NSG 3600 Peds Exam 1 – Latest 2026/2027 Galen
College of Nursing
100% Correct – Evidence-Based Rationales
Section 1: Growth & Development (Theories & Milestones) – 30 Questions
1. A 4-year-old child insists on dressing himself but puts his shirt on backward and shoes on the wrong
feet. According to Erikson, this behavior reflects which psychosocial stage?
• A) Trust vs. Mistrust
• B) Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
• C) Initiative vs. Guilt
• D) Industry vs. Inferiority
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy) – focuses on caregiver reliability.
o B) Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (toddler) – focuses on controlling elimination and basic
choices.
o C) Initiative vs. Guilt (preschool, 3-6 years) – child eagerly tries new tasks; overcontrol
leads to guilt. Dressing himself shows initiative.
o D) Industry vs. Inferiority (school-age) – focuses on competence in skills.
2. Which fine motor skill would the nurse expect a 10-month-old infant to demonstrate?
• A) Scribbling with a crayon
• B) Building a tower of two cubes
• C) Pincer grasp of a raisin
• D) Using a spoon without spilling
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Scribbling (15-18 months).
o B) Two-cube tower (12-15 months).
, o C) Pincer grasp – develops by 9-10 months.
o D) Spoon use (18-24 months).
3. According to Piaget, a 6-month-old infant is in which cognitive stage?
• A) Preoperational
• B) Sensorimotor
• C) Concrete operational
• D) Formal operational
Correct Answer: B
• Rationale:
o B) Sensorimotor (birth-2 years) – learns through senses and actions, object permanence
emerges.
o A) Preoperational (2-7 years) – symbolic thinking but egocentric.
o C) Concrete operational (7-11 years) – logical thinking about concrete events.
o D) Formal operational (11+ years) – abstract reasoning.
4. A toddler becomes very upset when his mother leaves the hospital room. This behavior is typical of
which developmental concept?
• A) Separation anxiety
• B) Stranger fear
• C) Egocentrism
• D) Object permanence
Correct Answer: A
• Rationale:
o A) Separation anxiety – peaks at 10-18 months and reappears in toddler years during
illness/hospitalization.
o B) Stranger fear (6-12 months) – fear of unfamiliar people.
o C) Egocentrism – inability to see others’ perspectives (Piaget preoperational).
o D) Object permanence – understanding objects exist even when unseen (develops by 9
months).
5. Which play activity is most developmentally appropriate for a 5-year-old?
• A) Playing simple board games with rules
, • B) Solitary play with blocks
• C) Cooperative play in a pretend grocery store
• D) Competitive sports with teams
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Simple board games – better for 6-7 years (need rule understanding).
o B) Solitary play – typical for infants/toddlers.
o C) Cooperative/pretend play – peak at preschool age (4-6 years).
o D) Competitive sports – school-age (7+ years).
6. The nurse is assessing a 2-year-old. Which finding would be a developmental red flag?
• A) Says “mama” and “dada” specifically
• B) Uses a spoon but spills some food
• C) Does not use two-word phrases
• D) Walks alone but falls occasionally
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Normal for 12 months.
o B) Normal for 18-24 months.
o C) No two-word phrases by 24 months – language delay red flag.
o D) Walking alone is normal by 15 months.
7. A 14-year-old tells the nurse, “My friends all vape, but I don’t want to. My parents would kill me.”
This reflects which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development?
• A) Preconventional – punishment/obedience
• B) Preconventional – instrumental relativist
• C) Conventional – good boy/nice girl
• D) Conventional – law and order
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Punishment orientation (early childhood).
College of Nursing
100% Correct – Evidence-Based Rationales
Section 1: Growth & Development (Theories & Milestones) – 30 Questions
1. A 4-year-old child insists on dressing himself but puts his shirt on backward and shoes on the wrong
feet. According to Erikson, this behavior reflects which psychosocial stage?
• A) Trust vs. Mistrust
• B) Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
• C) Initiative vs. Guilt
• D) Industry vs. Inferiority
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy) – focuses on caregiver reliability.
o B) Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (toddler) – focuses on controlling elimination and basic
choices.
o C) Initiative vs. Guilt (preschool, 3-6 years) – child eagerly tries new tasks; overcontrol
leads to guilt. Dressing himself shows initiative.
o D) Industry vs. Inferiority (school-age) – focuses on competence in skills.
2. Which fine motor skill would the nurse expect a 10-month-old infant to demonstrate?
• A) Scribbling with a crayon
• B) Building a tower of two cubes
• C) Pincer grasp of a raisin
• D) Using a spoon without spilling
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Scribbling (15-18 months).
o B) Two-cube tower (12-15 months).
, o C) Pincer grasp – develops by 9-10 months.
o D) Spoon use (18-24 months).
3. According to Piaget, a 6-month-old infant is in which cognitive stage?
• A) Preoperational
• B) Sensorimotor
• C) Concrete operational
• D) Formal operational
Correct Answer: B
• Rationale:
o B) Sensorimotor (birth-2 years) – learns through senses and actions, object permanence
emerges.
o A) Preoperational (2-7 years) – symbolic thinking but egocentric.
o C) Concrete operational (7-11 years) – logical thinking about concrete events.
o D) Formal operational (11+ years) – abstract reasoning.
4. A toddler becomes very upset when his mother leaves the hospital room. This behavior is typical of
which developmental concept?
• A) Separation anxiety
• B) Stranger fear
• C) Egocentrism
• D) Object permanence
Correct Answer: A
• Rationale:
o A) Separation anxiety – peaks at 10-18 months and reappears in toddler years during
illness/hospitalization.
o B) Stranger fear (6-12 months) – fear of unfamiliar people.
o C) Egocentrism – inability to see others’ perspectives (Piaget preoperational).
o D) Object permanence – understanding objects exist even when unseen (develops by 9
months).
5. Which play activity is most developmentally appropriate for a 5-year-old?
• A) Playing simple board games with rules
, • B) Solitary play with blocks
• C) Cooperative play in a pretend grocery store
• D) Competitive sports with teams
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Simple board games – better for 6-7 years (need rule understanding).
o B) Solitary play – typical for infants/toddlers.
o C) Cooperative/pretend play – peak at preschool age (4-6 years).
o D) Competitive sports – school-age (7+ years).
6. The nurse is assessing a 2-year-old. Which finding would be a developmental red flag?
• A) Says “mama” and “dada” specifically
• B) Uses a spoon but spills some food
• C) Does not use two-word phrases
• D) Walks alone but falls occasionally
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Normal for 12 months.
o B) Normal for 18-24 months.
o C) No two-word phrases by 24 months – language delay red flag.
o D) Walking alone is normal by 15 months.
7. A 14-year-old tells the nurse, “My friends all vape, but I don’t want to. My parents would kill me.”
This reflects which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development?
• A) Preconventional – punishment/obedience
• B) Preconventional – instrumental relativist
• C) Conventional – good boy/nice girl
• D) Conventional – law and order
Correct Answer: C
• Rationale:
o A) Punishment orientation (early childhood).
