2026 HESI PEDS RN EXIT EXAM | Study Edition
2026 HESI PEDIATRIC (PEDS) RN EXIT EXAM
Versions 1 & 2 — Redesigned Study Edition
Spring 2026 | Compiled with Correct Answers
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE | V1 uses multiple-choice format with highlighted correct answer(s). V2 uses short-answer/fill-in
format with the answer displayed directly. Questions marked with a note contain clarifications where answers are debated.
VERSION 1 — Multiple Choice (55 Questions)
The nurse is assessing a 9-year-old boy admitted with possible acute poststreptococcal
Q1 glomerulonephritis (APSGN). In obtaining his history, what information is most significant?
A ✔ A sore throat last week
B A history of hypertension
C Diuresis during the night
D Back pain for a few days
ANSWER: A
The nurse is measuring the frontal occipital circumference (FOC) of a 3-month-old infant, and
Q2 notes that the FOC has increased 5 inches (12.7cm) 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 Plot the measurement on the infant's growth chart
B Observe the infant for sunset eyes
C Measure the infant's head-to-heel length
D ✔ Palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
ANSWER: D
A female infant recently admitted with vomiting and diarrhea now weighs 10 kg. Her weight at
Q3 a previous well-baby visit was 11 kg. What is the percentage of body weight loss for this
infant?
A 4%
B ✔ 9%
C 10%
D 5%
ANSWER: B
,2026 g HESI g PEDS g RN g EXIT g EXAM | Study
Edition e 1 | For Study Purposes Only
A male high school student with Type 1 diabetes tests his blood glucose level before playing
Q4 a game of soccer, and he obtains a reading of 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L). Based on this
reading, which action should the nurse take?
A ✔ Tell him to eat a sandwich and fruit before beginning the game
B Check his urine for ketones
C Give him permission to go ahead and play soccer
D Call the healthcare provider
ANSWER: A
A 7-year-old child is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever. In
Q5 obtaining a health history from the child's mother, the recent occurrence of which illness is
most significant?
A ✔ Sore throat
B Chickenpox
C Mumps
D Influenza
ANSWER: A
A mother brings her 2-month-old son to the clinic for a well-baby exam. During the
Q6 assessment the nurse finds that the right testicle is not descended into the scrotum but the
left is palpable. Which action should the nurse take?
A Prepare to obtain a catheterized urine specimen for culture
B Address possible concerns about the child's future fertility
C ✔ Ask if the right testis has been seen in the scrotum before
D Schedule an IV pyelogram to validate presence of testicle
ANSWER: C
The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which response requires further evaluation by
Q7 the nurse?
A Has doubled birth weight
B Turns head to locate sound
C Plays peek-a-boo
D ✔ Demonstrates startle reflex
ANSWER: D
A 4-year-old girl returns to the pediatrician's office for a postoperative visit following
Q8 hospitalization for minor surgery. When observing the child in the waiting area, which
behavior should the nurse consider normal for this age child?
A Ignores other children in the play area
B Draws picture of self with facial features
C ✔ Talks to an imaginary friend
Page g2 g | g For gStudy gPurposes
Only
, 2026 g HESI g PEDS g RN g EXIT g EXAM | Study
Edition
D Sits g quietly g in g her g mother's g lap
ANSWER: gteC
A preschool-aged child experiencing respiratory distress is brought to the emergency
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department by the parents. The child is anxious, has a temperature of 102.8°F (39.3°C),
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Q9 and is drooling from the mouth while leaning forward when sitting. Which action should
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the nurse prepare the child for next?
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A ✔ Obtain bedside trays for intubation or tracheotomy by the healthcare provider
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B Begin g prescribed g intravenous g antibiotic g administration
C Provide g a g nebulizer g treatment g with g bronchodilators
D Schedule g the g child g for g a g stat g magnetic g resonance g imaging g (MRI) g of g the g neck
ANSWER: gteA
The nurse is caring for a preschool-aged child with a congenital heart defect who is
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admitted with intermittent low-grade fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Further physical
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Q10 assessment findings include a new murmur, splinter hemorrhages under the nails, and
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painless red lesions on the palms of the hands. Which diagnostic procedure should the
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nurse prepare the parents to expect the healthcare provider to prescribe?
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A ✔ Echocardiogram
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B Electrocardiogram
C Chest g radiography
D Computerized g tomography g (CT) g scan
ANSWER:gteA gt ge g | gt ge g Note:gteAgteorgteBgtearegtedebated;gteEchocardiogramgteisgtepreferred
A 6-year-old male with a body mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile arrives at the
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clinic after a referral from the school nurse. His laboratory findings include hemoglobin
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Q11 A1c of 5.5%, blood pressure (BP) in the 50th percentile, height in the 75th percentile,
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and an LDL cholesterol of 90 mg/dL. Which lifestyle modification should the nurse
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discuss with the parents?
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A ✔ Recommend increasing daily fruits and vegetables and daily exercise
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B Return g in g one g month g for g another g evaluation g of g serum g lipids g and g blood g pressure
C Instruct g the g parents g to g weigh g the g child g weekly g and g measure g his g BP g daily
D See g a g healthcare g provider g to g further g assess g for g diabetes g and g hypertension
ANSWER: gteA
When administering indomethacin to a premature infant who has patent ductus arteriosus,
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Q12 the nurse should anticipate which outcome?
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A Decreased g urinary g output
B ✔ Decreased cardiac murmur
te gte gte
C Increased g number g of g red g blood g cells
D Increased g respiratory g effort
ANSWER: gteB
Page g 3 g g | For g Study g Purposes
Only
2026 HESI PEDIATRIC (PEDS) RN EXIT EXAM
Versions 1 & 2 — Redesigned Study Edition
Spring 2026 | Compiled with Correct Answers
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE | V1 uses multiple-choice format with highlighted correct answer(s). V2 uses short-answer/fill-in
format with the answer displayed directly. Questions marked with a note contain clarifications where answers are debated.
VERSION 1 — Multiple Choice (55 Questions)
The nurse is assessing a 9-year-old boy admitted with possible acute poststreptococcal
Q1 glomerulonephritis (APSGN). In obtaining his history, what information is most significant?
A ✔ A sore throat last week
B A history of hypertension
C Diuresis during the night
D Back pain for a few days
ANSWER: A
The nurse is measuring the frontal occipital circumference (FOC) of a 3-month-old infant, and
Q2 notes that the FOC has increased 5 inches (12.7cm) 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 Plot the measurement on the infant's growth chart
B Observe the infant for sunset eyes
C Measure the infant's head-to-heel length
D ✔ Palpate the anterior fontanel for tension and bulging
ANSWER: D
A female infant recently admitted with vomiting and diarrhea now weighs 10 kg. Her weight at
Q3 a previous well-baby visit was 11 kg. What is the percentage of body weight loss for this
infant?
A 4%
B ✔ 9%
C 10%
D 5%
ANSWER: B
,2026 g HESI g PEDS g RN g EXIT g EXAM | Study
Edition e 1 | For Study Purposes Only
A male high school student with Type 1 diabetes tests his blood glucose level before playing
Q4 a game of soccer, and he obtains a reading of 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L). Based on this
reading, which action should the nurse take?
A ✔ Tell him to eat a sandwich and fruit before beginning the game
B Check his urine for ketones
C Give him permission to go ahead and play soccer
D Call the healthcare provider
ANSWER: A
A 7-year-old child is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever. In
Q5 obtaining a health history from the child's mother, the recent occurrence of which illness is
most significant?
A ✔ Sore throat
B Chickenpox
C Mumps
D Influenza
ANSWER: A
A mother brings her 2-month-old son to the clinic for a well-baby exam. During the
Q6 assessment the nurse finds that the right testicle is not descended into the scrotum but the
left is palpable. Which action should the nurse take?
A Prepare to obtain a catheterized urine specimen for culture
B Address possible concerns about the child's future fertility
C ✔ Ask if the right testis has been seen in the scrotum before
D Schedule an IV pyelogram to validate presence of testicle
ANSWER: C
The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which response requires further evaluation by
Q7 the nurse?
A Has doubled birth weight
B Turns head to locate sound
C Plays peek-a-boo
D ✔ Demonstrates startle reflex
ANSWER: D
A 4-year-old girl returns to the pediatrician's office for a postoperative visit following
Q8 hospitalization for minor surgery. When observing the child in the waiting area, which
behavior should the nurse consider normal for this age child?
A Ignores other children in the play area
B Draws picture of self with facial features
C ✔ Talks to an imaginary friend
Page g2 g | g For gStudy gPurposes
Only
, 2026 g HESI g PEDS g RN g EXIT g EXAM | Study
Edition
D Sits g quietly g in g her g mother's g lap
ANSWER: gteC
A preschool-aged child experiencing respiratory distress is brought to the emergency
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
department by the parents. The child is anxious, has a temperature of 102.8°F (39.3°C),
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
Q9 and is drooling from the mouth while leaning forward when sitting. Which action should
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
the nurse prepare the child for next?
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
A ✔ Obtain bedside trays for intubation or tracheotomy by the healthcare provider
te te gte gte gte gte gte te te gte gte
B Begin g prescribed g intravenous g antibiotic g administration
C Provide g a g nebulizer g treatment g with g bronchodilators
D Schedule g the g child g for g a g stat g magnetic g resonance g imaging g (MRI) g of g the g neck
ANSWER: gteA
The nurse is caring for a preschool-aged child with a congenital heart defect who is
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
admitted with intermittent low-grade fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Further physical
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
Q10 assessment findings include a new murmur, splinter hemorrhages under the nails, and
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
painless red lesions on the palms of the hands. Which diagnostic procedure should the
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
nurse prepare the parents to expect the healthcare provider to prescribe?
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
A ✔ Echocardiogram
te
B Electrocardiogram
C Chest g radiography
D Computerized g tomography g (CT) g scan
ANSWER:gteA gt ge g | gt ge g Note:gteAgteorgteBgtearegtedebated;gteEchocardiogramgteisgtepreferred
A 6-year-old male with a body mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile arrives at the
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
clinic after a referral from the school nurse. His laboratory findings include hemoglobin
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
Q11 A1c of 5.5%, blood pressure (BP) in the 50th percentile, height in the 75th percentile,
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
and an LDL cholesterol of 90 mg/dL. Which lifestyle modification should the nurse
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
discuss with the parents?
gte gte gte gte
A ✔ Recommend increasing daily fruits and vegetables and daily exercise
te te gte te gte gte gte gte te
B Return g in g one g month g for g another g evaluation g of g serum g lipids g and g blood g pressure
C Instruct g the g parents g to g weigh g the g child g weekly g and g measure g his g BP g daily
D See g a g healthcare g provider g to g further g assess g for g diabetes g and g hypertension
ANSWER: gteA
When administering indomethacin to a premature infant who has patent ductus arteriosus,
gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte gte
Q12 the nurse should anticipate which outcome?
gte gte gte gte gte gte
A Decreased g urinary g output
B ✔ Decreased cardiac murmur
te gte gte
C Increased g number g of g red g blood g cells
D Increased g respiratory g effort
ANSWER: gteB
Page g 3 g g | For g Study g Purposes
Only
