NATIONAL BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION OF SCHOOL NURSES
(NBCSN) EXAM STUDY GUIDE | QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | NEW
2026/ 2027 UPDATE | GRADED A+| 100% CORRECT (VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS)
What is the overall purpose of licensure for an RN? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Protection of the public.
Why is the State's Nurse Practice Act important? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
It identifies who can be a nurse and what an RN can and cannot do within the confines of the license
(scope of practice).
It is important to understand that the RN's scope of practice is governed at the state level. Therefore,
requirements for practicing as a nurse, in general, and as a school nurse specifically vary by state.
Can district policies require the nurse to do activities not permitted in the state's Nurse Practice Act?
-
CORRECT|ANSWER
No. However, district policies can restrict the nurse from practicing within his/her full scope. Even if
district policies are more restrictive, the nurse must maintain and use his/her nursing knowledge
when called to do so.
What is the difference between certification and accreditation? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Certification denotes mastery of a body of knowledge for the individual.
Accreditation is provided to an organization that demonstrates the achievements of specific
standards of quality outlined by the accrediting body.
What is the ultimate purpose of school nursing? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Support the success of the student.
2. Have the students in their learning environment in their optimal state of health.
,How does school nursing specifically support success of students? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Provide healthcare through assessment, intervention, and follow up for all children in the school
setting
2. Address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of students.
3. Bridge health care and education.
What are the steps of the nursing process? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Assessment: collect data
2 Diagnosis: interpret data, make hypothesis
3. Identify expected outcomes
4. Planning
5. Implementation
6. Evaluation
7. Follow-up
What is the difference between subjective and objective data? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Subjective data: what the patient says
Objective data: what is seen, heard, felt, smelled
What are the standards of practice? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Agreed-upon level of practice developed by the profession with a goal to promote quality care.
2. Best practice
3. Professional expectations
They are NOT law.
Define primary prevention and give an example -
CORRECT|ANSWER
,Promoting the health all of through interventions like promoting immunizations and health
promotion behaviors (proper nutrition, sleep, dental care, use of seat belts, bike helmets)
Define secondary prevention and give an example. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Identifying problems early to promote early intervention in those most at risk
Example: screening high-risk groups
Cephalocaudal development refers to: -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Development from head to toe
Proximodistal development refers to: -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Development from the core to the extremities
This includes the concept of development of gross motor to fine motor skills.
What is a developmental assessment? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Comparison of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial markers of what a child is expected to do based
on chronological age.
Why is the school nurse's ability to complete a developmental assessment important? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays leads to decreased
morbidity.
Chronological age is __________. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
years or months since birth.
Mental age is ___________. -
, CORRECT|ANSWER
Level of cognitive function
communication with a child should be geared towards the child's mental age.
How is bone age determined and why is it used? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
A bone age is determined based on an x-ray of the carpals of the wrist. It is typically performed on
school age children who have short stature.
As a school nurse with a concern that a child in your school has symptoms of a particular condition or
is not developmentally at a level with their peers, what is your best action? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Suggest to a parent that they ask the child's primary care provider at his/her next appointment
about the particular symptoms. School nurses' cannot diagnose, but they can make observations of
particular symptoms and suggest further evaluation and diagnosis by the child's primary health care
provider.
The focus of Piaget's developmental theory is on what component of development? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Cognitive development
Piaget's cognitive developmental theory states that a child's cognitive development occurs through
interaction with the ___________. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Environment
List characteristics of Piaget's cognitive theory for the pre-operational phase. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. 2-7 years of age
2. Non-logical thought
3. Egocentricity (see the world only from their perspective)
4. Role play an effective strategy for teaching
(NBCSN) EXAM STUDY GUIDE | QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | NEW
2026/ 2027 UPDATE | GRADED A+| 100% CORRECT (VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS)
What is the overall purpose of licensure for an RN? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Protection of the public.
Why is the State's Nurse Practice Act important? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
It identifies who can be a nurse and what an RN can and cannot do within the confines of the license
(scope of practice).
It is important to understand that the RN's scope of practice is governed at the state level. Therefore,
requirements for practicing as a nurse, in general, and as a school nurse specifically vary by state.
Can district policies require the nurse to do activities not permitted in the state's Nurse Practice Act?
-
CORRECT|ANSWER
No. However, district policies can restrict the nurse from practicing within his/her full scope. Even if
district policies are more restrictive, the nurse must maintain and use his/her nursing knowledge
when called to do so.
What is the difference between certification and accreditation? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Certification denotes mastery of a body of knowledge for the individual.
Accreditation is provided to an organization that demonstrates the achievements of specific
standards of quality outlined by the accrediting body.
What is the ultimate purpose of school nursing? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Support the success of the student.
2. Have the students in their learning environment in their optimal state of health.
,How does school nursing specifically support success of students? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Provide healthcare through assessment, intervention, and follow up for all children in the school
setting
2. Address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of students.
3. Bridge health care and education.
What are the steps of the nursing process? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Assessment: collect data
2 Diagnosis: interpret data, make hypothesis
3. Identify expected outcomes
4. Planning
5. Implementation
6. Evaluation
7. Follow-up
What is the difference between subjective and objective data? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Subjective data: what the patient says
Objective data: what is seen, heard, felt, smelled
What are the standards of practice? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. Agreed-upon level of practice developed by the profession with a goal to promote quality care.
2. Best practice
3. Professional expectations
They are NOT law.
Define primary prevention and give an example -
CORRECT|ANSWER
,Promoting the health all of through interventions like promoting immunizations and health
promotion behaviors (proper nutrition, sleep, dental care, use of seat belts, bike helmets)
Define secondary prevention and give an example. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Identifying problems early to promote early intervention in those most at risk
Example: screening high-risk groups
Cephalocaudal development refers to: -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Development from head to toe
Proximodistal development refers to: -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Development from the core to the extremities
This includes the concept of development of gross motor to fine motor skills.
What is a developmental assessment? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Comparison of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial markers of what a child is expected to do based
on chronological age.
Why is the school nurse's ability to complete a developmental assessment important? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays leads to decreased
morbidity.
Chronological age is __________. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
years or months since birth.
Mental age is ___________. -
, CORRECT|ANSWER
Level of cognitive function
communication with a child should be geared towards the child's mental age.
How is bone age determined and why is it used? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
A bone age is determined based on an x-ray of the carpals of the wrist. It is typically performed on
school age children who have short stature.
As a school nurse with a concern that a child in your school has symptoms of a particular condition or
is not developmentally at a level with their peers, what is your best action? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Suggest to a parent that they ask the child's primary care provider at his/her next appointment
about the particular symptoms. School nurses' cannot diagnose, but they can make observations of
particular symptoms and suggest further evaluation and diagnosis by the child's primary health care
provider.
The focus of Piaget's developmental theory is on what component of development? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Cognitive development
Piaget's cognitive developmental theory states that a child's cognitive development occurs through
interaction with the ___________. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Environment
List characteristics of Piaget's cognitive theory for the pre-operational phase. -
CORRECT|ANSWER
1. 2-7 years of age
2. Non-logical thought
3. Egocentricity (see the world only from their perspective)
4. Role play an effective strategy for teaching
