ATI RN Pediatric Nursing Proctored Exam Prep 2026 | 200
Practice Questions & Detailed Answers | NGN + Online
Practice + Dosage Calculations | Complete Package
Questions 1–200
1. A nurse is caring for a 2yearold child who has severe dehydration. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased heart rate
B. Increased skin turgor
C. Sunken fontanels
D. Increased urine output
Answer: C. Sunken fontanels are a classic sign of severe dehydration in infants and toddlers. Other signs
include tachycardia (increased heart rate, not decreased), decreased skin turgor, and decreased urine
output.
2. A nurse is assessing a 4yearold child. According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development,
which developmental task should the nurse expect the child to be working on?
A. Trust vs. mistrust
B. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
C. Initiative vs. guilt
D. Industry vs. inferiority
Answer: C. According to Erikson, preschoolers (ages 35) are in the initiative vs. guilt stage. They begin to
assert control and power over their environment by initiating activities.
,3. A nurse is performing a developmental screening on a 12monthold infant. Which of the following fine
motor milestones should the nurse expect the infant to have achieved?
A. Pincer grasp
B. Building a tower of two blocks
C. Scribbling spontaneously
D. Using a spoon without spilling
Answer: A. By 12 months, infants typically have developed a pincer grasp (using thumb and forefinger to
pick up small objects). Building a tower of two blocks usually occurs around 15 months, and scribbling
around 18 months.
4. A nurse is teaching a parent about car seat safety for a 6monthold infant. Which of the following
instructions should the nurse include?
A. Place the infant in a forwardfacing car seat
B. Place the infant in a rearfacing car seat in the back seat
C. Place the infant in a booster seat in the front seat
D. Place the infant in a rearfacing car seat in the front seat with airbag disabled
Answer: B. Infants and toddlers should remain in a rearfacing car seat in the back seat until they reach
the maximum height or weight limit for the seat (typically at least 2 years of age).
5. A nurse is caring for a child who has suspected epiglottitis. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take FIRST?
A. Obtain a throat culture
B. Prepare for endotracheal intubation
C. Place the child in a supine position
,D. Administer oral antibiotics
Answer: B. Epiglottitis is a medical emergency that can cause rapid airway obstruction. The nurse should
prepare for possible intubation and avoid any procedures that could agitate the child (such as throat
cultures or placing the child supine).
6. A nurse is calculating the daily fluid requirement for a child who weighs 22 kg. Using the standard
maintenance fluid calculation, what is the total daily fluid requirement?
A. 1,200 mL
B. 1,500 mL
C. 1,700 mL
D. 2,000 mL
Answer: C. Using the standard maintenance fluid calculation: 100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg (1,000 mL), 50
mL/kg for the next 10 kg (500 mL), and 20 mL/kg for the remaining 2 kg (40 mL). Total = 1,000 + 500 + 40
= 1,540 mL (closest to 1,500 mL). Note: the actual calculation yields 1,540 mL.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin to a 6monthold infant with heart failure. Prior to
administration, which of the following assessments is the priority?
A. Respiratory rate
B. Apical pulse rate
C. Blood pressure
D. Temperature
Answer: B. The priority assessment before administering digoxin is the apical pulse rate. Digoxin should
be withheld if the infant's apical pulse is below the recommended rate (typically <90110 bpm for
infants).
, 8. A nurse is teaching a parent of a child with cystic fibrosis about pancreatic enzyme replacement
therapy. The nurse should instruct the parent to administer the enzymes:
A. Once daily with a full glass of water
B. With meals and snacks
C. Before bedtime
D. On an empty stomach
Answer: B. Pancreatic enzymes should be administered with meals and snacks to replace the enzymes
the pancreas cannot produce, aiding in the digestion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
9. A nurse is caring for a 3yearold child who has been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. Which of the
following findings is the priority for the nurse to report to the provider?
A. Conjunctival injection
B. Strawberry tongue
C. Irritability
D. New onset of a murmur
Answer: D. Kawasaki disease can cause coronary artery aneurysms. A new onset murmur may indicate
cardiac involvement and should be reported immediately. Conjunctival injection and strawberry tongue
are expected findings.
10. A nurse is assessing a newborn who was born at 38 weeks gestation. Which of the following findings
should the nurse report to the provider?
A. Acrocyanosis
B. Positive Moro reflex
Practice Questions & Detailed Answers | NGN + Online
Practice + Dosage Calculations | Complete Package
Questions 1–200
1. A nurse is caring for a 2yearold child who has severe dehydration. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect?
A. Decreased heart rate
B. Increased skin turgor
C. Sunken fontanels
D. Increased urine output
Answer: C. Sunken fontanels are a classic sign of severe dehydration in infants and toddlers. Other signs
include tachycardia (increased heart rate, not decreased), decreased skin turgor, and decreased urine
output.
2. A nurse is assessing a 4yearold child. According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development,
which developmental task should the nurse expect the child to be working on?
A. Trust vs. mistrust
B. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
C. Initiative vs. guilt
D. Industry vs. inferiority
Answer: C. According to Erikson, preschoolers (ages 35) are in the initiative vs. guilt stage. They begin to
assert control and power over their environment by initiating activities.
,3. A nurse is performing a developmental screening on a 12monthold infant. Which of the following fine
motor milestones should the nurse expect the infant to have achieved?
A. Pincer grasp
B. Building a tower of two blocks
C. Scribbling spontaneously
D. Using a spoon without spilling
Answer: A. By 12 months, infants typically have developed a pincer grasp (using thumb and forefinger to
pick up small objects). Building a tower of two blocks usually occurs around 15 months, and scribbling
around 18 months.
4. A nurse is teaching a parent about car seat safety for a 6monthold infant. Which of the following
instructions should the nurse include?
A. Place the infant in a forwardfacing car seat
B. Place the infant in a rearfacing car seat in the back seat
C. Place the infant in a booster seat in the front seat
D. Place the infant in a rearfacing car seat in the front seat with airbag disabled
Answer: B. Infants and toddlers should remain in a rearfacing car seat in the back seat until they reach
the maximum height or weight limit for the seat (typically at least 2 years of age).
5. A nurse is caring for a child who has suspected epiglottitis. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take FIRST?
A. Obtain a throat culture
B. Prepare for endotracheal intubation
C. Place the child in a supine position
,D. Administer oral antibiotics
Answer: B. Epiglottitis is a medical emergency that can cause rapid airway obstruction. The nurse should
prepare for possible intubation and avoid any procedures that could agitate the child (such as throat
cultures or placing the child supine).
6. A nurse is calculating the daily fluid requirement for a child who weighs 22 kg. Using the standard
maintenance fluid calculation, what is the total daily fluid requirement?
A. 1,200 mL
B. 1,500 mL
C. 1,700 mL
D. 2,000 mL
Answer: C. Using the standard maintenance fluid calculation: 100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg (1,000 mL), 50
mL/kg for the next 10 kg (500 mL), and 20 mL/kg for the remaining 2 kg (40 mL). Total = 1,000 + 500 + 40
= 1,540 mL (closest to 1,500 mL). Note: the actual calculation yields 1,540 mL.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin to a 6monthold infant with heart failure. Prior to
administration, which of the following assessments is the priority?
A. Respiratory rate
B. Apical pulse rate
C. Blood pressure
D. Temperature
Answer: B. The priority assessment before administering digoxin is the apical pulse rate. Digoxin should
be withheld if the infant's apical pulse is below the recommended rate (typically <90110 bpm for
infants).
, 8. A nurse is teaching a parent of a child with cystic fibrosis about pancreatic enzyme replacement
therapy. The nurse should instruct the parent to administer the enzymes:
A. Once daily with a full glass of water
B. With meals and snacks
C. Before bedtime
D. On an empty stomach
Answer: B. Pancreatic enzymes should be administered with meals and snacks to replace the enzymes
the pancreas cannot produce, aiding in the digestion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
9. A nurse is caring for a 3yearold child who has been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. Which of the
following findings is the priority for the nurse to report to the provider?
A. Conjunctival injection
B. Strawberry tongue
C. Irritability
D. New onset of a murmur
Answer: D. Kawasaki disease can cause coronary artery aneurysms. A new onset murmur may indicate
cardiac involvement and should be reported immediately. Conjunctival injection and strawberry tongue
are expected findings.
10. A nurse is assessing a newborn who was born at 38 weeks gestation. Which of the following findings
should the nurse report to the provider?
A. Acrocyanosis
B. Positive Moro reflex
