Maternal and Child Health Nursing
Pillitteri Test Bank
1. The nurse is planning to evaluate the development of a preschool-age
child. On what should the nurse focus when performing this
evaluation?
A) Appetite
B) Current weight
C) Change in height
D) Ability to perform a skill
Ans: D
Feedback:
Development is measured by observing a child's ability to perform
specific skills. Growth is used to denote an increase in physical size
such as height and weight. Appetite is not used to evaluate growth or
development.
2. A patient asks if a school-age child is going to be tall like others in
the family. What should the nurse explain as having the least impact
on the child's ultimate height?
A) Participation in sports
B) Occupations of parents
C) Inherited genetic material
D) Ingestion of nutritious food
Ans: A
Feedback:
Although children cannot grow taller than their genetically
programmed height potential, their adult height can be considerably
less than their genetic potential if their environment hinders their
growth. Environmental influences on height include socioeconomic
status or occupations of parents, genetic material inherited, and
availability and ingestion of nutritious foods. Participation in sports
will not influence the child's ultimate height.
3. The mother of several children is amazed that the youngest male child
achieved toilet training much earlier than the other children. What
should the nurse explain as the reason for this early development?
A) "He has exceptional intelligence."
B) "He learned by watching your other children."
, C) "He needs testing because he is developing too quickly."
D) "He most likely will wet the bed for many years to come."
Ans: B
Feedback:
Children learn by watching other children so a youngest child who
has many examples to watch may excel in skills such as toilet
training. The child did not become toilet trained early because of
exceptional intelligence. The child is not developing too quickly.
There is no way for the nurse to know if the child will wet the bed.
4. A patient is concerned that the new baby is going to have a weight
problem growing up because other family members are obese. What
should the nurse respond to this patient?
A) Restrict all fatty foods up until age 5 years.
B) Restrict fatty foods after the age of 10 years.
C) Do not restrict fatty foods until the age of 2 years.
D) Keep fat intake to less than 50% of total daily intake.
Ans: C
Feedback:
For children, fat intake does not need to be restricted for the first 2
years of life because fat is necessary for myelination of spinal nerves.
After the age of 2 years, fat intake can be tailored to meet the
guidelines of 30% total intake for both children and adults. The
patient should not restrict all fatty foods up until the age of 5 years or
after the age of 10 years. Fat intake after the age of 2 years should be
limited to 30% of total caloric intake.
5. During a home visit, the nurse observes an 8-year-old child pick up
toys and place them in the toy box. The child then looks to the mother
who says, "Thank you for helping me." Which stage of Kohlberg's
moral development is this child demonstrating?
A) Individualism
B) Maintenance of social order
C) Punishment/obedience orientation
D) Interpersonal relations of mutuality
, Ans: D
Feedback:
In the stage of interpersonal relations of mutuality, the child will
follow rules because of a need to be a "good" person in their own eyes
and in the eyes of others. The mother's praise reinforces this behavior.
In the punishment/obedience stage, the child does "right" to avoid
punishment. In the individualism stage, the child will carry out
actions to satisfy own needs rather than others. In the maintenance of
social order stage, the child will follow rules of authority figures as
well as parents in an effort to keep the "system" working.
6. Which activity should the nurse encourage a new mother to perform
to foster the developmental tasks of a toddler according to Erikson's
developmental stages?
A) Feed the child lunch.
B) Read the child a story every night.
C) Allow the child to pull a talking duck toy.
D) Have the child watch a puppet show on television.
Ans: C
Feedback:
The developmental task of the toddler is to learn autonomy versus
shame or doubt. Autonomy comes from the toddler's new motor and
mental abilities. Children take pride in the new things they can
accomplish, and they want to do everything independently. Pulling a
talking duck toy will support the development of autonomy. Doing
things such as feeding, reading, and watching television does not
foster autonomy in the toddler.
7. The nurse pours liquid medication from one tall container to a shorter
container. How would the preschool-age child interpret this exchange
of the medication?
A) The amount of medicine is less.
B) The glass changed shape to accommodate the medicine.
C) Pouring medicine hurts it in some way because it changes.
D) The amount of medicine did not change, only the appearance.
, Ans: A
Feedback:
The preschool-age child has not developed conservation or the ability
to discern truth, even though physical properties change. This is why
the child will think that there is less medicine in the shorter container.
The preschool-age child will not interpret this action as the glass
changing shape or it is painful to pour medicine. An older child will
understand that the appearance of the medication changed but not the
amount.
8. The nurse is preparing to assess a school-age child in the community
clinic. Which action supports the 2020 National Health Goals for
growth and development of children?
A) Helping the child with math homework
B) Measuring the child's height and weight
C) Talking about favorite television programs
D) Asking the child to name a favorite subject in school
Ans: B
Feedback:
Recognizing normal growth and development patterns of children
helps to determine if children are following normal development and
when referrals are needed. Nurses are the health care providers who
interact with children and measure height and weight, which are used
to recognize developmental delays. Helping with homework, talking
about television, and identifying favorite subjects in school will not
support the 2020 National Health Goals for growth and development
of children.
9. During a home visit, the nurse observes a mother prepare a bottle for
an 18-month-old child consisting of skim milk. Which nursing
diagnosis should the nurse use to base instruction for this mother?
A) Imbalanced nutrition
B) Health-seeking behaviors
C) Delayed growth and development
D) Readiness for enhanced family coping
Pillitteri Test Bank
1. The nurse is planning to evaluate the development of a preschool-age
child. On what should the nurse focus when performing this
evaluation?
A) Appetite
B) Current weight
C) Change in height
D) Ability to perform a skill
Ans: D
Feedback:
Development is measured by observing a child's ability to perform
specific skills. Growth is used to denote an increase in physical size
such as height and weight. Appetite is not used to evaluate growth or
development.
2. A patient asks if a school-age child is going to be tall like others in
the family. What should the nurse explain as having the least impact
on the child's ultimate height?
A) Participation in sports
B) Occupations of parents
C) Inherited genetic material
D) Ingestion of nutritious food
Ans: A
Feedback:
Although children cannot grow taller than their genetically
programmed height potential, their adult height can be considerably
less than their genetic potential if their environment hinders their
growth. Environmental influences on height include socioeconomic
status or occupations of parents, genetic material inherited, and
availability and ingestion of nutritious foods. Participation in sports
will not influence the child's ultimate height.
3. The mother of several children is amazed that the youngest male child
achieved toilet training much earlier than the other children. What
should the nurse explain as the reason for this early development?
A) "He has exceptional intelligence."
B) "He learned by watching your other children."
, C) "He needs testing because he is developing too quickly."
D) "He most likely will wet the bed for many years to come."
Ans: B
Feedback:
Children learn by watching other children so a youngest child who
has many examples to watch may excel in skills such as toilet
training. The child did not become toilet trained early because of
exceptional intelligence. The child is not developing too quickly.
There is no way for the nurse to know if the child will wet the bed.
4. A patient is concerned that the new baby is going to have a weight
problem growing up because other family members are obese. What
should the nurse respond to this patient?
A) Restrict all fatty foods up until age 5 years.
B) Restrict fatty foods after the age of 10 years.
C) Do not restrict fatty foods until the age of 2 years.
D) Keep fat intake to less than 50% of total daily intake.
Ans: C
Feedback:
For children, fat intake does not need to be restricted for the first 2
years of life because fat is necessary for myelination of spinal nerves.
After the age of 2 years, fat intake can be tailored to meet the
guidelines of 30% total intake for both children and adults. The
patient should not restrict all fatty foods up until the age of 5 years or
after the age of 10 years. Fat intake after the age of 2 years should be
limited to 30% of total caloric intake.
5. During a home visit, the nurse observes an 8-year-old child pick up
toys and place them in the toy box. The child then looks to the mother
who says, "Thank you for helping me." Which stage of Kohlberg's
moral development is this child demonstrating?
A) Individualism
B) Maintenance of social order
C) Punishment/obedience orientation
D) Interpersonal relations of mutuality
, Ans: D
Feedback:
In the stage of interpersonal relations of mutuality, the child will
follow rules because of a need to be a "good" person in their own eyes
and in the eyes of others. The mother's praise reinforces this behavior.
In the punishment/obedience stage, the child does "right" to avoid
punishment. In the individualism stage, the child will carry out
actions to satisfy own needs rather than others. In the maintenance of
social order stage, the child will follow rules of authority figures as
well as parents in an effort to keep the "system" working.
6. Which activity should the nurse encourage a new mother to perform
to foster the developmental tasks of a toddler according to Erikson's
developmental stages?
A) Feed the child lunch.
B) Read the child a story every night.
C) Allow the child to pull a talking duck toy.
D) Have the child watch a puppet show on television.
Ans: C
Feedback:
The developmental task of the toddler is to learn autonomy versus
shame or doubt. Autonomy comes from the toddler's new motor and
mental abilities. Children take pride in the new things they can
accomplish, and they want to do everything independently. Pulling a
talking duck toy will support the development of autonomy. Doing
things such as feeding, reading, and watching television does not
foster autonomy in the toddler.
7. The nurse pours liquid medication from one tall container to a shorter
container. How would the preschool-age child interpret this exchange
of the medication?
A) The amount of medicine is less.
B) The glass changed shape to accommodate the medicine.
C) Pouring medicine hurts it in some way because it changes.
D) The amount of medicine did not change, only the appearance.
, Ans: A
Feedback:
The preschool-age child has not developed conservation or the ability
to discern truth, even though physical properties change. This is why
the child will think that there is less medicine in the shorter container.
The preschool-age child will not interpret this action as the glass
changing shape or it is painful to pour medicine. An older child will
understand that the appearance of the medication changed but not the
amount.
8. The nurse is preparing to assess a school-age child in the community
clinic. Which action supports the 2020 National Health Goals for
growth and development of children?
A) Helping the child with math homework
B) Measuring the child's height and weight
C) Talking about favorite television programs
D) Asking the child to name a favorite subject in school
Ans: B
Feedback:
Recognizing normal growth and development patterns of children
helps to determine if children are following normal development and
when referrals are needed. Nurses are the health care providers who
interact with children and measure height and weight, which are used
to recognize developmental delays. Helping with homework, talking
about television, and identifying favorite subjects in school will not
support the 2020 National Health Goals for growth and development
of children.
9. During a home visit, the nurse observes a mother prepare a bottle for
an 18-month-old child consisting of skim milk. Which nursing
diagnosis should the nurse use to base instruction for this mother?
A) Imbalanced nutrition
B) Health-seeking behaviors
C) Delayed growth and development
D) Readiness for enhanced family coping
