CHAPTER 22: PEDIATRIC NURSING
INTERVENTIONS AND SKILLS |
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 |
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Updated 2026 Questions and Answers | 100% Verified
Exam Prep and Comprehensive Rationales Included
,A 4-year-old girl is admitted to outpatient surgery for ANS: A
removal of a cyst on her back. Her mother puts the It is appropriate for the child to leave her underpants on. If necessary, the
hospital gown on her, but the child is crying because she underpants can be removed after she has received the initial medications for
wants to leave on her underpants. What is the most anesthesia. This allows her some measure of control in this procedure. The mother
appropriate nursing action at this time?? should not be required to make the child more upset. The child is too young to
a. Allow her to wear her underpants. understand what hospital policy means.
b. Discuss with her mother why this is important to the
child.
c. Ask her mother to explain to her why she cannot wear
them.
d. Explain in a kind, matter-of-fact manner that this is
hospital policy.
Using knowledge of child development, what approach is ANS: C
best when preparing a toddler for a procedure? Prepare toddlers for procedures by using play. Demonstrate on a doll but avoid
a. Avoid asking the child to make choices. the child's favorite doll because the toddler may think the doll is really "feeling"
b. Plan for a teaching session to last about 20 minutes. the procedure. In preparing a toddler for a procedure, the child is allowed to
c. Demonstrate on a doll how the procedure will be participate in care and help whenever possible. Teaching sessions for toddlers
done. should be about 5 to 10 minutes. Use a small replica of the equipment and allow
d. Show the necessary equipment without allowing child the child to handle it.
to handle it.
The nurse is preparing a 9-year-old boy before obtaining ANS: C
a blood specimen by venipuncture. The child tells the School-age children can understand that blood can be replaced. Explain the
nurse he does not want to lose his blood. What approach procedure to him using correct scientific and medical terminology. The
is best by the nurse? venipuncture will be uncomfortable. It is inappropriate to tell him it will not hurt.
a. Explain that it will not be painful. Even though the nurse considers it a simple procedure, the boy is concerned.
b. Suggest to him that he not worry about losing just a Telling him not to worry will not allay his fears.
little bit of blood.
c. Discuss with him how his body is always in the process
of making blood.
d. Tell the child that he will not even need a Band-Aid
afterward because it is a simple procedure.
A bone marrow biopsy will be performed on a 7-year-old ANS: B
girl. She wants her mother to hold her during the The mother's preference for assisting, observing, or waiting outside the room
procedure. How should the nurse respond? should be assessed, as well as the child's preference for parental presence. The
a. Holding your child is unsafe. child's choice should be respected. This will most likely help the child through the
b. Holding may help your child relax. procedure. If the mother and child agree, then the mother is welcome to stay. Her
c. Hospital policy prohibits this interaction. familiarity with the procedure should be assessed and potential safety risks
d. Holding your child is unnecessary given the child's age. identified (mother may sit in chair). Hospital policies should be reviewed to ensure
that they incorporate family-centered care.
, A 6-year-old child needs to drink 1 L of GoLYTELY in ANS: C
preparation for a computed tomography scan of the One liter of GoLYTELY is difficult for many children to drink. By using small cups,
abdomen. To encourage the child to drink, what should the child will find the amount less overwhelming. Then a game can be made in
the nurse do? which some type of reward (sticker, reading another page of a book) is given for
a. Give him a large cup with ice so it tastes better. each cup. A large cup of ice would make it more difficult because the child would
b. Restrict him to his room until he drinks the GoLYTELY. see it as too much and ice adds additional fluid to be consumed. Negative
c. Use little cups and make a game to reward him for reinforcement may work if the child wishes to be out of his room. A practitioner
each cup he drinks. may or may not be angry if he does not finish drinking by a set time; this is a threat
d. Tell him that if he does not finish drinking by a set time, that may or may not be true. If the child is having difficulty drinking, this would
the practitioner will be angry. most likely not be effective.
A toddler is being sent to the operating room for surgery ANS: B
at 9 AM. As the nurse prepares the child, what is the The most important intervention is to ensure that the correct child is going to the
priority intervention? operating room for the identified procedure. It is the nurse's responsibility to verify
a. Administering preoperative antibiotic identification of the child and what procedure is to be done. If an antibiotic is
b. Verifying that the child and procedure are correct ordered, administering it is important, but correct identification is a priority. Clear
c. Ensuring that the toddler has been NPO since midnight liquids can be given up to 2 hours before surgery. If the child was NPO (taking
d. Informing the parents where they can wait during the nothing by mouth) since midnight, intravenous fluids should be administered.
procedure Parents should be encouraged to accompany the child to the preoperative area.
Many institutions allow parents to be present during induction.
A 5-year-old child returns from the pediatric intensive ANS: C
care unit after abdominal surgery. The orders state to In a 5-year-old child, this is a significant change in vital signs. The nurse should
monitor vital signs every 2 hours. On assessment, the assess the child to see if his condition mirrors a drop in heart rate. The assessment
nurse observes that the child's heart rate is 20 beats/min and vital signs should be redone in 15 minutes to determine whether the child's
less than it was preoperatively. What should be the condition is stable. When a disparity in vital signs or other assessment data is
nurse's next action? observed, the nurse should reassess sooner. Most parents will not know their
a. Follow the orders and check in 2 hours. child's heart rate. It is important to determine how the child is recovering from
b. Ask the parents if this is the child's usual heart rate. surgery. The nurse should collect additional information before notifying the
c. Recheck the pulse and blood pressure in 15 minutes. surgeon. This includes blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pain status.
d. Notify the surgeon that the child is probably going into
shock.
A 10-year-old child requires daily medications for a ANS: A
chronic illness. Her mother tells the nurse that the child Many factors can contribute to the child's not taking the medication. The nurse
continually forgets to take the medicine unless reminded. should resolve those issues such as unpleasant side effects, difficulty taking
What nursing action is most appropriate to promote medicine, and time constraints before school. If these factors do not contribute to
adherence to the medication regimen? the issue, then behavioral contracting is usually an effective method to shape
a. Establish a contract with her, including rewards. behaviors in children. Time-outs provide negative reinforcement. If part of a
b. Suggest time-outs when she forgets her medicine. contract, negative consequences can work, but they need to be structured.
c. Discuss with her mother the damaging effects of her Discussing with her mother the damaging effects of her rescuing the child is not
rescuing the child. the most appropriate action to encourage compliance. For a school-age child,
d. Ask the child to bring her medicine containers to each parents should refrain from nagging and rescuing the child. This child is old
appointment so they can be counted. enough to partially assume responsibility for her own care. If the child brings her
medicine containers to each appointment so they can be counted, this will help
determine if the medications are being taken, but it will not provide information
about whether the child is taking them by herself.
INTERVENTIONS AND SKILLS |
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 |
GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers | 100% Verified
Exam Prep and Comprehensive Rationales Included
,A 4-year-old girl is admitted to outpatient surgery for ANS: A
removal of a cyst on her back. Her mother puts the It is appropriate for the child to leave her underpants on. If necessary, the
hospital gown on her, but the child is crying because she underpants can be removed after she has received the initial medications for
wants to leave on her underpants. What is the most anesthesia. This allows her some measure of control in this procedure. The mother
appropriate nursing action at this time?? should not be required to make the child more upset. The child is too young to
a. Allow her to wear her underpants. understand what hospital policy means.
b. Discuss with her mother why this is important to the
child.
c. Ask her mother to explain to her why she cannot wear
them.
d. Explain in a kind, matter-of-fact manner that this is
hospital policy.
Using knowledge of child development, what approach is ANS: C
best when preparing a toddler for a procedure? Prepare toddlers for procedures by using play. Demonstrate on a doll but avoid
a. Avoid asking the child to make choices. the child's favorite doll because the toddler may think the doll is really "feeling"
b. Plan for a teaching session to last about 20 minutes. the procedure. In preparing a toddler for a procedure, the child is allowed to
c. Demonstrate on a doll how the procedure will be participate in care and help whenever possible. Teaching sessions for toddlers
done. should be about 5 to 10 minutes. Use a small replica of the equipment and allow
d. Show the necessary equipment without allowing child the child to handle it.
to handle it.
The nurse is preparing a 9-year-old boy before obtaining ANS: C
a blood specimen by venipuncture. The child tells the School-age children can understand that blood can be replaced. Explain the
nurse he does not want to lose his blood. What approach procedure to him using correct scientific and medical terminology. The
is best by the nurse? venipuncture will be uncomfortable. It is inappropriate to tell him it will not hurt.
a. Explain that it will not be painful. Even though the nurse considers it a simple procedure, the boy is concerned.
b. Suggest to him that he not worry about losing just a Telling him not to worry will not allay his fears.
little bit of blood.
c. Discuss with him how his body is always in the process
of making blood.
d. Tell the child that he will not even need a Band-Aid
afterward because it is a simple procedure.
A bone marrow biopsy will be performed on a 7-year-old ANS: B
girl. She wants her mother to hold her during the The mother's preference for assisting, observing, or waiting outside the room
procedure. How should the nurse respond? should be assessed, as well as the child's preference for parental presence. The
a. Holding your child is unsafe. child's choice should be respected. This will most likely help the child through the
b. Holding may help your child relax. procedure. If the mother and child agree, then the mother is welcome to stay. Her
c. Hospital policy prohibits this interaction. familiarity with the procedure should be assessed and potential safety risks
d. Holding your child is unnecessary given the child's age. identified (mother may sit in chair). Hospital policies should be reviewed to ensure
that they incorporate family-centered care.
, A 6-year-old child needs to drink 1 L of GoLYTELY in ANS: C
preparation for a computed tomography scan of the One liter of GoLYTELY is difficult for many children to drink. By using small cups,
abdomen. To encourage the child to drink, what should the child will find the amount less overwhelming. Then a game can be made in
the nurse do? which some type of reward (sticker, reading another page of a book) is given for
a. Give him a large cup with ice so it tastes better. each cup. A large cup of ice would make it more difficult because the child would
b. Restrict him to his room until he drinks the GoLYTELY. see it as too much and ice adds additional fluid to be consumed. Negative
c. Use little cups and make a game to reward him for reinforcement may work if the child wishes to be out of his room. A practitioner
each cup he drinks. may or may not be angry if he does not finish drinking by a set time; this is a threat
d. Tell him that if he does not finish drinking by a set time, that may or may not be true. If the child is having difficulty drinking, this would
the practitioner will be angry. most likely not be effective.
A toddler is being sent to the operating room for surgery ANS: B
at 9 AM. As the nurse prepares the child, what is the The most important intervention is to ensure that the correct child is going to the
priority intervention? operating room for the identified procedure. It is the nurse's responsibility to verify
a. Administering preoperative antibiotic identification of the child and what procedure is to be done. If an antibiotic is
b. Verifying that the child and procedure are correct ordered, administering it is important, but correct identification is a priority. Clear
c. Ensuring that the toddler has been NPO since midnight liquids can be given up to 2 hours before surgery. If the child was NPO (taking
d. Informing the parents where they can wait during the nothing by mouth) since midnight, intravenous fluids should be administered.
procedure Parents should be encouraged to accompany the child to the preoperative area.
Many institutions allow parents to be present during induction.
A 5-year-old child returns from the pediatric intensive ANS: C
care unit after abdominal surgery. The orders state to In a 5-year-old child, this is a significant change in vital signs. The nurse should
monitor vital signs every 2 hours. On assessment, the assess the child to see if his condition mirrors a drop in heart rate. The assessment
nurse observes that the child's heart rate is 20 beats/min and vital signs should be redone in 15 minutes to determine whether the child's
less than it was preoperatively. What should be the condition is stable. When a disparity in vital signs or other assessment data is
nurse's next action? observed, the nurse should reassess sooner. Most parents will not know their
a. Follow the orders and check in 2 hours. child's heart rate. It is important to determine how the child is recovering from
b. Ask the parents if this is the child's usual heart rate. surgery. The nurse should collect additional information before notifying the
c. Recheck the pulse and blood pressure in 15 minutes. surgeon. This includes blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pain status.
d. Notify the surgeon that the child is probably going into
shock.
A 10-year-old child requires daily medications for a ANS: A
chronic illness. Her mother tells the nurse that the child Many factors can contribute to the child's not taking the medication. The nurse
continually forgets to take the medicine unless reminded. should resolve those issues such as unpleasant side effects, difficulty taking
What nursing action is most appropriate to promote medicine, and time constraints before school. If these factors do not contribute to
adherence to the medication regimen? the issue, then behavioral contracting is usually an effective method to shape
a. Establish a contract with her, including rewards. behaviors in children. Time-outs provide negative reinforcement. If part of a
b. Suggest time-outs when she forgets her medicine. contract, negative consequences can work, but they need to be structured.
c. Discuss with her mother the damaging effects of her Discussing with her mother the damaging effects of her rescuing the child is not
rescuing the child. the most appropriate action to encourage compliance. For a school-age child,
d. Ask the child to bring her medicine containers to each parents should refrain from nagging and rescuing the child. This child is old
appointment so they can be counted. enough to partially assume responsibility for her own care. If the child brings her
medicine containers to each appointment so they can be counted, this will help
determine if the medications are being taken, but it will not provide information
about whether the child is taking them by herself.
