NSG 3600 Final Exam – Pediatric Nursing Practice Questions & Rationales
Galen College of Nursing | 2025/2026 | 100+ Verified Questions with Answers & Rationales*
## Section 1: Growth and Development (Questions 1-20)
**1. The nurse is assessing a 4-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which developmental
milestone should the nurse expect to observe?**
A) Sitting without support
B) Rolling from front to back
C) Pincer grasp
D) Walking with assistance
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* By 4 months, infants typically roll from front to back . Sitting without support develops
around 8 months, pincer grasp around 9-10 months, and walking with assistance around 12 months.
**2. A nurse is assessing a 12-month-old infant. Which fine motor skill should the nurse expect to
observe?**
A) Pincer grasp
B) Palmar grasp
C) Transferring objects from hand to hand
D) Holding a crayon with a tripod grasp
**Answer: A**
*Rationale:* The pincer grasp (using thumb and forefinger) develops around 9-10 months and is well-
established by 12 months . The palmar grasp is present at birth and disappears around 4-5 months.
**3. According to Erikson, a 14-year-old adolescent is in which stage of psychosocial development?**
A) Industry vs. Inferiority
B) Identity vs. Role Confusion
C) Intimacy vs. Isolation
D) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
**Answer: B**
,*Rationale:* Adolescence (ages 12-18) is characterized by the psychosocial crisis of identity vs. role
confusion . Adolescents explore their identity, values, and roles during this stage.
**4. A nurse is teaching parents about age-appropriate activities for a 9-month-old infant. Which
activity should the nurse recommend?**
A) Playing peek-a-boo
B) Building a block tower
C) Completing a simple puzzle
D) Drawing with crayons
**Answer: A**
*Rationale:* Peek-a-boo is an appropriate activity for a 9-month-old that promotes object
permanence . Building block towers is a 12-18 month skill.
**5. A 6-year-old child asks the nurse, "Why does my blood look different from my friend's blood?"
According to Piaget, this child is in which stage of cognitive development?**
A) Preoperational
B) Concrete operational
C) Formal operational
D) Sensorimotor
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* The concrete operational stage (ages 7-11) is characterized by logical thinking about
concrete events and understanding cause and effect .
---
## Section 2: Diabetes Management (Questions 6-10)
**6. The nurse is teaching parents of a toddler who has type 1 diabetes about ways to include their
child in the plan of care. Which action should the parents allow the toddler to perform?**
A) Choose which finger to use for a fingerstick
B) Draw up insulin independently
C) Pick correct foods at social gatherings
D) Perform insulin injection on a doll
, **Answer: A**
*Rationale:* Allowing a toddler to choose which finger to use for a fingerstick provides a sense of
control and autonomy, which is developmentally appropriate for this age group . Drawing up insulin
and food choices require skills beyond a toddler's developmental level.
**7. The nurse is teaching a teenager diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about exercise. Which
statement by the teenager indicates a need for further teaching?**
A) "I need to check my blood glucose levels before and after exercise."
B) "I will need to adjust my carbohydrate intake based on my exercise pattern."
C) "I will engage in some type of physical activity every day."
D) "I should check my urine for protein prior to exercising."
**Answer: D**
*Rationale:* Checking urine for protein is not a standard pre-exercise assessment for diabetes
management . Blood glucose monitoring is the appropriate pre-exercise assessment.
**8. A nurse is caring for children who have diabetes mellitus. Which child should the nurse see
first?**
A) The child whose scheduled insulin has not arrived from the pharmacy
B) The child who has not eaten since receiving regular insulin 1 hour ago
C) The child whose urine is negative for ketones and reports feeling hungry
D) The child who has a morning blood glucose level of 68 mg/dL
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* Regular insulin peaks in 2-4 hours, and not eating after receiving it places the child at
significant risk for a hypoglycemic emergency . This requires immediate assessment and intervention.
**9. Which finding indicates hypoglycemia in a child with diabetes?**
A) Kussmaul respirations
B) Fruity breath odor
C) Tremors and diaphoresis
D) Polyuria and polydipsia
**Answer: C**
Galen College of Nursing | 2025/2026 | 100+ Verified Questions with Answers & Rationales*
## Section 1: Growth and Development (Questions 1-20)
**1. The nurse is assessing a 4-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which developmental
milestone should the nurse expect to observe?**
A) Sitting without support
B) Rolling from front to back
C) Pincer grasp
D) Walking with assistance
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* By 4 months, infants typically roll from front to back . Sitting without support develops
around 8 months, pincer grasp around 9-10 months, and walking with assistance around 12 months.
**2. A nurse is assessing a 12-month-old infant. Which fine motor skill should the nurse expect to
observe?**
A) Pincer grasp
B) Palmar grasp
C) Transferring objects from hand to hand
D) Holding a crayon with a tripod grasp
**Answer: A**
*Rationale:* The pincer grasp (using thumb and forefinger) develops around 9-10 months and is well-
established by 12 months . The palmar grasp is present at birth and disappears around 4-5 months.
**3. According to Erikson, a 14-year-old adolescent is in which stage of psychosocial development?**
A) Industry vs. Inferiority
B) Identity vs. Role Confusion
C) Intimacy vs. Isolation
D) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
**Answer: B**
,*Rationale:* Adolescence (ages 12-18) is characterized by the psychosocial crisis of identity vs. role
confusion . Adolescents explore their identity, values, and roles during this stage.
**4. A nurse is teaching parents about age-appropriate activities for a 9-month-old infant. Which
activity should the nurse recommend?**
A) Playing peek-a-boo
B) Building a block tower
C) Completing a simple puzzle
D) Drawing with crayons
**Answer: A**
*Rationale:* Peek-a-boo is an appropriate activity for a 9-month-old that promotes object
permanence . Building block towers is a 12-18 month skill.
**5. A 6-year-old child asks the nurse, "Why does my blood look different from my friend's blood?"
According to Piaget, this child is in which stage of cognitive development?**
A) Preoperational
B) Concrete operational
C) Formal operational
D) Sensorimotor
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* The concrete operational stage (ages 7-11) is characterized by logical thinking about
concrete events and understanding cause and effect .
---
## Section 2: Diabetes Management (Questions 6-10)
**6. The nurse is teaching parents of a toddler who has type 1 diabetes about ways to include their
child in the plan of care. Which action should the parents allow the toddler to perform?**
A) Choose which finger to use for a fingerstick
B) Draw up insulin independently
C) Pick correct foods at social gatherings
D) Perform insulin injection on a doll
, **Answer: A**
*Rationale:* Allowing a toddler to choose which finger to use for a fingerstick provides a sense of
control and autonomy, which is developmentally appropriate for this age group . Drawing up insulin
and food choices require skills beyond a toddler's developmental level.
**7. The nurse is teaching a teenager diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about exercise. Which
statement by the teenager indicates a need for further teaching?**
A) "I need to check my blood glucose levels before and after exercise."
B) "I will need to adjust my carbohydrate intake based on my exercise pattern."
C) "I will engage in some type of physical activity every day."
D) "I should check my urine for protein prior to exercising."
**Answer: D**
*Rationale:* Checking urine for protein is not a standard pre-exercise assessment for diabetes
management . Blood glucose monitoring is the appropriate pre-exercise assessment.
**8. A nurse is caring for children who have diabetes mellitus. Which child should the nurse see
first?**
A) The child whose scheduled insulin has not arrived from the pharmacy
B) The child who has not eaten since receiving regular insulin 1 hour ago
C) The child whose urine is negative for ketones and reports feeling hungry
D) The child who has a morning blood glucose level of 68 mg/dL
**Answer: B**
*Rationale:* Regular insulin peaks in 2-4 hours, and not eating after receiving it places the child at
significant risk for a hypoglycemic emergency . This requires immediate assessment and intervention.
**9. Which finding indicates hypoglycemia in a child with diabetes?**
A) Kussmaul respirations
B) Fruity breath odor
C) Tremors and diaphoresis
D) Polyuria and polydipsia
**Answer: C**
