PASSPOINT PRO
NUR 272
Pediatric Clinical Scenarios & Priority
Nursing
100-Question Practice Exam
Medgar Evers College | Childbearing/Childrearing Family
100 10 A-D
QUESTIONS CLINICAL AREAS CHOICES
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS | ANSWER KEY + DETAILED RATIONALES AT THE END
Prioritization, emergency recognition, ABCs, clinical judgment, medication safety, family-centered care, delegation, and
discharge decisions.
,NUR 272 | PEDIATRIC CLINICAL SCENARIOS & PRIORITY NURSING
Practice Exam Instructions
Select the single best answer for each scenario. Use priority frameworks such as airway-breathing-circulation, acute versus stable
findings, safety, and expected versus unexpected changes. Complete all 100 questions before opening the answer section if you want
to use this as a mock exam.
Triage, Airway & Immediate Priorities
1. Four children arrive in the pediatric emergency department. Which child should the nurse assess first?
A. A 6-year-old with stridor at rest and suprasternal retractions
B. A 10-year-old with a sprained ankle and pain rated 7/10
C. A 4-year-old with a low-grade fever and runny nose
D. An 8-year-old requesting a school note after vomiting yesterday
2. A toddler is found choking but is still coughing forcefully and making sounds. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Give water to clear the object
B. Begin abdominal thrusts immediately
C. Encourage continued coughing while closely observing
D. Perform a blind finger sweep
3. A 5-year-old with suspected epiglottitis is drooling, sitting forward, and appears frightened. Which action is
the priority?
A. Obtain a throat culture with a tongue blade
B. Offer ice chips before further assessment
C. Place the child supine for a throat examination
D. Keep the child calm and prepare for controlled airway management
4. A child with severe asthma becomes drowsy and the previously loud wheezing becomes barely audible. How
should the nurse interpret this change?
A. The child may be developing respiratory failure
B. The child is entering normal sleep
C. The inhaled medication has caused expected sedation
D. The bronchospasm is resolving
5. A preschooler with vomiting and diarrhea is lethargic, has weak pulses, capillary refill of 5 seconds, and cool
extremities. Which action is the priority?
A. Offer a popsicle
B. Begin rapid assessment and treatment for hypovolemic shock
C. Obtain a routine daily weight first
D. Encourage the child to walk to the bathroom
6. A child returns from tonsillectomy and begins swallowing repeatedly while becoming pale and tachycardic.
What should the nurse do first?
A. Place a warm pack over the neck
B. Offer red gelatin
C. Assess for postoperative hemorrhage and notify the surgical team
D. Encourage coughing to clear the throat
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, NUR 272 | PEDIATRIC CLINICAL SCENARIOS & PRIORITY NURSING
7. A hospitalized child suddenly develops facial swelling, wheezing, and hypotension after an IV antibiotic
starts. Which action is the priority?
A. Give an oral antihistamine and continue the medication
B. Document the reaction after the dose is completed
C. Stop the suspected trigger and initiate emergency anaphylaxis treatment
D. Slow the infusion and reassess in 30 minutes
8. A child with a tracheostomy has sudden respiratory distress and no airflow through the tube. Which nursing
action is most appropriate first?
A. Give oral fluids
B. Cover the tracheostomy opening with an occlusive dressing
C. Wait for the provider before touching the tube
D. Assess tube patency and attempt suctioning according to the emergency plan
9. A 7-year-old is brought in after a bicycle crash. The child is pale, restless, and has abdominal tenderness
with a heart rate of 148/min. Which concern is highest priority?
A. Internal bleeding with developing shock
B. A mild concussion only
C. Fear of the hospital
D. Need for a tetanus record
10. Which child should the charge nurse move closest to the nurses station for the most frequent observation?
A. A child with constipation who is eating lunch
B. A child receiving treatment after a new seizure with fluctuating level of consciousness
C. A child with a stable arm cast awaiting discharge
D. A child with controlled eczema
Respiratory & Airway Clinical Scenarios
11. An infant with bronchiolitis is tachypneic and tires during feeding. Which nursing action should occur
before the next feed?
A. Place the infant flat immediately after feeding
B. Give a cough suppressant
C. Offer a larger bottle to reduce feeding frequency
D. Clear nasal secretions and reassess work of breathing
12. A school-age child with asthma has used a rescue inhaler twice but still has retractions and difficulty
speaking in full sentences. What is the nurse's priority?
A. Escalate care for a severe asthma exacerbation
B. Have the child exercise to open the lungs
C. Give a meal before further treatment
D. Continue home observation for another hour
13. A toddler suddenly coughs while eating peanuts and now has unilateral wheezing. Which action is most
appropriate?
A. Suspect foreign-body aspiration and arrange urgent airway evaluation
B. Treat as seasonal allergies
C. Give cough syrup and discharge
D. Encourage the child to eat more solid food
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NUR 272
Pediatric Clinical Scenarios & Priority
Nursing
100-Question Practice Exam
Medgar Evers College | Childbearing/Childrearing Family
100 10 A-D
QUESTIONS CLINICAL AREAS CHOICES
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS | ANSWER KEY + DETAILED RATIONALES AT THE END
Prioritization, emergency recognition, ABCs, clinical judgment, medication safety, family-centered care, delegation, and
discharge decisions.
,NUR 272 | PEDIATRIC CLINICAL SCENARIOS & PRIORITY NURSING
Practice Exam Instructions
Select the single best answer for each scenario. Use priority frameworks such as airway-breathing-circulation, acute versus stable
findings, safety, and expected versus unexpected changes. Complete all 100 questions before opening the answer section if you want
to use this as a mock exam.
Triage, Airway & Immediate Priorities
1. Four children arrive in the pediatric emergency department. Which child should the nurse assess first?
A. A 6-year-old with stridor at rest and suprasternal retractions
B. A 10-year-old with a sprained ankle and pain rated 7/10
C. A 4-year-old with a low-grade fever and runny nose
D. An 8-year-old requesting a school note after vomiting yesterday
2. A toddler is found choking but is still coughing forcefully and making sounds. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Give water to clear the object
B. Begin abdominal thrusts immediately
C. Encourage continued coughing while closely observing
D. Perform a blind finger sweep
3. A 5-year-old with suspected epiglottitis is drooling, sitting forward, and appears frightened. Which action is
the priority?
A. Obtain a throat culture with a tongue blade
B. Offer ice chips before further assessment
C. Place the child supine for a throat examination
D. Keep the child calm and prepare for controlled airway management
4. A child with severe asthma becomes drowsy and the previously loud wheezing becomes barely audible. How
should the nurse interpret this change?
A. The child may be developing respiratory failure
B. The child is entering normal sleep
C. The inhaled medication has caused expected sedation
D. The bronchospasm is resolving
5. A preschooler with vomiting and diarrhea is lethargic, has weak pulses, capillary refill of 5 seconds, and cool
extremities. Which action is the priority?
A. Offer a popsicle
B. Begin rapid assessment and treatment for hypovolemic shock
C. Obtain a routine daily weight first
D. Encourage the child to walk to the bathroom
6. A child returns from tonsillectomy and begins swallowing repeatedly while becoming pale and tachycardic.
What should the nurse do first?
A. Place a warm pack over the neck
B. Offer red gelatin
C. Assess for postoperative hemorrhage and notify the surgical team
D. Encourage coughing to clear the throat
PassPoint Pro Page 2
, NUR 272 | PEDIATRIC CLINICAL SCENARIOS & PRIORITY NURSING
7. A hospitalized child suddenly develops facial swelling, wheezing, and hypotension after an IV antibiotic
starts. Which action is the priority?
A. Give an oral antihistamine and continue the medication
B. Document the reaction after the dose is completed
C. Stop the suspected trigger and initiate emergency anaphylaxis treatment
D. Slow the infusion and reassess in 30 minutes
8. A child with a tracheostomy has sudden respiratory distress and no airflow through the tube. Which nursing
action is most appropriate first?
A. Give oral fluids
B. Cover the tracheostomy opening with an occlusive dressing
C. Wait for the provider before touching the tube
D. Assess tube patency and attempt suctioning according to the emergency plan
9. A 7-year-old is brought in after a bicycle crash. The child is pale, restless, and has abdominal tenderness
with a heart rate of 148/min. Which concern is highest priority?
A. Internal bleeding with developing shock
B. A mild concussion only
C. Fear of the hospital
D. Need for a tetanus record
10. Which child should the charge nurse move closest to the nurses station for the most frequent observation?
A. A child with constipation who is eating lunch
B. A child receiving treatment after a new seizure with fluctuating level of consciousness
C. A child with a stable arm cast awaiting discharge
D. A child with controlled eczema
Respiratory & Airway Clinical Scenarios
11. An infant with bronchiolitis is tachypneic and tires during feeding. Which nursing action should occur
before the next feed?
A. Place the infant flat immediately after feeding
B. Give a cough suppressant
C. Offer a larger bottle to reduce feeding frequency
D. Clear nasal secretions and reassess work of breathing
12. A school-age child with asthma has used a rescue inhaler twice but still has retractions and difficulty
speaking in full sentences. What is the nurse's priority?
A. Escalate care for a severe asthma exacerbation
B. Have the child exercise to open the lungs
C. Give a meal before further treatment
D. Continue home observation for another hour
13. A toddler suddenly coughs while eating peanuts and now has unilateral wheezing. Which action is most
appropriate?
A. Suspect foreign-body aspiration and arrange urgent airway evaluation
B. Treat as seasonal allergies
C. Give cough syrup and discharge
D. Encourage the child to eat more solid food
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