Pediatric HESI Practice Questions

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Allowing the child to play with a favorite toy while taking the medication is the best approach to gain cooperation. This strategy can help distract and calm the child during the medication administration process. Choice A may not be as effective with a young child who may not fully understand the explanation. Offering a reward (choice C) may reinforce negative behavior and create a dependency on rewards for cooperation. Giving the medication with food (choice D) may not always be appropriate and may not address the cooperation aspect.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: After a prolonged hospitalization, a toddler may exhibit excessively demanding behavior as they readjust to being home. This behavior can be a result of the child seeking extra attention and reassurance after a stressful experience. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because hostility, cheerfulness with shallow attachment, and withdrawal without emotional ties are less likely outcomes in this situation and do not align with common reactions of toddlers after hospitalization.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In a congenital cardiac malformation causing right-to-left shunting, the nurse should expect an elevated hematocrit. This occurs because the body compensates for decreased oxygenation by producing more red blood cells. Proteinuria (Choice A) is not typically associated with congenital cardiac malformations causing right-to-left shunting. Peripheral edema (Choice B) is more commonly seen in conditions causing left-sided heart failure. Absence of pedal pulses (Choice D) is not a typical finding in congenital cardiac malformations causing right-to-left shunting.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) level. An elevated serum IgE level is commonly associated with atopic dermatitis, reflecting an allergic response. Choice A, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, is not typically used to diagnose atopic dermatitis. Choice B, potassium hydroxide prep, is used to identify fungal infections like ringworm, not for diagnosing atopic dermatitis. Choice C, wound culture, is performed to identify microorganisms in a wound, not to diagnose atopic dermatitis.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is Chickenpox (varicella). This viral disease typically starts with malaise and a highly pruritic rash that begins on the abdomen and then spreads to the face and proximal extremities. Chickenpox can result in serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis. Rubella (German measles) presents with a milder rash and is less pruritic than chickenpox. Rubeola (measles) is characterized by a rash that spreads from the head to the trunk. Scarlet fever is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria and is not a viral illness.