ATI RN Pediatrics Proctored Exam 2026 Retake
Actual Exam 2026/2027 Complete Questions and
Answers with Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Growth & Development Milestones (Infancy through Adolescence) – 15
questions
Q1: A mother brings her 6-month-old for a well-child visit. She asks when her baby will
likely begin to sit unsupported. What is the nurse's best response?
A. "Most babies sit unsupported by 4 months."
B. "Around 6 to 8 months is typical." [CORRECT]
C. "Wait until after 12 months."
D. "Sitting usually happens at 10 weeks."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Most infants achieve the ability to sit unsupported between 6 and 8 months
of age, which represents the progression of trunk and pelvic control that develops after
head control but before independent walking.
Q2: According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, which conflict is
primary for a toddler aged 18 months?
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt [CORRECT]
C. Initiative vs. Guilt
D. Industry vs. Inferiority
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Toddlers are navigating autonomy versus shame and doubt as they learn to
do things for themselves; this explains the "no" phase and the drive for independence in
mobility and self-care like feeding.
,Q3: A 4-year-old child is hospitalized for surgery. The child believes the surgery is
punishment for being "bad." This thinking demonstrates which Piaget cognitive stage?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Preoperational [CORRECT]
C. Concrete operational
D. Formal operational
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The preoperational stage (2-7 years) is characterized by egocentrism and
magical thinking, where children often believe events like illness or surgery are caused
by their thoughts or behaviors rather than biological factors.
Q4: Place the following gross motor milestones in the order a typically developing infant
achieves them, from earliest to latest: 1. Walks independently, 2. Sits unsupported, 3.
Rolls over (front to back), 4. Crawls on hands and knees.
A. 3, 2, 4, 1 [CORRECT]
B. 2, 3, 1, 4
C. 4, 3, 2, 1
D. 1, 2, 3, 4
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The typical sequence is rolling over around 4-6 months, sitting unsupported
at 6-8 months, crawling around 8-10 months, and walking independently between 12-15
months, following the cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns of development.
Q5: Stranger anxiety typically peaks at what age?
A. 2-3 months
B. 6-8 months [CORRECT]
C. 12-15 months
D. 18-24 months
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety peaks around 6-8 months, coinciding with object
permanence and the infant's ability to recognize familiar versus unfamiliar faces, which
explains why previously sociable infants suddenly become wary of strangers.
Q6: A mother reports her 9-month-old cries when she leaves the room but stops when
she returns. This indicates the infant has developed:
A. Trust
, B. Object permanence [CORRECT]
C. Abstract thinking
D. Conservation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Object permanence, the understanding that objects (including caregivers)
continue to exist even when out of sight, typically develops between 4-8 months and
explains separation anxiety behaviors in older infants.
Q7: According to Erikson, the school-age child (6-12 years) is working through which
developmental conflict?
A. Initiative vs. Guilt
B. Industry vs. Inferiority [CORRECT]
C. Identity vs. Role Confusion
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: School-age children focus on industry versus inferiority as they work to
master academic and social skills; success leads to competence while failure results in
feelings of inadequacy.
Q8: Which type of play is most characteristic of preschoolers aged 3-5 years?
A. Solitary play
B. Parallel play
C. Associative play [CORRECT]
D. Cooperative play with rules
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Preschoolers engage in associative play where they interact and share toys
but without formal organization or rules; this bridges parallel play of toddlers and the
cooperative play with rules seen in school-age children.
Q9: Separation anxiety peaks in toddlers at approximately:
A. 12-18 months
B. 18-24 months [CORRECT]
C. 30-36 months
D. 4-5 years
Correct Answer: B
Actual Exam 2026/2027 Complete Questions and
Answers with Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Growth & Development Milestones (Infancy through Adolescence) – 15
questions
Q1: A mother brings her 6-month-old for a well-child visit. She asks when her baby will
likely begin to sit unsupported. What is the nurse's best response?
A. "Most babies sit unsupported by 4 months."
B. "Around 6 to 8 months is typical." [CORRECT]
C. "Wait until after 12 months."
D. "Sitting usually happens at 10 weeks."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Most infants achieve the ability to sit unsupported between 6 and 8 months
of age, which represents the progression of trunk and pelvic control that develops after
head control but before independent walking.
Q2: According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, which conflict is
primary for a toddler aged 18 months?
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt [CORRECT]
C. Initiative vs. Guilt
D. Industry vs. Inferiority
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Toddlers are navigating autonomy versus shame and doubt as they learn to
do things for themselves; this explains the "no" phase and the drive for independence in
mobility and self-care like feeding.
,Q3: A 4-year-old child is hospitalized for surgery. The child believes the surgery is
punishment for being "bad." This thinking demonstrates which Piaget cognitive stage?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Preoperational [CORRECT]
C. Concrete operational
D. Formal operational
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The preoperational stage (2-7 years) is characterized by egocentrism and
magical thinking, where children often believe events like illness or surgery are caused
by their thoughts or behaviors rather than biological factors.
Q4: Place the following gross motor milestones in the order a typically developing infant
achieves them, from earliest to latest: 1. Walks independently, 2. Sits unsupported, 3.
Rolls over (front to back), 4. Crawls on hands and knees.
A. 3, 2, 4, 1 [CORRECT]
B. 2, 3, 1, 4
C. 4, 3, 2, 1
D. 1, 2, 3, 4
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The typical sequence is rolling over around 4-6 months, sitting unsupported
at 6-8 months, crawling around 8-10 months, and walking independently between 12-15
months, following the cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns of development.
Q5: Stranger anxiety typically peaks at what age?
A. 2-3 months
B. 6-8 months [CORRECT]
C. 12-15 months
D. 18-24 months
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stranger anxiety peaks around 6-8 months, coinciding with object
permanence and the infant's ability to recognize familiar versus unfamiliar faces, which
explains why previously sociable infants suddenly become wary of strangers.
Q6: A mother reports her 9-month-old cries when she leaves the room but stops when
she returns. This indicates the infant has developed:
A. Trust
, B. Object permanence [CORRECT]
C. Abstract thinking
D. Conservation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Object permanence, the understanding that objects (including caregivers)
continue to exist even when out of sight, typically develops between 4-8 months and
explains separation anxiety behaviors in older infants.
Q7: According to Erikson, the school-age child (6-12 years) is working through which
developmental conflict?
A. Initiative vs. Guilt
B. Industry vs. Inferiority [CORRECT]
C. Identity vs. Role Confusion
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: School-age children focus on industry versus inferiority as they work to
master academic and social skills; success leads to competence while failure results in
feelings of inadequacy.
Q8: Which type of play is most characteristic of preschoolers aged 3-5 years?
A. Solitary play
B. Parallel play
C. Associative play [CORRECT]
D. Cooperative play with rules
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Preschoolers engage in associative play where they interact and share toys
but without formal organization or rules; this bridges parallel play of toddlers and the
cooperative play with rules seen in school-age children.
Q9: Separation anxiety peaks in toddlers at approximately:
A. 12-18 months
B. 18-24 months [CORRECT]
C. 30-36 months
D. 4-5 years
Correct Answer: B
