HESI PN PEDIATRICS REVIEW EXAMPREP
2026 TEST PAPER COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ The mother of a 9 month old male infant is concerned because he
cries whenever she leaves him with a sitter. What is the best response for
the practical nurse (PN) to provide?
a) "Have you noticed whether your baby is teething?"
b) "Crying when you leave him in a healthy sign of attachment."
c) "Consider taking the baby to the doctor because he may be ill."
d) "You could consider leaving the infant more often so he can adjust.".
Answer: B
Rationale:
Healthy attachment is manifested by stranger anxiety in late infancy (B).
Pain from teething expressed by the infant's cries does not occur only
when the mother leaves the infant with another person (A). The PN
should evaluate the infant's developmental needs (C) before suggesting
the infant may be ill. An infant who manifests stranger anxiety is best
supported by the mother if the infant is left for shorter periods of time,
not (D).
,⩥ Which preoperative action is most important for the practical nurse
(PN) to implement for a newborn with meningomyelocele?
a) document vital signs
b) prevent skin breakdown
c) minimize the risk for infection
d) monitor neurologic functioning. Answer: Answer: C
Rationale:
A meningomyelocele provides a direct entry for bacteria into the central
nervous system, leading to meningitis. Measures that protect the
integrity of the meningomyelocele sac and infection control measures
should be implemented to minimize the risk of infection (C). (A,B, and
D) should be implemented but do not have the priority of (C).
⩥ The practical nurse is caring for a 6 year old girl who had surgery 12
hours ago. The child tells the PN that she does not have pain but a few
minutes later, tells her parents that she does. What child development
concept is relevant to this situation?
a) inconsistency in pain reporting suggests that pain not present
b) a child may have pain yet deny its presence to the nurse
c) truthful reporting of pain should occur by this age
,d) children use pain experiences to manipulate their parents. Answer:
Answer: B
Rationale:
A child may fear receiving an injection for pain or may believe that pain
is a deserved punishment for some misdeed, so the pain is denied (D)
when the nurse asks the child, who then readily admits having pain to a
parent. This behavior should not be interpreted as (C) but as a valid
indication of pain. (A and C) are incorrect interpretations of this
behavior.
⩥ A 6 year old who had a tonsillectomy 12 hours ago is complaining of
thirst. What should the practical nurse (PN) offer?
a) popsicle
b) lemonade
c) orange juice
d) chocolate milk. Answer: Answer: A
Rationale:
Small amounts of clear liquids without red dyes should be offered to the
child. Popsicles (A) are cold and help soothe a dry throat. Citrus drinks
(B and C) are acidic and irritate the operative site in the posterior
oropharynx. Milk (D) thickens oral mucus which makes swallowing
more difficult and causes coughing.
, ⩥ The mother of a male newborn calls the clinic to inquire about the
formation of a yellow crust over her son's circumcision area. What
information should the practical nurse (PN) provide?
a) do not remove the yellow crust from the site
b) stop using petroleum around the head of the penis
c) bring him into the clinic
d) tightly fasten the diaper. Answer: Answer: A
Rationale:
Crust formation is part of the healing process and should be removed
(A). (C) is not indicated at this time. The diaper should be fastened
loosely, not tightly (D) which can place pressure on the incision site. (B)
assists in the healing process and should not be discontinued.
⩥ The mother of a child with croup is having barking, coughing
episodes calls the clinic for assistance. What action should the practical
nurse (PN) recommend that the mother implement first?
a) take the child outside in the cool air
b) bring the child directly to the emergency room
c) sit with the child in bathroom with a hot shower running
d) have the child drink plenty of fluids. Answer: Answer: C
2026 TEST PAPER COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ The mother of a 9 month old male infant is concerned because he
cries whenever she leaves him with a sitter. What is the best response for
the practical nurse (PN) to provide?
a) "Have you noticed whether your baby is teething?"
b) "Crying when you leave him in a healthy sign of attachment."
c) "Consider taking the baby to the doctor because he may be ill."
d) "You could consider leaving the infant more often so he can adjust.".
Answer: B
Rationale:
Healthy attachment is manifested by stranger anxiety in late infancy (B).
Pain from teething expressed by the infant's cries does not occur only
when the mother leaves the infant with another person (A). The PN
should evaluate the infant's developmental needs (C) before suggesting
the infant may be ill. An infant who manifests stranger anxiety is best
supported by the mother if the infant is left for shorter periods of time,
not (D).
,⩥ Which preoperative action is most important for the practical nurse
(PN) to implement for a newborn with meningomyelocele?
a) document vital signs
b) prevent skin breakdown
c) minimize the risk for infection
d) monitor neurologic functioning. Answer: Answer: C
Rationale:
A meningomyelocele provides a direct entry for bacteria into the central
nervous system, leading to meningitis. Measures that protect the
integrity of the meningomyelocele sac and infection control measures
should be implemented to minimize the risk of infection (C). (A,B, and
D) should be implemented but do not have the priority of (C).
⩥ The practical nurse is caring for a 6 year old girl who had surgery 12
hours ago. The child tells the PN that she does not have pain but a few
minutes later, tells her parents that she does. What child development
concept is relevant to this situation?
a) inconsistency in pain reporting suggests that pain not present
b) a child may have pain yet deny its presence to the nurse
c) truthful reporting of pain should occur by this age
,d) children use pain experiences to manipulate their parents. Answer:
Answer: B
Rationale:
A child may fear receiving an injection for pain or may believe that pain
is a deserved punishment for some misdeed, so the pain is denied (D)
when the nurse asks the child, who then readily admits having pain to a
parent. This behavior should not be interpreted as (C) but as a valid
indication of pain. (A and C) are incorrect interpretations of this
behavior.
⩥ A 6 year old who had a tonsillectomy 12 hours ago is complaining of
thirst. What should the practical nurse (PN) offer?
a) popsicle
b) lemonade
c) orange juice
d) chocolate milk. Answer: Answer: A
Rationale:
Small amounts of clear liquids without red dyes should be offered to the
child. Popsicles (A) are cold and help soothe a dry throat. Citrus drinks
(B and C) are acidic and irritate the operative site in the posterior
oropharynx. Milk (D) thickens oral mucus which makes swallowing
more difficult and causes coughing.
, ⩥ The mother of a male newborn calls the clinic to inquire about the
formation of a yellow crust over her son's circumcision area. What
information should the practical nurse (PN) provide?
a) do not remove the yellow crust from the site
b) stop using petroleum around the head of the penis
c) bring him into the clinic
d) tightly fasten the diaper. Answer: Answer: A
Rationale:
Crust formation is part of the healing process and should be removed
(A). (C) is not indicated at this time. The diaper should be fastened
loosely, not tightly (D) which can place pressure on the incision site. (B)
assists in the healing process and should not be discontinued.
⩥ The mother of a child with croup is having barking, coughing
episodes calls the clinic for assistance. What action should the practical
nurse (PN) recommend that the mother implement first?
a) take the child outside in the cool air
b) bring the child directly to the emergency room
c) sit with the child in bathroom with a hot shower running
d) have the child drink plenty of fluids. Answer: Answer: C
