Question

A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a school age child whois experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. Which of the following is the priority action by the nurse?

Option 1: Administering an antihistamine medication.
Option 2: Initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Option 3: Documenting the reaction in the child's medical record.
Option 4: Notifying the child's parents about the reaction.

Answer 1

The priority action for a nurse when a child is having an anaphylactic reaction is to administer an epinephrine injection. Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylactic shock and is critical for stabilizing the patient's condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The priority action by a nurse when caring for a school-age child who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction is to administer an epinephrine injection. Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening condition where a massive release of histamines leads to symptoms like respiratory distress, a significant drop in blood pressure, and potential suffocation due to swelling of the tongue and throat. Epinephrine counteracts these effects by raising blood pressure, relaxing bronchial smooth muscles to improve breathing, and reducing swelling.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1: Administering epinephrine. An antihistamine may be used to address mild allergy symptoms, but in the case of anaphylaxis, they are not the immediate treatment of choice. CPR is initiated only if the patient is unresponsive and not breathing or not breathing normally. Documenting the reaction and notifying the child's parents are important actions but come after stabilizing the child's medical condition.