Pediatric Research Questions Related

Review Pediatric Research Questions related questions and content

A one month old infant is admitted for confirmation of the diagnosis of ventricular septal defect. During the initial admission assessment, the nurse would expect to find:

  • A. Bradycardia at rest
  • B. Bounding peripheral pulses
  • C. An activity related cyanosis
  • D. A murmur at the left sternal border. 105
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a congenital heart defect where there is an abnormal opening between the two ventricles of the heart. One of the hallmark signs of VSD is the presence of a murmur, specifically a holosystolic murmur, which is typically heard best at the left sternal border due to the turbulent blood flow through the defect. This murmur is a key finding during the initial assessment of a patient with a suspected VSD. Other common symptoms of VSD include poor feeding, failure to thrive, tachypnea, and frequent respiratory infections.