PNCB Exam Actual Exam 2026 | Pediatric Nursing
Certification Board (PNCB) Exam | Complete Questions and
Correct Answers | Verified Answers
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as experiencing the
world through senses and actions? - (Correct Answer) -Piaget's Sensorimotor,
Birth to 2 years
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as representing
things with words and images? - (Correct Answer) -Piaget's Preoperational, 2
to 6 years old
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as thinking logically
about concrete events and grasping concrete analogies? - (Correct Answer) -
Piaget's Concrete Operational, 7 to 11 years old
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as thinking about
hypothetical scenarios and processing abstract thoughts? - (Correct Answer)
-Piaget's Formal Operational, 12 to adulthood
What age range is Piaget's Formal Operational? - (Correct Answer) -12 to
adulthood
What age range is Piaget's Concrete Operational? - (Correct Answer) -7 to 11
years old
What age range is Piaget's Preoperational? - (Correct Answer) -2 to 6 years
old
,What age range is Piaget's Sensorimotor? - (Correct Answer) -Birth to 2 years
old
Describe independent play - (Correct Answer) -Common in ages 2-3
They are uninterested in or is unaware of what others are doing.
They are playing alone and maintains focus on its activity.
What stage of play is defined by playing alone and uninterested in or
unaware of what others are doing? - (Correct Answer) -Independent play
Describe Parallel Play - (Correct Answer) -Children play adjacent to each
other, but don't influence each other's play.
They are interested in what other children are playing, but plays alone.
Ages 2-3, but can start after 1st birthday
What stage of play is defined as interested in another's activity but playing
along side them without influencing or interacting with them? - (Correct
Answer) -Parallel play
What differentiates Parallel play vs Associative play? - (Correct Answer) -
Interaction. There is interaction with associative play, not with Parallel play.
In Associative, there is interest but no coordinated activity.
,What type of head trauma is typically associated with vacuum deliveries? -
(Correct Answer) -Subgaleal hemorrhage - ruptured emissary vein caused by
fragmentation of the parietal bone associated with skull fracture. Can extend
to the neck and orbits. May have crepitus, fluid waves and ill-defined borders
A quad screen expected result for a child with down syndrome would read? -
(Correct Answer) -Low levels of AFP
What AFP level would you expect in a child with esophageal atresia? -
(Correct Answer) -High
An 8 month old infant presents with significant head lag, what are you
suspicious of? - (Correct Answer) -Cerebral Palsy
When is an infant expected to double it's birth weight by? - (Correct Answer)
-5 months?
When is an infant expected to triple it's birth weight by? - (Correct Answer) -1
year
Pregnant Greeks and pregnant woman living in higher elevations should have
their newborns followed for? - (Correct Answer) -higher risk of
hyperbilirubinemia
, An indirect bili measures conjugated or unconjugated bili? - (Correct Answer)
-unconjugated
An infant presents with elevated total bili, what should you suspect? -
(Correct Answer) -biliary atresia
An infant assessment finds a cephalohematoma on exam, what should you
monitor the child for? - (Correct Answer) -hyperbilirubinemia
Which patient population has highest risk for hyperbilirubinemia? Asians,
African Americans, Greeks? - (Correct Answer) -Asians and American indians
have highest risk. African americans with G6PD deficiency are at greater risk,
as is Greeks and people who live in higher elevations.
A pregnant mother positive HIV presents to the hospital in labor, intact
membranes at 38 weeks with an unknown viral load. She has had 3 ARV.
What is the treatment plan? - (Correct Answer) -Patient with a viral load or
unknown viral load, despite receiving 3 ARV, should have a c-section.
What recurrent infection is commonly associated with HIV? - (Correct Answer)
-oral thrush
What is the treatment for Chlamydia Trachomatis conjuntivitis? - (Correct
Answer) -Oral Azithromycin is preferred (20mg/kg/day in 1 dose) for 3 days
or 40mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses for 14 days of erythromycin - eye drops
do NOT work
Certification Board (PNCB) Exam | Complete Questions and
Correct Answers | Verified Answers
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as experiencing the
world through senses and actions? - (Correct Answer) -Piaget's Sensorimotor,
Birth to 2 years
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as representing
things with words and images? - (Correct Answer) -Piaget's Preoperational, 2
to 6 years old
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as thinking logically
about concrete events and grasping concrete analogies? - (Correct Answer) -
Piaget's Concrete Operational, 7 to 11 years old
What is the developmental stage and age range defined as thinking about
hypothetical scenarios and processing abstract thoughts? - (Correct Answer)
-Piaget's Formal Operational, 12 to adulthood
What age range is Piaget's Formal Operational? - (Correct Answer) -12 to
adulthood
What age range is Piaget's Concrete Operational? - (Correct Answer) -7 to 11
years old
What age range is Piaget's Preoperational? - (Correct Answer) -2 to 6 years
old
,What age range is Piaget's Sensorimotor? - (Correct Answer) -Birth to 2 years
old
Describe independent play - (Correct Answer) -Common in ages 2-3
They are uninterested in or is unaware of what others are doing.
They are playing alone and maintains focus on its activity.
What stage of play is defined by playing alone and uninterested in or
unaware of what others are doing? - (Correct Answer) -Independent play
Describe Parallel Play - (Correct Answer) -Children play adjacent to each
other, but don't influence each other's play.
They are interested in what other children are playing, but plays alone.
Ages 2-3, but can start after 1st birthday
What stage of play is defined as interested in another's activity but playing
along side them without influencing or interacting with them? - (Correct
Answer) -Parallel play
What differentiates Parallel play vs Associative play? - (Correct Answer) -
Interaction. There is interaction with associative play, not with Parallel play.
In Associative, there is interest but no coordinated activity.
,What type of head trauma is typically associated with vacuum deliveries? -
(Correct Answer) -Subgaleal hemorrhage - ruptured emissary vein caused by
fragmentation of the parietal bone associated with skull fracture. Can extend
to the neck and orbits. May have crepitus, fluid waves and ill-defined borders
A quad screen expected result for a child with down syndrome would read? -
(Correct Answer) -Low levels of AFP
What AFP level would you expect in a child with esophageal atresia? -
(Correct Answer) -High
An 8 month old infant presents with significant head lag, what are you
suspicious of? - (Correct Answer) -Cerebral Palsy
When is an infant expected to double it's birth weight by? - (Correct Answer)
-5 months?
When is an infant expected to triple it's birth weight by? - (Correct Answer) -1
year
Pregnant Greeks and pregnant woman living in higher elevations should have
their newborns followed for? - (Correct Answer) -higher risk of
hyperbilirubinemia
, An indirect bili measures conjugated or unconjugated bili? - (Correct Answer)
-unconjugated
An infant presents with elevated total bili, what should you suspect? -
(Correct Answer) -biliary atresia
An infant assessment finds a cephalohematoma on exam, what should you
monitor the child for? - (Correct Answer) -hyperbilirubinemia
Which patient population has highest risk for hyperbilirubinemia? Asians,
African Americans, Greeks? - (Correct Answer) -Asians and American indians
have highest risk. African americans with G6PD deficiency are at greater risk,
as is Greeks and people who live in higher elevations.
A pregnant mother positive HIV presents to the hospital in labor, intact
membranes at 38 weeks with an unknown viral load. She has had 3 ARV.
What is the treatment plan? - (Correct Answer) -Patient with a viral load or
unknown viral load, despite receiving 3 ARV, should have a c-section.
What recurrent infection is commonly associated with HIV? - (Correct Answer)
-oral thrush
What is the treatment for Chlamydia Trachomatis conjuntivitis? - (Correct
Answer) -Oral Azithromycin is preferred (20mg/kg/day in 1 dose) for 3 days
or 40mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses for 14 days of erythromycin - eye drops
do NOT work