Pediatric HESI 2023 Related

Review Pediatric HESI 2023 related questions and content

A child with sickle cell anemia develops severe chest pain, fever, a cough, and dyspnea. The nurse's first action is to

  • A. administer 100% oxygen to relieve hypoxia
  • B. administer pain medication to relieve symptoms
  • C. notify the practitioner because chest syndrome is suspected
  • D. notify the practitioner because the child may be having a stroke
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In a child with sickle cell anemia experiencing severe chest pain, fever, cough, and dyspnea, the priority action is to suspect acute chest syndrome, a life-threatening complication. The nurse's first action should be to notify the practitioner for immediate evaluation and intervention. Administering 100% oxygen (Choice A) may be necessary later but is not the initial priority. Administering pain medication (Choice B) should not precede notifying the practitioner, as addressing the underlying cause is crucial. The symptoms described are more indicative of acute chest syndrome than a stroke, so notifying the practitioner for chest syndrome (Choice C) takes precedence over suspecting a stroke (Choice D).