PNC(C) study guide
PNC(C) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Pediatric Nurse (PNC(C)) credential, often called CPN, is a professional certification for registered nurses who care for infants, children, and adolescents. It is intended for nurses with pediatric clinical experience who want to validate their specialized knowledge beyond general RN licensure. The PNC(C) study guide has 10 sections and about 2,851 words.
01Health Promotion and Maintenance
Health promotion questions ask you to match a person's age, risk profile, and stage of life to the right screening, teaching, or preventive service. Know the well-child visit rhythm: frequent visits in infancy, then annual visits through childhood, with vision and hearing screening, lead screening for at-risk children, and developmental surveillance at every visit.
353 words, about 2 min02Growth and Development
Growth and development questions test your ability to place a child on a predictable trajectory. Learn gross motor, fine motor, language, and social milestones by age band.
313 words, about 2 min03Assessment and Physical Examination
Assessment questions reward a consistent head-to-toe approach and correct technique. The classic order is inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation - except the abdomen, where auscultation follows inspection and precedes palpation and percussion so bowel sounds are not altered.
294 words, about 1 min04Pharmacology and Medication Administration
Medication questions combine the rights of administration, safe calculation, and drug-specific monitoring. Verify the right patient, drug, dose, route, time, and documentation, and add right reason and right response.
289 words, about 1 min05Respiratory and Cardiovascular Care
Respiratory and cardiovascular questions test your ability to recognize early deterioration and intervene. Early hypoxia shows restlessness, anxiety, and tachycardia before cyanosis.
278 words, about 1 min06Neurologic, Sensory, and Musculoskeletal Care
Neurologic questions emphasize serial assessment and early change detection. Use a consistent scale such as the Glasgow Coma Scale and compare pupils, motor strength, and level of consciousness over time.
290 words, about 1 min07Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, and Endocrine Care
This domain rewards linking symptoms to fluid and hormone shifts. For gastrointestinal care, know signs of dehydration and obstruction: vomiting, distension, absent bowel sounds, and inability to pass gas or stool.
261 words, about 1 min08Hematologic, Oncologic, and Immunologic Care
Oncology and hematology questions focus on recognizing complications. Know the nadir period after chemotherapy and the signs of neutropenic fever - a single temperature elevation requires prompt assessment and antibiotics.
258 words, about 1 min09Psychosocial, Behavioral, and Mental Health
Mental health questions test therapeutic communication, safety, and medication knowledge. Use open-ended questions, reflection, and silence; avoid false reassurance, advice-giving, and "why" questions that sound accusatory.
261 words, about 1 min10Professional Practice, Safety, and Quality
Professional practice questions test prioritization, delegation, and legal-ethical judgment. Know what can be delegated to assistive personnel (vital signs on stable patients, hygiene, ambulation) versus what requires a nurse (assessment, teaching, medication administration, evaluating outcomes).
254 words, about 1 min