Pediatrics NCLEX-PN Practice Quiz
151 NCLEX-PN style questions with detailed rationales. Test your pediatric nursing knowledge including growth and development, childhood illnesses, congenital and body-system disorders, and pediatric emergencies.
Ready to Test Yourself?
151 questions modeled after the Exit Exam format — pick how many below.
About This Pediatrics Practice Test
This free Pediatrics practice test covers growth and development, pediatric assessment, and the systems most often tested in pediatric nursing — respiratory, cardiac, gastrointestinal and nutrition, neurologic, and infectious disease and immunizations — plus pediatric safety and medication administration. Every question is written in NCLEX-PN style with a full rationale after each answer.
What This Quiz Covers
- Growth & Development 15
- Pediatric Assessment 31
- Pediatric Respiratory 10
- Pediatric Cardiac 25
- Pediatric GI / Nutrition 21
- Pediatric Neurologic 15
- Pediatric Infectious Disease / Immunizations 7
- Pediatric Safety 14
- Pediatric Medication Administration 13
Sample Questions
Five questions pulled straight from this quiz, with the same rationales you get after every answer.
1. A nurse is caring for a child in compensated shock who has received a prescribed IV fluid bolus. Which assessment finding best indicates the child is responding to the fluid resuscitation?
- AHeart rate increases from 96 to 115 bpm
- BUrine output decreases from 2 mL/kg/hr to 1 mL/kg/hr
- CCapillary refill improves from 4 seconds to less than 2 seconds
- DRespiratory rate rises from 22 to 30 breaths/min
Show answer & rationale
Improved capillary refill (from prolonged ≥3 sec to normal <2 sec) indicates better peripheral perfusion and is a positive response to fluid resuscitation in pediatric shock. In compensated shock, successful treatment should bring the heart rate down toward normal — not increase it. Urine output should increase as renal perfusion is restored, not decrease. Respiratory rate should normalize, not rise, with adequate fluid volume.
2. A nurse responds to a 7-month-old infant who suddenly cannot cough, cry, or breathe after eating. The infant is still conscious. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- APerform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
- BBegin CPR with 30 chest compressions
- CDeliver 5 back blows, then 5 chest thrusts
- DEncourage the infant to cough forcefully
Show answer & rationale
For a conscious infant under 1 year with a complete obstruction, give 5 back blows (face-down) then flip and give 5 chest thrusts, alternating until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive. Abdominal thrusts are avoided in infants (liver injury risk). CPR starts only if the infant is unresponsive, and a cough cannot be encouraged when no air is moving.
3. The parents of a 7-year-old newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus are being taught about care. Which statements indicate correct understanding? Select all that apply.
- AWith the right diet, he may eventually stop needing insulin.
- BInsulin needs may go up when he is sick.
- CWe should keep him home from sleepovers to protect his routine.
- DHis insulin doses will likely change as he grows.
- EI'll inject the insulin deep into the muscle.
Show answer & rationale
Two statements are correct: insulin requirements rise during illness because stress hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines raise blood glucose, so insulin is never skipped on sick days, and doses are expected to change as the child grows and goes through puberty. Insulin is given subcutaneously, never intramuscularly; children with type 1 diabetes should be encouraged in normal activities such as sleepovers (with planning for monitoring and supplies), not isolated; and type 1 diabetes is an absolute insulin deficiency requiring lifelong insulin — no diet or weight change removes the need for it.
4. Aspirin is generally avoided in children because of the risk of Reye syndrome. For which of the following childhood conditions is aspirin specifically indicated as an exception to this rule?
- AChickenpox (varicella)
- BInfluenza
- CAcute otitis media
- DKawasaki disease
Show answer & rationale
Kawasaki disease is the one common pediatric exception: aspirin is given (high-dose anti-inflammatory, then low-dose antiplatelet) to lower the risk of coronary artery aneurysms, under provider supervision. Aspirin is otherwise avoided in viral illness like chickenpox and influenza because of Reye syndrome (acute liver failure plus encephalopathy).
5. A nurse is feeding a newborn who begins coughing, choking, and turning cyanotic, with excessive drooling. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
- AContinue feeding more slowly
- BStop the feeding and protect the airway
- CLay the infant flat and reattempt the feed
- DThicken the feeding and offer it again
Show answer & rationale
Coughing, choking, and cyanosis with feeding plus excessive drooling are the 3 C's of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), a surgical emergency where milk can reach the lungs. The nurse must stop the feeding, keep the airway clear, and notify the provider. Continuing, reattempting, or thickening the feed keeps formula flowing toward the lungs and worsens aspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these Pediatrics practice questions really free?
Yes. All 151 questions are free to use, with no account, no sign-up, and no card. You can retake the quiz as many times as you like.
Will this help with my ATI or HESI exit exam?
It should. Nursing school exit exams such as the ATI PN Comprehensive Predictor and the HESI PN Exit Exam are built to predict NCLEX-PN readiness, so they draw on the same content areas these questions follow. The question formats differ, but the material overlaps heavily.
Do the questions come with rationales?
Every one does. As soon as you answer, you see whether you were right along with a full explanation of the reasoning, including why the other options are wrong.
How long is the Pediatrics practice test?
You choose. Take a short set of 10 for a quick review, or work through the full pool of 151 questions as a longer practice test. You can also filter by topic to drill a single area.
Want to review before you test yourself? Read the Pediatrics study guides, or browse all 8 subject quizzes.
More practice quizzes
Every subject below is free, needs no account, and every question comes with a full rationale.
Struggling With Nursing Exam Questions? Get Free Tips.
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