ATI PN – Nursing Care of Children Review
(2025–2026) Focus: Pediatric growth &
development, common childhood conditions,
medication safety, and therapeutic
communication.
1. According to Piaget, which cognitive stage is a 3-year-old toddler in?
A) Sensorimotor
B) Preoperational ✓
C) Concrete Operational
D) Formal Operational
2. What is the primary psychosocial conflict for an infant according to Erikson?
A) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
B) Initiative vs. Guilt
C) Trust vs. Mistrust ✓
D) Industry vs. Inferiority
3. A nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which finding requires further investigation?
A) The infant has a strong head lag.
B) The infant rolls from prone to supine.
C) The infant bears weight on legs when held upright. ✓
D) The infant smiles spontaneously.
4. The parent of a 4-year-old expresses concern because the child frequently "makes up
stories." How should the nurse respond?
A) "This is a sign of an overactive imagination and should be discouraged."
B) "This is a normal characteristic of preoperational thought known as magical thinking." ✓
C) "This indicates the child is not able to distinguish reality from fantasy and needs evaluation."
D) "This is a behavior typical of a school-aged child, not a preschooler."
5. Which toy is most appropriate for a 7-month-old infant?
A) A colorful board book
B) A push-pull toy
,C) A rattle or soft, textured blocks ✓
D) A puzzle with 10 pieces
6. According to Kohlberg, a school-aged child's moral reasoning is primarily at which stage?
A) Preconventional ✓
B) Conventional
C) Postconventional
D) Autonomous
7. A 2-year-old is brought to the clinic. Which behavior is a expected milestone for this age?
A) Tying shoelaces
B) Riding a tricycle
C) Building a tower of 6-8 blocks ✓
D) Sharing toys willingly
8. What is the best approach for a nurse to use when preparing a 4-year-old for a procedure?
A) Explain the procedure in detailed, scientific terms 24 hours in advance.
B) Use simple, concrete terms and demonstrate on a doll immediately before the procedure. ✓
C) Avoid preparation to prevent unnecessary anxiety.
D) Have the parents explain the procedure after it is completed.
9. Which immunization is typically not administered at a 2-month well-child visit?
A) Rotavirus (RV)
B) Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP)
C) Inactivated poliovirus (IPV)
D) Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) ✓
10. A 14-year-old adolescent is preoccupied with body image and frequently compares
themselves to peers. According to Erikson, this is characteristic of which stage?
A) Industry vs. Inferiority
B) Identity vs. Role Confusion ✓
C) Intimacy vs. Isolation
D) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
11. When assessing vital signs in a 1-year-old, which finding would be considered normal?
A) Respiratory rate of 20/min
B) Heart rate of 110/min ✓
C) Blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg
D) Temperature of 35.5°C (95.9°F)
,12. The parent of a 3-year-old reports the child has an imaginary friend. The nurse should
recognize this as:
A) A sign of social isolation.
B) A normal part of cognitive and emotional development. ✓
C) A precursor to a psychological disorder.
D) A result of excessive television watching.
13. Which developmental milestone does the nurse expect when assessing a 9-month-old
infant?
A) Walking independently
B) Saying 3-5 words with meaning
C) Drinking from a cup with assistance
D) Using a pincer grasp ✓
14. What is the leading cause of death in adolescents?
A) Cancer
B) Infectious diseases
C) Unintentional injuries (including motor vehicle accidents) ✓
D) Congenital disorders
15. A 5-year-old is in the clinic. According to Erikson, successfully resolving the "Initiative vs.
Guilt" stage results in:
A) Hope
B) Will
C) Purpose ✓
D) Competence
16. Which play is most typical for a 2-year-old?
A) Cooperative play with others
B) Parallel play ✓
C) Competitive team sports
D) Solitary play exclusively
17. A nurse is teaching parents about dental health. When should the first dental visit be
scheduled?
A) When the first tooth erupts or by 12 months of age ✓
B) When all primary teeth have erupted, around age 3
C) When the child is old enough to sit still, around age 5
D) Only if a problem is suspected
, 18. Which statement by the parent of a 6-month-old indicates a need for further teaching
about safety?
A) "I always put my baby to sleep on their back."
B) "We have started using a walker to help them get around." ✓
C) "I keep the crib free of pillows and heavy blankets."
D) "We have installed safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs."
19. What is the recommended daily screen time limit for a 4-year-old?
A) No more than 1 hour of high-quality programming ✓
B) 2-3 hours for educational content
C) There is no specific limit.
D) Screen time should be avoided entirely.
20. A school-aged child (7-11 years) is in which of Piaget's cognitive stages?
A) Preoperational
B) Concrete Operational ✓
C) Formal Operational
D) Sensorimotor
21. Which nutrient is most important to prevent neural tube defects and should be
supplemented before and during pregnancy?
A) Iron
B) Vitamin D
C) Folic Acid ✓
D) Calcium
22. A nurse is assessing the fine motor skills of an 18-month-old. Which skill is expected?
A) Tying shoes
B) Using a spoon without rotation ✓
C) Copying a circle
D) Building a tower of 2 cubes
23. When discussing nutrition with the parents of a toddler, the nurse should recommend:
A) A low-fat diet to prevent obesity.
B) 4-6 ounces of fruit juice per day as a primary vitamin source.
C) Offering 1 tablespoon of food per year of age at each meal. ✓
D) Forcing the child to eat one food from every food group at each meal.
24. According to Freud, the preschool-age child is in which psychosexual stage?
A) Oral
(2025–2026) Focus: Pediatric growth &
development, common childhood conditions,
medication safety, and therapeutic
communication.
1. According to Piaget, which cognitive stage is a 3-year-old toddler in?
A) Sensorimotor
B) Preoperational ✓
C) Concrete Operational
D) Formal Operational
2. What is the primary psychosocial conflict for an infant according to Erikson?
A) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
B) Initiative vs. Guilt
C) Trust vs. Mistrust ✓
D) Industry vs. Inferiority
3. A nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which finding requires further investigation?
A) The infant has a strong head lag.
B) The infant rolls from prone to supine.
C) The infant bears weight on legs when held upright. ✓
D) The infant smiles spontaneously.
4. The parent of a 4-year-old expresses concern because the child frequently "makes up
stories." How should the nurse respond?
A) "This is a sign of an overactive imagination and should be discouraged."
B) "This is a normal characteristic of preoperational thought known as magical thinking." ✓
C) "This indicates the child is not able to distinguish reality from fantasy and needs evaluation."
D) "This is a behavior typical of a school-aged child, not a preschooler."
5. Which toy is most appropriate for a 7-month-old infant?
A) A colorful board book
B) A push-pull toy
,C) A rattle or soft, textured blocks ✓
D) A puzzle with 10 pieces
6. According to Kohlberg, a school-aged child's moral reasoning is primarily at which stage?
A) Preconventional ✓
B) Conventional
C) Postconventional
D) Autonomous
7. A 2-year-old is brought to the clinic. Which behavior is a expected milestone for this age?
A) Tying shoelaces
B) Riding a tricycle
C) Building a tower of 6-8 blocks ✓
D) Sharing toys willingly
8. What is the best approach for a nurse to use when preparing a 4-year-old for a procedure?
A) Explain the procedure in detailed, scientific terms 24 hours in advance.
B) Use simple, concrete terms and demonstrate on a doll immediately before the procedure. ✓
C) Avoid preparation to prevent unnecessary anxiety.
D) Have the parents explain the procedure after it is completed.
9. Which immunization is typically not administered at a 2-month well-child visit?
A) Rotavirus (RV)
B) Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP)
C) Inactivated poliovirus (IPV)
D) Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) ✓
10. A 14-year-old adolescent is preoccupied with body image and frequently compares
themselves to peers. According to Erikson, this is characteristic of which stage?
A) Industry vs. Inferiority
B) Identity vs. Role Confusion ✓
C) Intimacy vs. Isolation
D) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
11. When assessing vital signs in a 1-year-old, which finding would be considered normal?
A) Respiratory rate of 20/min
B) Heart rate of 110/min ✓
C) Blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg
D) Temperature of 35.5°C (95.9°F)
,12. The parent of a 3-year-old reports the child has an imaginary friend. The nurse should
recognize this as:
A) A sign of social isolation.
B) A normal part of cognitive and emotional development. ✓
C) A precursor to a psychological disorder.
D) A result of excessive television watching.
13. Which developmental milestone does the nurse expect when assessing a 9-month-old
infant?
A) Walking independently
B) Saying 3-5 words with meaning
C) Drinking from a cup with assistance
D) Using a pincer grasp ✓
14. What is the leading cause of death in adolescents?
A) Cancer
B) Infectious diseases
C) Unintentional injuries (including motor vehicle accidents) ✓
D) Congenital disorders
15. A 5-year-old is in the clinic. According to Erikson, successfully resolving the "Initiative vs.
Guilt" stage results in:
A) Hope
B) Will
C) Purpose ✓
D) Competence
16. Which play is most typical for a 2-year-old?
A) Cooperative play with others
B) Parallel play ✓
C) Competitive team sports
D) Solitary play exclusively
17. A nurse is teaching parents about dental health. When should the first dental visit be
scheduled?
A) When the first tooth erupts or by 12 months of age ✓
B) When all primary teeth have erupted, around age 3
C) When the child is old enough to sit still, around age 5
D) Only if a problem is suspected
, 18. Which statement by the parent of a 6-month-old indicates a need for further teaching
about safety?
A) "I always put my baby to sleep on their back."
B) "We have started using a walker to help them get around." ✓
C) "I keep the crib free of pillows and heavy blankets."
D) "We have installed safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs."
19. What is the recommended daily screen time limit for a 4-year-old?
A) No more than 1 hour of high-quality programming ✓
B) 2-3 hours for educational content
C) There is no specific limit.
D) Screen time should be avoided entirely.
20. A school-aged child (7-11 years) is in which of Piaget's cognitive stages?
A) Preoperational
B) Concrete Operational ✓
C) Formal Operational
D) Sensorimotor
21. Which nutrient is most important to prevent neural tube defects and should be
supplemented before and during pregnancy?
A) Iron
B) Vitamin D
C) Folic Acid ✓
D) Calcium
22. A nurse is assessing the fine motor skills of an 18-month-old. Which skill is expected?
A) Tying shoes
B) Using a spoon without rotation ✓
C) Copying a circle
D) Building a tower of 2 cubes
23. When discussing nutrition with the parents of a toddler, the nurse should recommend:
A) A low-fat diet to prevent obesity.
B) 4-6 ounces of fruit juice per day as a primary vitamin source.
C) Offering 1 tablespoon of food per year of age at each meal. ✓
D) Forcing the child to eat one food from every food group at each meal.
24. According to Freud, the preschool-age child is in which psychosexual stage?
A) Oral
