,Chapter 1: Perspectives of Pediatric Nursing
Multiple-Choice Questions (45 Questions)
1. A pediatric nurse is orienting a new graduate and states, "Our goal is to provide care that minimizes
the psychological and physical distress experienced by children and their families." This statement best
exemplifies which foundational concept of pediatric nursing?
A) Family-centered care
B) Trauma-informed care
C) Atraumatic care
D) Ethical decision-making
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Atraumatic care is the philosophy of providing therapeutic care through interventions that
eliminate or minimize the psychological and physical distress experienced by children and their families .
2. The nurse is planning care for a hospitalized preschool-aged child. Which should the nurse plan to
ensure atraumatic care?
A) Limit explanation of procedures because the child is preschool aged
B) Ask that all family members leave the room when performing procedures
C) Allow the child to choose the type of juice to drink with the administration of oral medications
D) Explain that EMLA cream cannot be used for the morning lab draw because there is not time for it to
be effective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The overriding goal in providing atraumatic care is first, do no harm. Allowing the child a
choice of juice to drink when taking oral medications provides the child with a sense of control. The
preschool child should be prepared before procedures, so limiting explanations of procedures would
increase anxiety. The family should be allowed to stay with the child during procedures, minimizing
stress. Lidocaine/prilocaine (EMLA) cream is a topical local anesthetic. The nurse should plan to use the
prescribed cream in time for morning laboratory draws to minimize pain .
3. A nurse is caring for a 10-year-old with newly diagnosed cystic fibrosis. The nurse arranges a team
meeting involving the primary care provider, respiratory therapist, dietitian, and school teacher. This
action best demonstrates the nurse's role in:
A) Health teaching
B) Coordination and collaboration
C) Family advocacy
D) Providing direct care
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Coordinating care and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team is a core role of the
,pediatric nurse to ensure comprehensive and continuous care. The nurse is the central coordinator for
the multidisciplinary care team .
4. Which situation denotes a nontherapeutic nurse-patient-family relationship?
A) The nurse is planning to read a favorite fairy tale to a patient
B) During shift report, the nurse is criticizing parents for not visiting their child
C) The nurse is discussing with a fellow nurse the emotional draw to a certain patient
D) The nurse is working with a family to find ways to decrease the family's dependence on health care
providers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Criticizing parents for not visiting in shift report is nontherapeutic and shows an
underinvolvement with the parents. Reading a fairy tale is a therapeutic and age-appropriate action.
Discussing feelings of an emotional draw with a fellow nurse is therapeutic and shows a willingness to
understand feelings. Working with parents to decrease dependence on health care providers is
therapeutic and helps to empower the family .
5. During a 6-month-old's well-child visit, the nurse provides anticipatory guidance. Which instruction is
the most effective strategy for preventing the leading cause of mortality in this age group?
A) "Introduce solid foods one at a time to watch for allergies."
B) "Place your baby on their back to sleep on a firm mattress."
C) "Childproof your home by locking cabinets and covering outlets."
D) "Never leave your baby unattended on a high surface like a bed."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of mortality in children, but for infants under 1
year, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is a major concern. Back to sleep is the primary
prevention for SUID. Back to sleep is the paramount safety instruction for infant mortality prevention .
6. The nurse is aware that which age group is at risk for childhood injury because of the cognitive
characteristic of magical and egocentric thinking?
A) Preschool
B) Young school age
C) Middle school age
D) Adolescent
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Preschool children have the cognitive characteristic of magical and egocentric thinking,
meaning they are unable to comprehend danger to self or others. Young and middle school-aged
children have transitional cognitive processes, and they may attempt dangerous acts without detailed
, planning but recognize danger to themselves or others. Adolescents have formal operational cognitive
processes and are preoccupied with abstract thinking .
7. The school nurse is assessing children for risk factors related to childhood injuries. Which child has the
most risk factors related to childhood injury?
A) Female, multiple siblings, stable home life
B) Male, high activity level, stressful home life
C) Male, even tempered, history of previous injuries
D) Female, reacts negatively to new situations, no serious previous injuries
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Boys have a preponderance for injuries over girls because of a difference in behavioral
characteristics, a high activity temperament is associated with risk-taking behaviors, and stress
predisposes children to increased risk taking and self-destructive behaviors. Therefore, a male child with
a high activity level and living in a stressful environment has the highest number of risk factors .
8. An adolescent patient wants to make decisions about treatment options, along with his parents.
Which moral value is the nurse displaying when supporting the adolescent to make decisions?
A) Justice
B) Autonomy
C) Beneficence
D) Nonmaleficence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy is the patient's right to be self-governing. The adolescent is trying to be
autonomous, so the nurse is supporting this value. Justice is the concept of fairness. Beneficence is the
obligation to promote the patient's well-being. Nonmaleficence is the obligation to minimize or prevent
harm .
9. Which responsibilities are included in the pediatric nurse's promotion of the health and well-being of
children? (Select all that apply.)
A) Promoting disease prevention
B) Providing financial assistance
C) Providing support and counseling
D) Establishing lifelong friendships
E) Establishing a therapeutic relationship
F) Participating in ethical decision making
Correct Answer: A, C, E, F
Rationale: The pediatric nurse's role includes promoting disease prevention, providing support and
counseling, establishing a therapeutic relationship, and participating in ethical decision making; a
Multiple-Choice Questions (45 Questions)
1. A pediatric nurse is orienting a new graduate and states, "Our goal is to provide care that minimizes
the psychological and physical distress experienced by children and their families." This statement best
exemplifies which foundational concept of pediatric nursing?
A) Family-centered care
B) Trauma-informed care
C) Atraumatic care
D) Ethical decision-making
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Atraumatic care is the philosophy of providing therapeutic care through interventions that
eliminate or minimize the psychological and physical distress experienced by children and their families .
2. The nurse is planning care for a hospitalized preschool-aged child. Which should the nurse plan to
ensure atraumatic care?
A) Limit explanation of procedures because the child is preschool aged
B) Ask that all family members leave the room when performing procedures
C) Allow the child to choose the type of juice to drink with the administration of oral medications
D) Explain that EMLA cream cannot be used for the morning lab draw because there is not time for it to
be effective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The overriding goal in providing atraumatic care is first, do no harm. Allowing the child a
choice of juice to drink when taking oral medications provides the child with a sense of control. The
preschool child should be prepared before procedures, so limiting explanations of procedures would
increase anxiety. The family should be allowed to stay with the child during procedures, minimizing
stress. Lidocaine/prilocaine (EMLA) cream is a topical local anesthetic. The nurse should plan to use the
prescribed cream in time for morning laboratory draws to minimize pain .
3. A nurse is caring for a 10-year-old with newly diagnosed cystic fibrosis. The nurse arranges a team
meeting involving the primary care provider, respiratory therapist, dietitian, and school teacher. This
action best demonstrates the nurse's role in:
A) Health teaching
B) Coordination and collaboration
C) Family advocacy
D) Providing direct care
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Coordinating care and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team is a core role of the
,pediatric nurse to ensure comprehensive and continuous care. The nurse is the central coordinator for
the multidisciplinary care team .
4. Which situation denotes a nontherapeutic nurse-patient-family relationship?
A) The nurse is planning to read a favorite fairy tale to a patient
B) During shift report, the nurse is criticizing parents for not visiting their child
C) The nurse is discussing with a fellow nurse the emotional draw to a certain patient
D) The nurse is working with a family to find ways to decrease the family's dependence on health care
providers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Criticizing parents for not visiting in shift report is nontherapeutic and shows an
underinvolvement with the parents. Reading a fairy tale is a therapeutic and age-appropriate action.
Discussing feelings of an emotional draw with a fellow nurse is therapeutic and shows a willingness to
understand feelings. Working with parents to decrease dependence on health care providers is
therapeutic and helps to empower the family .
5. During a 6-month-old's well-child visit, the nurse provides anticipatory guidance. Which instruction is
the most effective strategy for preventing the leading cause of mortality in this age group?
A) "Introduce solid foods one at a time to watch for allergies."
B) "Place your baby on their back to sleep on a firm mattress."
C) "Childproof your home by locking cabinets and covering outlets."
D) "Never leave your baby unattended on a high surface like a bed."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of mortality in children, but for infants under 1
year, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is a major concern. Back to sleep is the primary
prevention for SUID. Back to sleep is the paramount safety instruction for infant mortality prevention .
6. The nurse is aware that which age group is at risk for childhood injury because of the cognitive
characteristic of magical and egocentric thinking?
A) Preschool
B) Young school age
C) Middle school age
D) Adolescent
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Preschool children have the cognitive characteristic of magical and egocentric thinking,
meaning they are unable to comprehend danger to self or others. Young and middle school-aged
children have transitional cognitive processes, and they may attempt dangerous acts without detailed
, planning but recognize danger to themselves or others. Adolescents have formal operational cognitive
processes and are preoccupied with abstract thinking .
7. The school nurse is assessing children for risk factors related to childhood injuries. Which child has the
most risk factors related to childhood injury?
A) Female, multiple siblings, stable home life
B) Male, high activity level, stressful home life
C) Male, even tempered, history of previous injuries
D) Female, reacts negatively to new situations, no serious previous injuries
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Boys have a preponderance for injuries over girls because of a difference in behavioral
characteristics, a high activity temperament is associated with risk-taking behaviors, and stress
predisposes children to increased risk taking and self-destructive behaviors. Therefore, a male child with
a high activity level and living in a stressful environment has the highest number of risk factors .
8. An adolescent patient wants to make decisions about treatment options, along with his parents.
Which moral value is the nurse displaying when supporting the adolescent to make decisions?
A) Justice
B) Autonomy
C) Beneficence
D) Nonmaleficence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy is the patient's right to be self-governing. The adolescent is trying to be
autonomous, so the nurse is supporting this value. Justice is the concept of fairness. Beneficence is the
obligation to promote the patient's well-being. Nonmaleficence is the obligation to minimize or prevent
harm .
9. Which responsibilities are included in the pediatric nurse's promotion of the health and well-being of
children? (Select all that apply.)
A) Promoting disease prevention
B) Providing financial assistance
C) Providing support and counseling
D) Establishing lifelong friendships
E) Establishing a therapeutic relationship
F) Participating in ethical decision making
Correct Answer: A, C, E, F
Rationale: The pediatric nurse's role includes promoting disease prevention, providing support and
counseling, establishing a therapeutic relationship, and participating in ethical decision making; a
