what is an essential nursing action when caring for a young child with severe diarrhea
Logo

Nursing Elites

HESI LPN

Pediatric HESI Test Bank

1. What is an essential nursing action when caring for a young child with severe diarrhea?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Promoting perianal skin integrity is crucial when caring for a young child with severe diarrhea as it helps prevent skin breakdown from the irritation caused by frequent stooling. Maintaining the IV (Choice A) may be necessary but is not directly related to managing perianal skin integrity. Taking daily weights (Choice B) is important for monitoring fluid status but not the priority when addressing perianal skin integrity. While replacing lost calories (Choice C) is essential, promoting perianal skin integrity takes precedence in preventing complications associated with skin breakdown.

2. A child with sickle cell anemia develops severe chest pain, fever, a cough, and dyspnea. The nurse's first action is to

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In a child with sickle cell anemia experiencing severe chest pain, fever, cough, and dyspnea, the priority action is to suspect acute chest syndrome, a life-threatening complication. The nurse's first action should be to notify the practitioner for immediate evaluation and intervention. Administering 100% oxygen (Choice A) may be necessary later but is not the initial priority. Administering pain medication (Choice B) should not precede notifying the practitioner, as addressing the underlying cause is crucial. The symptoms described are more indicative of acute chest syndrome than a stroke, so notifying the practitioner for chest syndrome (Choice C) takes precedence over suspecting a stroke (Choice D).

3. The nurse is implementing care for a school-age child admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Which prescribed intervention should the nurse implement first?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct first intervention when managing a child with diabetic ketoacidosis is to begin intravenous saline solution to address dehydration and restore electrolyte balance. Rehydration is essential to improve perfusion and correct electrolyte imbalances. Administering insulin without addressing dehydration can potentially lead to further complications. Placing the child on a cardiac monitor or pulse oximetry monitor is important but not the initial priority in managing DKA.

4. How should you care for an alert 4-year-old child with a mild airway obstruction, who has respiratory distress, a strong cough, and normal skin color?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct approach for an alert 4-year-old child with a mild airway obstruction, respiratory distress, a strong cough, and normal skin color is to provide oxygen, avoid agitation, and arrange for transport. Oxygen helps support breathing, avoiding agitation prevents worsening of the obstruction, and transport ensures the child receives further medical evaluation and treatment. Choices A, C, and D involve techniques that are not recommended for a mild airway obstruction in this scenario. Back blows, abdominal thrusts, chest thrusts, and finger sweeps are interventions used for different situations and not suitable for a child with the described symptoms.

5. An additional defect is associated with exstrophy of the bladder. For what anomaly should the nurse assess the infant?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Pubic bone malformation. Exstrophy of the bladder is commonly associated with pubic bone malformation as the condition involves a defect in the pelvic region. Imperforate anus, absence of one kidney, and congenital heart disease are not typically associated with exstrophy of the bladder, making them incorrect choices. Therefore, the nurse should primarily assess the infant for pubic bone malformation in this case.

Similar Questions

During a health assessment of a school-age child, where should the nurse focus more attention based on the child's developmental level?
You are caring for a 6-year-old child with a possible fractured left arm and have reason to believe that the child was abused. How should you manage this situation?
A 2-year-old child who was admitted to the hospital for further surgical repair of a clubfoot is standing in the crib, crying. The child refuses to be comforted and calls for the mother. As the nurse approaches the crib to provide morning care, the child screams louder. Knowing that this behavior is typical of the stage of protest, what is the most appropriate nursing intervention?
A 6-year-old child with asthma is admitted to the hospital with an acute exacerbation. What is the priority nursing intervention?
The nurse is assessing a 4-year-old client. Which finding suggests to the nurse this child may have a genetic disorder?

Access More Features

HESI LPN Basic
$69.99/ 30 days

  • 5,000 Questions with answers
  • All HESI courses Coverage
  • 30 days access

HESI LPN Premium
$149.99/ 90 days

  • 5,000 Questions with answers
  • All HESI courses Coverage
  • 30 days access

Other Courses