first assess the client before taking any further action. 3. The nurse may need to notify the HCP, but not before assessing the child. 4. The nurse may need to administer pain med- ication but not prior to assessing the child. 30. During a mental status examination, the nurse wants to assess a patient's affect. The nurse should ask the patient which question? A) "How do you feel today?" B) "Would you please repeat the following words?" C) "Have these medications had any effect on your pain?" D) "Has this pain affected your ability to get dressed by yourself?" A) "How do you feel today?" Page: 74. Judge mood and affect by body language and facial expression and by asking directly, "How do you feel today?" or "How do you usually feel?" The mood should be appropriate to the person's place and condition and should change appropriately with topics. 31. The 8-year-old male child in the pediatric unit is refusing to ambulate postopera- tively. Which intervention would be most appropriate? 1. Give the child the option to ambulate now or after lunch. 2. Ask the parents to insist the child ambulate in the hall. 3. Refer the child to the child developmental therapist. 4. Tell the child he can watch a video game if he cooperates. **1.The nurse should offer the child choices that ensure cooperation with the thera- peutic regimen. The choices are when the child will ambulate, not whether the child will ambulate. 2. The nurse could ask the parents for help in making sure the client ambulates, but this may cause a rift in the nurse/parent/child re- lationship. This is not the most appropriate intervention. 3. The child development therapist could assist with activities that would encourage the client to ambulate, but the nurse should take control of the situation and ensure the client ambulates. This is not the most appropriate intervention. 4. This is bribery, and the nurse should not use this technique to ensure cooperation with the therapeutic regimen. 31. During a mental status assessment, which question by the nurse would best assess a person's judgment? A) "Do you feel that you are being watched, followed, or controlled?" B) "Tell me about what you plan to do once you are discharged from the hospital." C) "What does the statement, 'People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones,' mean to you?" D) "What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope lying on the sidewalk?" B) "Tell me about what you plan to do once you are discharged from the hospital." Pages: 76-77. A person exercises judgment when he or she can compare and evaluate the alternatives in a situation and reach an appropriate course of action. Rather than testing the person's response to a hypothetical situation (as illustrated in the option with the envelope), the nurse should be more interested in the person's judgment about daily or long-term goals, the likelihood of acting in response to delusions or hallucinations and the capacity for violent or suicidal behavior. 32. The clinic nurse overhears a mother in the waiting room tell her 6-year-old son, "If you don't sit down and be quiet, I am going to get the nurse to give you a shot." Which action should the nurse implement? 1. Do not take any action because the mother is attempting to discipline her son. 2. Tell the child the nurse would not give him a shot because the mother said to. 3. Report this verbally abusive behavior to Child Protective Services. 4. Tell the mother this behavior will cause her son to be afraid of the nurses. 1. The nurse must take action or the child will be afraid of the nurse. 2. The nurse should discuss the inappropriate comment with the mother, not with the child. 3. If every nurse who overheard this type of comment reported it to Child Protective Services, it would only unnecessarily increase the workload in an already overloaded system. Furthermore, reporting perceived potential abuse to Child Protective Services is a very serious accusation. **4. The nurse should explain to the mother that threatening the child with a shot will cause the child to be frightened of healthcare professionals. This type of comment is inappropriate and should not be used to discipline a child. 32. The nurse is performing a mental status examination. Which statement is true regarding the assessment of mental status? A) Mental status assessment diagnoses specific psychiatric disorders. B) Mental disorders occur in response to everyday life stressors. C) Mental status functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's behaviors. D) Mental status can be assessed directly, just like other systems of the body (e.g., cardiac and breath sounds). C) Mental status functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's behaviors. Page: 71. Mental status functioning is inferred through assessment of an individual's behaviors. It cannot be assessed directly like characteristics of the skin or heart sounds. 33. The parents of an infant born with Down syndrome are holding their infant and crying. The father asks, "I have heard children like this are hard to take care of at home." Which referral would be most appropriate for the parents? 1. The Web site for the National Association for Down Syndrome. 2. The hospital chaplain. 3. A Down syndrome support group. 4. A geneticist. 1. There is a Web site to obtain information about Down syndrome, but this type of re- ferral would not be the most appropriate for parents who need to deal with emotional as- pects of having a child with special needs. 2. The hospital chaplain is an important part of the multidisciplinary healthcare team but would not have specialized knowledge re- garding caring for a special needs child. **3. According to the NCLEX-RN® test plan, referrals are included in management of care. The most appropriate referral would be to a support group where other parents who have special needs children can share their feelings and provide ad- vice on how to care for their child in the home. 4. Although Down syndrome results from a trisomy chromosome 21, it is primarily associated with maternal age over 35 years. Furthermore, a geneticist would not have specialized knowledge regarding caring for a special needs child. 33. When performing a physical assessment, the technique the nurse will always use first is: A) palpation. B) inspection. C) percussion. D) auscultation. B) inspection. Pages: 115-116. The skills requisite for the physical examination are inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. The skills are performed one at a time and in this order (with the exception of the abdominal assessment, where auscultation takes place before palpation and percussion). The assessment of each body system begins with inspection. A focused inspection takes time and yields a surprising amount of information. 34. The charge nurse on the pediatric unit hears the overhead announcement of Code Pink (infant abduction), newborn nursery. Which action should the charge nurse implement? 1. Send a staff member to the newborn nursery. 2. Explain the situation to the clients and visitors. 3. Continue with the charge nurse's responsibilities. 4. Station a staff member at all the unit exits. 1. The newborn nursery does not need any more people in the area. Personnel are needed to monitor any and all exits. 2. The purpose of using code names to alert hospital personnel of emergency situations is to avoid panic among the clients and visitors; therefore, the nurse should not explain the situation to the clients and visitors. 3. Any time there is an overhead emergency an- nouncement, the charge nurse is responsible for following the hospital emergency plan. **4. Code Pink means an infant has been abducted from the newborn nursery. The priority intervention is to prevent the ab- ductor from taking the child from the hospital, which can be prevented by plac- ing a staff member at all of the unit exits. 34. The nurse is assessing a patient's skin during an office visit. What is the best technique to use to best assess the patient's skin temperature? Use the: A) fingertips because they're more sensitive to small changes in temperature. B) dorsal surface of the hand because the skin is thinner than on the palms. C) ulnar portion of the hand because there is increased blood supply that enhances temperature sensitivity. D) palmar surface of the hand because it is most sensitive to temperature variations because of increased nerve supply in this area. B) dorsal surface of the hand because the skin is thinner than on the palms. The dorsa (backs) of hands and fingers are best for determining temperature because the skin there is thinner than on the palms. Fingertips are best for fine, tactile discrimination; the other responses are not useful for palpation. 35. The mother of a 4-year-old child diagnosed with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy is overwhelmed and asks the nurse, "I have been told a case manager will come and talk to me. What will they do for me?" Which statement indicates the nurse understands the role of the case manager? 1. "You will have a case manager so that the hospital can save money." 2. "She will make sure your child gets the right medication for muscular dystrophy." 3. "She will help you find the resources you need to care for your child." 4. "The case manager helps your child to have a normal life expectancy." 1. Even though case management is a strategy to ensure coordination of care while reduc- ing costs, the nurse should not share this with the mother. 2. The case manager is not responsible for ensuring that the client receives the correct medication; it is the responsibility of the HCP. **3. According to the NCLEX-RN® test blueprint, questions on case management are included. The case manager will coordinate the care for a client with a chronic illness with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. This attempts to prevent duplication of ser- vices and allows the mother to have a specific individual to coordinate services to meet the child's needs. 4. The life expectancy of a child with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy is approximately 25 years. The case manager is not responsible for help- ing the child have a normal life expectancy. 35. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's abdomen by palpation. How should the nurse proceed? A) Avoid palpation of reported "tender" areas because this may cause the patient pain. B) Quickly palpate a tender area to avoid any discomfort that the patient may experience. C) Begin the assessment with deep palpation, encouraging the patient to relax and take deep breaths. D) Start with light palpation to detect surface characteristics and to accustom the patient to being touched. D) Start with light palpation to detect surface characteristics and to accustom the patient to being touched. Pages: 115-116. Light palpation is performed initially to detect any surface characteristics and to accustom the person to being touched. Tender areas should be palpated last, not first. 36. The nurse is assigned to the pediatric unit performance improvement committee. The unit is concerned with IV infection rates. Which action should the nurse implement first when investigating the problem? 1. Contact central supply for samples of IV start kits. 2. Obtain research to determine the best length for IV dwell time. 3. Identify how many IV infections have occurred in the last year. 4. Audit the charts to determine if hospital policy is being followed. 1 .Although this would not be the first step in investigating a problem, this action may be initiated if it is determined to be the cause for the increase in infection rates. 2. The nurse should utilize evidenced-based practice research when proposing changes because it is part of the performance im- provement process, but it is not the first in- tervention when investigating the problem. **3. The first intervention is to determine the extent of the problem and who owns the problem. The NCLEX-RN® test blue- print includes performance improvement (quality improvement) in the manage- ment of care content. 4. This action may need to be implemented once it is determined whether there is a problem with IV infection rates. However, this would be the second step in the process. 36. The nurse would use bimanual palpation technique in which situation? A) Palpating the thorax of an infant B) Palpating the kidneys and uterus C) Assessing pulsations and vibrations D) Assessing the presence of tenderness and pain B) Palpating the kidneys and uterus Pages: 115-116. Bimanual palpation requires the use of both hands to envelop or capture certain body parts or organs such as the kidneys, uterus, or adnexa. The other situations are not appropriate for bimanual palpation. 37. The clinic nurse is discussing a tubal ligation with a 17-year-old adolescent with Down syndrome. The adolescent does not want the surgery, but her parents (who are also in the room) are telling her she must have it. Which statement by the nurse would be an example of the ethical principle of justice? 1. "I think this requires further discussion before scheduling this procedure." 2. "You will not be able to have children after you have this procedure." 3. "You should have this procedure because you could not care for a child." 4. "You can refuse this procedure and your parents can't make you have it." **1. The ethical principle of justice is to treat all clients fairly, without regard to age, socioeconomic status, or any other vari- able, including clients with special needs. This statement supports the adolescent's right to her opinion even though she has Down syndrome. 2. If the adolescent needs clarification of the procedure, this would be an appropriate re- sponse, which is an example of the ethical principle of veracity or truth telling. 3. This statement is an example of the ethical principle of paternalism, in which the nurse knows what is best for the client. 4. This is an example of autonomy, in which the client has the right to self-determination. The Nuremburg Code of ethics specifically supports the rights of individuals with special needs against being forced to participate in procedures they do not want. 37. When percussing over the liver of a patient, the nurse notices a dull sound. The nurse should: A) consider this a normal finding. B) palpate this area for an underlying mass. C) reposition the hands and attempt to percuss in this area again. D) consider this an abnormal finding and refer the patient for additional treatment. A) consider this a normal finding. Pages: 116-117. Percussion over relatively dense organs, such as the liver or spleen, will produce a dull sound. The other responses are not correct. 38. The school nurse has referred an 8-year-old student for further evaluation of vision. The single mother has told the school nurse she does not have the money for the eval- uation or glasses. Which action by the nurse would be an example of client advocacy? 1. Tell the mother the child cannot read the board. 2. Refer the mother to a local service organization. 3. Ask the mother if the family is on Medicaid. 4. Loan the mother money for the examination. 1. Although this may be the case, this is not client advocacy