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KAPLAN PEDIATRIC MEDICAL-SURGICAL ASSESSMENT
2026/2027 COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES.
PEDIATRIC
Prepare for the Kaplan Pediatric Medical-Surgical Assessment with a focused study
resource covering essential concepts in pediatric medical-surgical nursing care. It
supports review of pediatric assessment, common illnesses and disorders, growth
and development, medication considerations, patient safety, and appropriate nursing
interventions. Use the material to reinforce key knowledge, strengthen clinical
judgment, and identify areas that may require additional review. This resource is best
suited for nursing students and NCLEX candidates preparing for pediatric medical-
surgical assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT (Questions 1-10)
1. The nurse is assessing a 2-year-old child during a well-child visit. Which
developmental milestone should the nurse expect the child to have
achieved?
a) Tying shoelaces
b) Riding a tricycle
c) Using 2-3 word sentences
d) Drawing a circle
Answer: c) Using 2-3 word sentences
Rationale: A 2-year-old typically has a vocabulary of 50-300 words and uses
2-3 word sentences. Tying shoelaces and drawing a circle are expected at 4-5
years. Riding a tricycle is expected at 3 years.
2. A 4-year-old child is hospitalized. The nurse should plan care based on
which developmental characteristic?
a) The child understands the concept of time
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b) The child fears body mutilation
c) The child can abstractly reason about illness
d) The child is not concerned about separation from parents
Answer: b) The child fears body mutilation
Rationale: Preschoolers (ages 3-5) fear body mutilation and intrusive
procedures. They have magical thinking and may believe illness is
punishment. They do not understand time concepts well and experience
significant separation anxiety.
3. The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child. Which developmental
milestone should the nurse expect?
a) The child can think abstractly
b) The child understands cause and effect
c) The child can reason hypothetically
d) The child is egocentric
Answer: b) The child understands cause and effect
Rationale: School-age children (ages 7-11) are in the concrete operational
stage and understand cause and effect, conservation, and logical reasoning
with concrete objects. Abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning develop
in adolescence (formal operational stage). Egocentrism is characteristic of
preschoolers.
4. An adolescent client is being discharged. The nurse understands that
the priority teaching strategy for adolescents is:
a) Use of videos and pamphlets
b) Involvement of parents in all decisions
c) Peer group education and discussion
d) Lectures and structured activities
Answer: c) Peer group education and discussion
Rationale: Adolescents are influenced by peer groups and respond well to
peer education and discussion. They value independence and may resist
parental involvement. Interactive teaching strategies are more effective than
lectures or passive learning.
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5. The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which finding is expected?
a) The infant can sit without support
b) The infant has a pincer grasp
c) The infant can roll from back to abdomen
d) The infant can walk with assistance
Answer: c) The infant can roll from back to abdomen
Rationale: At 6 months, infants typically can roll from back to abdomen and
abdomen to back, and can sit with support. Sitting without support occurs
around 8 months. The pincer grasp develops at 9-10 months. Walking with
assistance occurs at 12 months.
6. A 3-year-old child is hospitalized. The nurse should use which approach
to minimize anxiety?
a) Allow the child to make all decisions
b) Provide detailed explanations about procedures
c) Use therapeutic play and simple explanations
d) Avoid discussing the hospital stay
Answer: c) Use therapeutic play and simple explanations
Rationale: Therapeutic play and simple explanations help preschoolers
understand and cope with hospitalization. Detailed explanations may
overwhelm them. Allowing the child to make all decisions is not appropriate.
Avoiding discussion increases anxiety.
7. The nurse is teaching parents about developmental milestones for a 12-
month-old. Which milestone should the nurse include?
a) The infant can stack two blocks
b) The infant can walk independently
c) The infant can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada"
d) The infant can feed themselves with a spoon
Answer: c) The infant can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada"
Rationale: A 12-month-old can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada."
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Walking independently occurs around 12-15 months. Stacking two blocks
occurs at 15-18 months. Feeding with a spoon occurs at 18-24 months.
8. The nurse is assessing a 15-month-old child. Which finding should the
nurse report to the provider?
a) The child cannot walk independently
b) The child cannot stack two blocks
c) The child cannot say 3 words
d) The child cannot use a spoon
Answer: a) The child cannot walk independently
Rationale: Most children walk independently by 15 months. If a child is not
walking by 18 months, it is considered a developmental delay. The other
milestones (stacking blocks, saying words, using a spoon) are expected at
later ages.
9. The nurse is caring for a hospitalized adolescent. Which intervention is
most important to support the adolescent's developmental needs?
a) Encourage parents to stay with the adolescent
b) Provide opportunities for peer interaction
c) Maintain strict visitation rules
d) Restrict access to social media
Answer: b) Provide opportunities for peer interaction
Rationale: Adolescents value peer relationships and social interaction.
Providing opportunities for peer interaction (within safety guidelines) supports
their developmental needs and reduces feelings of isolation. Parents are still
important but peer support is essential.
10. The nurse is teaching parents about expected weight gain in infancy.
Which statement indicates understanding?
a) "My baby should double their birth weight by 6 months."
b) "My baby should triple their birth weight by 12 months."
c) "My baby should double their birth weight by 12 months."
KAPLAN PEDIATRIC MEDICAL-SURGICAL ASSESSMENT
2026/2027 COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES.
PEDIATRIC
Prepare for the Kaplan Pediatric Medical-Surgical Assessment with a focused study
resource covering essential concepts in pediatric medical-surgical nursing care. It
supports review of pediatric assessment, common illnesses and disorders, growth
and development, medication considerations, patient safety, and appropriate nursing
interventions. Use the material to reinforce key knowledge, strengthen clinical
judgment, and identify areas that may require additional review. This resource is best
suited for nursing students and NCLEX candidates preparing for pediatric medical-
surgical assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT (Questions 1-10)
1. The nurse is assessing a 2-year-old child during a well-child visit. Which
developmental milestone should the nurse expect the child to have
achieved?
a) Tying shoelaces
b) Riding a tricycle
c) Using 2-3 word sentences
d) Drawing a circle
Answer: c) Using 2-3 word sentences
Rationale: A 2-year-old typically has a vocabulary of 50-300 words and uses
2-3 word sentences. Tying shoelaces and drawing a circle are expected at 4-5
years. Riding a tricycle is expected at 3 years.
2. A 4-year-old child is hospitalized. The nurse should plan care based on
which developmental characteristic?
a) The child understands the concept of time
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b) The child fears body mutilation
c) The child can abstractly reason about illness
d) The child is not concerned about separation from parents
Answer: b) The child fears body mutilation
Rationale: Preschoolers (ages 3-5) fear body mutilation and intrusive
procedures. They have magical thinking and may believe illness is
punishment. They do not understand time concepts well and experience
significant separation anxiety.
3. The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child. Which developmental
milestone should the nurse expect?
a) The child can think abstractly
b) The child understands cause and effect
c) The child can reason hypothetically
d) The child is egocentric
Answer: b) The child understands cause and effect
Rationale: School-age children (ages 7-11) are in the concrete operational
stage and understand cause and effect, conservation, and logical reasoning
with concrete objects. Abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning develop
in adolescence (formal operational stage). Egocentrism is characteristic of
preschoolers.
4. An adolescent client is being discharged. The nurse understands that
the priority teaching strategy for adolescents is:
a) Use of videos and pamphlets
b) Involvement of parents in all decisions
c) Peer group education and discussion
d) Lectures and structured activities
Answer: c) Peer group education and discussion
Rationale: Adolescents are influenced by peer groups and respond well to
peer education and discussion. They value independence and may resist
parental involvement. Interactive teaching strategies are more effective than
lectures or passive learning.
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5. The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which finding is expected?
a) The infant can sit without support
b) The infant has a pincer grasp
c) The infant can roll from back to abdomen
d) The infant can walk with assistance
Answer: c) The infant can roll from back to abdomen
Rationale: At 6 months, infants typically can roll from back to abdomen and
abdomen to back, and can sit with support. Sitting without support occurs
around 8 months. The pincer grasp develops at 9-10 months. Walking with
assistance occurs at 12 months.
6. A 3-year-old child is hospitalized. The nurse should use which approach
to minimize anxiety?
a) Allow the child to make all decisions
b) Provide detailed explanations about procedures
c) Use therapeutic play and simple explanations
d) Avoid discussing the hospital stay
Answer: c) Use therapeutic play and simple explanations
Rationale: Therapeutic play and simple explanations help preschoolers
understand and cope with hospitalization. Detailed explanations may
overwhelm them. Allowing the child to make all decisions is not appropriate.
Avoiding discussion increases anxiety.
7. The nurse is teaching parents about developmental milestones for a 12-
month-old. Which milestone should the nurse include?
a) The infant can stack two blocks
b) The infant can walk independently
c) The infant can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada"
d) The infant can feed themselves with a spoon
Answer: c) The infant can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada"
Rationale: A 12-month-old can say 2-3 words other than "mama" and "dada."
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Walking independently occurs around 12-15 months. Stacking two blocks
occurs at 15-18 months. Feeding with a spoon occurs at 18-24 months.
8. The nurse is assessing a 15-month-old child. Which finding should the
nurse report to the provider?
a) The child cannot walk independently
b) The child cannot stack two blocks
c) The child cannot say 3 words
d) The child cannot use a spoon
Answer: a) The child cannot walk independently
Rationale: Most children walk independently by 15 months. If a child is not
walking by 18 months, it is considered a developmental delay. The other
milestones (stacking blocks, saying words, using a spoon) are expected at
later ages.
9. The nurse is caring for a hospitalized adolescent. Which intervention is
most important to support the adolescent's developmental needs?
a) Encourage parents to stay with the adolescent
b) Provide opportunities for peer interaction
c) Maintain strict visitation rules
d) Restrict access to social media
Answer: b) Provide opportunities for peer interaction
Rationale: Adolescents value peer relationships and social interaction.
Providing opportunities for peer interaction (within safety guidelines) supports
their developmental needs and reduces feelings of isolation. Parents are still
important but peer support is essential.
10. The nurse is teaching parents about expected weight gain in infancy.
Which statement indicates understanding?
a) "My baby should double their birth weight by 6 months."
b) "My baby should triple their birth weight by 12 months."
c) "My baby should double their birth weight by 12 months."
