Pediatric Nursing Exam Study Guide 2025/2026 Update 

1.family apgar score: Brief screening tool that is designed to assess
satisfaction with family functioning.
2.sensorimotor period: In Piaget's theory, the period of cognitive
development from birth to about 2 years in which the child has not yet
achieved object perma- nence. Babies learn primarily from their senses
and their own actions (cause and effect) and display stranger anxiety.
Sense of self is directly related to having needs met. No concept of
death.
3.preoperational thought: Piaget's second stage of cognitive
development, occur- ring from ages 2 through 7, as the child learns
language, symbolic play, and symbolic drawing, but does not grasp
abstract concepts, such as conservation (big cup vs small cup with
same volume). The child represents ideas through words and images.
Children in this phase are egocentric.
4.concrete operations: Piaget's stage in which children learn such
concepts as conservation and mathematical transformations; about 7
- 11 years of age
5.formal operations: in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive
development (nor- mally beginning about age 12) during which people
begin to think logically, hypo- thetically, and morally about abstract
concepts.
6.infancy: Birth to 1 year, trust vs mistrust, strength: hope, strong
maternal influ- ence
7.early childhood: Age 2-3, autonomy vs shame/self doubt, strength:
willpower, parental figures are influential. By age 3, offering choices is
very helpful. Stuttering also begins at age 3. No concept of death but
sensitive to others' emotions.
8.preschool: Age 4-5, initiative vs guilt, strength: purpose, influence
from parents, family, and friends. Fear that their insides will come out
with intrusive procedures. At age 4 the child exhibits more aggression,
but by age 5 becomes more tranquil. Death is impermanent and
deliberately caused.
9.middle childhood: Age 6-11, industry vs inferiority, strength:
competence, influ- enced by school
10.adolescence: Age 12-18, identity vs confusion, strength: fidelity,
influence from peers
11.young adulthood: Age 18-35, intimacy vs isolation, strength: love,
influence: spouse