1
PNCB CPN Exam Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: Growth & Development — Questions 1-60]
Q1: By 2 months of age, which milestone should a nurse practitioner expect an infant to achieve?
A. Walking with support
B. Rolling from front to back
C. Lifting the head 45 degrees when prone
D. Saying "mama" and "dada"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: By 2 months, infants typically achieve sufficient head control to lift their head 45
degrees when in the prone position and may lift their head momentarily when held upright.
Walking with support (A) is a later milestone (around 9-12 months). Rolling front to back (B)
usually occurs around 4 months. Babbling (D) begins around 4-6 months.
Q2: A 9-month-old infant is sitting well without support. This indicates development in which
gross motor milestone?
A. Pulling to a stand
B. Sitting alone
C. Crawling
D. Walking
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: By 9 months, an infant should be able to sit without support for long periods. Pulling
to a stand (A) typically occurs later (around 10-12 months). Crawling (C) typically begins
,2
around 7-9 months but sitting is a prerequisite and often achieved earlier. Walking (D) occurs
closer to 12 months.
Q3: Which developmental milestone is expected for a 4-month-old infant?
A. Transferring objects hand to hand
B. Rolling from back to front
C. Standing alone
D. Using a pincer grasp
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: At 4 months, infants usually develop the ability to roll over, typically from back to
front. Transferring objects (A) usually occurs around 6 months. Standing alone (C) and pincer
grasp (D) are typically 12-month and 9-month milestones, respectively.
Q4: A 12-month-old child is brought to the clinic. Which behavior indicates normal
development?
A. Standing alone and perhaps taking first steps
B. Drawing a circle
C. Speaking in complete sentences
D. Playing cooperatively with peers
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: By 12 months, infants typically achieve the milestone of standing alone and may be
taking their first steps. Drawing a circle (B) is expected around age 3. Speaking in complete
sentences (C) is expected around age 3. Cooperative play (D) emerges in the preschool years (3-
5 years).
Q5: According to Erikson's theory of development, which psychosocial crisis corresponds to the
toddler stage (1-3 years)?
A. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
,3
B. Trust vs. mistrust
C. Initiative vs. guilt
D. Industry vs. inferiority
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The primary developmental task of the toddler years (1-3) is achieving autonomy
(independence) over feelings of shame and doubt. Trust vs. mistrust (B) is the crisis of infancy
(0-1). Initiative vs. guilt (C) is the preschool crisis (3-6). Industry vs. inferiority (D) is the
school-age crisis (6-12).
Q6: A nurse is teaching parents about Piaget's cognitive stages. A child in the preoperational
stage (2-7 years) is characterized by:
A. Abstract reasoning
B. Magical thinking and egocentrism
C. Conservation of mass
D. Deductive logic
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The preoperational stage is defined by egocentrism (inability to see another's
perspective) and magical thinking (believing their thoughts control the world). Abstract
reasoning (A) and deductive logic (D) are formal operational tasks (11+ years). Conservation (C)
is a concrete operational task (7-11 years).
Q7: Which play style is characteristic of a 2-year-old toddler?
A. Solitary play
B. Associative play
C. Cooperative play
D. Parallel play
, 4
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Parallel play occurs when children play near each other but not with each other, which
is typical for toddlers. Solitary play (A) is typical of infants. Associative play (B) begins in the
preschool years. Cooperative play (C) is characteristic of school-age children.
Q8: A 4-year-old child can hop on one foot and catches a ball. This demonstrates motor
competence in which age group?
A. Preschooler
B. Toddler
C. Infant
D. School-age
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hopping on one foot and catching a ball are gross motor skills expected of a
preschooler (3-5 years). Toddlers (B) run and climb but lack the coordination to hop on one foot.
Infants (C) and school-age (D) skills differ; infants sit/crawl, school-age children engage in
complex sports.
Q9: At what age does "stranger anxiety" typically peak in an infant?
A. 2 months
B. 6-8 months
C. 12 months
D. 2 years
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety typically peaks around 6-8 months of age as the infant's ability to
distinguish familiar from unfamiliar faces improves. At 2 months (A), infants may smile
indiscriminately. By 12-18 months (C, D), stranger anxiety wanes and separation anxiety
increases.
PNCB CPN Exam Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: Growth & Development — Questions 1-60]
Q1: By 2 months of age, which milestone should a nurse practitioner expect an infant to achieve?
A. Walking with support
B. Rolling from front to back
C. Lifting the head 45 degrees when prone
D. Saying "mama" and "dada"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: By 2 months, infants typically achieve sufficient head control to lift their head 45
degrees when in the prone position and may lift their head momentarily when held upright.
Walking with support (A) is a later milestone (around 9-12 months). Rolling front to back (B)
usually occurs around 4 months. Babbling (D) begins around 4-6 months.
Q2: A 9-month-old infant is sitting well without support. This indicates development in which
gross motor milestone?
A. Pulling to a stand
B. Sitting alone
C. Crawling
D. Walking
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: By 9 months, an infant should be able to sit without support for long periods. Pulling
to a stand (A) typically occurs later (around 10-12 months). Crawling (C) typically begins
,2
around 7-9 months but sitting is a prerequisite and often achieved earlier. Walking (D) occurs
closer to 12 months.
Q3: Which developmental milestone is expected for a 4-month-old infant?
A. Transferring objects hand to hand
B. Rolling from back to front
C. Standing alone
D. Using a pincer grasp
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: At 4 months, infants usually develop the ability to roll over, typically from back to
front. Transferring objects (A) usually occurs around 6 months. Standing alone (C) and pincer
grasp (D) are typically 12-month and 9-month milestones, respectively.
Q4: A 12-month-old child is brought to the clinic. Which behavior indicates normal
development?
A. Standing alone and perhaps taking first steps
B. Drawing a circle
C. Speaking in complete sentences
D. Playing cooperatively with peers
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: By 12 months, infants typically achieve the milestone of standing alone and may be
taking their first steps. Drawing a circle (B) is expected around age 3. Speaking in complete
sentences (C) is expected around age 3. Cooperative play (D) emerges in the preschool years (3-
5 years).
Q5: According to Erikson's theory of development, which psychosocial crisis corresponds to the
toddler stage (1-3 years)?
A. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
,3
B. Trust vs. mistrust
C. Initiative vs. guilt
D. Industry vs. inferiority
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The primary developmental task of the toddler years (1-3) is achieving autonomy
(independence) over feelings of shame and doubt. Trust vs. mistrust (B) is the crisis of infancy
(0-1). Initiative vs. guilt (C) is the preschool crisis (3-6). Industry vs. inferiority (D) is the
school-age crisis (6-12).
Q6: A nurse is teaching parents about Piaget's cognitive stages. A child in the preoperational
stage (2-7 years) is characterized by:
A. Abstract reasoning
B. Magical thinking and egocentrism
C. Conservation of mass
D. Deductive logic
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The preoperational stage is defined by egocentrism (inability to see another's
perspective) and magical thinking (believing their thoughts control the world). Abstract
reasoning (A) and deductive logic (D) are formal operational tasks (11+ years). Conservation (C)
is a concrete operational task (7-11 years).
Q7: Which play style is characteristic of a 2-year-old toddler?
A. Solitary play
B. Associative play
C. Cooperative play
D. Parallel play
, 4
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Parallel play occurs when children play near each other but not with each other, which
is typical for toddlers. Solitary play (A) is typical of infants. Associative play (B) begins in the
preschool years. Cooperative play (C) is characteristic of school-age children.
Q8: A 4-year-old child can hop on one foot and catches a ball. This demonstrates motor
competence in which age group?
A. Preschooler
B. Toddler
C. Infant
D. School-age
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hopping on one foot and catching a ball are gross motor skills expected of a
preschooler (3-5 years). Toddlers (B) run and climb but lack the coordination to hop on one foot.
Infants (C) and school-age (D) skills differ; infants sit/crawl, school-age children engage in
complex sports.
Q9: At what age does "stranger anxiety" typically peak in an infant?
A. 2 months
B. 6-8 months
C. 12 months
D. 2 years
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety typically peaks around 6-8 months of age as the infant's ability to
distinguish familiar from unfamiliar faces improves. At 2 months (A), infants may smile
indiscriminately. By 12-18 months (C, D), stranger anxiety wanes and separation anxiety
increases.
