PEDS UPDATED EXAM SCRIPT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔A female child with CF is hospitalized with constipation. The parent asks the nurse
what will need to be done to relieve the child's constipation. Which is the nurse's best
response?
1. "Your child likely has an obstruction and will require surgery."
2. "Your child will likely be given IV fluids to relieve her constipation."
3. "Your child will likely be given GoLYTELY to relieve her constipation."
4. "Your child will be placed on a clear liquid diet to relieve her constipation." - ✔✔3. CF
patients with constipation commonly receive a stool softener or an osmotic solution
orally to relieve their constipation.
✔✔The parents of a 5-week-old have just been told that their child has CF. The mother
had a sister who died of CF when she was 19 years of age. The parents are sad and
ask the nurse several questions about CF and the current projected life expectancy.
What is the nurse's best initial intervention?
1. The nurse should tell the parents that the life expectancy for CF patients has
improved significantly in recent years.
2. The nurse should tell the parents that their child might not follow the same course
that the mother's sister did.
3. The nurse should listen to the parents and tell them that the physician will come to
speak to them about treatment options.
4. The nurse should listen to the parents and be available to them anytime during the
day to answer their questions. - ✔✔4. The nurse's best intervention is to let the parents
express their concerns and fears. The nurse should be available if the parents have any
other concerns or questions or if they just need someone with whom to talk.
✔✔A physician diagnoses a school-age child with strep throat and pharyngitis. The
child's parent asks the nurse what treatment the child will need. Which is the nurse's
best response?
1. "Your child will be sent home on bedrest and should recover in a few days without
any intervention."
2. "Your child will need to have the tonsils removed to prevent future strep infections."
3. "Your child will need oral penicillin for 10 days and should feel better in a few days."
4. "Your child will need to be admitted to the hospital for 5 days of intravenous
antibiotics." - ✔✔3. The child will need a 10-day course of penicillin to treat the strep
infection. It is essential that the nurse always tell the family that, although the child will
feel better in a few days, the entire course of antibiotics must be completed.
✔✔A 5-year-old female is diagnosed with pharyngitis. The child is complaining of throat
pain. Which of the following statements by the mother indicates that she needs more
education regarding the care and treatment of her daughter's throat pain?
1. "I will have my daughter gargle with warm saline three times a day."
,2. "I will offer my daughter ice chips several times a day."
3. "I will give my daughter Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as needed."
4. "I will give my daughter her amoxicillin until all doses of the antibiotic are gone." -
✔✔4. Pharyngitis is a self-limiting viral illness that does not require antibiotic therapy.
Pharyngitis should be treated with rest and comfort measures, including Tylenol, throat
sprays, cold liquids, and popsicles.
✔✔A school-age child is admitted to the hospital for a tonsillectomy. The nurse caring
for this patient is assessing the child 8 hours after surgery. During the nurse's
assessment, the child's parent tells the nurse that the child is in pain. Which of the
following observations should be of most concern to the nurse?
1. The child's heart rate and blood pressure are elevated.
2. The child complains of having a sore throat.
3. The child is refusing to eat solid foods.
4. The child is swallowing excessively. - ✔✔4. Soft foods are recommended to limit the
child's pain and to decrease the risk for bleeding.
✔✔A pediatric client is admitted in status asthmaticus. The parent reports that the child
is currently taking Singulair, albuterol, and Flovent. What is the most important piece of
information that the nurse must ask the parent in order to best treat the patient?
1. "What time did your child eat last?"
2. "Has your child been exposed to any of the usual asthma triggers?"
3. "When was your child last admitted to the hospital for asthma?"
4. "When was your child's last dose of medication?" - ✔✔4. The nurse needs to know
what medication the child had last and when the child took it in order to know how to
begin treatment for the current asthmatic condition.
✔✔A 2-year-old is diagnosed with asthma. The parents are big sports fans and want
their child to play sports. The parents ask the nurse what impact asthma will have on
the child's future in sports. Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "As long as your child takes prescribed asthma medication, the child will be fine."
2. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the more significant the symptoms."
3. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the better the chance the child has of
growing out of the disease."
4. "Your child should avoid playing contact sports and sports that require a lot of
running." - ✔✔2. When a child is diagnosed with asthma at an early age, the child is
more likely to have significant symptoms on aging.
✔✔The parent of a pediatric client with asthma is talking to the nurse about
administering the child's albuterol inhaler. Which statement by the parent leads the
nurse to believe that the parent needs further education on how to administer the
medication?
1. "I should administer two quick puffs of the albuterol inhaler using a spacer."
2. "I should always use a spacer when administering the albuterol inhaler."
, 3. "I should be sure that my child is in an upright position when administering the
inhaler."
4. "I should always shake the inhaler before administering a dose." - ✔✔1. The parent
should always give one puff at a time and should wait 1 minute before administering the
second puff.
✔✔A 3-year-old female is admitted to the hospital with asthma. The nurse is trying to
work with the child on breathing exercises to increase her expiratory phase. What
should the nurse have the child do?
1. Use an incentive spirometer.
2. Breathe into a paper bag.
3. Blow a pinwheel.
4. Take several deep breaths - ✔✔3. Blowing a pinwheel is an excellent means of
increasing a child's expiratory phase. Play is an effective means of engaging a child in
therapeutic activities. Blowing bubbles is another method to increase the child's
expiratory phase.
✔✔A pediatric client was seen at the pediatrician's office and was diagnosed with viral
tonsillitis. The parent asks how to care for the child at home. Which is the nurse's best
response?
1. "You will need to give your child a prescribed antibiotic for 10 days."
2. "You will need to schedule a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks."
3. "You can give your child Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain."
4. "You can place warm towels around your child's neck for comfort." - ✔✔3. Tylenol is
recommended prn for pain relief.
✔✔The nurse is caring for a 22-month-old male who has had repeated bouts of otitis
media. The nurse is educating the parents about otitis media. Which of the following
statements from the parents indicates they need additional teaching?
1. "If I quit smoking, my child may have less chance of getting an ear infection."
2. "As my child gets older, he should have fewer ear infections, because his immune
system will be more developed."
3. "My child will have fewer ear infections if he has his tonsils removed."
4. "My child may need a speech evaluation." - ✔✔3. Removing children's tonsils may
not have any effect on their ear infection. Children who have repeated bouts of tonsillitis
can have ear infections secondary to the tonsillitis, but there is no indication in this
question that the child has a problem with tonsillitis.
✔✔Which of the following children would benefit most from having ear tubes placed?
1. A 2-month-old who has had one ear infection.
2. A 2-year-old who has had five previous ear infections.
3. A 7-year-old who has had two ear infections this year.
4. A 3-year-old whose sibling has had four ear infections. - ✔✔2. A 2-year-old who has
had multiple ear infections is a perfect candidate for ear tubes. The other issue is that a
GRADED A+
✔✔A female child with CF is hospitalized with constipation. The parent asks the nurse
what will need to be done to relieve the child's constipation. Which is the nurse's best
response?
1. "Your child likely has an obstruction and will require surgery."
2. "Your child will likely be given IV fluids to relieve her constipation."
3. "Your child will likely be given GoLYTELY to relieve her constipation."
4. "Your child will be placed on a clear liquid diet to relieve her constipation." - ✔✔3. CF
patients with constipation commonly receive a stool softener or an osmotic solution
orally to relieve their constipation.
✔✔The parents of a 5-week-old have just been told that their child has CF. The mother
had a sister who died of CF when she was 19 years of age. The parents are sad and
ask the nurse several questions about CF and the current projected life expectancy.
What is the nurse's best initial intervention?
1. The nurse should tell the parents that the life expectancy for CF patients has
improved significantly in recent years.
2. The nurse should tell the parents that their child might not follow the same course
that the mother's sister did.
3. The nurse should listen to the parents and tell them that the physician will come to
speak to them about treatment options.
4. The nurse should listen to the parents and be available to them anytime during the
day to answer their questions. - ✔✔4. The nurse's best intervention is to let the parents
express their concerns and fears. The nurse should be available if the parents have any
other concerns or questions or if they just need someone with whom to talk.
✔✔A physician diagnoses a school-age child with strep throat and pharyngitis. The
child's parent asks the nurse what treatment the child will need. Which is the nurse's
best response?
1. "Your child will be sent home on bedrest and should recover in a few days without
any intervention."
2. "Your child will need to have the tonsils removed to prevent future strep infections."
3. "Your child will need oral penicillin for 10 days and should feel better in a few days."
4. "Your child will need to be admitted to the hospital for 5 days of intravenous
antibiotics." - ✔✔3. The child will need a 10-day course of penicillin to treat the strep
infection. It is essential that the nurse always tell the family that, although the child will
feel better in a few days, the entire course of antibiotics must be completed.
✔✔A 5-year-old female is diagnosed with pharyngitis. The child is complaining of throat
pain. Which of the following statements by the mother indicates that she needs more
education regarding the care and treatment of her daughter's throat pain?
1. "I will have my daughter gargle with warm saline three times a day."
,2. "I will offer my daughter ice chips several times a day."
3. "I will give my daughter Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as needed."
4. "I will give my daughter her amoxicillin until all doses of the antibiotic are gone." -
✔✔4. Pharyngitis is a self-limiting viral illness that does not require antibiotic therapy.
Pharyngitis should be treated with rest and comfort measures, including Tylenol, throat
sprays, cold liquids, and popsicles.
✔✔A school-age child is admitted to the hospital for a tonsillectomy. The nurse caring
for this patient is assessing the child 8 hours after surgery. During the nurse's
assessment, the child's parent tells the nurse that the child is in pain. Which of the
following observations should be of most concern to the nurse?
1. The child's heart rate and blood pressure are elevated.
2. The child complains of having a sore throat.
3. The child is refusing to eat solid foods.
4. The child is swallowing excessively. - ✔✔4. Soft foods are recommended to limit the
child's pain and to decrease the risk for bleeding.
✔✔A pediatric client is admitted in status asthmaticus. The parent reports that the child
is currently taking Singulair, albuterol, and Flovent. What is the most important piece of
information that the nurse must ask the parent in order to best treat the patient?
1. "What time did your child eat last?"
2. "Has your child been exposed to any of the usual asthma triggers?"
3. "When was your child last admitted to the hospital for asthma?"
4. "When was your child's last dose of medication?" - ✔✔4. The nurse needs to know
what medication the child had last and when the child took it in order to know how to
begin treatment for the current asthmatic condition.
✔✔A 2-year-old is diagnosed with asthma. The parents are big sports fans and want
their child to play sports. The parents ask the nurse what impact asthma will have on
the child's future in sports. Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "As long as your child takes prescribed asthma medication, the child will be fine."
2. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the more significant the symptoms."
3. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the better the chance the child has of
growing out of the disease."
4. "Your child should avoid playing contact sports and sports that require a lot of
running." - ✔✔2. When a child is diagnosed with asthma at an early age, the child is
more likely to have significant symptoms on aging.
✔✔The parent of a pediatric client with asthma is talking to the nurse about
administering the child's albuterol inhaler. Which statement by the parent leads the
nurse to believe that the parent needs further education on how to administer the
medication?
1. "I should administer two quick puffs of the albuterol inhaler using a spacer."
2. "I should always use a spacer when administering the albuterol inhaler."
, 3. "I should be sure that my child is in an upright position when administering the
inhaler."
4. "I should always shake the inhaler before administering a dose." - ✔✔1. The parent
should always give one puff at a time and should wait 1 minute before administering the
second puff.
✔✔A 3-year-old female is admitted to the hospital with asthma. The nurse is trying to
work with the child on breathing exercises to increase her expiratory phase. What
should the nurse have the child do?
1. Use an incentive spirometer.
2. Breathe into a paper bag.
3. Blow a pinwheel.
4. Take several deep breaths - ✔✔3. Blowing a pinwheel is an excellent means of
increasing a child's expiratory phase. Play is an effective means of engaging a child in
therapeutic activities. Blowing bubbles is another method to increase the child's
expiratory phase.
✔✔A pediatric client was seen at the pediatrician's office and was diagnosed with viral
tonsillitis. The parent asks how to care for the child at home. Which is the nurse's best
response?
1. "You will need to give your child a prescribed antibiotic for 10 days."
2. "You will need to schedule a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks."
3. "You can give your child Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain."
4. "You can place warm towels around your child's neck for comfort." - ✔✔3. Tylenol is
recommended prn for pain relief.
✔✔The nurse is caring for a 22-month-old male who has had repeated bouts of otitis
media. The nurse is educating the parents about otitis media. Which of the following
statements from the parents indicates they need additional teaching?
1. "If I quit smoking, my child may have less chance of getting an ear infection."
2. "As my child gets older, he should have fewer ear infections, because his immune
system will be more developed."
3. "My child will have fewer ear infections if he has his tonsils removed."
4. "My child may need a speech evaluation." - ✔✔3. Removing children's tonsils may
not have any effect on their ear infection. Children who have repeated bouts of tonsillitis
can have ear infections secondary to the tonsillitis, but there is no indication in this
question that the child has a problem with tonsillitis.
✔✔Which of the following children would benefit most from having ear tubes placed?
1. A 2-month-old who has had one ear infection.
2. A 2-year-old who has had five previous ear infections.
3. A 7-year-old who has had two ear infections this year.
4. A 3-year-old whose sibling has had four ear infections. - ✔✔2. A 2-year-old who has
had multiple ear infections is a perfect candidate for ear tubes. The other issue is that a
