RN NCLEX EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS UPDATED (2024/2025)
(VERIFIED ANSWERS)
The clinic nurse is preparing to explain the concepts of Kohlberg's theory of
moral development with a parent. The nurse should tell the parent that
which factor motivates good and bad actions for the child at the
preconventional level?
A. Peer pressure
B. Social pressure
C. Parents' behavior
D. Punishment and reward - ANS ✓D
Rationale:
In the preconventional stage, morals are thought to be motivated by
punishment and reward. If the child is obedient and is not punished, then
the child is being moral. The child sees actions as good or bad. If the child's
actions are good, the child is praised. If the child's actions are bad, the child
is punished. Options 1, 2, and 3 are not associated factors for this stage of
moral development.
The maternity nurse is providing instructions to a new mother regarding
the psychosocial development of the newborn infant. Using Erikson's
psychosocial development theory, the nurse instructs the mother to take
which measure?
A. Allow the newborn infant to signal a need.
B. Anticipate all needs of the newborn infant.
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C. Attend to the newborn infant immediately when crying.
D. Avoid the newborn infant during the first 10 minutes of crying. - ANS ✓A
Rationale:According to Erikson, the caregiver should not try to anticipate
the newborn infant's needs at all times but must allow the newborn infant
to signal needs. If a newborn infant is not allowed to signal a need, the
newborn will not learn how to control the environment. Erikson believed
that a delayed or prolonged response to a newborn infant's signal would
inhibit the development of trust and lead to mistrust of others.
A nursing student is presenting a clinical conference to peers regarding
Freud's psychosexual stages of development, specifically the anal stage. The
student explains to the group that which characteristic relates to the anal
stage?
A. This stage is associated with toilet training.
B. This stage is characterized by the gratification of self.
C. This stage is characterized by a tapering off of conscious biological and
sexual urges.
D. This stage is associated with pleasurable and conflicting feelings about
the genital organs. - ANS ✓A
Rationale:
In general, toilet training occurs during the anal stage. According to Freud,
the child gains pleasure from the elimination of feces and from their
retention. Option 2 relates to the oral stage. Option 3 relates to the latency
period. Option 4 relates to the phallic stage.
The nurse is describing Piaget's cognitive developmental theory to
pediatric nursing staff. The nurse should tell that staff that which child
behavior is characteristic of the formal operations stage?
A. The child has the ability to think abstractly.
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B. The child begins to understand the environment.
C. The child is able to classify, order, and sort facts.
D. The child learns to think in terms of past, present, and future. - ANS ✓A
Rationale:
In the formal operations stage, the child has the ability to think abstractly
and logically. Option 2 identifies the sensorimotor stage. Option 3 identifies
the concrete operational stage. Option 4 identifies the preoperational stage.
The mother of an 8-year-old child tells the clinic nurse that she is
concerned about the child because the child seems to be more attentive to
friends than anything else. Using Erikson's psychosocial development
theory, the nurse should make which response?
A. "You need to be concerned."
B. "You need to monitor the child's behavior closely."
C. "At this age, the child is developing his own personality."
D. "You need to provide more praise to the child to stop this behavior." -
ANS ✓C
Rationale:According to Erikson, during school-age years (6 to 12 years of
age), the child begins to move toward peers and friends and away from the
parents for support. The child also begins to develop special interests that
reflect his or her own developing personality instead of the parents'.
Therefore, options 1, 2, and 4 are incorrect responses.
The nurse educator is preparing to conduct a teaching session for the
nursing staff regarding the theories of growth and development and plans
to discuss Kohlberg's theory of moral development. What information
should the nurse include in the session? Select all that apply
A. Individuals move through all 6 stages in a sequential fashion.
B. Moral development progresses in relationship to cognitive development.
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C. A person's ability to make moral judgments develops over a period of
time.
D. The theory provides a framework for understanding how individuals
determine a moral code to guide their behavior.
E. In stage 1 (punishment-obedience orientation), children are expected to
reason as mature members of society.
F. In stage 2 (instrumental-relativist orientation), the child conforms to
rules to obtain rewards or have favors returned. - ANS ✓B, C, D, F
Rationale:
Kohlberg's theory states that individuals move through stages of
development in a sequential fashion but that not everyone reaches stages 5
and 6 in his or her development of personal morality. The theory provides
a framework for understanding how individuals determine a moral code to
guide their behavior. It states that moral development progresses in
relationship to cognitive development and that a person's ability to make
moral judgments develops over a period of time. In stage 1, ages 2 to 3
years (punishment-obedience orientation), children cannot reason as
mature members of society. In stage 2, ages 4 to 7 years (instrumental-
relativist orientation), the child conforms to rules to obtain rewards or
have favors returned.
A parent of a 3-year-old tells a clinic nurse that the child is rebelling
constantly and having temper tantrums. Using Erikson's psychosocial
development theory, which instructions should the nurse provide to the
parent? Select all that apply.
A. Set limits on the child's behavior.
B. Ignore the child when this behavior occurs.
C. Allow the behavior, because this is normal at this age period.
D. Provide a simple explanation of why the behavior is unacceptable.
E. Punish the child every time the child says "no" to change the behavior. -
ANS ✓A, D
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