Pediatric Practice Exam HESI Related

Review Pediatric Practice Exam HESI related questions and content

A young child has coarctation of the aorta. What does the nurse expect to identify when taking the child's vital signs?

  • A. A weak radial pulse
  • B. An irregular heartbeat
  • C. A bounding femoral pulse
  • D. An elevated radial blood pressure
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In coarctation of the aorta, there is narrowing of the aorta leading to decreased blood flow distal to the constriction. This results in a weak or delayed femoral pulse and a relatively weaker radial pulse compared to the femoral pulse. An irregular heartbeat (choice B) is not a typical finding in coarctation of the aorta. A bounding femoral pulse (choice C) would not be expected due to the decreased blood flow beyond the constriction. An elevated radial blood pressure (choice D) is not a common characteristic of coarctation of the aorta; instead, blood pressure may be higher in the upper extremities compared to the lower extremities due to the constriction.