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SNLE 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 Saudi Nursing Licensure Exam (SNLE), 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 SNLE paediatric nursing questions
1. Which vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine?
- A. Hepatitis B
- B. Tetanus toxoid
- C. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
- D. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)
Show answer and rationale
MMR contains live attenuated viruses. Tetanus toxoid, hepatitis B and IPV are non-live vaccines.
Reference: CDC – general best practice guidelines for immunization
2. A hospitalised 18-month-old cries loudly, clings to the mother and screams when she tries to leave. Which stage of separation anxiety is the child showing?
- A. Detachment
- B. Despair
- C. Protest
- D. Denial
Show answer and rationale
Protest is the first stage of separation anxiety, marked by crying, screaming and clinging to the parent. Despair (withdrawal, sadness) and detachment (apparent adjustment) follow if separation continues.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – hospitalisation and separation anxiety
3. Which nursing action best reflects the principles of family-centred care?
- A. Involving parents as partners in planning and delivering care
- B. Making care decisions for the family to reduce their stress
- C. Limiting parents to set visiting hours
- D. Asking parents to leave during all procedures
Show answer and rationale
Family-centred care recognises the family as the constant in the child's life and involves parents as partners in decisions and care. Restricting parental presence increases separation anxiety.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – family-centred care
4. A child receiving chemotherapy for leukaemia is due for the MMR vaccine. What should the nurse do?
- A. Give half the usual dose
- B. Give the vaccine with a dose of paracetamol
- C. Give the vaccine as scheduled
- D. Withhold the vaccine and discuss with the prescriber
Show answer and rationale
Live vaccines such as MMR are contraindicated in severely immunocompromised children because the vaccine virus can cause serious disease. Reducing the dose is never an acceptable alternative.
Reference: CDC – contraindications and precautions to vaccination
5. A 4-year-old arrives with a sudden high fever, drooling, a muffled voice and is sitting upright leaning forward. What is the nurse's priority action?
- A. Keep the child calm and upright and avoid examining the throat
- B. Lay the child flat for a neck X-ray
- C. Inspect the throat using a tongue depressor
- D. Obtain a throat swab for culture
Show answer and rationale
These signs suggest epiglottitis, which can cause sudden complete airway obstruction. The child should be kept calm in a position of comfort (often on a parent's lap) while airway support is prepared; the throat must not be examined or swabbed.
Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children – epiglottitis
Study tip
Never examine the throat of a child with suspected epiglottitis. It is a classic exam trap.
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