FCTC Written Exam 2026/2027 | Florida Correctional Training
Commission Written Exam Study Guide, FCTC Exam Prep,
Correctional Officer Training, Florida Corrections, Criminal Justice,
Inmate Supervision, Security Procedures, Legal Concepts, Ethics,
Safety, Practice Questions, Answers & Rationales
Question 1: A 3-year-old child is admitted with suspected croup. Which clinical
manifestation would the nurse expect to assess?
A. Productive cough with greenish sputum
B. Barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor
C. Wheezing heard on expiration
D. High fever with cherry-red throat
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor
Rationale: Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is characterized by a distinctive
barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor caused by subglottic
inflammation. This is the hallmark sign of croup in children. Option A describes
bronchitis, Option C indicates asthma, and Option D describes acute pharyngitis.
The barking cough is pathognomonic for croup .
Question 2: A 6-month-old infant is brought to the clinic for a well-child visit. At
what age should the nurse expect the infant to have doubled their birth weight?
A. 2 months
B. 4 months
C. 6 months
D. 9 months
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 6 months
Rationale: Infants typically double their birth weight by 6 months of age. This is an
important developmental milestone used to assess adequate growth and
nutrition. By 12 months, the infant should triple their birth weight. Birth weight is
usually regained by 10-14 days of age in healthy newborns .
Question 3: A 4-year-old child with acute leukemia is experiencing severe pain
related to mouth ulcers from chemotherapy. Which intervention would be most
appropriate for the nurse to implement?
,A. Apply lemon juice to the ulcers to promote healing
B. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse with normal saline or salt water solution
C. Restrict oral intake to prevent further irritation
D. Apply hydrogen peroxide solution directly to ulcers
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse with normal saline or salt
water solution
Rationale: Oral care for a child with chemotherapy-induced mucositis should
include gentle cleaning with a soft toothbrush and rinsing with normal saline or
salt water solution. This promotes healing and reduces infection risk while
minimizing discomfort. Lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide are irritating and
contraindicated. Restricting oral intake is not appropriate as nutrition is crucial
during cancer treatment .
Question 4: An 8-year-old child is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Which finding would the nurse anticipate?
A. Slow, shallow respirations
B. Blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL
C. Fruity-smelling breath
D. Hypertension
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Fruity-smelling breath
Rationale: Diabetic ketoacidosis causes ketone production, which results in fruity-
smelling breath from acetone exhalation. In DKA, respirations are typically fast
and deep (Kussmaul respirations) to compensate for metabolic acidosis, not slow
and shallow. Blood glucose is elevated (often >250 mg/dL), not decreased.
Hypotension, not hypertension, typically occurs in DKA .
Question 5: A child with acute otitis media is prescribed amoxicillin. The nurse
should teach the parent to:
A. Stop medication when symptoms improve
B. Give full course of antibiotics
C. Give medication only at night
D. Avoid fluids during treatment
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Give full course of antibiotics
,Rationale: Completing the full antibiotic course prevents recurrence and antibiotic
resistance. Stopping medication prematurely when symptoms improve can allow
bacteria to survive and cause a relapse. Giving medication only at night or
avoiding fluids is not appropriate for amoxicillin administration .
Question 6: The most appropriate toy for a 2-year-old is:
A. Puzzle with small pieces
B. Large building blocks
C. Video game
D. Bead necklace kit
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Large building blocks
Rationale: Toddlers require safe, large motor toys to prevent choking. Small
puzzle pieces, bead kits, and video games are inappropriate for this age group due
to choking hazards and developmental mismatch. Large building blocks promote
fine motor development and are safe for toddlers .
Question 7: A child with asthma should use a peak flow meter to:
A. Diagnose infection
B. Measure lung function
C. Administer medication
D. Prevent attacks
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Measure lung function
Rationale: A peak flow meter measures airway obstruction and asthma control. It
does not diagnose infection, administer medication, or directly prevent attacks.
Regular peak flow monitoring helps identify worsening asthma before symptoms
become severe .
Question 8: Which vaccine is contraindicated in immunocompromised children?
A. Inactivated polio vaccine
B. MMR vaccine
C. Hepatitis B vaccine
D. DTaP vaccine
CORRECT ANSWER: B. MMR vaccine
, Rationale: MMR is a live attenuated vaccine and is contraindicated in
immunocompromised children due to the risk of vaccine-induced infection.
Inactivated polio, hepatitis B, and DTaP are inactivated or toxoid vaccines and are
safe for immunocompromised children .
Question 9: A child with dehydration will first show:
A. Bradycardia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Edema
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Tachycardia
Rationale: Tachycardia is an early compensatory sign of dehydration as the body
attempts to maintain cardiac output. Bradycardia, hypotension, and edema are
not early signs of dehydration. Hypotension occurs late in severe dehydration .
Question 10: Which finding is most concerning in a child with meningitis?
A. Photophobia
B. Petechial rash
C. Headache
D. Nuchal rigidity
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Petechial rash
Rationale: A petechial rash indicates possible meningococcal infection, which can
progress rapidly to sepsis and death. Photophobia, headache, and nuchal rigidity
are common signs of meningitis but are not as immediately life-threatening as a
petechial rash .
Question 11: A nurse caring for a child with sickle cell crisis should:
A. Encourage cold compresses
B. Increase oxygen therapy
C. Restrict fluids
D. Promote bed rest only
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Increase oxygen therapy
Commission Written Exam Study Guide, FCTC Exam Prep,
Correctional Officer Training, Florida Corrections, Criminal Justice,
Inmate Supervision, Security Procedures, Legal Concepts, Ethics,
Safety, Practice Questions, Answers & Rationales
Question 1: A 3-year-old child is admitted with suspected croup. Which clinical
manifestation would the nurse expect to assess?
A. Productive cough with greenish sputum
B. Barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor
C. Wheezing heard on expiration
D. High fever with cherry-red throat
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor
Rationale: Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is characterized by a distinctive
barking, seal-like cough with inspiratory stridor caused by subglottic
inflammation. This is the hallmark sign of croup in children. Option A describes
bronchitis, Option C indicates asthma, and Option D describes acute pharyngitis.
The barking cough is pathognomonic for croup .
Question 2: A 6-month-old infant is brought to the clinic for a well-child visit. At
what age should the nurse expect the infant to have doubled their birth weight?
A. 2 months
B. 4 months
C. 6 months
D. 9 months
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 6 months
Rationale: Infants typically double their birth weight by 6 months of age. This is an
important developmental milestone used to assess adequate growth and
nutrition. By 12 months, the infant should triple their birth weight. Birth weight is
usually regained by 10-14 days of age in healthy newborns .
Question 3: A 4-year-old child with acute leukemia is experiencing severe pain
related to mouth ulcers from chemotherapy. Which intervention would be most
appropriate for the nurse to implement?
,A. Apply lemon juice to the ulcers to promote healing
B. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse with normal saline or salt water solution
C. Restrict oral intake to prevent further irritation
D. Apply hydrogen peroxide solution directly to ulcers
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Use a soft toothbrush and rinse with normal saline or salt
water solution
Rationale: Oral care for a child with chemotherapy-induced mucositis should
include gentle cleaning with a soft toothbrush and rinsing with normal saline or
salt water solution. This promotes healing and reduces infection risk while
minimizing discomfort. Lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide are irritating and
contraindicated. Restricting oral intake is not appropriate as nutrition is crucial
during cancer treatment .
Question 4: An 8-year-old child is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Which finding would the nurse anticipate?
A. Slow, shallow respirations
B. Blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL
C. Fruity-smelling breath
D. Hypertension
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Fruity-smelling breath
Rationale: Diabetic ketoacidosis causes ketone production, which results in fruity-
smelling breath from acetone exhalation. In DKA, respirations are typically fast
and deep (Kussmaul respirations) to compensate for metabolic acidosis, not slow
and shallow. Blood glucose is elevated (often >250 mg/dL), not decreased.
Hypotension, not hypertension, typically occurs in DKA .
Question 5: A child with acute otitis media is prescribed amoxicillin. The nurse
should teach the parent to:
A. Stop medication when symptoms improve
B. Give full course of antibiotics
C. Give medication only at night
D. Avoid fluids during treatment
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Give full course of antibiotics
,Rationale: Completing the full antibiotic course prevents recurrence and antibiotic
resistance. Stopping medication prematurely when symptoms improve can allow
bacteria to survive and cause a relapse. Giving medication only at night or
avoiding fluids is not appropriate for amoxicillin administration .
Question 6: The most appropriate toy for a 2-year-old is:
A. Puzzle with small pieces
B. Large building blocks
C. Video game
D. Bead necklace kit
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Large building blocks
Rationale: Toddlers require safe, large motor toys to prevent choking. Small
puzzle pieces, bead kits, and video games are inappropriate for this age group due
to choking hazards and developmental mismatch. Large building blocks promote
fine motor development and are safe for toddlers .
Question 7: A child with asthma should use a peak flow meter to:
A. Diagnose infection
B. Measure lung function
C. Administer medication
D. Prevent attacks
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Measure lung function
Rationale: A peak flow meter measures airway obstruction and asthma control. It
does not diagnose infection, administer medication, or directly prevent attacks.
Regular peak flow monitoring helps identify worsening asthma before symptoms
become severe .
Question 8: Which vaccine is contraindicated in immunocompromised children?
A. Inactivated polio vaccine
B. MMR vaccine
C. Hepatitis B vaccine
D. DTaP vaccine
CORRECT ANSWER: B. MMR vaccine
, Rationale: MMR is a live attenuated vaccine and is contraindicated in
immunocompromised children due to the risk of vaccine-induced infection.
Inactivated polio, hepatitis B, and DTaP are inactivated or toxoid vaccines and are
safe for immunocompromised children .
Question 9: A child with dehydration will first show:
A. Bradycardia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Edema
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Tachycardia
Rationale: Tachycardia is an early compensatory sign of dehydration as the body
attempts to maintain cardiac output. Bradycardia, hypotension, and edema are
not early signs of dehydration. Hypotension occurs late in severe dehydration .
Question 10: Which finding is most concerning in a child with meningitis?
A. Photophobia
B. Petechial rash
C. Headache
D. Nuchal rigidity
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Petechial rash
Rationale: A petechial rash indicates possible meningococcal infection, which can
progress rapidly to sepsis and death. Photophobia, headache, and nuchal rigidity
are common signs of meningitis but are not as immediately life-threatening as a
petechial rash .
Question 11: A nurse caring for a child with sickle cell crisis should:
A. Encourage cold compresses
B. Increase oxygen therapy
C. Restrict fluids
D. Promote bed rest only
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Increase oxygen therapy
