CPN CPN Child Health & Medical Care 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A child in your care develops a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) rectally. What is this classified as?
- Normal temperature
- Low-grade fever
- Fever (Correct answer)
- Hyperthermia
Correct answer: Fever
A rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is the clinical definition of fever in infants and children.
Question 2: When should a nanny seek emergency medical care for a child with a fever without hesitation?
- Any fever above 99°F in a child over 2 years
- Fever in an infant under 3 months, any temperature at or above 100.4°F rectally (Correct answer)
- Fever lasting more than 1 hour in a school-age child
- Fever accompanied by mild runny nose in a toddler
Correct answer: Fever in an infant under 3 months, any temperature at or above 100.4°F rectally
Fever in infants under 3 months is a medical emergency because their immune systems cannot fight serious infections effectively.
Question 3: A child with asthma begins wheezing and their rescue inhaler (albuterol) is prescribed. What is the nanny's correct action?
- Give the child water and have them rest quietly
- Administer the prescribed rescue inhaler as directed and monitor closely (Correct answer)
- Administer an antihistamine from the medicine cabinet
- Wait 30 minutes to see if symptoms resolve before acting
Correct answer: Administer the prescribed rescue inhaler as directed and monitor closely
A rescue inhaler is the prescribed first-line treatment for acute asthma symptoms, and the nanny should administer it as directed in the care plan.
Question 4: Which is the correct method to take a temperature in a child under 3 years for the most accurate reading?
- Oral thermometer under the tongue
- Axillary (armpit) thermometer
- Rectal thermometer (Correct answer)
- Forehead strip thermometer
Correct answer: Rectal thermometer
Rectal temperature is the gold standard for accuracy in young children because it directly measures core body temperature.
Question 5: What is the correct dosing principle for over-the-counter children's acetaminophen?
- Dose is based on the child's age alone
- Dose is based on the child's weight, not age (Correct answer)
- Always give the maximum dose listed on the label
- Dose can be doubled if fever does not break within 1 hour
Correct answer: Dose is based on the child's weight, not age
Acetaminophen dosing is weight-based to ensure safety and effectiveness; using age alone can result in under- or over-dosing.
Question 6: A parent leaves prescription medication for their child with no written instructions. What should a nanny do?
- Administer a standard dose based on the child's age
- Contact the parent to get written or clearly confirmed instructions before administering any medication (Correct answer)
- Follow the medication label's adult dosing instructions scaled down
- Refuse to give any prescription medications under any circumstances
Correct answer: Contact the parent to get written or clearly confirmed instructions before administering any medication
Professional nannies must have clear, written authorization and dosing instructions from parents before administering any prescription medication.
CPN CPN Child Health & Medical Care 1
A child in your care develops a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) rectally.
What is this classified as?