Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
NUR3503 CHILD | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
PEDIATRIC NURSING: CARE OF THE CHILD
1. A nurse assesses a healthy 6-month-old infant. Which gross motor
skill is expected at this age?
A. Walks with one hand held
B. Uses a neat pincer grasp
C. Builds a tower of two blocks
D. Rolls from back to front
Correct Answer: D. Rolls from back to front
Rolling from back to front typically appears around 5 to 6 months;
walking with support and the pincer grasp come later in the first year.
2. A mother asks when her infant's birth weight should triple. The
nurse's best response is:
A. By about 18 months of age
B. By about 6 months of age
C. By about 12 months of age
D. By about 24 months of age
Correct Answer: C. By about 12 months of age
Birth weight usually doubles by 5 to 6 months and triples by 12 months.
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, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
3. A 2-year-old insists on feeding himself and says 'no' to most requests.
According to Erikson, this behavior reflects which developmental
stage?
A. Initiative versus guilt
B. Trust versus mistrust
C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
D. Industry versus inferiority
Correct Answer: C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Toddlers (1 to 3 years) work toward autonomy, often shown through
negativism and a desire for independence.
4. A 4-year-old tells the nurse she got sick because she was mean to her
brother. This thinking is characteristic of which Piagetian stage?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Concrete operational
C. Preoperational
D. Formal operational
Correct Answer: C. Preoperational
Preschoolers in the preoperational stage use magical thinking and often
see illness as punishment for bad behavior.
5. The parent of a 4-month-old asks when the 'soft spot' on top of the
head will close. The nurse explains that the anterior fontanel usually
closes by:
A. 12 to 18 months
B. 2 to 3 months
C. 3 to 4 years
D. 6 to 8 months
Correct Answer: A. 12 to 18 months
The anterior fontanel closes between 12 and 18 months, while the
posterior fontanel closes by about 2 months.
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, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
6. Which activity is most appropriate for a hospitalized 9-year-old on
bed rest?
A. Playing peek-a-boo with a volunteer
B. Stacking large plastic rings
C. Watching cartoons designed for toddlers
D. Assembling a model kit that can be finished
Correct Answer: D. Assembling a model kit that can be finished
School-age children are in the industry stage and gain satisfaction from
completing projects and tasks.
7. A 20-month-old cries loudly, clings to the crib rails, and screams for
her mother after admission. The nurse recognizes this as which phase
of separation anxiety?
A. Protest
B. Despair
C. Detachment
D. Denial
Correct Answer: A. Protest
In the protest phase the toddler cries, screams for the parent, and rejects
comfort from others.
8. Which toy is most appropriate for a 15-month-old?
A. Card game with rules
B. Tricycle
C. Small bead-stringing set
D. Push-pull toy
Correct Answer: D. Push-pull toy
Push-pull toys support the newly walking toddler's gross motor
development and are safe for this age.
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, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
9. An adolescent changes hairstyles and clothing often and spends most
free time with peers. This reflects which of Erikson's developmental
tasks?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Generativity versus stagnation
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Identity versus role confusion
Correct Answer: D. Identity versus role confusion
Adolescents explore different roles and appearances as they work to form
a stable personal identity.
10. A parent reports that her 7-month-old now cries when held by
unfamiliar relatives. The nurse explains that this is:
A. An early indicator of autism spectrum disorder
B. Stranger anxiety, a normal developmental milestone
C. A sign of insecure parent-infant attachment
D. A response to inconsistent caregiving
Correct Answer: B. Stranger anxiety, a normal developmental
milestone
Stranger anxiety normally begins around 6 to 8 months and shows the
infant can tell familiar people from strangers.
SECTION B: COMMUNICATION, HOSPITALIZATION, AND PLAY
11. A nurse is preparing a 4-year-old for a dressing change. Which
approach is most appropriate?
A. Use correct medical terminology to describe each step
B. Let the child handle the supplies on a doll shortly before the procedure
C. Explain the procedure in detail one week in advance
D. Avoid telling the child anything to prevent fear
Correct Answer: B. Let the child handle the supplies on a doll shortly
before the procedure
Preschoolers have a limited sense of time and learn best through hands-
on play close to the event.
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NUR3503 CHILD | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
PEDIATRIC NURSING: CARE OF THE CHILD
1. A nurse assesses a healthy 6-month-old infant. Which gross motor
skill is expected at this age?
A. Walks with one hand held
B. Uses a neat pincer grasp
C. Builds a tower of two blocks
D. Rolls from back to front
Correct Answer: D. Rolls from back to front
Rolling from back to front typically appears around 5 to 6 months;
walking with support and the pincer grasp come later in the first year.
2. A mother asks when her infant's birth weight should triple. The
nurse's best response is:
A. By about 18 months of age
B. By about 6 months of age
C. By about 12 months of age
D. By about 24 months of age
Correct Answer: C. By about 12 months of age
Birth weight usually doubles by 5 to 6 months and triples by 12 months.
Page 1 of 61
, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
3. A 2-year-old insists on feeding himself and says 'no' to most requests.
According to Erikson, this behavior reflects which developmental
stage?
A. Initiative versus guilt
B. Trust versus mistrust
C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
D. Industry versus inferiority
Correct Answer: C. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Toddlers (1 to 3 years) work toward autonomy, often shown through
negativism and a desire for independence.
4. A 4-year-old tells the nurse she got sick because she was mean to her
brother. This thinking is characteristic of which Piagetian stage?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Concrete operational
C. Preoperational
D. Formal operational
Correct Answer: C. Preoperational
Preschoolers in the preoperational stage use magical thinking and often
see illness as punishment for bad behavior.
5. The parent of a 4-month-old asks when the 'soft spot' on top of the
head will close. The nurse explains that the anterior fontanel usually
closes by:
A. 12 to 18 months
B. 2 to 3 months
C. 3 to 4 years
D. 6 to 8 months
Correct Answer: A. 12 to 18 months
The anterior fontanel closes between 12 and 18 months, while the
posterior fontanel closes by about 2 months.
Page 2 of 61
, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
6. Which activity is most appropriate for a hospitalized 9-year-old on
bed rest?
A. Playing peek-a-boo with a volunteer
B. Stacking large plastic rings
C. Watching cartoons designed for toddlers
D. Assembling a model kit that can be finished
Correct Answer: D. Assembling a model kit that can be finished
School-age children are in the industry stage and gain satisfaction from
completing projects and tasks.
7. A 20-month-old cries loudly, clings to the crib rails, and screams for
her mother after admission. The nurse recognizes this as which phase
of separation anxiety?
A. Protest
B. Despair
C. Detachment
D. Denial
Correct Answer: A. Protest
In the protest phase the toddler cries, screams for the parent, and rejects
comfort from others.
8. Which toy is most appropriate for a 15-month-old?
A. Card game with rules
B. Tricycle
C. Small bead-stringing set
D. Push-pull toy
Correct Answer: D. Push-pull toy
Push-pull toys support the newly walking toddler's gross motor
development and are safe for this age.
Page 3 of 61
, Pediatric Nursing: Care of the Child
9. An adolescent changes hairstyles and clothing often and spends most
free time with peers. This reflects which of Erikson's developmental
tasks?
A. Industry versus inferiority
B. Generativity versus stagnation
C. Intimacy versus isolation
D. Identity versus role confusion
Correct Answer: D. Identity versus role confusion
Adolescents explore different roles and appearances as they work to form
a stable personal identity.
10. A parent reports that her 7-month-old now cries when held by
unfamiliar relatives. The nurse explains that this is:
A. An early indicator of autism spectrum disorder
B. Stranger anxiety, a normal developmental milestone
C. A sign of insecure parent-infant attachment
D. A response to inconsistent caregiving
Correct Answer: B. Stranger anxiety, a normal developmental
milestone
Stranger anxiety normally begins around 6 to 8 months and shows the
infant can tell familiar people from strangers.
SECTION B: COMMUNICATION, HOSPITALIZATION, AND PLAY
11. A nurse is preparing a 4-year-old for a dressing change. Which
approach is most appropriate?
A. Use correct medical terminology to describe each step
B. Let the child handle the supplies on a doll shortly before the procedure
C. Explain the procedure in detail one week in advance
D. Avoid telling the child anything to prevent fear
Correct Answer: B. Let the child handle the supplies on a doll shortly
before the procedure
Preschoolers have a limited sense of time and learn best through hands-
on play close to the event.
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