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Practice Question

The nurse (PN) is caring for an infant who is transitioning from parenteral nutrition to enteral repair. Which finding Should the PN recognize is an indication of failure to thrive?

Answer Choices:

Correct Answer:

Low serum zinc level.

Rationale:

🔷 Zinc is essential for growth, tissue repair, and appetite; low serum zinc is a classic biochemical clue for failure to thrive (FTT), especially during nutrition transitions (parenteral → enteral).

🔷 Infants with insufficient intake or malabsorption can become zinc-deficient, leading to poor weight gain, impaired wound healing, and dermatitis, all consistent with FTT.

🔷 During step-down from parenteral to enteral feeds, micronutrient gaps (not just calories) frequently unmask underlying deficits like zinc.

🔷 Recognizing low zinc prompts targeted supplementation and dietetic adjustments to restore adequate growth velocity.

🔷 Close tracking of weight-for-age/length-for-age z-scores alongside zinc repletion helps confirm recovery from FTT.

Want to practice more questions like this?

This question is from Hesi Exit CAT Exam-PN 2025 which contains 107 questions.

More Questions from This Exam
Prior to giving digoxin the practical nurse (PN) assesses that a 2-month-old infant's heart rate is 120 beats/minute. Based on his finding, which action should the PN take?

Answer Choices:

A. Hold the medication and recheck the heart rate in 1 hour.
B. Administer the medication and document the heart rate.
C. Hold the medication and document cardiac assessment.
D. Administer the medication and alert the charge nurse.
From Exam
Hesi Exit CAT Exam-PN 2025

107 Questions

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Question Details
  • Category: LPN Nursing Exam(s)
  • Subcategory: LPN HESI Exit Exam(s)
  • Domain: LPN HESI Exit-2025
  • Answer Choices: 4
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