A 3-year-old child is brought to the emergency department. Using the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT), which three components are assessed?
Cpen Triage
Question · Easy
FREE BCEN CPEN Pediatric Emergency Nurse Exam Guide 2026
A 2026 BCEN CPEN guide for pediatric emergency nurses: 175 items, 110 passing score, PSI/LRP testing, RN eligibility, domain weights, triage, assessment, system emergencies, and practice plan.
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What three observations make up the Pediatric Assessment Triangle?
Triage Process
Flashcard
During triage, a 6-month-old infant appears lethargic with poor muscle tone, minimal response to parents, and weak cry. According to the PAT, which category is most concerning?
Question · Medium
Five-level triage tool that sorts patients by urgency and by how many resources they are expected to need.
Triage process
Guess the Term
Chapter 1: Exam Overview, Triage Process & Initial Emergency Assessment
1.1 CPEN Exam Logistics, Blueprint & Certification Overview
Study guide
Cheat sheet
A 2-year-old with fever and rash is triaged. The child has received no immunizations. Which type of isolation should be initiated until a diagnosis is confirmed?
Read the clue and guess the term in 6 tries.
Game
What does abnormal appearance suggest in the PAT?
An 8-year-old is brought in by ambulance after a motor vehicle collision. The child is alert, crying, and says "I can't breathe." There are no visible injuries. What is the priority triage action?
Four-level prehospital sorting label ranging from a child with absent airway, breathing, or circulation to one with normal findings and no significant injury mechanism.
Which combination of findings in a 4-year-old would indicate the HIGHEST triage acuity (ESI Level 1 or 2)?
How should pediatric triage account for age?
A 15-year-old presents with depression and admits to having a plan to overdose on acetaminophen. What is the most appropriate triage action?
Four-level consciousness scale that starts with an awake child and ends with no response to voice or a noxious stimulus.
Assessment
1.2 Pediatric Triage Systems & Acuity Categorization
A family presents with a 9-month-old who has had diarrhea for 2 days. The parents speak limited English and appear anxious. Which approach demonstrates cultural sensitivity during triage?
Swap tiles to line up three of the same term.
Term Match
When is immediate isolation a triage priority?
During a mass casualty incident involving children, which triage category would be assigned to a child with respiratory failure who is unresponsive but has a palpable pulse?
Score assigned at one and five minutes after birth from heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and color.
A 5-year-old is brought in after exposure to an unknown chemical at a playground. What is the priority intervention before the child enters the emergency department?
What is the first decontamination principle?
A 12-year-old with autism spectrum disorder presents with abdominal pain. The child is covering their ears, rocking, and becoming increasingly agitated in the busy waiting room. What is the best intervention?
Three-part score that grades eye opening, speech, and movement to describe consciousness after a head injury.
1.3 Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT) & Initial Impression
A 3-month-old infant is brought in with a fever of 101.5°F (38.6°C) rectal. The infant is well-appearing, feeding normally, and has no focus of infection. The immunization record shows all vaccines are up to date. What is the appropriate triage classification?
Flip two cards at a time to find matching terms.
Term Pairs
What guides pediatric mass-casualty triage?
Which vital sign combination in a 2-year-old is MOST concerning during triage?
Childhood illness caused by swelling of the voice box and windpipe that produces a barking cough, hoarse voice, and noisy breathing.
Respiratory emergencies
In a chemical decontamination scenario, which solution is recommended for washing the skin of a pediatric patient exposed to an unknown chemical?
What behavioral finding requires immediate safety action?
A 7-year-old with sickle cell disease presents with fever of 102°F and cough. The triage nurse notes the child appears tired but is alert. What is the priority action?
Common infection that can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia and is the leading cause of infant hospitalization.
1.4 Primary & Secondary Pediatric Emergency Assessment
The ED is notified of a school bus accident with multiple injured children arriving in 10 minutes. Which action should the triage nurse take FIRST?
Find five hidden terms in a grid of letters.
Term Search
What is the priority sequence in the pediatric primary survey?
A 10-year-old who identifies as transgender presents with abdominal pain. The parent is not aware of the child's gender identity. How should the triage nurse proceed?
Hole in the wall between the heart's two lower chambers that lets blood pass from the left chamber into the right chamber and then to the lungs.
Cardiovascular emergencies
Which finding during pediatric triage indicates potential human trafficking rather than typical caregiver-child interaction?
Question · Hard
What is the purpose of the secondary survey?
A 4-month-old presents with a history of vomiting. The parent states the infant received rotavirus vaccine yesterday. What is the appropriate triage decision?
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