NCSN Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: C

Give an oral antihistamine and observe for 15 minutes: Antihistamines relieve hives but do not treat airway swelling or prevent progression; delaying epinephrine increases risk of death.

Call the parent to come and take the student for medical care: Waiting for the parent delays lifesaving treatment; parents are notified after emergency care begins.

Administer epinephrine by auto-injector into the thigh: Correct. Multisystem symptoms with respiratory involvement are anaphylaxis; IM epinephrine is first-line and should be given without delay, followed by calling 911.

Give the student's albuterol inhaler for the wheezing: Albuterol may ease bronchospasm but does not treat anaphylaxis; epinephrine must come first.

Anaphylaxis: epinephrine first (IM, anterolateral thigh), then call EMS, position, and give a second dose in 5-15 minutes if symptoms persist.

Answer: A

A shock delivered within 3 to 5 minutes of the collapse: Correct. National guidance for schools aims for CPR to begin immediately and a defibrillator shock within 3-5 minutes of collapse, since survival drops with each minute of delay.

A shock delivered within 10 to 15 minutes of the collapse: Waiting 10-15 minutes sharply lowers survival from sudden cardiac arrest.

An AED available whenever EMS reaches the school building: Relying on EMS loses critical minutes; the school's own AEDs and trained staff are meant to act before EMS arrives.

One AED kept in the nurse's office for the school nurse: A single locked location may not allow rapid retrieval, and the plan should not depend on the nurse being present.

Cardiac emergency response plans: trained responders, practiced drills, AEDs placed for retrieval so that a shock can be delivered within 3-5 minutes of collapse.

Answer: B

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer used in place of handwashing: Alcohol sanitizers are less effective against norovirus than handwashing with soap and water.

Handwashing with soap and water and bleach-based cleaning: Correct. Soap-and-water handwashing and disinfection with a chlorine bleach solution (or EPA-registered norovirus product) are key control measures.

Daily cleaning with quaternary ammonium wipes only: Many standard quaternary ammonium products are not reliably effective against norovirus.

Readmitting ill students once vomiting has slowed down: Students should stay home until symptom-free (typically at least 24-48 hours), because norovirus is shed heavily.

Norovirus: soap and water, bleach-based disinfection, exclusion until symptom-free, and no food handling by ill staff.

Answer: B

An individualized education program under IDEA: An IEP requires that a disability in an eligible category adversely affects educational performance so that special education is needed; that is not the case here.

A Section 504 plan under the Rehabilitation Act: Correct. Section 504 (with the ADA) covers students whose impairment substantially limits a major life activity and who need accommodations to access education.

An individualized family service plan under IDEA: IFSPs are for infants and toddlers (birth to 3) in early intervention, not school-age students.

No formal plan, because grades are on track: Good grades do not remove eligibility; diabetes limits endocrine function, a major life activity, regardless of academic performance.

504 plan = accommodations for equal access (no special education needed). IEP = specially designed instruction for an IDEA-eligible disability. The IHP and EAP still guide the nursing care.

Answer: B

Enrollment is delayed until the immunization records are obtained: McKinney-Vento prohibits delaying enrollment of homeless students for missing records, including immunizations.

The student is enrolled at once while the liaison helps get records: Correct. Homeless students must be enrolled immediately; the school's homeless liaison assists in obtaining immunization and other records.

The student is referred to the district of his former permanent address: Families may choose the school of origin or the local school; the student cannot be turned away for that reason.

The student is placed in a separate program for homeless children: The Act prohibits segregating students on the basis of homelessness.

McKinney-Vento: immediate enrollment, school-of-origin rights, transportation, and liaison help with missing records - no segregation.

Answer: C

Recording the student's daily lunchtime glucose result: Documenting a routine reading per the plan can generally be delegated to trained UAP.

Giving a stable student's scheduled oral medication: In many states, routine oral medication administration may be delegated to trained UAP under nursing supervision.

Assessing a student with a new complaint of chest pain: Correct. Assessment and nursing judgment for new or unstable conditions cannot be delegated.

Recording heights and weights during annual screening: Routine measurement tasks with clear procedures can be delegated.

The RN can delegate tasks, not accountability or the nursing process: assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning and evaluation stay with the RN.