NUR 328 / NR 328 — PEDIATRIC NURSING CORE BLOCK | VERIFIED
EXAM SOLUTIONS - COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -
CURRENT VERSION 2026/2027
1. Q: What is the primary focus of family-centered care in pediatric nursing?
ANSWER The primary focus is recognizing the family as the constant in the
child's life and partnering with them to provide care that supports the child's
and family's physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
2. Q: What are the core principles of family-centered care? ANSWER
Respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration between families
and healthcare providers.
3. Q: Why is atraumatic care important in pediatric nursing? ANSWER
Atraumatic care minimizes physical and psychological stress for children during
healthcare encounters, preventing lasting negative associations with medical
care.
4. Q: What does the acronym "TRAUMA" stand for in atraumatic care?
ANSWER T = Prevent or minimize physical pain; R = Prevent or minimize
separation from family; A = Promote a sense of control; U = Prevent or
minimize bodily injury; M = Maintain a safe environment; A = Provide
emotional support.
5. Q: What is the role of the pediatric nurse as an advocate? ANSWER The
pediatric nurse advocates by helping children and families make informed
choices, protecting their rights, and ensuring their voices are heard in
healthcare decisions.
6. Q: What is the most accurate indicator of pain in a nonverbal infant?
ANSWER Behavioral cues such as facial expressions (grimacing), body
movements (flailing, arching), and crying patterns.
,7. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for infants and
preverbal toddlers? ANSWER The FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry,
Consolability).
8. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for children ages 3–7
years who can self-report? ANSWER The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating
Scale or the Oucher Scale.
9. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for children ages 8
years and older? ANSWER The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) or Visual Analog
Scale (VAS).
10. Q: What is therapeutic play in pediatric nursing? ANSWER Therapeutic
play uses play to help children express feelings, cope with healthcare
experiences, and understand medical procedures.
11. Q: What is the difference between therapeutic play and medical play?
ANSWER Therapeutic play focuses on emotional expression and coping, while
medical play specifically uses medical equipment and scenarios to familiarize
children with healthcare experiences.
12. Q: What is the most developmentally appropriate way to explain a
procedure to a preschool-aged child? ANSWER Use simple, concrete
language, allow the child to handle equipment, and use play or dolls to
demonstrate the procedure.
13. Q: Why should adolescents be given privacy during physical assessments?
ANSWER Adolescents are developing autonomy and body image concerns;
privacy respects their developmental need for independence and dignity.
14. Q: What is the legal requirement regarding informed consent for minors?
ANSWER Informed consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian,
except in emergencies or when the minor is emancipated.
15. Q: What is assent in pediatric healthcare? ANSWER Assent is the child's
agreement to participate in care, acknowledging their developing autonomy
while recognizing they cannot give full legal consent.
16. Q: What are the mandatory reporting requirements for pediatric nurses?
ANSWER Nurses are mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse, neglect,
and certain infectious diseases.
, 17. Q: What is the primary goal of health promotion in pediatrics? ANSWER
To optimize the child's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development
through prevention, education, and early intervention.
18. Q: What is the difference between growth and development? ANSWER
Growth is a quantitative increase in physical size (measurable), while
development is a qualitative change in skill and functional ability.
19. Q: What are the five domains of child development? ANSWER Physical
(gross and fine motor), cognitive, language, social-emotional, and
adaptive/self-help.
20. Q: What is the cephalocaudal principle of growth? ANSWER Growth
proceeds from head to toe; the head develops before the lower extremities.
21. Q: What is the proximodistal principle of growth? ANSWER Growth
proceeds from the center of the body outward; trunk control develops before
finger dexterity.
22. Q: What is the difference between chronological age and developmental
age? ANSWER Chronological age is the actual age in years/months;
developmental age reflects the child's functional level in various domains.
23. Q: What is the significance of the fontanelles in infants? ANSWER
Fontanelles allow for brain growth and skull molding during birth. The anterior
fontanelle closes at 12–18 months; the posterior closes at 2–3 months.
24. Q: What is a normal heart rate for a newborn? ANSWER 120–160 beats
per minute.
25. Q: What is a normal respiratory rate for a 2-year-old? ANSWER 20–30
breaths per minute.
26. Q: What is a normal blood pressure for a 6-year-old child? ANSWER
Approximately 95/60 mmHg (varies by height and weight percentiles).
27. Q: What is the formula for estimating systolic blood pressure in children
ages 1–10 years? ANSWER 90 + (2 × age in years) = approximate systolic BP.
28. Q: Why are infants and young children at higher risk for dehydration?
ANSWER They have a higher percentage of body water, higher metabolic rate,
larger surface area to body mass ratio, and immature kidneys.
EXAM SOLUTIONS - COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -
CURRENT VERSION 2026/2027
1. Q: What is the primary focus of family-centered care in pediatric nursing?
ANSWER The primary focus is recognizing the family as the constant in the
child's life and partnering with them to provide care that supports the child's
and family's physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
2. Q: What are the core principles of family-centered care? ANSWER
Respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration between families
and healthcare providers.
3. Q: Why is atraumatic care important in pediatric nursing? ANSWER
Atraumatic care minimizes physical and psychological stress for children during
healthcare encounters, preventing lasting negative associations with medical
care.
4. Q: What does the acronym "TRAUMA" stand for in atraumatic care?
ANSWER T = Prevent or minimize physical pain; R = Prevent or minimize
separation from family; A = Promote a sense of control; U = Prevent or
minimize bodily injury; M = Maintain a safe environment; A = Provide
emotional support.
5. Q: What is the role of the pediatric nurse as an advocate? ANSWER The
pediatric nurse advocates by helping children and families make informed
choices, protecting their rights, and ensuring their voices are heard in
healthcare decisions.
6. Q: What is the most accurate indicator of pain in a nonverbal infant?
ANSWER Behavioral cues such as facial expressions (grimacing), body
movements (flailing, arching), and crying patterns.
,7. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for infants and
preverbal toddlers? ANSWER The FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry,
Consolability).
8. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for children ages 3–7
years who can self-report? ANSWER The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating
Scale or the Oucher Scale.
9. Q: What is the recommended pain assessment scale for children ages 8
years and older? ANSWER The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) or Visual Analog
Scale (VAS).
10. Q: What is therapeutic play in pediatric nursing? ANSWER Therapeutic
play uses play to help children express feelings, cope with healthcare
experiences, and understand medical procedures.
11. Q: What is the difference between therapeutic play and medical play?
ANSWER Therapeutic play focuses on emotional expression and coping, while
medical play specifically uses medical equipment and scenarios to familiarize
children with healthcare experiences.
12. Q: What is the most developmentally appropriate way to explain a
procedure to a preschool-aged child? ANSWER Use simple, concrete
language, allow the child to handle equipment, and use play or dolls to
demonstrate the procedure.
13. Q: Why should adolescents be given privacy during physical assessments?
ANSWER Adolescents are developing autonomy and body image concerns;
privacy respects their developmental need for independence and dignity.
14. Q: What is the legal requirement regarding informed consent for minors?
ANSWER Informed consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian,
except in emergencies or when the minor is emancipated.
15. Q: What is assent in pediatric healthcare? ANSWER Assent is the child's
agreement to participate in care, acknowledging their developing autonomy
while recognizing they cannot give full legal consent.
16. Q: What are the mandatory reporting requirements for pediatric nurses?
ANSWER Nurses are mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse, neglect,
and certain infectious diseases.
, 17. Q: What is the primary goal of health promotion in pediatrics? ANSWER
To optimize the child's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development
through prevention, education, and early intervention.
18. Q: What is the difference between growth and development? ANSWER
Growth is a quantitative increase in physical size (measurable), while
development is a qualitative change in skill and functional ability.
19. Q: What are the five domains of child development? ANSWER Physical
(gross and fine motor), cognitive, language, social-emotional, and
adaptive/self-help.
20. Q: What is the cephalocaudal principle of growth? ANSWER Growth
proceeds from head to toe; the head develops before the lower extremities.
21. Q: What is the proximodistal principle of growth? ANSWER Growth
proceeds from the center of the body outward; trunk control develops before
finger dexterity.
22. Q: What is the difference between chronological age and developmental
age? ANSWER Chronological age is the actual age in years/months;
developmental age reflects the child's functional level in various domains.
23. Q: What is the significance of the fontanelles in infants? ANSWER
Fontanelles allow for brain growth and skull molding during birth. The anterior
fontanelle closes at 12–18 months; the posterior closes at 2–3 months.
24. Q: What is a normal heart rate for a newborn? ANSWER 120–160 beats
per minute.
25. Q: What is a normal respiratory rate for a 2-year-old? ANSWER 20–30
breaths per minute.
26. Q: What is a normal blood pressure for a 6-year-old child? ANSWER
Approximately 95/60 mmHg (varies by height and weight percentiles).
27. Q: What is the formula for estimating systolic blood pressure in children
ages 1–10 years? ANSWER 90 + (2 × age in years) = approximate systolic BP.
28. Q: Why are infants and young children at higher risk for dehydration?
ANSWER They have a higher percentage of body water, higher metabolic rate,
larger surface area to body mass ratio, and immature kidneys.
