ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM
(2026) NGN-STYLE QUESTIONS, CASE
SCENARIO & ANSWERS, 100%
VERIFIED GRADED A+ | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains:
• Growth and Development Across Pediatric Age Groups (Infant, Toddler, Preschool,
School-Age, Adolescent)
• Pediatric Health Assessment and Physical Examination Techniques
• Common Pediatric Disorders (Respiratory, Cardiac, GI, Neurologic, Infectious)
• Pediatric Pharmacology and Medication Administration
• Immunizations and Vaccine Schedules
• Family-Centered Care and Therapeutic Communication
• Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting
• Health Promotion, Safety, and Injury Prevention
• Nutritional Needs and Dietary Management
• NGN-Style Clinical Judgment and Prioritization
Introduction:
This comprehensive practice examination is designed to evaluate practical nursing
knowledge and clinical judgment in pediatric nursing, specifically aligned with the ATI PN
Pediatric Proctored Exam for 2026. The exam covers critical concepts including growth and
developmental milestones across pediatric age groups, health assessment and physical
examination techniques, common pediatric disorders and their nursing management,
pharmacological calculations and medication administration, immunizations and vaccine
schedules, family-centered care, and safety considerations. Candidates will demonstrate
their ability to interpret clinical scenarios, apply evidence-based practice, prioritize nursing
interventions, and make informed clinical decisions. Emphasis is placed on Next
Generation NCLEX (NGN)-style questions, including case studies, bow-tie questions, and
matrix questions that mirror the format and difficulty of the actual exam. Successful
completion ensures readiness for the ATI PN Pediatric Proctored Exam and professional
nursing practice in pediatric settings.
,Question 1
A nurse is assessing a 4-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which of the following
developmental milestones should the nurse expect the infant to have achieved?
A. Sitting without support
B. Rolling from back to abdomen
C. Holding head erect when held upright
D. Pincer grasp
C
RATIONALE: By 4 months of age, an infant should be able to hold the head erect when held
upright. Rolling from back to abdomen typically occurs at 5-6 months, sitting without support at
8 months, and pincer grasp at 9-10 months.
Question 2
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parents of a 2-year-old toddler about expected
developmental milestones. Which statement by the parent indicates understanding?
A. "My child should be able to ride a tricycle."
B. "My child should be able to use a fork and spoon."
C. "My child should be able to tie shoelaces."
D. "My child should be able to hop on one foot."
B
RATIONALE: A 2-year-old toddler should be able to use a fork and spoon. Riding a tricycle
typically occurs at 3-4 years, tying shoelaces at 5-6 years, and hopping on one foot at 4-5 years.
Question 3
A nurse is assessing a 7-year-old child. Which developmental characteristic should the nurse
expect?
A. Egocentric thinking
B. Concrete operational thinking
C. Abstract thinking
D. Magical thinking
B
RATIONALE: School-age children (7-11 years) are in Piaget's concrete operational stage,
characterized by logical thinking about concrete events. Egocentric thinking is typical of
toddlers, abstract thinking develops in adolescence, and magical thinking is characteristic of
preschoolers.
Question 4
A nurse is assessing a 12-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which of the following
findings should the nurse expect?
,A. The infant can walk independently
B. The infant can build a tower of two blocks
C. The infant can say three words
D. The infant can use a spoon
B
RATIONALE: By 12 months, infants typically can build a tower of two blocks, walk with
assistance, say "mama" and "dada" specifically, and use a pincer grasp. Walking independently
usually occurs around 12-15 months; using a spoon occurs around 15-18 months.
Question 5
A nurse is providing anticipatory guidance to the parents of a 2-month-old infant. Which of the
following developmental milestones should the nurse include?
A. The infant will begin to smile socially
B. The infant will begin to sit independently
C. The infant will begin to crawl
D. The infant will begin to wave "bye-bye"
A
RATIONALE: Social smiling typically begins around 2 months of age. Sitting independently
occurs at approximately 6-8 months, crawling at 7-10 months, and waving "bye-bye" at 9-12
months.
Question 6
A nurse is assessing an adolescent client. Which of the following behaviors is consistent with
Piaget's formal operational stage of cognitive development?
A. The adolescent thinks concretely about objects
B. The adolescent can think abstractly and use deductive reasoning
C. The adolescent is egocentric and cannot see others' perspectives
D. The adolescent relies on trial and error to solve problems
B
RATIONALE: Piaget's formal operational stage (12 years and older) is characterized by the
ability to think abstractly, use deductive reasoning, and consider hypothetical situations.
Concrete thinking is characteristic of the concrete operational stage (7-11 years).
Question 7
A nurse is assessing a 7-year-old child. Which of the following developmental tasks is
characteristic of the school-age child according to Erikson's theory?
A. Developing a sense of trust
B. Developing a sense of industry
, C. Developing a sense of autonomy
D. Developing a sense of identity
B
RATIONALE: According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, the school-age child (6-12 years)
is in the stage of Industry vs. Inferiority, where children develop a sense of competence and
achievement through learning new skills. Trust vs. Mistrust is the infant stage, Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt is the toddler stage, and Identity vs. Role Confusion is the adolescent stage.
Question 8
A nurse is assessing a 2-year-old toddler. Which of the following findings should the nurse
identify as a developmental delay requiring further evaluation?
A. The toddler uses two-word phrases
B. The toddler walks independently
C. The toddler cannot stack two blocks
D. The toddler has a vocabulary of approximately 50 words
C
RATIONALE: By 24 months, a toddler should be able to stack 4-6 blocks. The inability to
stack two blocks at 2 years of age is a developmental delay that requires further evaluation.
Using two-word phrases, walking independently, and having a vocabulary of about 50 words are
all expected milestones for a 2-year-old.
Question 9
A nurse is assessing a 3-year-old preschooler. Which behavior is characteristic of this age group?
A. Parallel play
B. Cooperative play
C. Fantasy and make-believe play
D. Solitary play
C
RATIONALE: Preschoolers (3-5 years) engage in fantasy and make-believe play, which is
characteristic of their developing imagination and cognitive abilities.
Question 10
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parents of a 10-year-old child about growth and
development. Which statement by the parent indicates understanding?
A. "My child will have a growth spurt soon."
B. "My child should be able to think abstractly."
C. "My child should be able to understand cause and effect."
D. "My child should be focused on peer relationships."
(2026) NGN-STYLE QUESTIONS, CASE
SCENARIO & ANSWERS, 100%
VERIFIED GRADED A+ | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
Core Domains:
• Growth and Development Across Pediatric Age Groups (Infant, Toddler, Preschool,
School-Age, Adolescent)
• Pediatric Health Assessment and Physical Examination Techniques
• Common Pediatric Disorders (Respiratory, Cardiac, GI, Neurologic, Infectious)
• Pediatric Pharmacology and Medication Administration
• Immunizations and Vaccine Schedules
• Family-Centered Care and Therapeutic Communication
• Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting
• Health Promotion, Safety, and Injury Prevention
• Nutritional Needs and Dietary Management
• NGN-Style Clinical Judgment and Prioritization
Introduction:
This comprehensive practice examination is designed to evaluate practical nursing
knowledge and clinical judgment in pediatric nursing, specifically aligned with the ATI PN
Pediatric Proctored Exam for 2026. The exam covers critical concepts including growth and
developmental milestones across pediatric age groups, health assessment and physical
examination techniques, common pediatric disorders and their nursing management,
pharmacological calculations and medication administration, immunizations and vaccine
schedules, family-centered care, and safety considerations. Candidates will demonstrate
their ability to interpret clinical scenarios, apply evidence-based practice, prioritize nursing
interventions, and make informed clinical decisions. Emphasis is placed on Next
Generation NCLEX (NGN)-style questions, including case studies, bow-tie questions, and
matrix questions that mirror the format and difficulty of the actual exam. Successful
completion ensures readiness for the ATI PN Pediatric Proctored Exam and professional
nursing practice in pediatric settings.
,Question 1
A nurse is assessing a 4-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which of the following
developmental milestones should the nurse expect the infant to have achieved?
A. Sitting without support
B. Rolling from back to abdomen
C. Holding head erect when held upright
D. Pincer grasp
C
RATIONALE: By 4 months of age, an infant should be able to hold the head erect when held
upright. Rolling from back to abdomen typically occurs at 5-6 months, sitting without support at
8 months, and pincer grasp at 9-10 months.
Question 2
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parents of a 2-year-old toddler about expected
developmental milestones. Which statement by the parent indicates understanding?
A. "My child should be able to ride a tricycle."
B. "My child should be able to use a fork and spoon."
C. "My child should be able to tie shoelaces."
D. "My child should be able to hop on one foot."
B
RATIONALE: A 2-year-old toddler should be able to use a fork and spoon. Riding a tricycle
typically occurs at 3-4 years, tying shoelaces at 5-6 years, and hopping on one foot at 4-5 years.
Question 3
A nurse is assessing a 7-year-old child. Which developmental characteristic should the nurse
expect?
A. Egocentric thinking
B. Concrete operational thinking
C. Abstract thinking
D. Magical thinking
B
RATIONALE: School-age children (7-11 years) are in Piaget's concrete operational stage,
characterized by logical thinking about concrete events. Egocentric thinking is typical of
toddlers, abstract thinking develops in adolescence, and magical thinking is characteristic of
preschoolers.
Question 4
A nurse is assessing a 12-month-old infant during a well-child visit. Which of the following
findings should the nurse expect?
,A. The infant can walk independently
B. The infant can build a tower of two blocks
C. The infant can say three words
D. The infant can use a spoon
B
RATIONALE: By 12 months, infants typically can build a tower of two blocks, walk with
assistance, say "mama" and "dada" specifically, and use a pincer grasp. Walking independently
usually occurs around 12-15 months; using a spoon occurs around 15-18 months.
Question 5
A nurse is providing anticipatory guidance to the parents of a 2-month-old infant. Which of the
following developmental milestones should the nurse include?
A. The infant will begin to smile socially
B. The infant will begin to sit independently
C. The infant will begin to crawl
D. The infant will begin to wave "bye-bye"
A
RATIONALE: Social smiling typically begins around 2 months of age. Sitting independently
occurs at approximately 6-8 months, crawling at 7-10 months, and waving "bye-bye" at 9-12
months.
Question 6
A nurse is assessing an adolescent client. Which of the following behaviors is consistent with
Piaget's formal operational stage of cognitive development?
A. The adolescent thinks concretely about objects
B. The adolescent can think abstractly and use deductive reasoning
C. The adolescent is egocentric and cannot see others' perspectives
D. The adolescent relies on trial and error to solve problems
B
RATIONALE: Piaget's formal operational stage (12 years and older) is characterized by the
ability to think abstractly, use deductive reasoning, and consider hypothetical situations.
Concrete thinking is characteristic of the concrete operational stage (7-11 years).
Question 7
A nurse is assessing a 7-year-old child. Which of the following developmental tasks is
characteristic of the school-age child according to Erikson's theory?
A. Developing a sense of trust
B. Developing a sense of industry
, C. Developing a sense of autonomy
D. Developing a sense of identity
B
RATIONALE: According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, the school-age child (6-12 years)
is in the stage of Industry vs. Inferiority, where children develop a sense of competence and
achievement through learning new skills. Trust vs. Mistrust is the infant stage, Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt is the toddler stage, and Identity vs. Role Confusion is the adolescent stage.
Question 8
A nurse is assessing a 2-year-old toddler. Which of the following findings should the nurse
identify as a developmental delay requiring further evaluation?
A. The toddler uses two-word phrases
B. The toddler walks independently
C. The toddler cannot stack two blocks
D. The toddler has a vocabulary of approximately 50 words
C
RATIONALE: By 24 months, a toddler should be able to stack 4-6 blocks. The inability to
stack two blocks at 2 years of age is a developmental delay that requires further evaluation.
Using two-word phrases, walking independently, and having a vocabulary of about 50 words are
all expected milestones for a 2-year-old.
Question 9
A nurse is assessing a 3-year-old preschooler. Which behavior is characteristic of this age group?
A. Parallel play
B. Cooperative play
C. Fantasy and make-believe play
D. Solitary play
C
RATIONALE: Preschoolers (3-5 years) engage in fantasy and make-believe play, which is
characteristic of their developing imagination and cognitive abilities.
Question 10
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parents of a 10-year-old child about growth and
development. Which statement by the parent indicates understanding?
A. "My child will have a growth spurt soon."
B. "My child should be able to think abstractly."
C. "My child should be able to understand cause and effect."
D. "My child should be focused on peer relationships."
