CPN Exam Prep: Certified Pediatric Nurse (PNCB) Study Guide + 2,000+ Practice Questions

16 of 150. A Native American adolescent is scheduled for surgery and insists on keeping a medicine pouch around their neck for spiritual protection. The operating room policy requires the removal of all personal items. What is the best nursing action to accommodate the patient?

30 of 150. A 2-month-old infant is being seen for a follow-up. The mother reports severe exhaustion and asks if she can bring the infant into her bed for sleep to facilitate breastfeeding, noting that her mattress is firm and she does not smoke or consume alcohol.

29 of 150. A 2-year-old admitted with severe dehydration secondary to gastroenteritis refuses to drink oral rehydration solution from a cup. The parents report the child has been weaned from a bottle for over six months.

28 of 150. A 14-year-old male admits that while he always wears a seat belt in his parents’ car, he often unbuckles when sitting in the back seat of a friend’s vehicle to “fit in.” Which educational approach is most likely to influence his behavior?

27 of 150. A 12-year-old child with severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count 15,000/mm³) is admitted for chemotherapy. The child is alert but fatigued. Which instruction is the priority for the nurse to reinforce with the patient and family regarding fall prevention?

26 of 150. A 12-year-old patient with Sickle Cell Disease is playing a video game on a tablet and laughing with a visitor. When asked to rate their pain on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the patient reports a score of “8 out of 10.” What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

25 of 150. A parent refuses to complete the ACE screening form during a clinic visit, stating, “My personal life has nothing to do with my child’s ear infection.” Which response best demonstrates trauma-informed communication?

23 of 150. A 15-month-old toddler presents with demineralization on the maxillary incisors. The parent states the child is fussy at bedtime and settles only when given a bottle of milk to keep in the crib. Which recommendation should the nurse prioritize?

22 of 150. A 17-year-old transgender female has been taking estradiol and spironolactone for six months. During a follow-up visit, she reports feeling dizzy when standing up quickly and experiencing occasional leg cramps. Which action should the nurse perform first?

21 of 150. A family recently immigrated to the area, and their 3-year-old child has just been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The family lives in a tight-knit cultural enclave but expresses reluctance to enroll the child in a specialized developmental preschool outside their neighborhood due to fear of social isolation. How should the nurse approach the assessment of community support to optimize the child’s care?

20 of 150. An infant requiring continuous home oxygen therapy is being discharged. The family heats their home with a wood-burning stove, and the father smokes cigarettes outdoors. Which environmental assessment is essential to prevent combustion accidents?

19 of 150. A family travels three hours for their child’s cardiology appointments because their HMO plan lacks local in-network pediatric specialists. The parents report missing recent appointments due to the high cost of gas and time off work. They ask if they can see a local provider instead.

18 of 150. A parent reports that their 4-year-old child wakes up screaming uncontrollably approximately two hours after falling asleep. The child appears terrified, is diaphoretic, and does not respond to comforting, yet has no memory of the event the next morning. Which guidance should the nurse provide to the parent?

17 of 150. An adolescent patient is admitted for abdominal pain. The parents speak limited English, but the adolescent is fluent. The nurse needs to obtain a sensitive psychosocial history regarding potential safety risks at home. Which approach best addresses the language barrier and developmental context?

1 of 150. A 9-year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has recently transitioned to using a power wheelchair full-time due to lower extremity weakness. The parents are concerned about maintaining independence in feeding. Which assessment tool is most indicated to track disease progression specifically affecting these upper body Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)?

15 of 150. A 12-month-old child presents for a well-child visit. The review of history reveals the child received a dose of varicella vaccine two weeks ago following a sibling’s diagnosis of chickenpox. The child is now due for the MMR, Hepatitis A, and PCV vaccines. What is the appropriate clinical action?

14 of 150. Parents of a 9-month-old infant report they have switched from traditional cigarettes to vaping, believing the “water vapor” is safe to use around their child. Which response by the nurse best addresses the environmental safety risks associated with e-cigarette aerosol?

13 of 150. Discharge readiness for a ventilator-dependent child

12 of 150. A 4-year-old child undergoes routine pure-tone audiometry screening in the pediatric office. The child responds to 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz at 20 dB in the right eye but fails to respond to 2000 Hz at 20 dB in the left eye. The child is asymptomatic, and otoscopy reveals clear tympanic membranes with no evidence of fluid or infection. What is the recommended next step?

10 of 150. During a health maintenance visit, a parent states their 12-year-old struggles to fall asleep, often lying awake for two hours. The nurse discovers the child does homework in bed and watches videos on a tablet until sleepy. Which recommendation best applies the principles of stimulus control?

8 of 150. A 7-year-old is undergoing induction chemotherapy. The parents are at the bedside daily, but they report their 10-year-old child has started acting out at school and refusing to visit the hospital. The parents express frustration with the sibling’s “selfish behavior.” What is the nurse’s best response?

7 of 150. A 15-year-old with a history of depression lives in a rural home where the family owns firearms for hunting. The parents state they have hidden the guns in the master bedroom closet. Which specific storage modification must the nurse negotiate to ensure the adolescent’s safety?

6 of 150. A 15-year-old adolescent with a known peanut allergy presents with stridor, diffuse hives, and confusion. Vital signs reveal a heart rate of 145 beats/minute and a blood pressure of 84/50 mmHg. Which assessment of the patient’s shock state is accurate?

5 of 150. A 15-year-old is seen for a sports physical. The teen has recently quit the team, reports difficulty sleeping, and becomes visibly agitated when the parent asks for their phone password. The teen’s grades have dropped significantly over the last semester.

4 of 150. A 14-year-old newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus is receiving discharge education. The nurse observes the adolescent intently reading the posters on the wall and studying the insulin pen diagrams, but the patient makes minimal eye contact during verbal explanations. Which educational intervention is most appropriate?

3 of 150. An 11-year-old female presents for her routine adolescent wellness visit. Her record reveals she received a dose of Tdap at age 9 due to a dirty wound and uncertain vaccination status at that time. What is the correct plan regarding the Tdap vaccine for this visit?

2 of 150. During a 4-month well-child check, a mother completes an ACE screener indicating “food insecurity” and “partner depression.” The infant is tracking along the 25th percentile for weight and appears well-cared for. Which intervention should the nurse prioritize?