,Drexel NURS 328 Final Exam | Pediatric Health Concepts
(2026) Q&A
1. A nurse is assessing a 2-year-old child. According to Erikson, this child is in which
stage of psychosocial development?
A) Trust versus mistrust
B) Autonomy versus shame and doubt
C) Initiative versus guilt
D) Industry versus inferiority
Correct Answer: Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Rationale: According to Erikson, toddlers (ages 1-3 years) are in the autonomy
versus shame and doubt stage. Children at this age are developing a sense of
personal control and independence, often expressed through actions like saying "no"
and wanting to do things themselves. Successful resolution leads to feelings of
autonomy, while failure results in feelings of shame and doubt.
2. The nurse is planning a teaching session for a group of adolescents. The nurse
understands that by adolescence, the individual is in which stage of cognitive
development according to Piaget?
A) Concrete operations
B) Conventional thought
C) Post-conventional thought
D) Formal operations
Correct Answer: Formal operations
,Rationale: According to Piaget, adolescents (ages 11 and older) enter the formal
operational stage, characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason
hypothetically, and consider multiple perspectives. This stage enables adolescents to
engage in complex problem-solving, moral reasoning, and future-oriented thinking.
Concrete operations is the stage for school-age children.
3. An important consideration when using the FACES Pain Rating Scale with children
is:
A) Children color the face with the color they choose to best describe their pain.
B) The scale can be used with most children as young as 3 years.
C) The scale is not appropriate for use with adolescents.
D) The FACES scale is useful in pain assessment but not as accurate as physiologic
responses.
Correct Answer: The scale can be used with most children as young as 3 years.
Rationale: The FACES Pain Rating Scale is appropriate for children as young as 3
years old. It uses faces to represent different levels of pain, making it accessible for
young children who may not have the verbal skills to describe their pain. Physiologic
responses are not a reliable measure of pain intensity.
4. What is an early clinical sign of dehydration in a child?
A) Hypotension
B) Decreased urinary output
C) Capillary refill time over 3 seconds
D) Tachycardia
Correct Answer: Tachycardia
, Rationale: Tachycardia is an early clinical sign of dehydration. Hypotension is a late
sign that occurs when fluid losses exceed the body's ability to sustain blood volume
and blood pressure. Decreased urinary output is a compensatory mechanism caused
by decreased blood flow through the kidneys and is not an early sign. Capillary refill
time over 3 seconds indicates severe dehydration.
5. A nurse is caring for an infant with RSV bronchiolitis. The infant is NPO. What is the
rationale for the infant's NPO status?
A) Hypoxia reduces gastrointestinal peristalsis
B) Milk and formula increase mucous production
C) Bronchial irritation will cause vomiting
D) Tachypnea predisposes an infant to aspiration
Correct Answer: Tachypnea predisposes an infant to aspiration
Rationale: Tachypnea (respiratory rate > 60 breaths/min) significantly increases the
risk of aspiration during feeding. Keeping the infant NPO allows for stabilization of
respiratory status and prevents aspiration pneumonia. This is a standard safety
measure in severe respiratory distress. While hypoxia can reduce peristalsis, the
primary concern is the risk of aspiration due to tachypnea.
6. What conditions would cause a decrease of fluid requirements for children?
A) Burns
B) Fever
C) Vomiting
D) Increased intracranial pressure
Correct Answer: Increased intracranial pressure
(2026) Q&A
1. A nurse is assessing a 2-year-old child. According to Erikson, this child is in which
stage of psychosocial development?
A) Trust versus mistrust
B) Autonomy versus shame and doubt
C) Initiative versus guilt
D) Industry versus inferiority
Correct Answer: Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Rationale: According to Erikson, toddlers (ages 1-3 years) are in the autonomy
versus shame and doubt stage. Children at this age are developing a sense of
personal control and independence, often expressed through actions like saying "no"
and wanting to do things themselves. Successful resolution leads to feelings of
autonomy, while failure results in feelings of shame and doubt.
2. The nurse is planning a teaching session for a group of adolescents. The nurse
understands that by adolescence, the individual is in which stage of cognitive
development according to Piaget?
A) Concrete operations
B) Conventional thought
C) Post-conventional thought
D) Formal operations
Correct Answer: Formal operations
,Rationale: According to Piaget, adolescents (ages 11 and older) enter the formal
operational stage, characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason
hypothetically, and consider multiple perspectives. This stage enables adolescents to
engage in complex problem-solving, moral reasoning, and future-oriented thinking.
Concrete operations is the stage for school-age children.
3. An important consideration when using the FACES Pain Rating Scale with children
is:
A) Children color the face with the color they choose to best describe their pain.
B) The scale can be used with most children as young as 3 years.
C) The scale is not appropriate for use with adolescents.
D) The FACES scale is useful in pain assessment but not as accurate as physiologic
responses.
Correct Answer: The scale can be used with most children as young as 3 years.
Rationale: The FACES Pain Rating Scale is appropriate for children as young as 3
years old. It uses faces to represent different levels of pain, making it accessible for
young children who may not have the verbal skills to describe their pain. Physiologic
responses are not a reliable measure of pain intensity.
4. What is an early clinical sign of dehydration in a child?
A) Hypotension
B) Decreased urinary output
C) Capillary refill time over 3 seconds
D) Tachycardia
Correct Answer: Tachycardia
, Rationale: Tachycardia is an early clinical sign of dehydration. Hypotension is a late
sign that occurs when fluid losses exceed the body's ability to sustain blood volume
and blood pressure. Decreased urinary output is a compensatory mechanism caused
by decreased blood flow through the kidneys and is not an early sign. Capillary refill
time over 3 seconds indicates severe dehydration.
5. A nurse is caring for an infant with RSV bronchiolitis. The infant is NPO. What is the
rationale for the infant's NPO status?
A) Hypoxia reduces gastrointestinal peristalsis
B) Milk and formula increase mucous production
C) Bronchial irritation will cause vomiting
D) Tachypnea predisposes an infant to aspiration
Correct Answer: Tachypnea predisposes an infant to aspiration
Rationale: Tachypnea (respiratory rate > 60 breaths/min) significantly increases the
risk of aspiration during feeding. Keeping the infant NPO allows for stabilization of
respiratory status and prevents aspiration pneumonia. This is a standard safety
measure in severe respiratory distress. While hypoxia can reduce peristalsis, the
primary concern is the risk of aspiration due to tachypnea.
6. What conditions would cause a decrease of fluid requirements for children?
A) Burns
B) Fever
C) Vomiting
D) Increased intracranial pressure
Correct Answer: Increased intracranial pressure
