NCLEX-PN Practice Questions: Pediatric Vital Signs

A practical nurse is assessing a 4-month-old infant during a well-child visit. The infant’s axillary temperature is 99.7°F (37.6°C). Which action should the nurse take?

• Notify the healthcare provider immediately

• Recheck the temperature rectally

• Document the finding as expected

• Initiate cooling measures

A nurse is preparing to obtain a temperature on a 6-month-old infant. Which route is most appropriate?

• Oral

• Tympanic

• Axillary

• Temporal artery

During assessment of a 5-year-old child, the nurse obtains an oral temperature of 100.1°F (37.8°C). What is the nurse’s priority action?

• Document the temperature as normal

• Reassess the temperature in 4 hours

• Notify the healthcare provider

• Initiate fever management interventions

Which child’s temperature finding should the nurse recognize as expected?

• Toddler with an axillary temperature of 98.0°F

• Preschooler with a tympanic temperature of 99.0°F

• School-age child with an oral temperature of 99.6°F

• Adolescent with an oral temperature of 99.4°F

A nurse is caring for a 13-year-old adolescent who is alert and cooperative. Which temperature route is most appropriate?

• Rectal

• Axillary

• Oral

• Tympanic only

Which statement best describes the expected temperature trend as children age?

• Temperature increases steadily

• Temperature remains constant

• Temperature slightly decreases

• Temperature becomes unstable

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A nurse assesses a newborn who has a heart rate of 148 beats/min while resting. How should the nurse interpret this finding?

• Bradycardia

• Tachycardia

• Normal for age

• Requires immediate intervention

Which heart rate finding requires further assessment?

• Infant with HR 142 bpm

• Toddler with HR 90 bpm

• Preschooler with HR 68 bpm

• Adolescent with HR 76 bpm

A 2-year-old toddler is calm and resting. The nurse counts a heart rate of 136 bpm. What is the appropriate nursing action?

• Notify the healthcare provider

• Reassess after activity

• Administer oxygen

• Document the finding as expected

Which client finding is most concerning?

• Infant HR 155 bpm

• Toddler HR 82 bpm

• School-age HR 112 bpm

• Adolescent HR 88 bpm