ATI Pediatric Medications Test Related

Review ATI Pediatric Medications Test related questions and content

When a father asks why his child with tetralogy of Fallot seems to favor a squatting position, the nurse would explain that squatting:

  • A. Increases peripheral vascular resistance
  • B. Decreases arterial blood flow away from the heart
  • C. It's a common resting position when a child is tachycardic
  • D. Increases the workload of the heart
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Squatting increases systemic vascular resistance, which leads to a reduction in the right-to-left shunting of blood in children with tetralogy of Fallot. This helps improve oxygenation by balancing the pulmonary and systemic blood flow. The squatting position decreases the pressure in the right ventricle and reduces the magnitude of the right-to-left shunt by increasing afterload, thereby improving oxygenation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because squatting does not decrease arterial blood flow away from the heart, is not related to being tachycardic, and does not increase the workload of the heart.