Nursing Elites

1. A 3-year-old child is admitted to the hospital with severe dehydration. The healthcare provider prescribes an IV infusion of 0.9% normal saline. The nurse notes that the child’s heart rate is 150 beats per minute, and the blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Administer the IV fluids as prescribed
• B. Notify the healthcare provider
• C. Check the child’s urine output
• D. Reassess the child’s vital signs in 30 minutes

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In a pediatric patient with severe dehydration and signs of compromised hemodynamics such as tachycardia (heart rate of 150 bpm) and hypotension (blood pressure of 90/50 mm Hg), the priority intervention is to administer IV fluids as prescribed. Immediate fluid resuscitation is essential to restore hydration, improve perfusion, and stabilize the child's vital signs. While it's important to monitor urine output, initiating fluid resuscitation takes precedence in this situation. Notifying the healthcare provider can cause a delay in critical intervention, and waiting to reassess vital signs in 30 minutes can be detrimental in a child with severe dehydration and compromised hemodynamics.

2. What should the nurse do first for a 6-year-old with asthma showing a prolonged expiratory phase, wheezing, and 35% of personal best peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)?

• A. Administer a prescribed bronchodilator.
• B. Encourage the child to cough and take deep breaths.
• C. Report the findings to the healthcare provider.
• D. Identify the triggers that precipitated this attack.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Administering a bronchodilator is the priority action in managing an acute asthma exacerbation in a child. Bronchodilators help to relax the muscles around the airways, opening them up and improving breathing. This intervention aims to address the immediate breathing difficulty and should be done promptly to provide relief for the child. Encouraging coughing and deep breaths (choice B) may worsen the child's condition by further constricting the airways. Reporting findings to the healthcare provider (choice C) is important but not the immediate priority in this acute situation. Identifying triggers (choice D) is crucial for long-term asthma management but is not the first step when managing an acute exacerbation.

3. The caregiver is caring for a 3-year-old child with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis. The child has had several episodes of vomiting and diarrhea over the past 24 hours. What is the caregiver's priority assessment?

• A. Monitor the child's weight
• B. Assess the child's hydration status
• C. Evaluate the child's nutritional intake
• D. Check the child's temperature

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Assess the child's hydration status. In children with gastroenteritis, assessing hydration status is crucial as they are at risk of dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea. Monitoring hydration helps prevent complications and guides appropriate interventions to maintain the child's fluid balance. Monitoring the child's weight (Choice A) is not the priority in this situation compared to assessing hydration status. Evaluating nutritional intake (Choice C) is important but not the priority when the child is at risk of dehydration. Checking the child's temperature (Choice D) is relevant but not the priority over assessing hydration status in a child with gastroenteritis.

4. A 5-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. The child’s parent reports that the pain started suddenly and is located in the lower right abdomen. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Administer pain medication
• B. Notify the healthcare provider immediately
• C. Start an IV line for fluid administration
• D. Obtain a complete blood count

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to notify the healthcare provider immediately. The child's presentation of sudden, severe abdominal pain in the lower right abdomen is highly concerning for appendicitis, a medical emergency. Promptly notifying the healthcare provider is crucial for further evaluation and management. Administering pain medication as the first action might mask symptoms and delay diagnosis. Starting an IV line for fluid administration and obtaining a complete blood count are important interventions but should come after healthcare provider notification.

5. What is the recommended analgesia for preparing a school-age child for a lumbar puncture (LP)?

• A. Ondansetron (Zofran) 4 mg / 5 ml PO TID.
• B. Codeine 10 mg PO 30 minutes before the procedure.
• C. A transdermal fentanyl (Duragesic) patch immediately before the procedure.
• D. EMLA (eutectic mixtures of local anesthetics) 2.5 hours before the procedure.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: For a lumbar puncture in a school-age child, EMLA cream should be applied 2.5 hours before the procedure. EMLA is commonly used to numb the skin, reducing pain and discomfort for the child during the procedure. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because ondansetron is an antiemetic, codeine is an opioid analgesic that may not be suitable for children, and transdermal fentanyl is a strong opioid that is not typically used for local anesthesia in children undergoing lumbar puncture.

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