A 4-year-old child is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of epiglottitis. What is the priority nursing intervention?
- A. Administer antibiotics
- B. Provide humidified oxygen
- C. Keep the child NPO
- D. Position the child upright
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The priority nursing intervention for a 4-year-old child admitted with epiglottitis is to keep the child NPO (nothing by mouth). This is crucial to prevent further airway compromise due to the inflamed epiglottis. Administering antibiotics may be necessary but is not the priority at this moment. Providing humidified oxygen can support oxygenation but does not address the immediate risk of airway obstruction. Positioning the child upright may help with breathing but does not address the risk of aspiration. Keeping the child NPO is essential to maintain a patent airway and prevent complications associated with epiglottitis.
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A parent of a 2-year-old child tells a nurse at the clinic, 'Whenever I go to the store, my child has a screaming tantrum, demanding a toy or candy on the shelves. How can I deal with this situation?' What is the nurse's best response?
- A. "Attempt to distract the child by offering a toy to the child."
- B. "Say nothing and allow the tantrum to continue until it ends."
- C. "Have a babysitter stay with the child at home until the child outgrows this behavior."
- D. "Give the child the item while in the store, and when the child loses interest, return the item to the shelf."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse's best response is to allow the tantrum to continue until it ends without giving in to the child's demands. By not rewarding the child with the desired item during a tantrum, the child learns that this behavior is not effective in getting what they want. Offering a toy to distract the child (Choice A) may reinforce the idea that tantrums lead to rewards. Leaving the child with a babysitter (Choice C) does not address the issue at hand, which is teaching the child appropriate behavior in public places. Giving the child the item temporarily (Choice D) may encourage the child to have tantrums in the future to obtain desired items.
A child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is hospitalized for treatment. What is the priority nursing intervention?
- A. Administering antibiotics
- B. Preventing infection
- C. Providing nutritional support
- D. Managing pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The priority nursing intervention for a child hospitalized for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is preventing infection. Children with ALL have compromised immune systems, making them highly vulnerable to infections. Preventing infections through strict aseptic techniques, isolation precautions, and proper hygiene is crucial to safeguard the child's health. Administering antibiotics (choice A) may be necessary if an infection occurs, but the primary focus should be on infection prevention. While providing nutritional support (choice C) is important, preventing infection takes precedence due to its direct impact on the child's survival. Managing pain (choice D) is essential for the child's comfort but is not the priority over preventing life-threatening infections in this scenario.
A child has been admitted to the pediatric unit with a severe asthma attack. What type of acid-base imbalance should the nurse expect the child to develop?
- A. metabolic alkalosis caused by decreased acid metabolites production
- B. respiratory alkalosis caused by decreased respiratory rate and carbon dioxide retention
- C. respiratory acidosis caused by impaired respirations and increased carbonic acid formation
- D. metabolic acidosis caused by the kidneys' inability to compensate for increased carbonic acid production
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In a severe asthma attack, the child is likely to develop respiratory acidosis due to impaired respirations leading to the retention of carbon dioxide, which combines with water to form carbonic acid. This results in the pH imbalance characterized by an excess of carbonic acid. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Metabolic alkalosis (Choice A) is not typically associated with severe asthma attacks; respiratory alkalosis (Choice B) would involve a decrease, not an increase, in carbon dioxide levels; and metabolic acidosis (Choice D) is not the primary acid-base imbalance seen in severe asthma attacks.
A young child has coarctation of the aorta. What does the nurse expect to identify when taking the child's vital signs?
- A. A weak radial pulse
- B. An irregular heartbeat
- C. A bounding femoral pulse
- D. An elevated radial blood pressure
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In coarctation of the aorta, there is narrowing of the aorta leading to decreased blood flow distal to the constriction. This results in a weak or delayed femoral pulse and a relatively weaker radial pulse compared to the femoral pulse. An irregular heartbeat (choice B) is not a typical finding in coarctation of the aorta. A bounding femoral pulse (choice C) would not be expected due to the decreased blood flow beyond the constriction. An elevated radial blood pressure (choice D) is not a common characteristic of coarctation of the aorta; instead, blood pressure may be higher in the upper extremities compared to the lower extremities due to the constriction.
During a clinical conference with a group of nursing students, the instructor is describing burn classifications. The instructor determines that the teaching has been successful when the group identifies what as characteristic of full-thickness burns?
- A. Skin that is reddened, dry, and slightly swollen
- B. Skin appearing wet with significant pain
- C. Skin with blistering and swelling
- D. Skin that is leathery and dry with some numbness
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Full-thickness burns, also known as third-degree burns, are characterized by a leathery, dry appearance with numbness due to nerve damage. This type of burn extends through all layers of the skin, affecting nerve endings. Choice A describes characteristics of superficial partial-thickness burns, which involve the epidermis and part of the dermis. Choice B describes characteristics of superficial burns, or first-degree burns, which only affect the epidermis. Choice C describes characteristics of superficial to mid-dermal burns, also known as second-degree burns, which involve the epidermis and part of the dermis but do not extend through all skin layers. Therefore, the correct answer is D.