Pediatric Nurse: Exam Sample Questions

http://nursecredentialing.org/SampleQ/PediatricNP2010-Test.htm

This is a computer-based test (CBT).

The following sample questions are similar to those on the examination but do not represent the full range of
content or levels of difficulty. The answers to the sample questions are provided after the last question.

To respond to the sample questions, first enter your first and last names in the boxes below (this information will
not be recorded; it is strictly for purposes of identifying your results). Then click the button corresponding to the
best answer for each question. When you are finished, click the "Evaluate" button at the bottom of the page. A new
browser window will open, displaying your results, which you may print, if you wish.

This practice exam is not timed, and you may take it as many times as you wish. Good luck!

First name: Last name:

1. Which best explains the high incidence of accidents in children between the ages of six and nine?

Egocentricity

Lack of a full understanding of causal relationships

Lack of concern for bodily integrity

Rebellion against parental supervision

2. At which stage of development are children apt to believe in the reversibility of death?

Adolescent

Preschool age

School age

Toddler

3. The parents of a four-month-old infant who has not been circumcised express concern that the infant's penile
foreskin does not retract. The pediatric nurse advises the parents that:

circumcision is indicated.

the foreskin is frequently not retractable until the age of three.

this condition is potentially unhealthy.

this condition will interfere with urination.

4. During a well-child checkup, a mother expresses concern that her toddler's umbilicus protrudes. The pediatric
nurse examines the child and finds a 2 cm defect that is soft and easily reducible but which protrudes again as
soon as pressure is released. The nurse's action is to:
 encourage the mother to dress the toddler in clothes that put no pressure on the site.

reassure the mother that the finding is normal.

recommend exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles.

recommend immediate evaluation by a surgeon.

5. While caring for a Laotian child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis with dehydration, the pediatric nurse
notices that the parent keeps packets of herbs by the bedside. The nurse suspects that the parent may be
administering the herbs to the child. The nurse's first action is to:

ask the family in a nonjudgmental manner about the herbs.

discuss the risks of using alternative therapies with the child's parent.

organize a nursing care conference to discuss the child's plan of care.

refer the family to the social worker for possible noncompliance with the health care regimen.

6. To meet the emotional needs of a 10-year old child who is dying, the most appropriate nursing action is to:

answer questions honestly and frankly.

avoid interruptions by coordinating nursing actions.

encourage the child to write in a journal.

provide opportunities for the child to interact with children of the same age.

7. An adolescent with chronic asthma who has been hospitalized several times during the winter with severe
asthmatic exacerbations confides, "I wish I could stay here in the hospital because every time that I go home, I
get sick again!" The nurse's best response is:

"I think that you should consider participating on a swim team to improve your pulmonary function."

"Let's talk about preventing and managing your asthma on a daily basis at home."

"Why don't I speak with your parents about what they are doing at home to help control your asthma?"

"Your insurance company does not pay for any additional days of hospitalization that are not medically
necessary."

8. Early signs of ventricular shunt malfunction in infants with hydrocephalus are:

a high-pitched cry, colic, and pupillary changes.

anorexia and changes in pulse and respiration.

headaches, lethargy, and loss of appetite.

vomiting, tense fontanelle, and irritability.

9. An eight-year-old female patient has dysuria and urinary urgency and frequency. A clean-catch urine culture
contains over 100,000 colonies of Escherichia coli per mL of urine. After instructing the patient and her family to
safely administer the prescribed antibiotic, the nurse recommends that the patient:
 empty her bladder at least every six to eight hours.

return for follow-up care and additional urine cultures.

wear nylon underwear in place of cotton underwear.

wipe from back to front after urinating.

10. When teaching how to perform percussion and postural drainage on a child, the pediatric nurse instructs
parents to use a cupped hand and percuss:

directly on the skin for a better effect.

each lobe of the lung separately.

each side of the child completely.

for at least 15 minutes.

11. A 14-year-old patient has been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. Which statement by the patient indicates an
understanding of the treatment for his or her tumor?

"I will need to apply moisturizer prior to my radiation treatments."

"I will need to wear loose clothes over the area where I receive radiation."

"My hair will not fall out because I will not need chemotherapy."

"My leg will be amputated and I will not be able to play soccer."

12. The most accurate prognostic indicator for Hodgkin disease in a male adolescent is the:

adolescent's age at diagnosis.

health history prior to the diagnosis.

presence of Reed-Sternberg cells.

stage of disease at the time of diagnosis.

13. Physical manifestations of fetal alcohol syndrome include:

cleft lip and palette.

hepatomegaly, hypotonia, and microphthalmia.

hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice, and failure to thrive.

microcephaly, short philtrum, and prenatal growth retardation.

14. A three-year-old boy is hospitalized with a headache, projectile vomiting, decreased urinary output, and
changes in level of consciousness. Blood tests reveal a blood lead level of 100 g/dL and an abdominal x-ray
shows lead deposits. The pediatric nurse anticipates that the physician's order will include:
 albumin.

deferoxamine (Desferal).

edetate calcium disodium (Calcium Disodium Versenate).

intravenous immune globulin (IVIG).

15. A mother who recently stopped breastfeeding her healthy four-month-old infant is concerned about the
infant's need for iron supplementation. The pediatric nurse understands:

that no extra iron is required.

that the infant will receive adequate amounts of iron when cereal is added to the diet.

the need for an iron-fortified formula.

the need to start the infant on a daily iron supplement.

16. Which blood gas analyses are most indicative of respiratory acidosis?

pH = 7.22, PCO2 = 55 mm Hg, HCO3 = 30 mEq/L

pH = 7.28, PCO2 = 45 mm Hg, HCO3 = 15 mEq/L

pH = 7.34, PCO2 = 35 mm Hg, HCO3 = 25 mEq/L

pH = 7.40, PCO2 = 25 mm Hg, HCO3 = 30 mEq/L

17. A pediatric nurse is caring for a patient who received chemotherapy 10 days ago. Which laboratory value
requires nursing intervention?

BUN of 10 mg/dL

Hemoglobin of 8.6 g/dL

Platelet count of 18,000 mm3/uL

Serum glucose of 110 mg/dL

18. When a child participates in a research study, the pediatric nurse's primary concern is to ensure that the:

parent or guardian has given verbal consent for the child's participation.

quality of care that the child receives will not be affected if the child chooses to withdraw from the study.

research meets the developmental needs of the child.

research will directly benefit the child.

19. A pediatric nurse is providing discharge teaching for the parents of a child who underwent cataract surgery.
The parents understand home care management for their child if they plan to:
 administer the eye drops on a schedule.

have the child wear the eye patches for one week.

position the child flat or on one side for several days.

restrict the child's activity for two weeks.

20. A father asks the pediatric nurse how best to convey to his four-year-old daughter the circumstances
surrounding the sudden death of her infant brother. The nurse anticipates that the girl:

may feel guilty about her brother's death.

may mistrust her father.

understands the permanence of death.

will role play her brother's death.

21. A 14-year-old adolescent with Crohn disease underwent a bowel resection with a permanent ileostomy one
year ago. The adolescent best indicates acceptance of the ileostomy by:

adhering to a prescribed diet.

changing the ileostomy bag without parental assistance.

encouraging and guiding other adolescents with ileostomies.

participating in extracurricular activities at school.

22. An 18-month-old male patient is brought to the clinic because of a cold. The patient's mother says, "I don't
know if his ear hurts or not, but I can't stand it when he holds his head and screams." During the physical
examination, the pediatric nurse notices bruises in various stages of healing on the boy's back, arms, and legs.
The nurse best elicits additional information from the mother by asking:

"Do you have any idea how your son became so bruised?"

"Does your son always bruise easily?"

"How often does your son have temper tantrums?"

"When your son cries and you are unable to console him, what do you do?"

23. A child who has received an immunization for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis develops swelling at the
injection site, tenderness, low-grade fever, and malaise. The pediatric nurse informs the child's parents that:

they should delay future immunizations until seen by an allergist.

this is a mild reaction and teaches them how to manage it.

this is a severe reaction and that they should bring the child to the emergency room.

this is an appropriate reaction and they need not do anything.

24. The pediatric nurse tells parents who are concerned about the spread of illness at their children's daycare
centers to inquire about the facility's:
 infection control practices.

percentage of children who are immunized.

staff-to-child ratios.

number of diarrhea cases that occurred during the previous year.

25. A number of nurses on a pediatric unit have young children and are taking classes toward a degree. They
have recently begun to exhibit signs of stress and verbalize some negativity. The manager's best approach is to:

develop a seniority schedule for class time.

help the nurses set goals and establish priorities and support systems.

request that the nurses attend a stress management course.

schedule a staff meeting to allow the staff nurses to express their feelings.

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