ATI RN CONTENT MASTERY SERIES:
PEDIATRICS WELL REVISED EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE WITH RATIONALES
1. A nurse is assessing a 3-year-old child who is 1 day postoperative following a
tonsillectomy. Which method should the nurse use to determine if the child is
experiencing pain?
A. Ask the parents if they think the child is in pain
B. Use the FACES pain rating scale
C. Use a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10
D. Check the child's temperature
Correct Answer: B. Use the FACES pain rating scale.
• Rationale: The FACES scale is appropriate for children as young as 3 years old to selfreport
pain. It allows them to point to a face that corresponds to their pain level .
Page 1 of 45
, 2. A nurse is caring for an infant who is dehydrated and requires therapy. How should the
nurse monitor the infant's response to therapy?
A. Weigh the infant at the same time every day
B. Take the infant's vital signs every 2 hours
C. Measure the infant's head circumference twice a day
D. Count the number of wet diapers every shift
Correct Answer: A. Weigh the infant at the same time every day.
• Rationale: Weight is the most sensitive indicator of hydration status for clients of all ages.
Weight is the only measurement that reflects both measurable fluid balance changes and
incidental fluid loss .
3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with an adolescent who has an inflamed nonperforated
appendix and is scheduled for a laparoscopic assisted appendectomy. Which instruction
should the nurse include?
A. "You can begin drinking fluids again 2 days after your surgery."
B. "You will need to ask for pain medication for the first 24 hours after surgery."
C. "You will have your vital signs monitored every 8 hours after surgery."
D. "You will sit in your chair at least twice a day after surgery."
Correct Answer: D. "You will sit in your chair at least twice a day after surgery."
,• Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client that she will sit in a bedside chair at least twice a
day and will be encouraged to ambulate as soon as possible following surgery. This activity will
enhance lung function and help prevent postoperative complications .
4. A nurse is assessing an infant who has a ventricular septal defect. Which finding should
the nurse expect?
A. Loud, harsh murmur
B. Dysrhythmias
C. Weak femoral pulses
D. High blood pressure
Correct Answer: A. Loud, harsh murmur.
• Rationale: The nurse should expect to hear a loud, harsh murmur with a ventricular septal defect
due to the left-to-right shunting of blood, which contributes to hypertrophy of the infant's heart
muscle .
5. A nurse is teaching a parent about preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Which instruction should the nurse include?
A. "Place the infant in a prone position to sleep."
B. "Place the infant supine to sleep."
C. "Use soft bedding in the crib."
D. "Co-sleep with the infant in the parent's bed."
Page 3 of 45
, Correct Answer: B. "Place the infant supine to sleep."
• Rationale: Placing the infant supine (on the back) reduces the risk of SIDS. Prone positioning
and soft bedding increase the risk of suffocation and SIDS .
6. A nurse is collecting data from an infant. Which finding is a clinical manifestation of
pyloric stenosis?
A. Absent bowel sounds
B. Increased sodium level
C. Projectile vomiting after feedings
D. Golf ball-sized mass over the left quadrant
Correct Answer: C. Projectile vomiting after feedings.
• Rationale: Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing and thickening of the pyloric canal between the
stomach and the duodenum, resulting in projectile vomiting. An olive-shaped mass is palpable
right of the umbilicus .
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to the guardian of a child who is 1 week
postoperative following a cleft palate repair. For which interprofessional team member
should the nurse initiate a referral?
A. Occupational therapist
B. Speech therapist
C. Physical therapist
PEDIATRICS WELL REVISED EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE WITH RATIONALES
1. A nurse is assessing a 3-year-old child who is 1 day postoperative following a
tonsillectomy. Which method should the nurse use to determine if the child is
experiencing pain?
A. Ask the parents if they think the child is in pain
B. Use the FACES pain rating scale
C. Use a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10
D. Check the child's temperature
Correct Answer: B. Use the FACES pain rating scale.
• Rationale: The FACES scale is appropriate for children as young as 3 years old to selfreport
pain. It allows them to point to a face that corresponds to their pain level .
Page 1 of 45
, 2. A nurse is caring for an infant who is dehydrated and requires therapy. How should the
nurse monitor the infant's response to therapy?
A. Weigh the infant at the same time every day
B. Take the infant's vital signs every 2 hours
C. Measure the infant's head circumference twice a day
D. Count the number of wet diapers every shift
Correct Answer: A. Weigh the infant at the same time every day.
• Rationale: Weight is the most sensitive indicator of hydration status for clients of all ages.
Weight is the only measurement that reflects both measurable fluid balance changes and
incidental fluid loss .
3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with an adolescent who has an inflamed nonperforated
appendix and is scheduled for a laparoscopic assisted appendectomy. Which instruction
should the nurse include?
A. "You can begin drinking fluids again 2 days after your surgery."
B. "You will need to ask for pain medication for the first 24 hours after surgery."
C. "You will have your vital signs monitored every 8 hours after surgery."
D. "You will sit in your chair at least twice a day after surgery."
Correct Answer: D. "You will sit in your chair at least twice a day after surgery."
,• Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client that she will sit in a bedside chair at least twice a
day and will be encouraged to ambulate as soon as possible following surgery. This activity will
enhance lung function and help prevent postoperative complications .
4. A nurse is assessing an infant who has a ventricular septal defect. Which finding should
the nurse expect?
A. Loud, harsh murmur
B. Dysrhythmias
C. Weak femoral pulses
D. High blood pressure
Correct Answer: A. Loud, harsh murmur.
• Rationale: The nurse should expect to hear a loud, harsh murmur with a ventricular septal defect
due to the left-to-right shunting of blood, which contributes to hypertrophy of the infant's heart
muscle .
5. A nurse is teaching a parent about preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Which instruction should the nurse include?
A. "Place the infant in a prone position to sleep."
B. "Place the infant supine to sleep."
C. "Use soft bedding in the crib."
D. "Co-sleep with the infant in the parent's bed."
Page 3 of 45
, Correct Answer: B. "Place the infant supine to sleep."
• Rationale: Placing the infant supine (on the back) reduces the risk of SIDS. Prone positioning
and soft bedding increase the risk of suffocation and SIDS .
6. A nurse is collecting data from an infant. Which finding is a clinical manifestation of
pyloric stenosis?
A. Absent bowel sounds
B. Increased sodium level
C. Projectile vomiting after feedings
D. Golf ball-sized mass over the left quadrant
Correct Answer: C. Projectile vomiting after feedings.
• Rationale: Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing and thickening of the pyloric canal between the
stomach and the duodenum, resulting in projectile vomiting. An olive-shaped mass is palpable
right of the umbilicus .
7. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to the guardian of a child who is 1 week
postoperative following a cleft palate repair. For which interprofessional team member
should the nurse initiate a referral?
A. Occupational therapist
B. Speech therapist
C. Physical therapist
