Pediatric Nurse Psychosocial and Mental Health Flashcards
7 cards from real Pediatric Nurse Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pediatric Nurse Psychosocial and Mental Health flashcards as text
A 10-year-old refuses to attend school for three weeks, complaining of stomachaches each morning that resolve by afternoon. The nurse should recognize this as a sign of:
Answer: School avoidance related to anxiety
Somatic complaints that resolve once the school day passes are a classic presentation of school avoidance driven by anxiety.
When using therapeutic play with a 6-year-old prior to a painful procedure, the primary goal is to:
Answer: Reduce anxiety by giving the child a sense of control and understanding
Therapeutic play reduces anxiety and helps children process experiences by providing age-appropriate control and understanding.
A nurse is caring for a 14-year-old with anorexia nervosa. Which nursing priority takes precedence?
Answer: Monitoring for cardiac dysrhythmias
Electrolyte imbalances from malnutrition can cause life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, making physiological safety the top priority.
A parent asks how to respond when their 4-year-old has a temper tantrum in public. The best nurse guidance is:
Answer: Remove the child from the situation and stay calm without giving in
Calmly removing the child and remaining consistent without yielding to demands is the most effective evidence-based approach to tantrums.
Which behavior by a 3-year-old hospitalized child would the nurse interpret as a NORMAL response to hospitalization?
Answer: Regression to bedwetting after being toilet trained
Temporary regression to earlier behaviors such as bedwetting is a normal stress response in toddlers facing hospitalization.
A 16-year-old discloses to the nurse, 'I feel like nobody would care if I disappeared.' The priority nursing action is:
Answer: Conduct a direct suicide risk assessment
Any statement suggesting suicidal ideation requires immediate direct risk assessment using validated tools before other actions.
When applying Erikson's theory, a hospitalized 8-year-old is most likely struggling with the psychosocial conflict of:
Answer: Industry vs. Inferiority
School-age children (6–12 years) are in the Industry vs. Inferiority stage, where illness can disrupt their sense of competence and productivity.
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