NURSING 7330
Pediatric Advanced
Physical Assessment
Q & A w/ Rationales
2024
,1. The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which
landmark should the nurse palpate to assess the fontanels?
a. Cricoid cartilage
b. T3-T4 spinous process
c. Pubic symphysis
d. Skull sutures
Answer: d. Skull sutures
Rationale: The fontanels are the soft spots on a baby's skull
where the skull bones have not yet fully joined. Palpating
the skull sutures allows the nurse to evaluate the infant's
fontanels for size, shape, and tension.
2. A nurse is conducting an abdominal assessment on a 2-
year-old child. Which technique should the nurse use to
assess the child's liver size?
a. Palpation
b. Percussion
c. Auscultation
d. Inspection
Answer: a. Palpation
Rationale: Palpation is used to assess organ size and
abnormalities. In a child, the liver can be palpated by
placing the hand below the costal margin and pressing
gently to feel for enlargement or tenderness.
3. During a pediatric respiratory assessment, the nurse
, auscultates increased breath sounds in all lung fields of a
12-year-old child. Which condition should the nurse
suspect?
a. Pneumonia
b. Asthma
c. Pulmonary edema
d. Respiratory distress syndrome
Answer: b. Asthma
Rationale: Increased breath sounds heard throughout all
lung fields indicate bronchospasm, a common symptom of
asthma. Pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and respiratory
distress syndrome may exhibit different auscultatory
findings.
4. A 3-year-old child with moderate developmental delay is
brought to the clinic for an assessment. The nurse performs
the Denver II Developmental Screening Test. Which
activity should the nurse expect the child to perform?
a. Ride a tricycle
b. Build an 8-block tower
c. Use a two-word sentence
d. Draw a recognizable person
Answer: c. Use a two-word sentence
Rationale: The Denver II Developmental Screening Test
assesses a child's developmental milestones. A 3-year-old
child should be able to use a two-word sentence, while
Pediatric Advanced
Physical Assessment
Q & A w/ Rationales
2024
,1. The nurse is assessing a 6-month-old infant. Which
landmark should the nurse palpate to assess the fontanels?
a. Cricoid cartilage
b. T3-T4 spinous process
c. Pubic symphysis
d. Skull sutures
Answer: d. Skull sutures
Rationale: The fontanels are the soft spots on a baby's skull
where the skull bones have not yet fully joined. Palpating
the skull sutures allows the nurse to evaluate the infant's
fontanels for size, shape, and tension.
2. A nurse is conducting an abdominal assessment on a 2-
year-old child. Which technique should the nurse use to
assess the child's liver size?
a. Palpation
b. Percussion
c. Auscultation
d. Inspection
Answer: a. Palpation
Rationale: Palpation is used to assess organ size and
abnormalities. In a child, the liver can be palpated by
placing the hand below the costal margin and pressing
gently to feel for enlargement or tenderness.
3. During a pediatric respiratory assessment, the nurse
, auscultates increased breath sounds in all lung fields of a
12-year-old child. Which condition should the nurse
suspect?
a. Pneumonia
b. Asthma
c. Pulmonary edema
d. Respiratory distress syndrome
Answer: b. Asthma
Rationale: Increased breath sounds heard throughout all
lung fields indicate bronchospasm, a common symptom of
asthma. Pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and respiratory
distress syndrome may exhibit different auscultatory
findings.
4. A 3-year-old child with moderate developmental delay is
brought to the clinic for an assessment. The nurse performs
the Denver II Developmental Screening Test. Which
activity should the nurse expect the child to perform?
a. Ride a tricycle
b. Build an 8-block tower
c. Use a two-word sentence
d. Draw a recognizable person
Answer: c. Use a two-word sentence
Rationale: The Denver II Developmental Screening Test
assesses a child's developmental milestones. A 3-year-old
child should be able to use a two-word sentence, while
