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CPN: Pediatric Infectious Disease

Recognizing and managing infection in children is central to pediatric nursing. These CPN questions cover common infections, fever management, sepsis recognition, and isolation precautions — each with a full rationale.

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  • 💡 Key Takeaways — the one transferable rule per question
  • 🔍 Hint highlights — the decisive cue phrases in each stem
  • 📖 Full rationales — why every option is right or wrong

Every CPN question is written to the current exam outline for quick learning and a clear pass strategy.

Written and reviewed by the LexPort exam-prep team, led by our Founder & Exam-Prep Lead. LexPort builds certification practice questions — this is exam-preparation material, not medical advice. Last reviewed August 2026.

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Three CPN practice questions on cpn: pediatric infectious disease — tap an answer for instant feedback. The app has 2,200+, timed and scored.

Question 1

A 17-year-old asks the nurse how to verify a tattoo shop's infection control practices regarding reusable metal equipment. Which guidance is correct?

▸ Why C is the answer

Proper sterilization of reusable metal equipment in tattoo and piercing shops requires an autoclave, which uses high pressure and steam to destroy all bacteria, viruses, and spores. Adolescents should be taught to ask for proof of regular autoclave spore testing. Option C is the only acceptable standard for infection control. Option A is incorrect because rubbing alcohol is a low-level disinfectant that does not kill spores or hepatitis viruses. Option B is incorrect because boiling water does not reach temperatures high enough to achieve true sterilization. Option D is incorrect because wiping surfaces does not sterilize instruments that penetrate the skin.

🔑 Key takeaway

Reusable metal equipment in tattoo and piercing facilities must be sterilized using a functioning autoclave.

Question 2

A 12-year-old recovering from an appendectomy is eagerly preparing to spend time petting the facility therapy dog. Which infection control measure is required?

▸ Why D is the answer

The most critical and universally accepted infection control measure for animal-assisted therapy is requiring the patient to perform hand hygiene immediately before and after interacting with the animal. This bidirectional approach protects both the patient from zoonotic organisms and the dog from acquiring healthcare-associated pathogens. Washing the dog's paws with alcohol is inappropriate and can harm the animal. The nurse or patient, rather than the handler, should manage the patient's hand hygiene. Wiping intact surgical dressings with disinfectant is unnecessary and risks degrading the dressing integrity; the dog simply should not contact the surgical site.

🔑 Key takeaway

Standard infection control for animal-assisted therapy requires patient hand hygiene immediately before and after contact.

Question 3

A 15-year-old with chronic kidney disease is prescribed a hemodialysis diet during an inpatient stay. Which meal tray should the nurse verify as correct?

▸ Why C is the answer

A standard hemodialysis diet restricts potassium, phosphorus, and sodium. Plain white toast and apple juice are appropriate choices because refined grains and clear juices are low in these electrolytes. The distractors are dangerous for this patient: bananas and orange juice are extremely high in potassium, whole grains and dairy milk are high in phosphorus, and potatoes and tomatoes are both high-potassium foods that can trigger fatal arrhythmias in patients with compromised renal function.

🔑 Key takeaway

Chronic kidney disease diets restrict potassium, phosphorus, and sodium while utilizing refined carbohydrates.

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Question 1

An 8-year-old child is admitted for a five-day course of intravenous antibiotics and requires a new peripheral intravenous catheter. Which anatomical location provides the most durable and appropriate access for this therapy?

  • A) Dorsal venous network of the dominant hand
  • B) Volar aspect of the non-dominant inner wrist
  • C) Median cubital vein in the antecubital fossa
  • D) Cephalic vein on the non-dominant mid-forearm✓

💡 Key Takeaway

For multi-day therapies, select a straight vein on the non-dominant forearm to maximize dwell time and comfort.

Show rationale

The non-dominant mid-forearm is the preferred site for multi-day therapies because it avoids areas of flexion, reducing the risk of mechanical phlebitis and dislodgement. The dominant hand (Option A) should be avoided to preserve the child's ability to play and eat. The inner wrist (Option B) is highly sensitive and carries a risk of nerve injury. The antecubital fossa (Option C) is an area of flexion that frequently leads to premature catheter failure.

Question 2

A 6-month-old infant is admitted with a fever of 103.1°F and a bulging anterior fontanel while sleeping. The infant is difficult to arouse. Which action should the nurse take?

  • A) Document the finding as a normal variation for this age.
  • B) Administer an antipyretic and reassess the fontanel in one hour.
  • C) Implement droplet precautions and prepare for a lumbar puncture.✓
  • D) Provide oral rehydration fluids to treat the underlying fever.

💡 Key Takeaway

A true bulging fontanel at rest with fever and lethargy strongly indicates a central nervous system infection.

Show rationale

A bulging fontanel in a resting, sleeping infant combined with a high fever and altered level of consciousness strongly suggests an infectious neurological process like bacterial meningitis. Implementing droplet precautions and preparing for cerebrospinal fluid analysis is critical. Option A is incorrect because a bulging fontanel at rest is never a normal variation. Option B is unsafe; while antipyretics treat the fever, delaying further neurological evaluation for an hour could be life-threatening. Option D is incorrect because oral fluids do not address the acute risk of increased intracranial pressure or the underlying central nervous system infection.

Question 3

A 3-year-old child is recovering from pneumonia and is refusing oral liquid antibiotics from the nurse. Which action best empowers the patient while ensuring therapeutic goals are met?

  • A) Ask whether they prefer taking the medicine from a cup or a syringe.✓
  • B) Explain how the medication helps their body fight the current infection.
  • C) Tell them they can choose to take the medication now or after lunch.
  • D) Mix the prescribed medication into a full glass of their favorite juice.

💡 Key Takeaway

Toddlers require limited, acceptable choices to foster autonomy without compromising essential medical treatments.

Show rationale

Toddlers are navigating the developmental stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt, making them prone to refusal if they feel powerless. Offering a limited, acceptable choice like the delivery method empowers them while maintaining the non-negotiable boundary of taking the medication. Explaining the physiological mechanism is developmentally inappropriate and exceeds their cognitive comprehension. Allowing them to delay the medication inappropriately compromises the treatment schedule. Mixing the medication into a large volume of liquid is contraindicated because the child may not finish the drink, leading to an incomplete dose.

Question 4

A 4-year-old with autism spectrum disorder exhibits extreme oral aversion and frequent head-banging when frustrated. The nurse must obtain an accurate temperature during a sick visit for a fever.

  • A) Utilize a temporal artery thermometer while the parent holds the child.✓
  • B) Insert an oral thermometer while distracting the child with a toy.
  • C) Obtain a rectal temperature to ensure the most accurate clinical reading.
  • D) Use a tympanic thermometer after wrapping the child in a blanket.

💡 Key Takeaway

Select minimally invasive assessment tools to safely accommodate specific sensory aversions and prevent behavioral escalation.

Show rationale

Selecting the appropriate assessment tool requires balancing clinical accuracy with the patient's specific sensory aversions. Utilizing a temporal artery thermometer while the parent holds the child provides a rapid, non-invasive measurement that completely avoids the oral cavity, respecting the child's extreme oral aversion. Attempting to insert an oral thermometer while distracting the child (Option B) directly challenges their specific aversion and is highly likely to fail or cause distress. Obtaining a rectal temperature (Option C) is unnecessarily invasive for a routine sick visit and could easily trigger the child's history of head-banging due to severe distress. Using a tympanic thermometer after wrapping the child (Option D) involves physical restraint and head manipulation, which also risks triggering head-banging behavior. The temporal method offers the safest, most sensory-friendly approach to gathering vital signs in this scenario.

Question 5

A 14-year-old adolescent is admitted with sudden onset fever, nuchal rigidity, and a petechial rash on the lower extremities. Lumbar puncture results are pending. Which infection control measure should the nurse implement?

  • A) Implement airborne precautions and require N95 respirators for all staff.
  • B) Implement droplet precautions and require surgical masks for all staff.✓
  • C) Implement contact precautions and require gowns and gloves for staff.
  • D) Implement standard precautions and require face shields for all staff.

💡 Key Takeaway

Suspected meningococcal infections require immediate implementation of droplet precautions using standard surgical masks.

Show rationale

The clinical presentation strongly suggests Neisseria meningitidis, which requires immediate droplet precautions upon suspicion. Healthcare workers must wear surgical masks when within three feet of the patient to prevent transmission via large respiratory droplets. Airborne precautions with N95 respirators are reserved for pathogens like tuberculosis or measles, which remain suspended in the air. Contact precautions are primarily for pathogens spread by direct physical contact, and standard precautions alone are inadequate for suspected bacterial meningitis.

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CPN · Exam Simulator

An 8-year-old child is admitted for a five-day course of intravenous antibiotics and requires a new peripheral…

A) Dorsal venous network of the dominant ha
B) Volar aspect of the non-dominant inner w
C) Median cubital vein in the antecubital f
D) Cephalic vein on the non-dominant mid-fo
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