Nokea
A medical nurse has admitted a patient to the unit with a diagnosis of failure to thrive. The patient has developed a fever and cough, so a sputum specimen has been obtained. The nurse notes that the sputum is greenish and that there is a large quantity of it. The nurse notifies the patient's physician because these symptoms are suggestive of what?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Infection. The greenish color and large quantity of sputum suggest an infection in the lungs, typically caused by bacteria. Greenish sputum is often a sign of bacterial pneumonia. Fever and cough are common symptoms of a lung infection, along with increased sputum production. Pneumothorax (A) is characterized by a collapsed lung and does not typically present with greenish sputum. Lung tumors (B) may cause cough and sputum production, but the color of the sputum is not specific to tumors. Pulmonary edema (D) is a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath and pink, frothy sputum, not greenish sputum.