Pediatric Nurse Exam Pediatric Nurse Family-Centered Care and Education 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to educate a 10-year-old about a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Which developmental consideration is MOST important?
- Children this age cannot understand abstract health concepts
- Use concrete, simple terms and include hands-on practice with supplies (Correct answer)
- Focus education entirely on the parents since the child is too young to self-manage
- Avoid discussing long-term complications to prevent anxiety
Correct answer: Use concrete, simple terms and include hands-on practice with supplies
School-age children learn best through concrete explanations and hands-on demonstration rather than abstract reasoning.
Question 2: Which family-centered care principle is demonstrated when a nurse allows parents to remain present during a painful procedure?
- Autonomy of the healthcare provider
- Prioritizing parental rights over the child's medical needs
- Recognizing family as a constant in the child's life (Correct answer)
- Reducing nursing workload during procedures
Correct answer: Recognizing family as a constant in the child's life
Family-centered care recognizes that families are a constant source of support and should be present and involved across all care settings.
Question 3: A nurse is providing discharge teaching to parents of an infant with bronchiolitis. Which instruction is HIGHEST priority?
- Administer prophylactic antibiotics as prescribed
- Return to the ED if the infant shows signs of respiratory distress (Correct answer)
- Limit breastfeeding to reduce mucus production
- Keep the infant in a prone position to ease breathing
Correct answer: Return to the ED if the infant shows signs of respiratory distress
Recognizing and responding to worsening respiratory distress is the highest priority because bronchiolitis can rapidly deteriorate.
Question 4: When using a pain scale for a 5-year-old, which tool is developmentally MOST appropriate?
- Numeric rating scale (0–10)
- Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (Correct answer)
- Visual analog scale
- McGill Pain Questionnaire
Correct answer: Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale
The Wong-Baker FACES scale uses facial expressions that preschool and early school-age children can reliably identify.
Question 5: A nurse is evaluating sibling adjustment after a brother's leukemia diagnosis. Which observation suggests a sibling is coping poorly?
- Asking questions about the brother's treatment
- Declining school attendance and social withdrawal (Correct answer)
- Expressing anger occasionally about missed family events
- Spending extra time with parents at the hospital
Correct answer: Declining school attendance and social withdrawal
Social withdrawal and school avoidance are red flags indicating that a sibling is not adjusting well and may need psychosocial support.
Question 6: Which action by a nurse BEST demonstrates advocacy in family-centered care?
- Completing all care tasks as quickly as possible
- Ensuring the family's concerns are communicated during physician rounds (Correct answer)
- Advising parents to trust the medical team without asking questions
- Limiting family meetings to reduce scheduling complexity
Correct answer: Ensuring the family's concerns are communicated during physician rounds
Advocacy means amplifying the family's voice within the healthcare team, especially during rounds and care conferences.
Question 7: A parent reports feeling excluded from their hospitalized teenager's care because the teen asks the nurse to speak privately. What should the nurse do?
- Always include the parent regardless of the teen's request to maintain family involvement
- Respect the teen's privacy while ensuring parents are updated on safety concerns (Correct answer)
- Defer all communication to the physician to avoid conflict
- Document the parent's complaint but otherwise take no action
Correct answer: Respect the teen's privacy while ensuring parents are updated on safety concerns
Adolescents have the right to confidential care for sensitive issues, but parents should be informed when there is a safety risk.
Pediatric Nurse Exam Pediatric Nurse Family-Centered Care and Education 3
A nurse is preparing to educate a 10-year-old about a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.
Which developmental consideration is MOST important?