Page 1 of 81
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM LATEST VERSION
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM - 10-POINT COVERAGE SUMMARY
Growth and Development Milestones - Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development
from infancy through adolescence
Newborn Care and Assessment - Initial assessments, reflexes, feeding, common
conditions
Pediatric Respiratory Disorders - Asthma, croup, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, respiratory
distress
Cardiovascular Conditions - Congenital heart defects, Kawasaki disease, rheumatic
fever
Gastrointestinal Disorders - Dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, appendicitis, pyloric
stenosis
Neurological and Musculoskeletal - Seizures, meningitis, fractures, cerebral palsy,
developmental delays
Endocrine and Metabolic - Diabetes mellitus, growth hormone deficiency, thyroid
disorders
Infectious Diseases and Immunizations - Common childhood infections, vaccine
schedules, isolation precautions
Pediatric Emergencies and Trauma - Poisoning, burns, child abuse recognition,
emergency interventions
Family-Centered Care and Health Promotion - Communication, safety education,
nutrition, pain management
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM 250 QUESTIONS IN BOLD
Questions 1-25: Growth and Development
, Page 2 of 81
1. A nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant during a well-child visit and should expect
to observe which developmental milestone that indicates normal progression?
A) Walking independently without support
B) Sitting without support for brief periods
C) Speaking two-word sentences clearly
D) Drawing circles with crayons
Answer: B
Rationale: At 6 months, infants can typically sit without support briefly. Walking occurs
around 12 months, two-word sentences around 18-24 months, and drawing circles
around 3 years.
2. When evaluating a toddler who is 2 years old, the nurse recognizes that negativism
and temper tantrums are expected behaviors related to which developmental
characteristic?
A) Developing autonomy and independence
B) Cognitive impairment requiring intervention
C) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
D) Inadequate parental discipline strategies
Answer: A
Rationale: Toddlers develop autonomy and test boundaries through negativism. This is
normal Erikson's stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt, not pathology.
3. A preschooler aged 4 years demonstrates magical thinking by believing that thoughts
can cause events to happen, which represents what type of cognitive development?
A) Concrete operational thinking patterns
B) Preoperational stage characteristics
C) Formal operational reasoning abilities
D) Sensorimotor learning experiences
Answer: B
Rationale: Preschoolers are in Piaget's preoperational stage characterized by magical
thinking, animism, and egocentrism. Concrete operational thinking begins around age
7.
, Page 3 of 81
4. The school-age child who is 8 years old should demonstrate mastery of which
developmental task according to Erikson's psychosocial theory of human
development?
A) Trust versus mistrust resolution
B) Industry versus inferiority achievement
C) Identity versus role confusion establishment
D) Intimacy versus isolation development
Answer: B
Rationale: School-age children work on industry versus inferiority, developing
competence through school and peer activities. Trust develops in infancy, identity in
adolescence.
5. An adolescent patient expresses concern about body image changes and peer
acceptance, indicating the nurse should recognize these as priorities for which
developmental stage?
A) Early childhood developmental concerns
B) Middle childhood social adjustments
C) Adolescent psychosocial development needs
D) Toddler separation anxiety issues
Answer: C
Rationale: Adolescents focus on body image, peer relationships, and identity formation.
These are primary psychosocial tasks during teenage years per developmental theory.
6. When teaching parents about infant safety, the nurse emphasizes placing the baby on
the back to sleep to prevent which serious and potentially fatal condition?
A) Sudden infant death syndrome occurrence
B) Gastroesophageal reflux disease complications
C) Positional plagiocephaly head flattening
D) Aspiration pneumonia respiratory infection
Answer: A
Rationale: Back sleeping significantly reduces SIDS risk. While it may cause some
positional head flattening, preventing SIDS is the priority safety measure.
, Page 4 of 81
7. A mother asks when her infant will begin to show stranger anxiety, and the nurse
responds that this typically emerges at approximately what age range?
A) Two to three months of age
B) Six to eight months of age
C) Twelve to fourteen months of age
D) Eighteen to twenty months of age
Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety typically emerges around 6-8 months as infants develop
object permanence and attachment to primary caregivers, recognizing unfamiliar
people.
8. The nurse observes a 3-year-old playing alongside other children without interacting
directly, which play behavior is identified as what type of play pattern?
A) Cooperative interactive play style
B) Parallel play developmental behavior
C) Associative group play activity
D) Solitary independent play method
Answer: B
Rationale: Parallel play is typical for toddlers ages 2-3, where children play near but not
with others. Cooperative play develops later around age 4-5.
9. Parents express concern that their 5-year-old has an imaginary friend, and the nurse
reassures them that this represents which normal developmental phenomenon?
A) Psychotic disorder early manifestation
B) Normal preschool cognitive development
C) Social skills deficit indicator
D) Attention-seeking behavioral problem
Answer: B
Rationale: Imaginary friends are common and normal in preschoolers, reflecting
creative thinking and coping mechanisms. They typically disappear by school age
naturally.
10. When assessing fine motor skills in a 12-month-old infant, the nurse expects to
observe which specific developmental achievement milestone?
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM LATEST VERSION
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM - 10-POINT COVERAGE SUMMARY
Growth and Development Milestones - Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development
from infancy through adolescence
Newborn Care and Assessment - Initial assessments, reflexes, feeding, common
conditions
Pediatric Respiratory Disorders - Asthma, croup, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, respiratory
distress
Cardiovascular Conditions - Congenital heart defects, Kawasaki disease, rheumatic
fever
Gastrointestinal Disorders - Dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, appendicitis, pyloric
stenosis
Neurological and Musculoskeletal - Seizures, meningitis, fractures, cerebral palsy,
developmental delays
Endocrine and Metabolic - Diabetes mellitus, growth hormone deficiency, thyroid
disorders
Infectious Diseases and Immunizations - Common childhood infections, vaccine
schedules, isolation precautions
Pediatric Emergencies and Trauma - Poisoning, burns, child abuse recognition,
emergency interventions
Family-Centered Care and Health Promotion - Communication, safety education,
nutrition, pain management
ATI PN PEDIATRIC PROCTORED EXAM 250 QUESTIONS IN BOLD
Questions 1-25: Growth and Development
, Page 2 of 81
1. A nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant during a well-child visit and should expect
to observe which developmental milestone that indicates normal progression?
A) Walking independently without support
B) Sitting without support for brief periods
C) Speaking two-word sentences clearly
D) Drawing circles with crayons
Answer: B
Rationale: At 6 months, infants can typically sit without support briefly. Walking occurs
around 12 months, two-word sentences around 18-24 months, and drawing circles
around 3 years.
2. When evaluating a toddler who is 2 years old, the nurse recognizes that negativism
and temper tantrums are expected behaviors related to which developmental
characteristic?
A) Developing autonomy and independence
B) Cognitive impairment requiring intervention
C) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
D) Inadequate parental discipline strategies
Answer: A
Rationale: Toddlers develop autonomy and test boundaries through negativism. This is
normal Erikson's stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt, not pathology.
3. A preschooler aged 4 years demonstrates magical thinking by believing that thoughts
can cause events to happen, which represents what type of cognitive development?
A) Concrete operational thinking patterns
B) Preoperational stage characteristics
C) Formal operational reasoning abilities
D) Sensorimotor learning experiences
Answer: B
Rationale: Preschoolers are in Piaget's preoperational stage characterized by magical
thinking, animism, and egocentrism. Concrete operational thinking begins around age
7.
, Page 3 of 81
4. The school-age child who is 8 years old should demonstrate mastery of which
developmental task according to Erikson's psychosocial theory of human
development?
A) Trust versus mistrust resolution
B) Industry versus inferiority achievement
C) Identity versus role confusion establishment
D) Intimacy versus isolation development
Answer: B
Rationale: School-age children work on industry versus inferiority, developing
competence through school and peer activities. Trust develops in infancy, identity in
adolescence.
5. An adolescent patient expresses concern about body image changes and peer
acceptance, indicating the nurse should recognize these as priorities for which
developmental stage?
A) Early childhood developmental concerns
B) Middle childhood social adjustments
C) Adolescent psychosocial development needs
D) Toddler separation anxiety issues
Answer: C
Rationale: Adolescents focus on body image, peer relationships, and identity formation.
These are primary psychosocial tasks during teenage years per developmental theory.
6. When teaching parents about infant safety, the nurse emphasizes placing the baby on
the back to sleep to prevent which serious and potentially fatal condition?
A) Sudden infant death syndrome occurrence
B) Gastroesophageal reflux disease complications
C) Positional plagiocephaly head flattening
D) Aspiration pneumonia respiratory infection
Answer: A
Rationale: Back sleeping significantly reduces SIDS risk. While it may cause some
positional head flattening, preventing SIDS is the priority safety measure.
, Page 4 of 81
7. A mother asks when her infant will begin to show stranger anxiety, and the nurse
responds that this typically emerges at approximately what age range?
A) Two to three months of age
B) Six to eight months of age
C) Twelve to fourteen months of age
D) Eighteen to twenty months of age
Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety typically emerges around 6-8 months as infants develop
object permanence and attachment to primary caregivers, recognizing unfamiliar
people.
8. The nurse observes a 3-year-old playing alongside other children without interacting
directly, which play behavior is identified as what type of play pattern?
A) Cooperative interactive play style
B) Parallel play developmental behavior
C) Associative group play activity
D) Solitary independent play method
Answer: B
Rationale: Parallel play is typical for toddlers ages 2-3, where children play near but not
with others. Cooperative play develops later around age 4-5.
9. Parents express concern that their 5-year-old has an imaginary friend, and the nurse
reassures them that this represents which normal developmental phenomenon?
A) Psychotic disorder early manifestation
B) Normal preschool cognitive development
C) Social skills deficit indicator
D) Attention-seeking behavioral problem
Answer: B
Rationale: Imaginary friends are common and normal in preschoolers, reflecting
creative thinking and coping mechanisms. They typically disappear by school age
naturally.
10. When assessing fine motor skills in a 12-month-old infant, the nurse expects to
observe which specific developmental achievement milestone?
