HESI RN CAT Exit Exam Related

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A 3-year-old boy is brought to the emergency center with dysphagia, drooling, a fever of 102°F, and stridor. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

  • A. Place the child in a mist tent
  • B. Obtain a sputum culture
  • C. Prepare for an emergent tracheostomy
  • D. Examine the child's oropharynx and report the findings to the healthcare provider
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Place the child in a mist tent. This intervention is crucial in managing a child with croup, which presents with stridor, fever, and respiratory distress. Placing the child in a mist tent provides humidified air, which can help reduce airway inflammation and ease breathing. It is the first-line treatment for croup and should be initiated promptly to relieve the child's symptoms. Obtaining a sputum culture (B) is not necessary in this scenario as the child's presentation is consistent with croup, which is a clinical diagnosis. Preparing for an emergent tracheostomy (C) is an invasive procedure that should only be considered if other treatments fail. Examining the child's oropharynx (D) can be helpful but is not the most urgent intervention in this situation.