HESI Health Assessment Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

Auscultating the lungs and heart while the infant is still sleeping is an appropriate first step during an examination. This approach capitalizes on the quietness of the sleeping state, which allows for clearer sounds and reduces stress for both the infant and the examiner. If the infant is awake, they may be fussy or alert, which can complicate the ability to accurately assess lung and heart sounds.

Starting with auscultation also allows the nurse to gather critical information regarding the infant's respiratory and cardiovascular status before any disturbances occur, such as waking the child or beginning other aspects of the physical exam. After completing auscultation, the nurse can proceed to other parts of the assessment without the potential chaos of an awake, possibly irritable infant.

Other approaches, like examining the hips first or waking the infant for a complete assessment, might unnecessarily disrupt the child’s resting state or create moments of discomfort that could lead to a less cooperative assessment. Thus, auscultation while the infant is still sleeping is both efficient and respectful of the infant's comfort.