Chapter 19: The School-Age Child
Leifer: Introduction to Maternity and Pediatric Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A mother reports that she has a new job and her 12-year-old child is home alone for a time after
school. Which statement made by the parent alerts the nurse to a potentially unsafe situation for
this child?
a. “I told him that he could invite a few friends after school.”
b. “I put a list of emergency numbers next to the telephone.”
c. “Last week we made a first aid kit together.”
d. “There is a neighbor available in case of an emergency.”
ANS: A
Latchkey children are subject to a higher rate of accidents. Permitting school-age children
and their friends to be home alone in an unsupervised environment is an unsafe situation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: pp. 450-451 OBJ: 4
TOP: Latchkey Children KEY: Nursing Process Step: Evaluation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
2. A mother is concerned because her 9-year-old boy has developed the habit of twitching his eyes
and flipping his hair while communicating with anyone. What is the best nursing response to this
parent?
a. “This may indicate that he needs eyeglasses.”
b. “Children sometimes do these things for attention.”
c. “This behavior suggests low self-esteem.”
d. “Tics appear when a child is under stress.”
ANS: D
The child cannot help such actions and should not be scolded for them because they are
mainly a result of tension.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 452 OBJ: 3
, TOP: Nine-Year-Old KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
3. A seventh-grade girl tells the school nurse that her art teacher, a woman, is her hero. What is the
most appropriate interpretation of the girl‘s comment?
a. The student may be exploring her career options.
b. The comment is cause for concern about sexual abuse.
c. The child may have difficulty interacting with her peers.
d. Hero worship is a normal phenomenon.
ANS: D
School-age children tend to admire their teachers and adult companions. For the 11- to 12-
year-old, hero worship is a normal phenomenon.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 452| Table 19.3
OBJ: 3 TOP: Social Development
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
4. Which stage of cognitive development is a 9-year-old child in according to Piaget?
a. Formal operations
b. Preoperational
c. Concrete operations
d. Sensorimotor
ANS: C
School-age children are in the concrete operations stage of cognitive development.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 445 OBJ: 3
TOP: Cognitive Development KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
5. What statement by an 11-year-old child leads the nurse to determine he has moved from the
mind-set of egocentrism?
a. “I am a member of the best Cub Scout group in the world.”
b. “I must do my homework before I can play.”
Leifer: Introduction to Maternity and Pediatric Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A mother reports that she has a new job and her 12-year-old child is home alone for a time after
school. Which statement made by the parent alerts the nurse to a potentially unsafe situation for
this child?
a. “I told him that he could invite a few friends after school.”
b. “I put a list of emergency numbers next to the telephone.”
c. “Last week we made a first aid kit together.”
d. “There is a neighbor available in case of an emergency.”
ANS: A
Latchkey children are subject to a higher rate of accidents. Permitting school-age children
and their friends to be home alone in an unsupervised environment is an unsafe situation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: pp. 450-451 OBJ: 4
TOP: Latchkey Children KEY: Nursing Process Step: Evaluation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
2. A mother is concerned because her 9-year-old boy has developed the habit of twitching his eyes
and flipping his hair while communicating with anyone. What is the best nursing response to this
parent?
a. “This may indicate that he needs eyeglasses.”
b. “Children sometimes do these things for attention.”
c. “This behavior suggests low self-esteem.”
d. “Tics appear when a child is under stress.”
ANS: D
The child cannot help such actions and should not be scolded for them because they are
mainly a result of tension.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 452 OBJ: 3
, TOP: Nine-Year-Old KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
3. A seventh-grade girl tells the school nurse that her art teacher, a woman, is her hero. What is the
most appropriate interpretation of the girl‘s comment?
a. The student may be exploring her career options.
b. The comment is cause for concern about sexual abuse.
c. The child may have difficulty interacting with her peers.
d. Hero worship is a normal phenomenon.
ANS: D
School-age children tend to admire their teachers and adult companions. For the 11- to 12-
year-old, hero worship is a normal phenomenon.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 452| Table 19.3
OBJ: 3 TOP: Social Development
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
4. Which stage of cognitive development is a 9-year-old child in according to Piaget?
a. Formal operations
b. Preoperational
c. Concrete operations
d. Sensorimotor
ANS: C
School-age children are in the concrete operations stage of cognitive development.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 445 OBJ: 3
TOP: Cognitive Development KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Growth and Development
5. What statement by an 11-year-old child leads the nurse to determine he has moved from the
mind-set of egocentrism?
a. “I am a member of the best Cub Scout group in the world.”
b. “I must do my homework before I can play.”
