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OMSB Paediatric Nursing Practice Questions
Paediatric questions test normal development, the sick child, dehydration and common childhood illnesses, plus weight-based medication safety. Below are 5 free sample questions for the OMSB nursing exam, each with the answer and a rationale.
What this topic covers
- Growth and development milestones
- Paediatric vital signs and pain scales
- Dehydration and oral rehydration
- Croup, bronchiolitis and epiglottitis
- Febrile seizures
- Child safety and safeguarding
The full bank has 90 paediatric nursing questions, part of 1,500 questions across 16 nursing topics.
Free OMSB paediatric nursing questions
1. Which type of stool is classically associated with intussusception?
- A. Ribbon-like stools
- B. Red currant jelly-like stools
- C. Black tarry stools
- D. Clay-coloured stools
Show answer and rationale
Intussusception classically causes sudden colicky abdominal pain with the knees drawn up and red currant jelly stools made of blood and mucus.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – intussusception
2. Which finding is expected in a child with nephrotic syndrome?
- A. Periorbital oedema and frothy urine
- B. Weight loss
- C. Gross haematuria with severe hypertension
- D. Jaundice
Show answer and rationale
Nephrotic syndrome causes heavy proteinuria (frothy urine), low serum albumin and oedema that often starts around the eyes, with weight gain. Gross haematuria with hypertension is more typical of acute glomerulonephritis.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – nephrotic syndrome
3. Which finding in a 3-month-old indicates increasing respiratory distress?
- A. Pink oral mucous membranes
- B. Abdominal breathing movements at rest
- C. Grunting and subcostal retractions
- D. Respiratory rate of 40 breaths/min while calm
Show answer and rationale
Grunting and retractions show increased work of breathing and need prompt escalation. A rate of 40 breaths/min is within normal limits for an infant, and infants normally breathe using the abdomen.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – respiratory assessment
4. Using the Holliday-Segar method (100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg, 50 mL/kg for the next 10 kg, and 20 mL/kg for each kg above 20 kg), what is the daily maintenance fluid requirement for a 25 kg child?
- A. 2500 mL
- B. 1600 mL
- C. 1250 mL
- D. 1000 mL
Show answer and rationale
First 10 kg: 10 x 100 = 1000 mL; next 10 kg: 10 x 50 = 500 mL; remaining 5 kg: 5 x 20 = 100 mL. Total = 1000 + 500 + 100 = 1600 mL per day.
Reference: Holliday-Segar maintenance fluid calculation
5. A nurse teaches the parents of a toddler who had a simple febrile seizure. Which statement by a parent shows correct understanding?
- A. 'I will put my child in an ice-cold bath to lower the fever.'
- B. 'Giving fever medicine may not prevent another seizure.'
- C. 'My child will definitely develop epilepsy now.'
- D. 'I will put a spoon in the mouth if it happens again.'
Show answer and rationale
Antipyretics improve comfort but have not been shown to prevent febrile seizure recurrence. Most children with simple febrile seizures do not develop epilepsy, and objects in the mouth or ice baths are unsafe.
Reference: NICE – fever in under 5s; Wong's – febrile seizures
Study tip
Never examine the throat of a child with suspected epiglottitis. It is a classic exam trap.
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